John Scarffe, Black Hawk. The Black Hawk City Council continued a resolution for the second time for the Black Hawk Park Preliminary and Final Plat during a virtual, regular meeting on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, at 3 p.m. As its only action item, the Council continued the resolution until a special meeting on March 17, 2021, at 3 p.m.

The resolution had been continued from the Council’s February 10 meeting, when City Attorney Corey Hoffmann introduced the resolution conditionally approving the Black Hawk Park Preliminary and Final Plat. He said this is a land use application. 

The Council had a public hearing on the resolution, and then closed the public hearing, continuing the item to the February 24, 2021, meeting because they don’t have the subdivision agreement at this time. On December 1, 2020, the City received an application from Dalton Horan of Ventana Capital, Inc., and Jason Krall of Rick Engineering on behalf of the property owner Club Vista Properties II, LLC, requesting review and approval of a Preliminary Plat and a Final Plat for the Black Hawk Park subdivision, according to the request for council action. 

The applicants request the subdivision of Lot 1 Block 1 Miners Mesa Subdivision be divided into 10 commercial lots and one tract to develop the property with an Airstream RV Campground, a distillery and other commercial uses. A land dedication to the City of Black Hawk for future right-of-way improvements for Miners Mesa Road was executed in June 2020.

The Black Hawk Park property is located at 830 Miners Mesa Road within the City of Black Hawk and is about 49 acres in size and is currently zoned Commercial/Business Services (C/BS), according to the request for council action. A Special Review Use (SRU) permit has been approved for the site to allow for the uses of RV campground and indoor shooting range facilities. The majority of the property is a plateau at the top of Miners Mesa Road overlooking Black Hawk. 

The proposed uses for the Black Hawk Park development are an Airstream RV park with 50 permanent Airstream trailers for rent including a caretaker and check-in facility, Airstream bar and outdoor beer garden, possibly an indoor shooting range facility and distillery facilities including tasting rooms. “The proposed development will provide public utility infrastructure improvements in accordance with development code, including stormwater, sanitary sewer, water distribution and telecommunication facilities.” 

Plans are currently proceeding for Lot 8 to be provided to another entity for the development of a distillery. There are no immediate plans determined for the remaining commercial Lots 2-6 and 8-9. Lot 6, being 3.9 acres in size, is set aside herein to be dedicated to the City of Black Hawk with the approval and recording of the Final Plat. 

The project proposes to connect to the City of Black Hawk’s water system via a looped water main connecting to the existing water main along the west side of the property and connecting into Miners Mesa Road,” according to the request. The proposed plat provides adequate utility easements and an access easement to lots that do not front Miners Mesa Road.

The applicant and City staff agreed to include the Historic Preservation and Conservation Easement land with Tract A because this land will essentially function as open space. All future and proposed development will require Site Development Plan (SDP) review and approval as well as the issuance of a Certificate of Architectural Compatibility (COAC) by the City Council before any improvements built on any of the platted lots, including Lot 6 that will be soon be owned by the City of Black Hawk.

Staff from Baseline Corporation evaluated the information provided by Dalton Horan and Jason Krall for this project. The City of Black Hawk Municipal Code allows for subdivision of property in accordance with the City of Black Hawk Municipal Code. 

Staff from Baseline Corporation suggested that the Black Hawk Park Final Plat has been prepared in accordance with the Municipal Code and recommended approval and recommended a motion to continue the public hearing. The Council approved continuing the public hearing to February 24, 2021, and then continued it again on February 24.

The Council approved the minutes from the February 10, 2021, meeting and convened for an executive session.

(Originally published in the March 4, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)