Strong opinions over the downtown corridor paid parking program surfaced at the March 11 Town of Estes Park board meeting, when Dana Klein, the Town’s transit and parking manager, sought approval of Resolution 19-25.
This measure that sets parking rates for 2025 was narrowly approved with Trustees Mark Igel and Bill Brown voting no, preferring to see a letter of support from the Transportation Advisory Board first.
Paid parking in the downtown corridor has been implemented in Estes Park since late May 2021 and is in effect to coincide with the timed-entry program at Rocky Mountain National Park, this year from May 23 to Oct. 19.
No change over last year in rates or structure was proposed, said Manager Dana Klein, because of the “interest to evaluate the changes to downtown traffic flow in 2025 attributed solely to the completion of the downtown Estes Loop” before making any adjustments.
Igel was very vocal about whether the Town should keep implementing paid parking at all, saying that a letter of support or in opposition from TAB should be received before this decision was made. “Out of curiosity,” Trustee Kirby Hazelton asked about this letter prior to the board meeting, but Klein said he neglected to ask TAB for one.
While there were no members of the public on hand to speak about the downtown paid parking program, several Trustees and Mayor Gary Hall mentioned a letter that was received from Ann Taylor of Estes Park, just before the meeting started. Both Taylor and Igel own shops downtown on Elkhorn Avenue, and many of their concerns are similar.
“I feel that Estes was always considered a family friendly, affordable vacation spot with easy access to Rocky Mountain National Park and the majesty of our mountains,” stated Taylor in her letter. “Please consider rescinding paid parking…even for just this season and compare statistics before you consider it again.”
Hundreds, if not thousands of negative comments have been received from long-time visitors by Taylor and Igel, with some threatening to “not come back.”
In November of 2016, TAB recommended the following to be included in the Downtown Parking Management Plan: seasonal paid parking, employee parking, and a downtown parking expansion plan. Arguments for paid parking, as explained by Klein in past board meetings, include:
- Having a two-hour limit on parking helps to keep more spots open during the busy season.
- Being able to renew your time via a phone application means parkers do not have to move their car if they would like to stay longer.
- Locals are more likely to find a spot downtown if people are not parked there all day.
- Locals and downtown employees can apply for parking passes to get free or reduced parking downtown.
- The program not only pays for itself but provides a stream of income to complete parking expansion downtown.
EVICS request for tuition assistance reduced by Town staff
The Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success’ request for 6E funds to administer tuition assistance for preschool and day care in 2025 was lowered by the board upon staff recommendation.
Housing and Childcare Manager Carlie Bangs asked to hold back $50,000 of the original request of $250,000 to diversify the funds, allocating some to be administered through Larimer County. This year, EVICS will be handling applications from low-income residents and the Town’s program will refer middle-income families to the county’s program.
Rut Miler, executive director for Estes Valley Investment in Childhood Success, said that her organization has the software and trained employees to administer tuition assistance for all income levels; the EVICS program requires each family to contribute a copay, based on their income.
It is unclear exactly what the county program will look like, but it launches in August, reported Bangs. At that time, she will make application information available. At the Dec. 10 study session, Bangs was given the direction to serve middle-income families, which at the time was not available at EVICS; thus, the request to hold back those funds.
The Town Board unanimously approved the reduced request of $200,000 in tuition assistance from 6E funds to EVICS, after Igel’s suggestion to award the original amount requested was not taken up.
In other Town Board Business
Peter Benton was appointed to complete the term of Marlys Polson on the Estes Valley Library District, for the term March 11 – Dec. 31, 2027.
The next Town Board meeting will be held on March 25 at 7 p.m. in the Town Hall Board Room, 170 MacGregor Avenue in Estes Park.