John Scarffe, Boulder County. The Boulder County Land Use Planning Commission approved a modification to the previously approved Special Review and Site-Specific Development Plan for Gold Lake with 36 conditions during a regular meeting at 1:30 p.m., February 19, 2020, at the Boulder County Courthouse. The applicant property owner is Gold Lake Ventures LLC Agents Bob Dalton, Colorado Landmark Realtors and Jim Scott, New Beginning Builders. 

The Special Use Review and Site-Specific Development Plan is required of uses which may have greater impacts on services, neighborhoods or environment than those allowed with only a Building Permit Review. This process will review compatibility, services, environmental impacts and a proposed site plan and includes public hearings before the Boulder County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. 

The plan will monitor the number of special events, construct new structures, remodel historic structures and deconstruct existing structures on an approximately 90-acre parcel at 3371 Gold Lake Road located in the Forestry zoning district. At a November 20, 2019 hearing, the commissioners discussed a request for new structures at Gold Lake. 

Boulder County staff recommended no structures within 75 feet of the lake, but Gold Lake requested just pulling two buildings from the 75 feet area and removing a special event site. On February 19, Staff Planner Summer Frederick said the November 20 hearing was tabled indefinitely to clearly define events and development proposed surrounding the lake. 

Staff met with the applicant on December 4, 2019, to discuss issues highlighted at the November 20 meeting and proposed an alternative location for the southern-most proposed cabins to the emergency turn around. Staff presented the applicant with a rough outline of the area around the lake shore that was the area staff recommended to have the least site disturbance possible, according to background. 

The definition of this area was reached by using the existing path and patio area to along the west and north shore, then following the existing roads along the west shore to the south. Staff expressed their understanding that some site disturbance had already occurred within this area and stated staff’s support of some additional site disturbance in this area, such as a trail along the lake shore outside of the sensitive area as defined by the applicant, upgrade of the existing hot tubs, remodeling of existing patios, and the addition of a floating dock and creation of a graded area associated with the dock location.

On December 20, 2019, the applicants submitted supplemental materials to staff including a general site plan for the area surrounding the lake depicting two existing patio areas, to be improved and remodeled, two proposed new patio areas, three locations for a shed to house water pump machinery necessitated by the proposed fire suppression system, a sediment trap structure, three existing teepees, two new retaining walls, two existing hot tubs to remain in place, two new locations for hot tubs, a trail system that includes existing and proposed new trails, a dock and proposed fencing in various locations.

Submitted materials also included the applicant’s agreement to relocate the southernmost proposed cabins to the eastern side of the existing road, as well as the applicant’s understanding that events restricted through the recommended conditions of approval presented at the November 20, 2019, Planning Commission meeting referred to those events with attendance of 250 guests or more.

Staff recommended the edited conditions of approval to provide clarity regarding event restrictions, according to background. Events are defined as those occasions that have attendance of 250 guests or greater. All events are single-day, daytime events from sunrise to sunset. No more than three events allowed per month from April through November. No more than six events of 350 guests allowed per year. No more than eight events of 250 guests per year. Only one event may take place on the subject property at any given time. Events may only occur in two designated areas in the northern portion of the subject property. Events may only occur in the specified designated areas on a rotating basis.

Following another meeting and exchange of information, the Community Planning and Permitting staff recommended that the Boulder County Planning Commission conditionally approve and recommend that the Board of County Commissioners conditionally approve the modification to the Special Use Review. Frederick said that staff agrees with the proposed trail along the lake and thought a loop was an appropriate alternative. The trails are well designated, so it will be clear that is the intended path.

Answering questions from the commission, Frederick clarified that what will be new is a patio area, sediment traps, a rock retaining wall, another patio, pump houses, trails, hot tub, fences, removal of two hot tubs and the improvement of the road for emergency access. Three pump houses are within the sensitive area by the lake, but they draw water from the lake for fire suppression.

Commissioner Sam Libby said the way the event condition is written is very confusing, with a gap in the middle. Frederick said 150 guests can be on the site from previous approvals. The applicant requested events be defined as 250 and 350. 

Vice Chair Ann Goldfarb, acting as chair, said, “I’m having trouble understanding what would happen if there was an event with 200 people. Does that mean they can’t do that? Frederick suggested rewording the document to include up to 250 guests and up to 350 guests, and Goldfarb agreed.

During his presentation to the commissioners, Bob Dalton said he met with the fire chief, who was supportive of fire suppression and would like to have dry hydrants for the pump trucks to hook up to and be protected by a small doghouse structure. The idea for one of the patios is to place one dry hydrant. 

The fire chief would like three, so dry hydrants can be placed next to the pumps and inside structures. Dalton didn’t have specific designs, but they need to get trucks within 20 feet, so something like a 10-foot by 10-foot structure. 

On January 23, the Transportation Department requested a storm water plan, Dalton said. “We may need additional sediment traps.” Gold Lake is within the five-mile area of the Jamestown Watershed District, so Gold Lake must apply for a permit for any work proposed within the Watershed boundaries. 

Dalton said he would like to clarify language about events and requested that events could be held in places such as the lodge if the capacity in the building is for 250. If it’s more than 150, it would count as an event, which can be supported by existing structures.

During public comment, two people addressed the commission and said Gold Lake is one of the jewels of the Rockies, and they enjoy what Gold Lake has to offer. Native Americans considered this a sacred site. 

Goldfarb said areas still aren’t clear. Frederick said the dry hydrants are new, but she didn’t think staff would have a conflict with that since the patio will be there. After further discussion, Commissioner Mark Bloomfield made a motion to approve the modification with conditions and amendments as discussed, and the motion passed. 

The next meeting of the Boulder County Land Use Planning Commission will be on March 18, 2020, at the Boulder County Courthouse.

(Originally published in the February 27, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)