Dear readers,

For over two decades, Resham Gurung and Lok Malla have made Nederland their home. They have worked hard to build a business from scratch. They have raised their son here. They have hired locals, fed locals, donated time and energy to every community effort and event in town.

They house locals in their apartments and rent space to half a dozen businesses in the Kathmandu Plaza.

A few years ago, they started the process of adding a second floor to the Kathmandu building. The space will be used for additional housing, for locals. In the process, they found out the building would require more work than anticipated and they moved their restaurant into a location on lower 1st Street. The location has kept their name out there, kept us eating tasty Nepalese food and kept them involved in the local community. But now, it’s time for them to move back into their previous space. To reopen their doors, open their buffet and go back to serving a full menu to people from near and far.

The upstairs apartments are getting closer to being finished. Prior to completion they need to identify where the parking will be for the apartments and restaurant. One option would be to pay into the Nederland Commercial Parking fund which would cost up to $72,500 in fees for parking. The space behind the restaurant has enough parking for the apartments. The space in front of the restaurant doesn’t count towards the spaces needed, because it’s town property. The space beside the restaurant is also town property and will be developed into a sidewalk as a part of the Transportation Improvement Project. Currently, they find themselves in need of 38 parking spaces, of which they have nine.

Locals are working together to provide optional spaces on adjacent properties. But the couple is worried it won’t be enough.

Now they find themselves reaching out for community support. Resham and supporters will go to the Nederland Board of Trustees on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. They will be asking for a variance (asking for less parking space requirements), presenting other optional parking spaces on adjoining properties, or asking for some kind of payment plan for the fees they may incur.

The building has cost far more than budgeted, when they started the process. And the main deterrent to them opening, is this parking fee.

At this time, letters of support are needed. Please send letters to the Town BOT at bot@nederlandco.org. The deadline for letters is August 31, 2021.

You can also participate in the meeting by logging in online through the town website at https://nederlandco.org/ events/board-of-trustees-meeting/

Please consider supporting this local family and business by sharing your thoughtful comments through this process.

Barbara Hardt

Peak to Peak