This week, contractors employed by the Town of Basalt hauled their saws and shovels into the forests of Basalt Mountain to continue a wildfire fuels mitigation project begun earlier this year. Since Nov. 17, crew members have been working from 7am to dusk thinning out potential fuel sources in order to minimize risk of wildfires and promote forest health.
Workers started by collecting slash piles in parcels belonging to the Wilds Homeowners Association before moving to the northern units surrounding Ridge Road and Pinon Drive. Work is expected to be completed by early December. Depending on inclement weather, work that isn’t completed during this time will be taken up again in the spring.
The Basalt Mountain Trail System will remain closed for the duration of the work. After the slash piles dry for one to two years, Roaring Fork Fire and Rescue will provide aid by guiding controlled burns.
The project is funded in part by a $88,500 federal grant and is guided by the Colorado State Forest Service. The Town of Basalt has also partnered with the Colorado State Forest Service, Wilds Homeowners Association, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Holy Cross Energy and the Roaring Fork Valley Wildfire Collaborative to complete the project.
In addition to public safety, the fuels mitigation project aims to promote forest health by encouraging varying stages of tree growth.
Regular meeting
This week, the Town of Basalt welcomed its new town manager, Gloria Kaasch-Buerger. Kaasch-Buerger will be taking the reins from Town Finance Director Doug Pattison, who served as interim town manager following the retirement of Ryan Mahoney earlier this year.
The week also saw a brief meeting on account of the holiday. Town Council began by approving amendments to the Town’s floodplain code in response to a flood insurance study released by FEMA in August of 2019. The new code changes floodplain delineation to include areas around Basalt Industrial Park and Basalt River Park. The Town of Basalt was required to make these changes before January of 2026 in compliance with FEMA policy.
The Town of Basalt also staged the first reading of an ordinance to implement a lodging tax increase pursuant to a question on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Earlier this month, Basalt voters approved a 2% increase to the Town’s lodging tax in order to fund affordable housing projects, increasing the total lodging tax to 6% for the rental of any room for less than 30 consecutive days. Revenue generated from the tax will be directed into a designated fund for affordable housing projects including directly developing new housing or creating partnerships with private and nonprofit entities.
The lodging tax increase is the latest strategy employed by the Town of Basalt to generate funds for affordable housing via the Town’s tourism industry. Earlier this year, Town Council approved a yearly fee for short-term rental units of $2,532 per bedroom in order to generate revenue for workforce housing.
The potential lodging tax increase would kick into effect starting Jan. 1, 2026. A second hearing of the ordinance will be held on Dec. 9.