Planning and Zoning Commission - Packets

The Town of Buena Vista Planning & Zoning Commission February 19th, 2025 at 6:00 PM Commission Members and Staff will meet at the Community Center. The public is encouraged to join the meeting in person or virtually via Zoom. The public can join the meeting using the Zoom information below. To participate in Public Comment and/or Public Hearings you may connect to the video conference. Conferencing Access Information: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/6167636701?pwd=dDR3bldCRzRVMjhEaGV5SHZYZmxpdz09 Meeting ID: 616 763 6701 Passcode: y55sbm Listen via phone at: 1-720-707-2699 Meeting ID: 616 763 6701 Passcode: 854486 One tap mobile +17207072699,,6167636701#,,,,*854486# US (Denver) +17193594580,,6167636701#,,,,*854486# US AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF THE PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION I. Call to Order II. Pledge of Allegiance III. Roll Call IV. Agenda Adoption V. Ratification of Minutes – February 5th, 2025 VI. Public Comment VII. New Business A. Comprehensive Plan Community Survey Review B. Jared Lang Commissioner Application Presentation C. March 5th, 2025 meeting VIII. Staff/Commission Interaction IX. Adjournment  Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Buena Vista Planning and Zoning Commission February 05th, 2025 Minutes Approved via email on February 6, 2025. To be ratified at February 19, 2025 meeting. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission was called to order at 6:00 PM., on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025, at the Community Center by Chair Tony LaGreca. Staff Present: Planning Director Marika Kopp, Sr. Policy Advisor & Project Advocate Joel Benson, Planner I Caroline Mahoney, Zoning and Development Compliance Specialist Jamie Graves via ZOOM and Planning / Recreation Admin Assistant Alley Kenndy via ZOOM. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE LaGreca led in the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Mahoney proceeded with the roll call and LaGreca declared a quorum. Attendee Name Title Status Tony LaGreca Chair Present Blake Bennetts Vice Chair Present Tina Bennetts Commissioner Not Present Michael J. Westheimer Commissioner Present Vacant Commissioner Dave Kosley Alternate Present Vacant Alternate AGENDA ADOPTION LaGreca called for approval of the Agenda. B. Bennetts motioned to approve the Agenda and was seconded by Kosley. Motion #1 passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES B. Bennetts motioned to approve the meeting minutes from January 15th, 2025 and was seconded by Kosley. Motion #2 passed. PUBLIC COMMENT Public comment was opened at 6:03 PM. With no comments, public comment was closed at 6:05 PM. NEW BUSINESS LaGreca opened New Business item A, a general discussion of the Water Allocation Policy (“WAP”). Benson presented information to the Commission as a preview to the upcoming February 11th work session and March public hearing in front of the Board of Trustees. The topics covered included the upcoming schedule of events, the goals and purpose of the WAP, triggers for review of the WAP, types of proposed changes to the WAP, an overview of existing and proposed allocation categories, history of category consumption, and SFE inventories showing current water availability within the WAP. Benson then sought feedback from the Commission and Staff. The commissioners and staff discussed possible adjustments to the WAP, generally in support of the proposed adjustments. Commissioners considered existing and future multifamily and multiphase developments, including ways to assure implementation of the WAP over long periods of time while always retaining necessary emergency water inventories. Benson provided an overview of existing water rights, sources, and water rights currently being sought by Town, noting that while new projects may bring their own water rights, they are subject to Town acceptance prior to development. No decisions were made. STAFF / COMMISSION INTERACTION LaGreca notified the Commission of Thomas Brown’s resignation from the Planning and Zoning Commission. Kopp provided an update on Planning Department news, the Comprehensive Plan and current development applications. Staff will provide the Commission, various boards, and the steering committee an opportunity to weigh in on a community survey draft which will then be followed by an open house event and launch of the survey with the goal of garnering thorough community input prior to the first draft of the plan. Coordination of regional planning meetings with nearby municipalities is underway. Kopp introduced Jared Lang as an interested party for an open position on the Commission. Kosley expressed interest in becoming a full voting member. _____________________________________________________________________________________ ADJOURNMENT There being no further business, Kosley motioned to adjourn the meeting. Westheimer seconded. Motion #3 passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted: ______________________________________ Tony LaGreca, Chair Date ______________________________________ Caroline Mahoney, Planner I Date Community Survey Questions for Public Review Introduction Thank you for participating in this Comprehensive Plan Community Survey! The Town of Buena Vista is updating its Comprehensive Plan, which is the bedrock document to guide the look and feel of the community over the next decade. This survey feedback will help the project team to refine plan recommendations and answer remaining questions about community values and priorities. More information about the Comprehensive Plan process can be found at BVBeVisionary.com Demographic Questions: AF 1. Email Address (optional): _____________ a. By providing your email address, you have been automatically entered into a drawing to win one of several local gift cards. If you would like to be taken out of this drawing, please check this box: 2. Where do you live? T • In Buena Vista full-time • In Buena Vista part-time • In Chaffee County outside of Buena Vista town limits • Outside of Chaffee County 3. How long have you lived in or visited the community? (Piped based on answer to Q1) • Less than 1 year • 1-5 years • 6-10 years R • 11-20 years • More than 20 years 4. What is your age range? • Under 20 • 20-29 • 30-39 D • 40-49 • 50-59 • 60-69 • 70+ 5. How many children under the age of 18 are in your household? • 0 • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4+ 6. Please indicate your race/ethnicity. a. White  b. Black or African American c. American Indian or Alaskan Native d. Asian e. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander f. Other g. Prefer not to answer Growth in BV In this section, we are primarily referring to growth in terms of physical development (both residential and commercial) and the associated growth in the demands for services and infrastructure. 7. How would you describe the current pace of growth in our community? (slider format) AF a. Too slow b. About right c. Too fast 8. What are the most positive aspects of the community's recent growth? (open response) 9. What are the most concerning aspects of the community's recent growth? (open response) Economic Development T 10. To support more of a year-round economy, what types of businesses and industries would you like the Town to prioritize and encourage? Check all that apply. a. Manufacturing & Assembly b. Construction c. Healthcare and specialized Therapies d. Childcare and Eldercare R e. General retail f. Professional and financial services g. Tech h. Fitness i. Personal services (hair stylists, personal training, massage therapy, pet grooming D etc.) j. Remote Work k. Other: ________ l. None of the above 11. Please indicate how much you agree with the following strategies around tourism in Buena Vista: (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree) a. Prioritize steady visitation throughout the year b. Maintain current levels and patterns of tourism c. Increase tourism during the traditional tourism season d. Decrease tourism e. Expansion of non-recreational tourism (heritage, cultural, and artistic tourism) NOTE: This question/section will likely be reworked by airport representatives The Airport is exploring its near-term and future goals for commercial operations. While the FAA does not allow traditional commercial flight service or commercial activities not related to the airport, there are several opportunities for commercial expansion at the airport that could both directly serve the community (e.g. local residents and visitors use the service) and indirectly add value to the local economy (e.g. allows more visitors to access Buena Vista via the airport rather than surface transportation). 12. What sort of activities would you support at the airport? Select all that apply. a. Increased commercial activity surrounding the Airport property b. Restore rental car business at the Airport c. Continue/expand ability to stage wildland fire-fighting and other emergency AF response operations. d. Continue/expand revenue generation through high elevation and military testing e. Continue/expand revenue generation through unmanned aerial systems f. Establish charter flight services g. Attract aviation support service operations (e.g. aircraft maintenance) to attract T more local general aviation users h. Other: ____________ Transportation 13. Which roadways are in the most need of overall transportation modifications to improve safety for people walking, biking, or driving? (create a grid of checkbox options for people to select pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicular improvements needed for each road) a. West Main Street R b. East Main Street c. Highway 24 (north of Main) d. Highway 24 (south of Main) e. Arizona Street f. Marquette Avenue D g. North Railroad Street h. South Railroad Street i. Other: _________ 14. What types of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure should Buena Vista invest in first? Please rank from most to least important. a. Improved road crossings for pedestrians (e.g., flashing beacons, signage, upgraded crosswalks) b. Bike lanes along major town roadways (Rodeo Road, Steele Drive, Highway 24, West Main Street, Railroad Street, etc.) c. Additional multi-use paths connecting neighborhoods to parks, schools, and other community destinations  d. Improved railroad crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists 15. Is there a specific transportation improvement that you would like to see? (open response) Housing Key Terms: Affordable housing: Affordable housing is generally defined as housing that does not cost an individual or household more than 30% of their income Attainable housing: Attainable housing generally refers to housing that is affordable for people who earn close to the area median income level, which in Buena Vista was $58,168 in 2022. It is important to note that Area Median Income (AMI) does not account for an area’s high cost of living, which may reduce residents’ earning power and functional income. AF The 2022 Chaffee County Housing Needs Assessment estimates that Buena Vista needs to develop up to 330 new homes by 2027 to address existing housing deficiencies (catch-up housing) and to keep up with population and job growth in the region (keep-up housing). 200 units should be for rental housing, and 130 units should be for homeownership, and all should accommodate a range T of household incomes. 16. What types of homes would you like to see developed to meet that need for 330 new homes? (select all that apply) a. Smaller single-family homes (1-2 bedrooms) b. Larger single-family homes (3+ bedrooms) c. Duplexes d. Townhomes e. Apartments/multi-family housing R f. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) or mother-in-law apartments g. ADA accessible homes h. Age-in-place/senior living homes i. Reuse of existing structures j. I’m not sure D k. Other: ___________ 17. What solutions should Buena Vista prioritize to support affordable/attainable housing? Select all that apply a. Requirements for developers to provide affordable housing in projects of a certain size. b. Price/appreciation caps on homes to ensure affordability of units to the community’s workforce c. Short-term deed restrictions (5-30 years) that require local occupancy d. Long-term deed restrictions (30+ years) that require local occupancy e. Voter-approved tax on Short-Term Rentals Community Character & Design 18. Which statement best describes how you feel about future public investments and maintenance in downtown Buena Vista? (select all that apply) a. It is fine the way it is. b. I would like to see more investment in maintenance (cleaning, snow removal, trash, etc.) c. I would like to see more investment in managing parking. d. I would like to see more investment in beautification (landscaping, flowers, branding, signage, etc.) e. I would like to see more investment in bike/pedestrian connections along West Main. AF f. I would like to see more space for pedestrians to gather on Main Street, especially in the summer. g. I have other ideas (fill in the blank). 19. What are your concerns about new residential development in Downtown (east of Hwy 24)? (select all that apply) a. I am concerned about new development displacing long-term residents. T b. I am concerned about the cost of new development. c. I am concerned about the overall height of new development. d. I am concerned about the overall scale/bulkiness of new development. e. I am concerned about the lack of open space (yard space) in new development. f. I am concerned about the look/style of new development being too monotonous. g. I am concerned about the look/style of new development being too different than the original architecture in Downtown/Old Town. h. I do not have concerns about development in Old Town. R i. I have other ideas/concerns (fill in the blank.) 20. Which statement best describes how you feel about future historic preservation and development in downtown Buena Vista (select one)? a. I support the existing historic preservation standards (e.g. Architectural Design Guidelines) D b. There should be more historic preservation standards and regulations c. There are too many historic preservation standards and regulations d. I don’t know/unsure e. Other: _______ 21. Where would you like to see future public investments and maintenance outside of downtown Buena Vista? a. Highway 24 North of Main Street b. West Main Street c. South Main d. Southeast Buena Vista (Peak Fitness, the Farm) e. Southwest Buena Vista (Rodeo Grounds area)  f. Other: _______ Climate, Water, and the Environment 22. Are you registered to receive emergency notifications (via text, call, or email) in case of an emergency, such as a wildfire, flood, or evacuation? a. Yes b. No, but I would like to be. c. I’m not sure and would like to know how I can check. d. No/I’m not interested 23. Please rank the following priorities for Town staff, elected officials, and residents to focus on in the next 10 years to reduce Buena Vista's impact on climate change, with 1 being the highest priority: AF a. Work with the utility providers to increase conversion to solar and/or wind energy. b. Increased conversion of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. c. Developing a Town-specific climate action plan that comprehensively identifies goals and strategies to reduce Buena Vista’s impacts. d. Other: _____ T 24. Please rank the following priorities for Town staff, elected officials, and residents to focus on in the next 10 years to be best prepared for the ongoing effects of climate change, with 1 being the highest priority a. Increase storage of water supplies b. Reduce wildfire risk (e.g. clearing, thinning, code updates, and enhanced detection/notification systems). c. Reduce heat impacts – Increase tree canopy and / or vegetation coverage and remove hardscape surfaces (e.g. underutilized parking lots) that absorb heat from R the sun’s rays. d. Reduce water-intensive landscaping practices and vegetation, such as grass. 25. Buena Vista will have to make some decisions about how it allocates unused water in the future. (This refers to unallocated water; allocated water will not be taken away from existing uses.) Please rank the following uses on the level of priority they should be given for future water allocation. D a. Affordable/Attainable housing b. Market rate housing c. Commerical d. Industrial e. Educational/Government f. Other (please explain) Future Community Planning 26. How do you like to participate in the community planning process? This includes this update to the Comprehensive Plan, new planning policies, new regulations, or other long- range plans (e.g. Recreation Master Plan, Transportation Master Plan). Select all that apply. a. Attend an open house b. Review information on the project website c. Offer feedback via surveys d. Reading local news articles about the planning process e. Other, please share: _______ 27. I feel my voice is heard when ______________ 28. The Planning Department should share information about this plan and other planning efforts at community events, like ________ Thanks! AF 29. Anything else you’d like to share to inform the Comprehensive Plan process? (open ended) T R D 1. I’ve lived in Buena Vista since 2006. I saw the high school baseball field turn into an apartment complex and South Main go from a field to what it is today. I paid my way through college by working in construction, which gave me a working knowledge of construction and the jargon necessary to understand Buena Vista’s municipal code. I have worked with many boards and non-profits in the arts industry over the years, which has given me experience that I believe will allow me to be a helpful member of the PZC. I also believe my experience in the art industry can be another facet of how the PZC can enforce the municipal code while ensuring the code works for all constituents in Buena Vista. I also believe that a perspective from the arts industry is immensely helpful as the town evaluates potential new developments. 2. The first issue I see is balancing safe and high-quality building practices while also ensuring that building costs, in so far as they are in the town’s control, remain as low as possible. 2. The second issue is the enforcement of the building code. As the town explodes in growth and several significant developments are built at once, it is the town’s responsibility not only to ensure that plans meet code but that the constructed buildings meet code and are built to an acceptable quality. At the same time, this needs to be done in such a way that does not hinder the building process. 3. I want to ensure that renovating and using existing buildings for individuals and companies is as efficient and affordable as possible. This may entail working with the Historical Preservation Commission. I would also like to see some forays into mixed zoning in the town and what it would look like for “garage businesses” to be part of Buena Vista. Poncha Springs has done this in some of their developments, and it is a widespread practice in Europe that could be a powerful tool for lowering housing and business costs in Buena Vista. 4. The town is responsible for enforcing the letter of its municipal code. It is responsible for regularly ensuring that its code is up-to-date, necessary, and easily followed. It also has a responsibility to balance growth with its code. While the town should never stop enforcing the code in place, it has a responsibility to change the code when necessary to allow its constituents to continue improving the town.