The Board of Town Trustees met with a packed agenda on Tuesday, ranging across many topics.
Luis Yllanes was absent, and no students were present to receive Student of the Month awards. The consent agenda consisted of accounts payable, a snow removal contract, marijuana and liquor license renewals, approving revisions to the employee handbook and a letter of support for the Historic Preservation Commission’s grant request to History Colorado for help with design guidelines to add qualitative standards for residential development in the Historic Commercial Core (HCC) in addition to quantitative standards.
During public comments Michael Gorman spoke on behalf of Wilderness Workshop, asking for a letter of support for the U.S. Forest Service’s draft environmental assessment pausing oil and gas drilling on the Thompson Divide. Trustee Lani Kitching added there will be a virtual meeting on Dec. 18 at 6pm, www.bit.ly/4878ZFV
Town Manager Lauren Gister reported that she and Rob Stein are locking down additional locations for night shelters for the new arrivals from Venezuela. It was decided the Town Hall meeting room would be divided in half to receive 20 people per night, and boards and commissions could move their meetings to school spaces. All unregistered cars will be transported to the town-owned parking lot across from Town Hall, where police are close and bathrooms are directly accessible. The DOLA request for funds was submitted, has been expedited and may return within a week. Pitkin and Eagle counties were also asked for supplemental support.
Next, Colin Laird, Third Street Center director and town trustee, gave his report. “We need a lot more help than we have right now,” he said bluntly. “We still have 60 people over there, and now we have COVID.” One refugee tested COVID positive on Dec. 11 and was brought to a hotel in Glenwood Springs thanks to the Salvation Army. The State Department is coming to offer up to six vaccinations at once. “People are going to be sore and tired after this,” Laird remarked. “We’re at a breaking point,” he continued. “We need security, we need extra staff.”
Kitching asked if reactivating COVID testing would be useful. “We’re going to need to be testing people throughout the rest of winter,” responded Laird.
Town Center
Artspace, joined by Ramsey Fulton and JV DeSousa, presented the composition of units in Phase 1 of the Town Center design. This includes 39 apartment units: three studios, 13 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, four three-bedroom and around 2,000 square feet of commercial space. Four of these units will be available to people earning 30% of Carbondale’s average median income (AMI), 27 for people making 60% ($41,000 for a single person or $60,000 for a family of four — or people working full-time for about $20 per hour) and eight non-restricted units.
Next, the architects showed off their designs for Phase 1 surrounding the southwest portion of the property and continuing the promenade from Main Street to Thunder River Theatre. The Park and Ride stop at Colorado and 6th is sheltered by an amenity space for the apartment above. Overhead cables create magic on the promenade with dangling lights, flags and textiles.
To begin Phase 1, Artspace will lease the ground beneath lots 1-8 and 13-16 for $1 per year for 60 years — allowing access to tax credits with the IRS.
The current design adheres to Carbondale’s height code, at under 35 feet, though the trustees voiced support for a taller building if that enhances it. “I would be willing to raise the height limit in the HCC tomorrow,” stated Mayor Ben Bohmfalk.
The architects responded they don’t want it to be a point of contention. “We don’t want to have polarized issues come up on this project,” said Ramsey.
“I’d love to see a study, what it looks like, demarcate different options,” said Laird. “We don’t want our current codes to get in the way.”
A study “would help to inform for other projects,” agreed Trustee Erica Sparhawk.
“If you come across a code you would like us to think about, please show it to us,” concluded Bohmfalk.
Settlement
The topic of a recent executive session surfaced: a settlement with Donna Burkett over a property at the northern entrance to town, across from the park and ride. Burkett’s property encroached on what was formerly part of the Town of Carbondale’s sanitation district and the old railroad track now owned by Roaring Fork Transportation Authority. The businesses operating there in worn buildings may soon be vacated, as the land was put up for sale and there’s a buyer under contract. The property is listed at $1,370,000, and Carbondale settled the dispute for a payment of $100,000 within the year.
Aquatics Facility
New design sketches for the Aquatics Facility presented a six-lane pool for lap swimmers that shared a climbing wall and diving board. The nearby entertainment pool is shallower and warmer. The property extends further into Sopris Park than the current pool, and the building has many solar panels. There’s a “spa” hot tub with its own dedicated heat pump. Within budget, it’s the best case scenario for granting every wish with $8 million borrowed through bonds.
Trustees asked Eric Brendlinger and the Parks and Rec folks to consider not having a diving board, or not having the spa. Maybe a slide..
“We came up with a dream pool,” said trustee Marty Silverstein. “Everyone wants that dream pool, but we don’t have the funds.”
“We’re going to miss the summer construction season very soon,” said Bohmfalk, urging action. The trustees voted for a schematic design to return within two months.
Anyone wishing to help fund the pool can contact cynthiacolebrook@aol.com
Budget approved
With that, trustees discussed the $1.6 million, 10% of the total general fund, going toward the pool project and whether that sum should instead come from the Rec Department’s $2.3 million in reserves. Rec money can only be spent on rec projects, while the general fund is more flexible.
The move will be delayed until a more detailed fund balance policy is discussed.
With that, the budget (www.bit.ly/Cdlae2024Budget) was approved.