On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, Mayor Billy Giblin, members of the Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT), and members of Town staff held a Town Hall meeting at the Nederland Community Center at 6 p.m. to discuss public engagement as well as community projects like the Housing Assessment and Chipeta Park Pump Track project.

Trustee Nichole Sterling led the Town Hall meeting, which was attended by members of Town staff, including Town Administrator Dr. Miranda Fisher and Public Engagement Manager Peter Cacek, Trustees, and Giblin. Sterling stated the ground rules for the meeting, indicating that there was no time limit on public comment and that respectful, open discourse was permitted.

Leo, a younger resident, spoke about his multi-tiered plan to circulate revenue into funding traffic cameras to mitigate speeding issues in Nederland. The plan included creating housing for workers, building an arcade in town, and implementing more organized sports for younger kids. Leo stated, as someone who has almost been hit by a car, that Nederland needs a way to control speeding.

Fisher mentioned that there is a plan in the works to turn Snyder’s garage into an arcade, and that she and Troy Hendricks are working on implementing a traffic camera system for the town. Cacek stated that he and Parks Department Director Nicki Dunn are developing more opportunities for youth-focused outdoor activities.

Community member Gene raised several issues, starting with a likely amendment to the election code, the proposed Chipeta Park Pump Track project, and a negative personal experience with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) in relation to response times. Gene detailed having to wait an hour and a half for BCSO to respond to suspicious activity at Eldora.

Fisher addressed the question of the amendments to the Nederland Municipal Code (NMC) Sections 2-1, 2-4, 2-5, and 2-6, which covers municipal election matters. It was reiterated that Trustees approved Town Attorney Jennifer Madsen to draft the amendments during their meeting on April 4. Madsen is currently working with Nederland business owner Kathleen Chippi to research the Town’s historical code issues going as far back as 1996.

Trustee Jesse Seavers addressed questions about the Chipeta Park Pump Track, which is a Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB) project that has been recommended by the Sustainability Advisory Board (SAB) and the Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA). The BOT has discussed the project but has yet to vote on it.

Seavers detailed that of the 185 signatures of support for the project, 109 of the signers were from fulltime residents of Nederland. He also specified that the plan is to raise funds for the project rather than use Town revenue; however, the Pump Track will have to be maintained by the Parks Department.

Gene stated that he was not opposed to the project but was opposed to its planned location at Chipeta Park and that he wanted the BOT to consider holding a public vote on the matter.

Community member May shared Gene’s views on the Pump Track, as well as agreeing that such major issues should go to a public vote. May touched on several issues, including whether the Town pays too much for Attorney Madsen’s services.

May also stated her belief that Trustees are not being honest as they represent their constituents in that they prioritize their own interests and ignore public comment and any opposing discussion. She cited the lack of consideration or discussion on an alternate location for the Pump Track as an example.

Seavers addressed the concerns raised about Chipeta Park for the proposed Pump Track project, reiterating that Dunn was in support of the project and felt that Chipeta Park was the ideal location. Seavers added that the suggested alternate location near NedRINK was not connected to town in a safe way for families who bike.

Community member Tanya wanted to address previous comments made by Sterling regarding the Housing Needs Assessment currently being conducted by Bohannan Huston. Sterling noted that over 115 residents had filled out the survey on the issue of housing, and mentioned that there was some belief among residents that Nederland does not have a housing problem.

Tanya, who is a currently unhoused long-time resident of the Peak to Peak area, felt despondent that so much of the Town Hall meeting had been spent discussing the Pump Track while the issues of housing and homelessness were barely mentioned. Tanya also suggested a mediator to help bridge the gap between the public and Town officials during such meetings.

Cacek concluded the meeting with a presentation on the new Engage Nederland community engagement portal available online on the Town of Nederland website. The idea, which came from the Envision 2030 community planning document, was implemented by Cacek and works as a “one-stop shop” for interested parties to peruse all of the available, up-to-date information on many of Nederland’s improvement projects.

Users can subscribe to be notified on any project of interest. Each project has a page consisting of basic information, such as a project overview, and highlights the most recently updated information. Those officials involved in and following the projects are listed on the project’s page, as are links to any subsequent documents involved with the project.

Engage Nederland also features a user interface allowing residents to comment on particular Town projects, as well as facilitating questions and having them answered and posted on the project’s page.

Trustee Eric Coombs-Esmail asked a question using Engage Nederland, wondering if there was an option to automatically subscribe to all projects. Cacek answered that he was sure that option was available and will add that feature.

Sterling wanted to see more visual representation of projects, such as a map indicating where the project is taking place. Trustee Tania Corvalan suggested holding courses at the library where those residents who are not computer savvy can learn how to use Engage Nederland.

Following the Town Hall meeting the BOT met at 8 p.m. for their regular meeting, to be presented with an update regarding the Reimagine Destinations tourism program, and to vote on changes to Nederland Municipal Code (NMC) in the form of amendments to the Town’s solar code and address sign code.

Board members approved Resolution 2023-22, authorizing the amount of $50,000 to be used by the Nederland Downtown District Authority (NDDA) for the construction of an outdoor performance space. The funds were approved for the project during the 2023 budget process, and the NDDA had voted to approve Resolution 2023-22 during their meeting on May 10.

Lynette Anderson, Nederland’s Co- Responder, presented information about the Co-Responder Program, including details on the goals of the program and how Co-Responders operate in the Peak to Peak area. Anderson and Hall also provided a 2022 Annual Report, which summarized Co-Responder service calls in Erie, Lafayette, Lyons, and Superior.

Anderson comes to Nederland with 20 years of experience as a Park Ranger, and has “rural expertise” in working with older adults aging in place in the mountains. Anderson spoke of how the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) grant covers the cost of her service from May 24, 2023 to November 30, 2025, and noted that she works 40 hours a week covering the entire county except for Erie.

Anderson currently responds through law enforcement, though a Co-Responder can be directly requested to be present during any law enforcement situation. She hopes to respond alongside the Nederland Fire Department as well. Anderson can also provide clinical case management, also referred through law enforcement, and can train law enforcement as well as community members on how to handle mental health crises out in the field.

The goals of a Co-Responder relocating into a mountain community, according to Anderson, are to establish local resources and relationships, maintain confidentiality with those she talks to, procure the necessary outdoors gear, commence going on “walkabouts” through town, to be a voice for the voiceless, and to listen.

In conclusion, Anderson stated that her own personal priority and passion is to connect people with the services that they need.

Nederland Streets Manager Mark Hall led the BOT in a presentation concerning the Streets Department’s goals for road improvement over the summer, including a four-phase plan to mitigate drainage issues throughout the town. Hall also discussed the various ways in which the Trustees can support the Department.

Hall described in detail the process and benefits of each of the four phases in the Streets Department’s plan. Phase one involves designing, constructing, and installing drainage ditches with assistance from the consulting services of the Town’s engineering firm, JVA. Once installed, the ditches will help mitigate general flooding, as well as keep flowing water from jumping ditch lines and flooding properties.

Phase two involves professionally grading the gravel and dirt roads, which solves issues of potholes and erosion. Phase three will have the Streets department also adding an aggregate to freshly graded gravel and dirt roads to help strengthen the roads, as well as a dust suppressant to minimize the amount of dust kickback.

Phase four will also involve a collaboration with JVA to identify the estimated 50% of Nederland properties that require the installation of a metal driveway culvert. The culverts are expected to protect driveways by minimizing water damage and erosion, enhance the functionality of the drainage ditches, and help to create a better drainage system for the town.

Looking forward, Hall believes that the four-phase plan will help to create better roads that will be easier to maintain in the future, with better drainage that will also help to preserve the natural landscape. He also stated that the work in phase one has begun.

Hall also touched upon how the BOT could assist the Streets Department, not only in compensation and benefits, though those were listed, but also in more public endorsements and acknowledgments of the Department’s work and improvements, as well as in approving and endorsing new training and certification classes.

Town Clerk Macy Caligaris was to present an update regarding the referendum petition to overturn the BOT’s approval of Ordinance 837, which changed the zoning classification of 100 East 1st Street from High Density Residential (HDR) to Central Business District (CBD) to allow for the construction of a paid parking lot and a mini-park.

On June 14, a protest was formally submitted to the Town of Nederland challenging the referendum petition on six different grounds, including the charge that several signatures failed to match the handwriting used on the original petition document.

The matter of the protest hearing held on June 20 at the Nederland Community Center at 9 a.m. was omitted from the BOT’s agenda because of time limits.

For more information on the protest hearing, please refer to the article “Property owner protests petition to reverse BOT decision” on page 34 in this edition of The Mountain-Ear.

The next Action Item on the agenda concerned the vote on Ordinance 844, which amends NMC Section 18-104 to require homeowners to display their conforming address signage on their properties so that emergency services can more accurately and quickly locate addresses.

“The correct signage will involve a reflective sign of 4” white characters with a ½” minimum stroke on a green background. The sign should be legible from both directions and is to be attached to a metal T-post installed four to six feet above the grade of the road.

“Signs can be posted onto the house itself depending on the setback of the house from the lot line, so long as it is located no more than 10 feet from the public way, and is visible from the road by 30 feet. The cost of the sign is roughly $25 to $30, though that does not include the cost of the metal T-post. The Planning Commission recommended that the cost of compliance would fall upon the homeowner.

“These requirements would become effective on October 1, 2023, and anybody who fails to meet these new address sign requirements will need to conform when they apply for any building permits or in the matter of a change in land ownership. All signs must conform to the regulations by October 1, 2028.”

A motion was made to approve Ordinance 844, amending NMC Section 18-104, which was approved unanimously.

Trustees also voted on Ordinance 843, which amends Chapter 16 of NMC to remove barriers that dissuade property owners from committing to solar energy.

The newly drafted Section 16-99 states that “Accessory ground-mount solar energy systems must follow the setback requirements for minimum side yard setbacks and minimum rear yard setbacks of the zoning district in which the ground-mounted solar energy system is located.

“In terms of height, roof-mounted systems must be as flush as possible to the roof and may exceed the height of the roofline by five feet or less, meaning solar panels on buildings that are already 35 feet tall may go as high as 40 feet. Ground-mounted systems cannot exceed the allowed accessory height as dictated by the zoning district of the property in question.”

The BOT voted to approve Ordinance 843, amending Chapter 16 of NMC.

The Nederland Board of Trustees meet on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Their next scheduled meeting is on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at 7 p.m. and can now be attended either online or in person at the Nederland Community Center.

For more information: https://townofnederland.colorado. gov/board-of-trustees