March Mayor's Minute

Laila Benitez

- Mar 14, 2018

Hello neighbors, Below are some Town Council meeting highlights from last month and some upcoming topics. As always, I hope you can join us for this Thursday’s meeting or consider sharing your feedback with us about any of these matters.

Quick update: The red-light beacon atop the communication tower at the top of Coonskin Lift (Chair 7), approved by Town Council and the Board of County Commissioners in October 2017, was a requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and a mandated condition of the crucially-needed upgrades for communication and public safety. Last week, we received word from the FAA that they had determined that the light is no longer deemed necessary for this tower. Telluride Ski Resort still hopes to have the new tower and upgrades completed by August 2018.

February 15 Meeting Highlights

Town Council voted to approve a Standstill Agreement regarding Lots 126R and 152R, commonly known as “Rosewood”, which provides that the town will not initiate revocation proceedings on the 2007 Planned Unit Development (PUD) Approval and the owner will not pursue development of the 2007 PUD Approval while the owner pursues a revised PUD application with material reductions to the overall mass/scale of the project and reductions to the land uses and densities occurring on the property, by June 15, 2018. Per the terms of the Standstill Agreement, the applicants will hold two public meetings to obtain community feedback before application submittal.
A Comprehensive Plan amendment regarding Parcel M, which consists of Lot 30 and adjacent open space parcel OS1AR-3, was approved by Town Council. In drafting this amendment, Council, and town staff communicated extensively with both property owners, a public workshop was held, and DRB reviewed and voted to recommend the amendment at their February 9 meeting. The Comprehensive Plan amendment allows both Lot 30 and OS1AR-3 the ability to pursue alternative development scenarios to the full Parcel M build-out in a manner which would have existed prior to the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, while also preserving a full Parcel M option.
Lastly, we approved a $10,000 funding request from the Telluride Mountain Club (TMC) for implementation of a proposed Trails Sustainability Plan that will coordinate trails management and development planning through regional funding and cooperation from the US Forest Service, San Miguel County, Town of Telluride, Town of Mountain Village, San Miguel Authority for Regional Transportation, Telluride Tourism Board, and privately held landowners.

If you would like more specifics about any of these topics, you can review minutes from the meeting or watch the video at the town website. March 15 Agenda Topics

Town Council will consider the appointments of four members to the Design Review Board (DRB). The DRB is made up of seven full-time members and two alternate members, who are all appointed by Town Council to two-year terms.
The Town Hall and Village Center Subarea Committee, along with representatives from AECOM, will present an update of their progress to date and proposed next steps in these processes. In addition, we will hear a Town Hall Subarea update regarding the Village Court Apartments expansion project.
Town Council will consider for approval a Village Center Subarea Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA), Telluride Ski& Golf (TSG), and the Town of Mountain Village focused on the existing Village Center Comprehensive Plan values and actions and providing recommendations to Town Council regarding the Comprehensive Plan or Community Development Code amendments. Specifically, the goals of the subcommittee will be to promote and enhance vibrancy and address long-term infrastructure, future build-out, and optimal uses of the Village Center.
Council will consider an ordinance and hold a public hearing to opt out of the Colorado voter signature verification requirement for municipal elections. The voter signature verification is facilitated through the statewide voter verification system, and since the Town Charter allows non-resident property owners to vote in municipal elections, many eligible voters signatures would not be in the Colorado-based verification system. Town Council voted last month, on first reading, to opt out of this requirement.
Council will review and decide whether to end employee permit parking on Upper Mountain Village Boulevard (UMVB). Last month, Town Council asked the Parking and Transportation Committee (PTC) to find parking solutions for affected businesses in the Village Center. Given the availability of free day parking in the Gondola Parking Garage and the newly approved construction of a 30-space parking lot on 161-CR, the PTC is again recommending permanently eliminating employee permit parking on UMVB but recommends development of an Shoulder Season Employee Permit Parking with the same eligibility requirements as the current UMVB permit. The new permit will be valid in both the North Village Center Parking Lot and the Heritage Parking Garage during the shoulder-seasons, as defined by gondola shut down periods.
Lastly, the Telluride Historical Museum will present their Annual Update and Forester Dave Bangert will present the 2017 Report on the Health of Colorado’s Forests.

A full agenda has been posted on our website; we welcome your input by any means you are comfortable with and hope to see you at the meeting. Warm regards, Laila Benitez Mountain Village Mayor