Steve Careccia, the Town’s community development director, said that an amendment to the development code is being considered to allow for an indoor carousel to be built at The Stanley Chocolate Factory on Elkhorn Avenue.
The amendment is necessary due to the very restrictive language in the code, prohibiting any indoor entertainment in the downtown corridor except for “movie theaters and theatrical space for dramatic, musical or live performances; indoor billiards, pool and other table games.”
Public comment on the change to add “and carousels, but only as an accessory use to a retail establishment or food/beverage sales and only in compliance with all accessory use standard,” will be heard during the regular Town Board meeting on April 22.
Trustee Mark Igel said that noise might be a problem, “but I would support this, and it seems to be appropriate to the project.” He mentioned he would like to hear from the public about this as well.
Dependable and green energy also on Town Board’s agenda
“I continue to believe this is the best path,” said Estes Park Mayor Gary Hall at the April 8 Town Board meeting.
“I know that our community cares almost unanimously about getting to green-generated power as soon as we can, as do the other municipalities. But I also know that dependability is the number one factor.”
Hall was speaking of the five aeroderivative natural gas turbines planned to be installed at Rawhide Energy Station, operated by Platte River Power Authority, Estes Park’s wholesale energy provider. The turbines are the best solution to get PRPA’s coal-fired unit, Rawhide 1, completely decommissioned by 2030, said Utilities Director Reuben Bergsten.
However, at the initial public hearing in Fort Collins for PRPA’s 1041 land use permit application on March 10, numerous negative public comments and incomplete information led the Larimer County commissioners to continue the hearing.
The 1041 permit application concerns more than 60 acres on the existing 4,600-acre Rawhide campus to accommodate for the construction, laydown, and storage yards needed to install the five turbines, an ammonia storage tank, a wastewater storage tank, a demineralized water storage tank, and a proposed water treatment facility.
The turbines will be fueled with natural gas, but since they are made with converted airplane engines, they can be turned on and off quickly and only when they are needed to fill any gaps in electric production by the site’s renewable energy installations, said Bergsten.
Retiring Rawhide 1 in favor of the aeroderivative natural gas turbines will reduce the station’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than 80%, nitrogen oxide by 90%, and virtually all of the sulfur dioxide emissions as well as reducing carbon monoxide by about 60%, volatile organic compounds by 25%, and particulate matter by 95%, said Matt Tribby, PRPA’s senior air quality engineer at the initial hearing on the permit.
Much of the public comment at that hearing urged the commissioners to deny PRPA’s 1041 Land Use permit, which Larimer County requires for any project of statewide concern.
By and large, the commentors were of the opinion that no new fuel-fired power generators should be commissioned in Northern Colorado and PRPA should focus on green-generated energy only.
Ultimately, after much discussion, PRPA was instructed to provide additional information, and the hearing was continued to March 24. At that meeting, another continuance, this time requested by PRPA, set the hearing for April 21.
At the Town of Estes Park Board meeting on Tuesday, Bergsten said the turbines are necessary to supplement the renewable energy produced at Rawhide, and most importantly, the only economically feasible alternative once the coal-fired plant is off-line. Storage batteries for renewable energy are cost-prohibitive.
Bergsten presented the requested additional information as part of the board packet and asked the Trustees to agree on a resolution of support for PRPA in this matter. It was approved unanimously to sign this resolution.
Another downpayment assistance program to be offered by EPHA
The Estes Park Housing Authority presented an equity-based down payment assistance loan program for first-time homebuyers that is predicted to serve four families in 2025 and even more in 2026. This would be separate from the one already offered by EPHA, which is capped at $15,000 or 3.5% of the home purchase price, whichever is greater.
The new program is called the Trailhead Home Ownership Program and will provide families who wish to buy a home in the Estes Valley at a maximum price of $650,000 with an equity-based loan for up to 20% of the purchase price. Unlike a mortgage, this loan will amortize over 15 or 30 years, and the full amount is due when the property is resold.
The applicant must be employed within the boundaries of the Estes Park R3 School District and be able to qualify for a home loan within a 45% debt-to-income ratio, presented EPHA’s housing program manager, Jeff Mabry.
In addition, the buyer’s income can be no more than 150% of the area median income.
The Trailhead Home Ownership Program will create a partnership between EPHA and the Impact Development Fund of Fort Collins, which will be administering the loans. Buyers must contribute 1.5% of the home’s purchase price, or $6,000.
Vehicle-based accommodations approved
The Trustees voted unanimously to amend the Estes Park Development Code to move the VBASE program out of its pilot stage and into the code permanently. Section 5.3.D.7.d was amended to allow vehicle-based accommodations, such as an RV, to be parked on commercial land during the summer seasons. This program was available from May 1 through Oct. 31 last year, but there were no applicants, reported Planner Kara Washam, but she believed that was because no one knew about it.
Employers can now legally provide land on their private commercial property for their employees to park an RV or a similar type of vehicle for housing during the summer season; however, this would not apply to public parking spots, lots, or garages.
Parks Master Plan development bid awarded to Design Workshop
A Parks and Open Spaces Master Plan will be developed for the Town by Design Workshop, after the Town Trustees approved their proposal for $150,000.
This is a budgeted expense for 2025 and will “incorporate input from stakeholders, community members, guests, staff, and the Town Board to guide the Parks Division for the next 20 years in planning and budgeting for future park improvements,” said Brian Berg, Parks Supervisor.
Possible upgrades, expansions, and even new parks and open space areas could be the result of this master plan, Berg said.
Interview committees for adjunct boards set
Interview committees for potential board members to sit on several local advisory boards were set with appointments of the Trustee liaisons to each of the boards and one other Town Board member.
Estes Park Board of Adjustments: Trustee liaison Bill Brown and Trustee Cindy Younglund
Estes Park Planning Commission: Trustee liaison Frank Lancaster and Trustee Kirby Hazelton
Estes Park Housing Authority: Trustee liaison Bill Brown and Mayor pro tem Marie Cenac
Estes Park Transportation Advisory Committee: Trustee liaison Mark Igel and Mayor Gary Hall.
The next Town of Estes Park Board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall, 170 MacGregor Ave.
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