NEDERLAND — In addition to the Town of Nederland’s Board of Trustees (BOT) and Downtown Development Authority, there are several other governing and advisory boards that hold monthly meetings to assess, plan, and manage many of the Town’s projects, programs, and operations.

Whether it is the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board discussing the purview of the Town’s Parks Department, or the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) reviewing issues of energy conservation and environmental protection, these local volunteers gather to keep Nederland’s municipal gears oiled and turning.

Local Impact Accelerator grant 

In January of 2026, one subject dominated the SAB and Planning Commission’s agendas: the Colorado Energy Office’s (CEO) Local Impact Accelerator grant. They were addressing whether the Town should apply for the grant, and which projects or policy changes Nederland should pursue.  

The grant is meant to provide municipalities with funding and technical assistance in order to facilitate “decarbonization, clean transportation, and energy transition initiatives” through policies and projects that help Nederland move towards its own climate and energy goals. 

Nederland’s Sustainability Coordinator Cass Grady has met with the Regional Coordinator for the grant from Colorado Communities For Climate Action, identifying the appropriate policies and projects that align with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan and would make Nederland a competitor for the funds. 

ADUs or EVs?

The options for potential policy creation or changes include becoming an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Supportive Jurisdiction—which the Town is already obligated to do under HB24-1152—or adopting an Electric Vehicle (EV) First Procurement Policy.

The BOT were in favor of focusing on becoming an ADU Supportive Jurisdiction rather than the EV Procurement Policy, as CEO stipulated that any Town-owned vehicle in need of being replaced would be required to be replaced with an EV vehicle. This would negatively affect the Town’s ability to financially prioritize their EV procurement. 

The Planning Commission agreed with the plan to focus on ADU policies, as the Town was already obligated to for state compliance; becoming a “supportive jurisdiction” requires an amendment to Nederland Municipal Code (NMC) regarding changing ADU yard and bulk setbacks. Once completed, this would unlock new tiers of potential funding from the Department of Local Affairs. 

During the Commissioners’ meeting on January 28, 2026, Community Planner Britt DeMinck noted that the Town may need to hire a third-party consultant to help Town staff and the Commission review NMC in order to be compliant.  

As for the necessary changes to ADU setbacks, the rear yard and bulk setback need to be adjusted to be the same as “accessory use” in order to meet state standards, which Town Manager Jonathan Cain described as having Denver standards forced on everybody else. 

Commissioners also discussed the possibility of developing “pre-fab” ADU designs that would already be approved by the Town and that would offer plans that any contractor could download, build, and alter specific to the owner’s wants and needs.  

Developing such construction plans was just one of the many options for projects that Grady highlighted as options to include in the grant application.

Other options

Other options included developing an ADU Financial Assistance Program, providing ADU education and technical assistance, creating ADA compliance and other upgrades to the Town’s public transportation infrastructure, designing sidewalk and trail improvements, and working toward developing a second bridge across Middle Boulder Creek. 

As the guidance provided by CEO specified that the second bridge option would require that the second bridge must be utilized just for pedestrians and cyclists, the BOT opted to remove that project as a viable option.

There were also concerns raised about bringing a certain sidewalk expansion project to “shovel-ready” status—specifically, the long-discussed Old Town to Nederland Middle-Senior High School connection trail—as the proposed project would cross through CDOT and private property, and would require temporary easements. 

Commissioners opted to prioritize pursuing an ADU Financial Assistance Program.  

If awarded the grant, Nederland could receive up to $200,000 for policy changes, or up to $1.8 million for a project. However, the grant application specifies that the Town provide three hypothetical budgets based on the desired policy change or project, ranging from “constrained,” at a cap of $500,000, to “visionary,” at $5 million. 

As far as implementing policy changes, the Town could potentially receive funding and assistance with navigating building codes, land use reforms, EV readiness, or ADU support.

Regarding project assistance, funding is only unlocked once the policy change has been adopted, meaning that a policy change is required for the grant application. The form of assistance that would be provided to the Town for a “shovel-ready clean energy and mobility” project was not specified.    

There is a 5% match required if the Town is awarded any funds, though half of that amount can be met through in-kind staff time. Grady is also working to prove that Nederland’s financial situation constitutes hardship, a designation that would waive any required match for the grant.

A determination regarding this financial status will be made by CEO once the application is submitted and reviewed. 

The application is due on February 18, and the Town will hear if it is selected for the grant in April of 2026.

Planning Commission priorities

On January 28, the Planning Commission set its priorities for 2026, deciding to focus on land use matters involving the creation of affordable housing, and providing environmental protection in the form of wildfire reduction and other hazard mitigation. Commissioners will also be reviewing opportunities to improve zoning flexibility, especially in Nederland’s Industrial zones. 

Commissioner Jim Reis was nominated and appointed as the Planning Commission’s Chair, and Tom Mahowald was nominated and appointed as Vice Chair.

Commissioner Steve Williams officially submitted his letter of resignation, ending 25 years of service to the Town of Nederland. DeMinck and Commissioners thanked Williams for his guidance and his work to create an environment conducive for good work and camaraderie thanks to his “calm diplomacy.”

Williams stated that he had started on the Planning Commission with the intention of making Nederland a better place, which he has accomplished through his work overseeing three different Comprehensive Plan adoptions. 

“During my time on the PC over the past few decades, I was able to participate and see Nederland grow in a very positive direction. And as I told my family numerous times over the years as I was going off to PC meetings, ‘I am off to make Nederland a better place to live!’ Based on that, my best wishes to Nederland and the PC in all future endeavors.” 

The Nederland Planning Commission meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 6 p.m. Meetings can be attended online via WebEx. 

For more information: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/planning-commission.

The Nederland Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board meets every third Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m. Their next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2026. Meetings can be attended online via WebEx.

For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/parks-recreation-open-space-advisory-board.

The Nederland Sustainability Advisory Board meets on the fourth Thursday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 6:45 p.m. and can be attended online or in person at the Nederland Community Center.

For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/sustainability-advisory-board