All trustees were present for their first June meeting, except Colin Laird and Marty Silverstein. The consent agenda was approved unanimously (accounts payable, meeting minutes, an application for RFTA grant money to fund the new bikeshare program with the Town matching $66,939, liquor license renewals for Tiny Pine and Brass Anvil, a special event liquor license for Dance Initiative) and no members of the public attended to comment on items not on the agenda.
During general comments by trustees, Chris Hassig relayed citizen concerns about impacts of the Forest Service building replacement on trees. Particularly, a maple along Weant Boulevard that is on the Town’s property would be felled for the new vehicle pull-through. “I think we have a right to protect our asset, it’s been there for probably 30 years,” he said. “It would take another 30 years to reachieve that level of shade, and it’s a key tree that sort of ties the whole downtown to Sopris Park.”
“We just looked into this last week, because it came up from another direction, and I believe that they’re replacing that tree with five other trees,” Town Manager Lauren Gister chimed in. “They won’t be mature trees like that one, but there is a plan.”
Mayor Ben Bohmfalk gave an update from RFTA’s recent board retreat, announcing that if RFTA electrifies all its buses, the organization would be carbon-neutral. He also stated that both the first Carbondale Wild West Rodeo and Mexican Rodeo of the season “went off well.” He commended Parks and Rec Director Eric Brendlinger for fielding concerns, comments and “sometimes outright complaints” on weed management, river restoration and rodeos. “I’m confident in our staff and really appreciate Eric’s patience and grace,” he said.
Next, a $380,400 bid was unanimously awarded to Stutsman-Gerbaz, a general contractor, for the Euclid/Alley Crystal Circle Sewer Project using American Rescue Plan Act funds. Public Works Director Kevin Schorzman described the project as “a very isolated repair” with excavation affecting only one property directly.
Trustees then unanimously approved a resolution and addendum to an agreement with HomeAway, Inc. (aka VRBO) to be able to collect the short-term rental tax approved by voters in November 2022. The company has not collected this tax to date but will begin on July 1; property owners that use HomeAway, Inc. are still on the hook for taxes from the beginning of this year.
Carbondale Arts received unanimous approval for the 52nd annual Mountain Fair special event liquor license. Chief of Operations Debra Colley was given the opportunity to highlight some changes coming this year. She announced that the fair will be condensed back into Sopris Park and no longer spill onto Main Street. Food vendors will be along Seventh Street, with a portion across the ditch, to prevent damage to the Sopris Park lawn. Volunteer supervisors will receive Incident Command Systems 100 training, as well as crowd management and CPR training.
Pickleball
Trevor Cannon, president of the Roaring Fork Pickleball Association (RFPA), then asked trustees for a court expansion at North Face Park, adding three to the existing six. RFPA membership has grown from about 250 members in September 2022 to 468 members, Cannon said. “We’ll be 500 in three weeks, it’s growing that fast.”
They approached the Parks and Rec Commission with this request last spring. RFPA will raise the funds if the Town allows the courts to be built, along with a shade structure for the general benefit of North Face Park users. The land was once specified for futsal, Cannon said, and the plan still allows for futsal adjacent.
A memorandum of understanding will be revisited once funds are raised, which Cannon anticipates can happen “fairly quick.” Carbondale’s pickleball-specific courts remain the only ones between repurposed tennis courts in Snowmass Village all the way to Grand Junction. This weekend, they will host a RFPA member tournament with 154 people competing.
Buy down
The meeting concluded with Dave Myler representing the West Mountain Regional Housing Coalition (WMRHC) and their efforts to establish a regional buy down program by which working residents receive financial help to purchase homes in exchange for converting them into permanent deed-restricted affordable housing units. In early March, WMRHC submitted a request to the Department of Local Affairs for $3 million to create a pilot program.
“Between January 2022 and June 2022, there were 27 properties in Basalt and Carbondale that were purchased that would have met the criteria for our program,” Myler said. “Seventy percent were purchased by second home owners and people moving to the area to retire.”
Trustees were asked to contribute with funds at any level, with other sources being pursued including from the employer community. “When you’re talking to employers, how do you initiate those conversations and who do you talk to?” asked trustee Lani Kitching, noting Carbondale has many small businesses.
Myler answered that, with around 50,000 employees in the region, if businesses each gave $100 per employee per year, that would generate $5 million which could be leveraged. He said the upside to the businesses would be like funding the fire department: “it’s essential for the overall health of the community.”
“Our commitment and priority right now is our own project,” said Mayor Bohmfalk, referring to the Town Center opportunity. “We’re really interested in the buy down program, we don’t know exactly what we can contribute.”
“I get that, you guys are in a unique situation,” responded Myler. “I’m thrilled you’re considering using your funding sources this way.”
Next week’s work session will begin at 5:30pm with the annual Garfield County Commissioners check-in. Topics on the agenda include transportation, the housing coalition, rodeo and property taxes. Then, trustees will workshop changes to the short-term rental tax and regulations.