The Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) met on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 7 p.m. to make a final decision regarding the Town’s new logo and tagline. The Board also discussed upcoming events, including Nederdays, the Independence Day Parade, and Nederland’s 150th Anniversary.

An Executive Session was held before the meeting to “receive legal advice concerning a water court diligence application related to the Town’s conditional water rights, the Town’s diligence activities related to developing the Town’s water rights, and statements of opposition filed by the Town in water court to protect the Town’s water rights, as well as to determine positions relative to water rights matters that may be subject to negotiations, developing strategies for such negotiations, and instructing negotiators accordingly.”

Trustees interviewed Maximillian Ovett and Elizabeth Penziner, the two candidates for the open seat on the Nederland Planning Commission, left vacant by Commissioner Chris Rivera who resigned January 24, 2024.

Ovett is a resident of Old Town with a background in civil engineering who hopes to focus on environmental stewardship and sustainable infrastructure if appointed to the Commission.

Trustee Luke Miller asked how Ovett’s background can be used by the Commission, to which Ovett expressed that he would be able to assess development plans and determine the best design and construction practices in terms of infrastructure and building code.

Trustee Eric Coombs-Esmail asked about Ovett’s potential decision-making process for drafting changes to Nederland Municipal Code or drafting new code, and cited the Keeping Animals Ordinance as an example.

Ovett explained that he would look into the history of the issues covered by the ordinance and by code, and that he would discuss with constituents in order to determine the goals of the new ordinance to be drafted.

Mayor Billy Giblin asked about Ovett’s definition of sustainable growth.

“We need to plan for the future but we also need to understand that the future is now,” Ovett said. “We need to make sure we’re getting our infrastructure up to par to help address our need for affordable housing and our water infrastructure.

“Sustainable growth is looking to see where we’re projected to go, understanding that, and then hopefully planning for today as well.”

Penziner has a background in public health and youth services and is currently working in the field of academic research. Penziner hopes to guide decisions regarding land use and zoning towards benefiting public safety and welfare.

Trustee Miller asked if Penziner was aware of current redevelopment proposals for Nederland’s downtown, to which Penziner answered that she was aware of the proposal and of several recent issues, including the TEENS, Inc. childcare proposal and possible Short Term Rental regulations.

Trustee Jesse Seavers asked about Penziner’s vision for Nederland’s growth.

“It really is about sustainable growth and preservation of values and also not having a personal agenda but being willing to serve what may be best for the community by listening to multiple perspectives,” Penziner said.

Mayor Giblin asked for Penziner to define sustainable growth, to which she answered that understanding the priorities and values of the Town was ideal, to provide opportunities for affordable workforce housing, and for families and businesses to grow.

Trustee Sterling asked how Penziner’s skill set would complement the Planning Commission. Penziner mentioned how her diverse background has instilled in her a “worker bee attitude,” and explained how her skills in report preparation, project development, and content development in terms of project management, would be of benefit to the Commission.

Trustees were generally in agreement that though Ovett’s experience as an engineer would be of great benefit to the Commission, Penziner’s background in public health would provide a needed diverse perspective on the Commission. Penziner’s dedication to attending recent meetings and active listening were also noted as skills that would benefit the Commission.

The BOT voted to appoint Penziner to the Planning Commission. After Town Administrator Miranda Fisher noted that there was a vacancy on the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA), and after Ovett expressed interest in the position, the Board immediately voted to appoint Ovett to the BZA.

The BOT voted on Resolution 2024 - 15, which concerns a variance request from the property owner of 71 Pinecliff Trail. Due to the applicant’s experiencing difficulty with meeting Nederland’s code requirements in designing his home on the property, he requested a variance to allow for a maximum 6% grade for a minimum of 25 feet for the driveway.

The BZA previously approved the property owner’s request for a front yard setback variance to 15 feet on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.

The property owner, along with his architect and civil engineer, also addressed concerns from a neighbor regarding a shared driveway space and the possibility of snow runoff blocking the neighbor’s driveway during plow operations.

Resolution 2024 - 15 was approved unanimously by the Board.

Trustees were tasked with making a final decision regarding the adoption of the Town’s Brand and Creative Identity. Hired design firm Godot Communications Inc. had previously provided several logo designs and tagline options which were narrowed down and offered at public vote via an online survey hosted by the Town of Nederland.

Godot’s four final logo designs, alongside a recreation of the Town’s current logo and three designs submitted by community members, were voted on by the community, as well as five taglines. The BOT were expected to choose a logo and tagline based on the following criteria recommended by Town staff: usability; portrayal; identifiability; mutability; and popularity.

According to the results of the last online survey, which yielded up to 500 responses, the most popular logo, originally designed by local Will Weyer, garnered 123 votes, which was 24.7% of the total votes.

The tagline “unique by nature” garnered 190 votes, which was 38.2% of the total votes.

Fisher reiterated to the Board that they are not just approving a logo but are selecting an overall brand identity to coincide with that logo, font, and color scheme. Fisher also noted that if Trustees choose not to accept any of the options, the Town would have to reimburse the $20,000 grant that paid for Godot’s contract.

Several Trustees objected to the most popular option, referred to as Logo G, because of its incorporation of a moose. Those opposed to using a moose in the logo stated that it came across as a mascot, and that they wished to move away from glorifying local wildlife in a way that would entice tourists to harass wild animals.

A motion was made to adopt Logo B, which garnered 94 votes (18.9% of the total votes) from the public survey. Logo B depicts the creek, reservoir, and mountains stretching up to an open sky. Trustee Coombs-Esmail made a friendly amendment to the motion specifying that the entire brand identity associated with Logo B would also be approved. The motion was approved.

A motion was made to adopt “unique by nature” as the Town’s tagline, which was denied. A motion was made to adopt “it will blow you away” as the Town’s tagline, which was denied.

Another final motion was made by Coombs-Esmail not to choose a tagline; the motion was approved.

Public Engagement Manager Peter Cacek provided the Board with summaries of three 2023 events overseen by the Town of Nederland. The summary reports included the management process and lessons learned from the Nederdays, 4th of July, and Holiday Mountain Market events, as well as information as to why Town led each event.

In reference to Nederdays, the report indicated, as “takeaways,” that the weather impacted the initial turnout, that there were “too many events without adequate leadership,” that the overhead spent on merchandise was difficult to earn back, and that there was no central theme to really tie the event together,

As for takeaways from the 2023 Independence Day Parade and Potluck, Cacek stated that the parade, and the potluck held in Chipeta Park afterwards, were a huge success.

For the 2023 Holiday Mountain Market, the report noted that more management would be required for the event in the future, as Cacek had planned and executed the 2023 event himself. Volunteers will be acquired for the 2024 event. Sleigh rides, craft workshops, and a silent auction are planned to be implemented, and an expanded layout is also being considered.

Cacek’s report also included information on upcoming 2024 events that would be overseen by the Town. Nederdays Revisited is planned as several small events, starting on April 27, each with its own theme, to be funded from the Visitor’s Center budget.

The Independence Day Parade and Potluck is being expanded, with alternatives to fireworks being considered. Nederland’s 150th Anniversary is planned to be a three-day celebration of the Town’s past, present, and future. The Holiday Mountain Market is also planned to return with some slight improvements to the layout and overall experience.

Coombs-Esmail suggested to Cacek to incorporate Nederland businesses that do not normally see heavy foot traffic during such events, such as art galleries, and to bring in engagement from Nederland’s nonprofit organizations.

The Nederland Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Their next scheduled meeting is on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at 7 p.m. and can be attended either online or in person at the Nederland Community Center. For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado. gov/board-of-trustees.