HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2012-01-24
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado, January 24, 2012
Minutes of a Study Session meeting of the TOWN BOARD of the Town
of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado. Meeting held at Town Hall in
Rooms 202/203 in said Town of Estes Park on the 24th day of January,
2012.
Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Levine, Trustees
Blackhurst, Elrod, Ericson, Koenig and Miller
Attending: All
Also Attending: Interim Town Administrator Richardson, Directors Chilcott
and Zurn, Planning Commissioners Klink and Tucker, Town
Attorney White and Town Clerk Williamson
Absent: None
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 4:35 p.m.
PUBLIC WORKS 2012 PROJECT COORDINATION.
Director Zurn stated the Town has been awarded a Paul S. Sarbanes Transit in Parks
Discretionary grant in the amount of $3 million, the largest award across the nation. The
funds are to be used to construct a 300-space multilevel transit parking structure, two
bus bays to support transit services between the Town of Estes Park and Rocky
Mountain National Park, and for a real-time bus arrival information system. Funds will
also be used for final design of a transportation hub at the Visitor Center.
Public Works has numerous projects slated for 2012; however, each brings disruptions
and challenges during the construction period. Staff reviewed the major projects
including many in the downtown core: Virginia Avenue sewer replacement/roadway
reconstruction/Park Lane and MacGregor Avenue overlay, Wiest retaining wall
replacement, Mall Road and Hwy 34 intersection reconstruction (new turn lane) – CDOT
project, Moraine Avenue pedestrian improvements, Steamer Drive and Black Canyon
Drive overlay and road realignment, downtown concrete rehabilitation, stall barns, Black
Canyon and Devils Gulch box culvert replacement, and Bond Park Phases I, III and V.
Staff stated concern over several projects being conducted with different contractors, in
the core area of Bond Park and the surrounding business district. The Virginia project
would be completed this spring and Bond Park in the fall. Construction management
would be contracted out for some projects such as the Virginia project. However, the
Moraine project would be a State project overseen by the Town staff with regard to
construction management and would most likely take place in late spring/early summer.
The Steamer/Black Canyon project would be added to the Virginia project to make the
project more attractive to bidders and managed by the same consultant. A change
order request would come forward for the Board’s consideration.
Trustee Blackhurst stated concern with signalizing the Moraine/Wiest crosswalk without
an easement in place and stated the Town should not maintain the sidewalk in this
area.
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT (ADU) DISCUSSION.
Director Chilcott stated a problem statement has been developed by Planning
Commission that was reviewed with the Town Board in November 2011. Planning
Commissioners Klink and Tucker were present to discuss the general recommendations
of the Planning Commission and provide a rationale behind the recommendations. Key
discussion points included the following: (1) attached ADUs – allowing, reducing or
Town Board Study Session – January 24, 2012 – Page 2
eliminating minimum lot size, limit the size, require EVPC review for new units, require
architectural controls, require land use affidavit, allow short or long term rentals, and
allow flexibility to expand existing grandfathered units; (2) detached ADUs – allow,
establish a minimum lot size for detached ADUs, Planning Commission review of all
new units, require architectural controls, require a land use affidavit, allow short or long
term rentals, and allow flexibility to expand existing grandfathered units; and (3)
attached and detached units - clarify what constitutes an ADU.
Discussion followed: the Board stated agreement to allow attached units with no
minimum lot size; a limit on size for an attached unit should only be considered with the
addition of square footage; no size limit should be placed on internal units consisting of
a remodel only and no additional square footage added to the principle dwelling;
Planning Commission is concerned with the formation of a duplex without a limit on the
size of an attached unit and maintaining the single-family zoning district characteristics;
the Board agreed short-term rentals for both attached and detached units should not be
allowed; long-term rentals should be allowed for workforce housing and affordable
housing; the Planning Commission would discuss long-term rentals including issues
such as limiting the number of people and vehicles and bring back recommendations;
the Board did not come to agreement on which zoning districts or lot sizes a detached
unit should be allowed with comments ranging from limit the detached to what exists
and allow new detached on larger lots to don’t allow them and if you do then allow
everywhere; detached units should not be limited due to lot size; staff commented there
is a limit on the amount of accessory structures that can be on a lot per zoning district; a
number of the Board would be in favor of the Planning Commission reviewing ADUs to
provide a public process, and therefore, the item would be discussed further by the
Planning Commission; and the consensus of the Board was not to require architectural
controls for either attached or detached units.
The Planning Commission would review the Town Board comments and discuss at their
meeting in February and draft additional language to address the concerns.
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:40 p.m.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk