Who is the Estes Valley United Neighbors?

Over the past few weeks, debate and discourse have intensified around Ballot Measures 300 and 301. Much of that debate has been driven by the Estes Chamber’s vocal stance on the issue and its involvement in the Estes Valley United Neighbors coalition, which encourages opposition to the proposed initiatives.

“The Estes Chamber Board of Directors decided to take a strong position on this particular issue, a stronger stance than we normally might, because of the profoundly negative impact these ballot propositions place on local businesses; they run the risk of preventing the development of affordable housing which would be devastating to our workforce and we cannot support that,” said Chamber President Colleen DePasquale.

The Chamber joins the Estes Valley Board of Realtors, the Estes Valley Contractors Association, and local residents in forming the Estes Valley United Neighbors to raise awareness of the potential impacts of these initiatives and educate voters.

The EVUN is a grassroots coalition with the mission to share the facts, foster understanding, and ensure that every voter has the information needed to make informed decisions on the issues shaping the community’s future.

“The Chamber’s responsibility is to advocate for our members, who overwhelmingly oppose these measures,” DePasqualle added.

In alignment with this growing opposition, the EVUN coalition is raising awareness to encourage others to stand firmly against Ballot Measures 300 and 301. The organization has conducted a thorough analysis of the propositions on the ballot and determined that they both impose harm on local workers, families, and businesses while also undermining the existing Town oversight system and reducing transparency and fairness; thus, creating more problems than they seek to solve.

In particular, ballot proposition 300 would require not only written approval of property owners for any rezoning or Planned Unit Development application, but also the written approval of two-thirds of all property owners within 500 feet of the property in question.

The EVUN opposes the measure for several reasons, including:

• Invites confusion and conflict – Neighbors should be neighbors, not zoning officials. This measure risks pitting property owners against one another.
• Unclear and burdensome – Who notifies neighbors? What counts as “written approval”? How long do people have to respond? No clear answers.
• Inefficient and costly – Adds significant new administrative costs to what is currently a straightforward process.
• Undermines professional oversight – The Town’s Planning and Zoning Division already ensures transparency and fairness. This ordinance bypasses that system.
• Risk of legal disputes – Vague requirements could lead to lawsuits and inconsistent application.
• Prevents progress – Could make it nearly impossible for Estes Park to pursue beneficial improvements in the future.

The second initiative, ballot proposition 301, repeals Section 11.4 of the Estes Park Development Code, eliminating density bonuses and height allowances for attainable and workforce housing.

The EVUN opposed the measure for several reasons, including:

• Worsens the housing shortage – Reduces incentives for developers to create housing for workers and families.
• Hurts local businesses and services – Teachers, first responders, hospitality staff, and other essential workers will have fewer housing options.
• Potential legal issues – Could conflict with federal Fair Housing Act protections.
• Undermines community planning – Repeal runs counter to the Estes Forward Comprehensive Plan, which prioritizes attainable housing.
• Wrong message at the wrong time – At a time of great need, this would make housing more scarce, not less.

“It is essential that voters be educated on issues, and we have studied these initiatives carefully to help combat misinformation and spread education, especially on issues 300 and 301, that would have a devastating impact on our local workforce and business community,” added DePasquale.

“Estes Park deserves thoughtful, balanced solutions, not reactionary measures that impose more stress and long-term harm to working families and the businesses that want to employ them.”