HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Study Session 2016-03-08
Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, Colorado March 8, 2016
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 8th day of March, 2016.
Board: Mayor Pinkham, Mayor Pro Tem Koenig, Trustees Ericson,
Holcomb, Nelson, Norris and Phipps
Attending: Mayor Pinkham, Trustees Ericson, Holcomb, Nelson, Norris
and Phipps
Also Attending: Town Administrator Lancaster, Assistant Town Administrator
Machalek, Town Attorney White, Director Bergsten, Finance
Officer McFarland and Town Clerk Williamson
Absent: Mayor Pro Tem Koenig
Mayor Pinkham called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m.
SMART METERING PRESENTATION.
A presentation on advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and stakeholder engagement
by the consulting firm Excergy was presented to the Board. The Town’s decision to
move to Smart meters would improve service reliability and quality as the current
meters are reaching their useful life span and require staff to drive by the meter to read
each meter. The project would be phased with Phase I – Pilot announced September
28, 2015, Phase II – Limited AMI deployment, and Phase III – Scheduled replacement
to take place over the next decade. The Pilot project included 24 residential meters
installed by utility staff and tested for billing accuracy. Phase II would include the
deployment of the AMI meters in the Estes valley by the fourth quarter of 2016,
Allenspark by the second quarter 2017, Pole Hill/Hwy 36 by the fourth quarter 2017,
Hwy 34 by the first quarter of 2018 and CR43/Glen Haven and Retreat by the fourth
quarter of 2018. Stakeholder engagement would include consistent messaging of the
benefits to the Town and the utility as it relates to enhanced services with shorter
outages and better customer service, improve the environment through decreased
emissions and tapping into the technology. The Town would allow individuals to opt out
of the installation of a Smart meter to address concerns citizens may have regarding the
units. Concerns have been raised on the privacy, safety and health impact of the units.
The meters would only transmit usage and not specific types of usage. Meter fires can
occur with a particular vendor design not being used by the Town. Health concerns
have been raised as it relates to radio frequency of the units; however, the units use a
significantly lower RF than FCC limit or other common household devices such as cell
phones.
Town Board comments were heard and summarized: questioned what happens to the
old meters; individuals can opt out for privacy or health issues and opt in at a later date;
the Town would save on staff time driving to read meters; and a report on the health
and safety related to RF was requested for review by the PUP Committee to address
the concerns of the constituents. Staff responded to the Board concerns stating the old
meters would be recycled as scrap metal; if large areas opt out a repeater would be
placed in the area to collect data from the current meters; and the utility would save on
costs in the next 4 to 5 years.
CODE CHANGES FOR VACATION RENTALS OF EIGHT OR LESS UPDATE.
Planner Kleisler was present to provide an overview of the proposed regulations for
vacation homes of 8 or less occupancy reviewed by the Estes Valley Planning
Town Board Study Session – March 8, 2016 – Page 2
Commission during their February 2016 meeting. The EVPC continued their discussion
to the March meeting because 2 of their members were absent. It was determined the
full Commission should forward recommendations to the County Commissioners and
the Town Board for consideration at their March 30th meeting. The following items were
discussed with the Commission:
Annual Operating Permit Limit – The Planning Commission opted not to
recommend any limit on the number of permits valley-wide.
Neighborhood Communication – The Commission generally agreed with the
communication strategies included in the Ordinance with minor edits not affecting
the overall policy.
Annual Permit Review – During the February 2nd joint meeting of the County
Commissioners, Town Board and EVPC an annual notices to neighbors during
the renewal process was discussed. After further review by staff, it was
determined there were various constraints that would make such a notice difficult
to administer. Staff proposed limiting the annual notices to properties with
violations in the give year. The Community Development Director would have
the option to withhold a vacation home permit during the annual renewal process
until the violation was corrected or resolved in court. There would not be a mass
mailing to all neighbors for all vacation homes. This approach would address
vacation homes with confirmed violations. The Planning Commission was
supportive of the revised concept.
Enforcement Procedures – Discussions are still ongoing between the County and
the Town on a possible intergovernmental agreement to enforce the regulations
throughout the valley. An amendment to the current codes would address the
need for 15-day notice to the property owner to cure a non-emergent situation.
The code currently states the Code Enforcement Officer shall provide a 15-day
notice and would be changed to may in order to address violations that occur
during a short stay and allow the notice to be delivered to the local contact rather
than the property owner as an alternate contact.
Neighborhood Communication – To address better communication to the
neighbors and to the guests renting the unit the following would be implemented:
1) require internal posting at each vacation home with property manager/owner
contact information, number of guests, quiet hours, number of vehicles, shut off
locations, etc.; 2) require property license number with all online listings; and 3)
require written notice be mailed to nearby neighbors upon the issuance of a new
license or when the contact information has been updated to provide the name
and contact information for the property manager and/or owner.
A-Accommodation Zoning District – The A-Accommodation zoning district does
not allow vacation homes as a use by right in the current Development Code.
The code would be amended to allow it as a use by right because similar uses,
single family homes and cabins, are permitted in the zoning district.
Town Board comments have been summarized: has the Larimer County Sheriff been
contacted to work on the enforcement issue in the unincorporated areas; the Board
requested information on the number of code enforcement violations that have been
addressed by the staff and the number of properties involved; the Town should develop
regulations with a balance between the vacation rentals and the neighborhoods;
consistent enforcement of the regulations is required; require the property owners to
make property boundaries clear to the renters/guests and the use of outside fires should
be addressed on the internal notice to renters; questioned how a violation would be
addressed; i.e. a fine or Municipal Court; and the proposed Ordinance if adopted should
be reviewed in a year to determine if further changes are needed.
MAYOR AND TRUSTEE COMPENSATION.
Town Clerk Williamson presented the Board with a review of the monthly salaries for the
communities reviewed in 2012 and 2014, and found the average monthly salary for the
Mayor had increased to an average of $900/month. The average salaries for the Mayor
Pro Tem and Trustees increased to $590/month and $580/month respectively. The
Town Board Study Session – March 8, 2016 – Page 3
Town ranks at the bottom of the pay scale as it relates to the Mayor in relation to its
peer cites and just above midpoint and midpoint for the Mayor Pro Tem and Trustee
positions. Staff reviewed the salaries versus health insurance premiums for 2015 and
2016 and found the premiums are well within the bi-weekly salaries provided to the
Board members. Staff would recommend the Board consider raising the Mayor salary
to $9,000/year from the current $7,500/year. Staff would only recommend raising the
Mayor Pro Tem and Trustee salaries by $500/year or $7,000 and $6,000.
Board consensus was not to increase the salaries of the Board at this time; however,
the Board requested the item be brought forward for consideration at the March 22nd
meeting.
TRUSTEE & ADMINISTRATOR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS.
Administrator Lancaster stated the Town does not have an annexation strategy or
philosophy. The philosophy would outline when, why and how properties would be
identified for annexation. What would be the benefits for the Town and the property
owner. Establish a policy outlining what a subdivision would have to do before the
Town would consider annexation, i.e. improve infrastructure such as roadways. The
philosophy may outline incentives to encourage a property owner to annex. Annexation
of businesses increases the sales tax base, while the annexation of residential property
usually costs the Town money.
FUTURE STUDY SESSION AGENDA ITEMS.
The discussion on a hydrology study and implications would be removed from the
March 22nd meeting. The April 12th meeting would include a status on the Events
complex.
Trustee Nelson requested dates be scheduled for the housing needs and response,
impact fees and other funding options to support housing goals, and the broadband
issues. Administrator Lancaster stated the Town would present an application to the
Energy Impact Board for consideration of funding the broadband project. An update on
the broadband issue would be scheduled in early May.
There being no further business, Mayor Pinkham adjourned the meeting at 6:25 p.m.
Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk