The Town of Estes Park is seeking residents to help shape the next draft of its updated Development Code by serving on a community panel that will review key land-use policies before the document moves toward adoption later this year.
The town’s Community Development Department is partnering with Community Conversations, a collaboration between the Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership and the Estes Valley Library, to gather public input on the 50% draft of the code update through a structured deliberative process. Community Conversations is serving as a neutral facilitator for the discussions.
The panel will include 15 to 20 residents selected through an independent lottery designed to reflect a cross-section of the community. Participants will meet for two two-hour evening sessions on Aug. 13 and Aug. 27 to discuss proposed regulations involving wildlife protection and movement standards, residential zoning district changes, and design guidelines for nonresidential and multifamily development.
Town officials said recommendations from the panel will help inform revisions before the final draft is prepared.
No specialized knowledge is required to participate, although panelists must commit to attending both discussion sessions, a brief informational meeting beforehand and reviewing a short background booklet.
Residents interested in serving on the panel must apply by July 24. An invitation letter and application are available online. Town staff also encouraged residents with questions to contact Melissa Westover at 970-481-9820 or by email at mwestover@estes.org.
The deliberative sessions are part of a broader effort to update the town’s Development Code, which governs land use and development throughout Estes Park. The rewrite is intended to better align local regulations with the community’s long-range vision outlined in the Estes Forward Comprehensive Plan while modernizing standards and improving the code’s usability. The current draft incorporates feedback gathered during public engagement efforts over the past year, including open houses, surveys, virtual meetings, and earlier Community Conversations events.
Residents who prefer a more informal opportunity to review the draft can attend a public open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Estes Park Museum, 200 Fourth St. Town staff and consultants from Design Workshop will be available to answer questions, explain draft concepts and receive comments before the code advances to the next stage of review. Planning Commission and Town Board study sessions are also scheduled later this summer as the update continues.
Additional information about the Development Code update, including draft materials and opportunities to submit comments, is available through the town’s development code process webpage.
With some luck, it should be people UNDER age 60 who participate. The time for geriatrics (me included) to step aside and let the younger generations decide the future of this town.