The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Tuesday, April 13, at 6 p.m. to hear the proposed future for Bobcat Ridge. The NDDA also discussed the annual vacancies on Nederland’s Advisory Boards and Commissions, as well as the next steps towards solving the parking issues in the Central Business District.

Sustainability Coordinator Eryka Thorley presented the NDDA with updates on the Nederland Green Business Program. Thorley has worked alongside town staff to determine if Nederland should apply to Boulder County’s Green Business “tracker” or to the newly created state program.

The Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN) is a voluntary program designed to encourage local businesses to reach true operational sustainability. Thorley informed the NDDA that the town will apply to the state’s new program, since Boulder County had advised the state in the program’s creation and it has a much simpler application process.

Nederland businesses are expected to see great incentives for applying to the program, and could receive “extra credit” from Boulder County by keeping an inventory of their own greenhouse gasses. Applying to the CGBN offers businesses a variety of rebates and financial resources to fund energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, and other improvements.

The town plans to start accepting applications to the program on May 1, 2022 through to September 1, 2022. Thorley clarified that the official cutoff for applications is on June 30, 2022, though that’s only to qualify for state recognition. Any Nederland businesses that apply after June 30 will still receive local recognition and will receive state recognition next year.

Longtime Nederland resident, owner of Arapaho Ranch, and operator of the Backdoor Theater Kayla Evans addressed the NDDA about the tough road ahead for the Bobcat Ridge Project. The proposed project has been in limbo for more than nine years due to restrictive language in the Town’s Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Boulder County. An IGA is an agreement between two governmental entities to solve problems of mutual concern.

The original Bobcat Ridge Project proposal was to build a housing community of seventy units on the 17- acre property, located on the south side of County Road 130, with a focus on affordable rental and home-ownership opportunities for the local workforce. The community would consist of two two-story apartment buildings, an addition to the existing day care on the property, and a series of town homestyle units. The project promises a green and sustainable development, a donation of five acres to the Town of Nederland, and to preserve and enhance neighborhood trails and wildlife migration.

The biggest hurdle for the project thus far has been the issue of a parcel of Bobcat Ridge needing to be annexed to the Town of Nederland in order for development to begin. The current IGA with Boulder County has prevented the Town’s application for annexation from moving forward. However, the current IGA has lapsed, and despite having been extended to December, 2022, Nederland is now in position to renegotiate new terms with Boulder County. Evans remains hopeful that a new IGA will give Nederland power of annexation over Boulder County properties.

Though nine years have passed and the budget for the proposed project will certainly be higher than originally stated, the NDDA was in full support of moving forward. Their concern was that without affordable housing, Nederland and Eldora will continue to have employment issues. NDDA Board Members were in agreement that seeking changes to the IGA, as well as the town’s Comprehensive Plan and zoning laws, were the best solutions towards creating affordable housing.

NDDA Executive Director Kate Masingale presented the Advisory Board and Commission Annual Vacancies. NDDA Board Members Steve Karowe and Rea Orthner’s terms will be ending in June, 2022; so far only Orthner will not be seeking reappointment.

“My term on the NDDA expires this July. While I have enjoyed my time on the NDDA and wish to see many of our projects come to fruition, I will not be asking to be re-appointed,” Orthner said in her written statement. “I am happy to continue my work on the Public Art Subcommittee (if they will have me) as a general member and happy to also to continue to help out with beautification after my term expires.”

Karowe stated that he has not yet decided, though he does wish to see the Wayfinding project through to the end and would stay on if accepted.

Applications for the vacant position on the NDDA are due Wednesday, May 25, 2022, and can be submitted via email at townclerk@nederlandco.org, in person at Town Hall on 45 West First Street, or through postal mail at Town Hall, P.O. Box 396, Nederland, CO 80466.

NDDA Chairperson Barbara Hardt delivered the Chair Report, which stated a hope to see a proposed budget for 2023 within the next two months. Hardt will also continue encouraging local business owners to consider applying for the open seat and joining the NDDA.

Hardt also shared with the NDDA her recognition of Marshall Larry Johns for his twenty years of service to the Nederland community.

“Larry will retire in May. Larry joined the Nederland Police Department on April 29, 2002. He served twice as interim Marshal and accepted the position of Town Marshal in 2017, with a swearing-in ceremony on December 19, 2017. Larry has been a confident leader, taken our town through fires, floods, attempted bombings, and more. He will be greatly missed by residents and business owners. Thank you, Larry, for your service to our community.”

Orthner reported for the Beautification Committee, informing the NDDA that they are currently reviewing two applicants for the posted gardener position. The Public Art Committee is also reviewing applicants for mural artists, with several local artists already having applied since the advertisement went live.

NDDA Vice Chair Andrew Dewart and Treasurer Ron Mitchell expressed disappointment when reporting the latest updates on the Big Springs Parking Project. The project involves heavy but necessary construction to improve drainage and add sidewalks and more parking to the town.

Dewart and Mitchell claim to have hit a wall in communications with Tebo properties over the necessary concrete work on a retaining wall that needs to be completed before the Big Springs excavation can begin. NDDA Board Members Hardt, Karowe, and Masingale all mentioned having open communication with Tebo in some capacity over a variety of different projects. Masingale urged the Big Springs Committee to continue reaching out to Tebo as opposed to delaying the project, as doing so would hurt the town from a budgetary standpoint.

Town Administrator Miranda Fisher led the NDDA in a discussion about the Parking in the Central Business District (CBD) Survey results. Fisher asked for feedback as to which proposed solutions from the NDDA are actionable in the near future.

While a majority of the NDDA were unsure of how to use the information gathered from the survey, some found the results helpful. Karowe stated that the survey results highlighted the types of solutions that the Wayfinding project hopes to achieve, with 80% of citizens and 93% of business owners surveyed desiring more organized and clearly marked parking. The Wayfinding project is a town-wide signage program aimed to encourage tourism and strengthen community accessibility.

Board Member Steve Rowntree added that though signage will help, it’s clear that the town needs a sheer volume of added parking spaces. Rowntree reiterated that it’s too easy to hope for someone else to fix the problem, in reference to the desire for RTD to build a parking garage on their property.

NDDA Board Members Karowe and Mitchell expressed interest in being involved with the next planning stages for parking in the CBD. Fisher mentioned that the Town will be looking into arranging a work session meeting with the NDDA to further research how to take action on the proposed solutions.

The NDDA meets the second Wednesday of every month. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 11, 2022, starting at 6 p.m. For more information please go to: https:// townofnederland. colorado. gov/ government/boards-and-commissions/ downtown-development-authority