The Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) met on Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 7 p.m. to vote to fill the vacant seventh seat on the Board. The BOT were also scheduled to discuss the Bobcat Ridge proposal, a 17 acre development that plans to bring early outdoor education and affordable housing to Nederland.

The BOT approved Resolution 2024-10, amending the intergovernmental agreement with Boulder County Sheriff’s Office to include 20% of time of one Animal Control officer, at the cost of $23,650.92 for the year.

The Board also approved the appointment of Jonathan Parker to the position of regular member on the Board of Zoning Adjustment

Trustees heard from SE Group regarding the Town’s Comprehensive Plan update. The BOT approved contracting with SE Group on September 5, 2023. The update is projected to cost $200,000, with half covered by the Department of Local Affairs’ Mineral Impact Assistance Fund grant.

Ayden Eickhoff from SE Group presented Trustees with their draft project guideline, which defines their strategies for the engagement process with the public, beginning with the Community Open House scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Nederland Community Center.

The document includes questions aimed at the public pertaining to the vision statements and priorities for Nederland’s several areas of concern, including Parks, Recreation, and Open Space; Sustainability; Health, Human, and Social Services; Housing; Economic Development; Transportation; Downtown; and Community Services and Infrastructure.

Mayor Pro Tem Tom Mahowald asked how SE Group gauges success in regard to public engagement. Eickhoff noted that such open house events run by SE Group typically see 100 to 200 people within the first opening hours; she expressed that she was unsure of how to scale engagement success for Nederland, but hoped for over 300 attendees for the open house.

Trustee Eric Coombs-Esmail asked for Eickhoff to include more specific food stores, such as bakeries and a butcher shop, to the list of potential answers for the question “what business types do you wish Nederland had more of that it doesn’t currently?”

Coombs-Esmail also asked for the inclusion of Nederland’s flood response service as an answer to the question of “what emergency response areas should Nederland focus investment in during the next five to 10 years?”

After a brief discussion during which the Board and Town staff ascertained that Nederland, despite having a serving Emergency Manager, did not have an equipped department specific to flood response, Eickhoff added flood mitigation and response as one of the answers.

In addition to the Community Open House planned for January 23, an online survey will be released featuring the same questions posed to the community.

The Board was scheduled to hear from Mountain Housing Assistance Trust concerning the Bobcat Ridge Community proposal, which includes the construction of 18 “traditional” affordable apartments, 23 apartments dedicated to assistance programs, 40 market rate townhomes, and a 6,000 square foot “early outdoor education facility,” on 17 acres of land located on the south side of County Road 130.

The Bobcat Ridge project would require an annexation agreement between the Town of Nederland and Mountain Housing Assistance (MHA), which would approve the annexation of the area into six independent lots.

Lot 1 would be for the “state-of-the-art” 6,000 square-foot early outdoor education center, which the proposal touts will take advantage of Bobcat Ridge’s proposed pedestrian path connecting the Nederland Middle/Senior High School to the West Magnolia trails system.

Lot 2 is for 18 one-to-three bedroom “mountain dwellings,” which MHA expects to manage in partnership with a federally-funded affordable housing organization to assure that these apartments are available to those who earn 30% to 120% of the area median income by household size.

Lot 3 includes 22 apartments managed by MHA for those who earn 120% to 200% of the area median income by household size.

Lot 4 is for 40 one-to-four bedroom homes, designed to be fire-resistant, environmentally sustainable, and energy-efficient.

Lot 5 consists of 8 acres of old-growth forest land, which MHA expects to transfer to the Town for the price of $1. According to the proposal from MHA, “the Town may elect to use this land in part or whole as a public park, solar energy farm, install an educational nature trail, or any other use the Town deems in its best interest.”

Lot 6 would be a proposed multi-use pedestrian path, running across the northern boundary of the property along Eldora Road, connecting downtown Nederland with the Bobcat Ridge, the Middle/Senior High School, the West Magnolia trails system, Arapahoe Ranch, and Nederland’s Water Treatment Plant.

Lot 6 would also be offered for sale to the Town for $1.

The discussion on the Bobcat Ridge project proposal was tabled and is expected to continue during a joint meeting with the BOT and the Planning Commission tentatively scheduled for February 27, 2024.

Trustees then discussed the logistics of forming a Tourism Advisory Board (TAB), which was a recommendation that came out of the Reimagine Destinations and Destination Blueprint programs provided by the Colorado Tourism Office.

The aim of the TAB would be to “guide the creation and implementation of a tourism management strategy that fosters a more resilient economy, contributes to resident quality of life, and preserves our natural resources.” The board would work independently of the BOT but report to and advise Trustees on “all issues pertaining to the development, management, and promotion of tourism.”

Town staff is recommending that the TAB consist of seven regular members, with one to be a BOT liaison appointed by the Mayor and approved by the BOT, and one alternate member. The recommendation is for the regular board members to be representatives of local tourism businesses, local nonprofit organizations, event producers, and Nederland residents and youth.

The TAB was originally proposed as a subcommittee under the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Advisory Board (PROSAB), though Public Engagement Manager Peter Cacek and Town Administrator Miranda Fisher decided that the issue of tourism management required its own appointed board due to tourism’s larger role and impact on the Town.

Fisher added that PROSAB supported the decision of the TAB being an isolated board because of Town staff’s broad scope for the TAB in managing tourism for revenue, as opposed to strictly managing recreational tourism.

Trustees and members of the community commenting to the Board questioned how the TAB was a priority over Nederland’s public engagement initiatives and over the formation of a potential Human Services Advisory Board.

Those opposed to the TAB felt that it would be counterproductive, seeing it as the Town duplicating efforts, considering that the Nederland Downtown Development Authority and the Peak to Peak Chamber of Commerce fulfill many of the same needs.

Fisher explained further why Town staff was recommending the formation of the TAB, noting that the 2023 - 2024 Strategic Plan lists the leveraging of sales tax through tourism as a suggestion for revenue creation. Ultimately, the Board was in agreement that creating a TAB was not a priority for Nederland at this time.

The BOT discussed renegotiating the Town’s 2009 intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the City of Boulder regarding the city’s provision that Nederland’s wastewater facility remove more phosphorus than is legally required by the state. The renegotiated terms of the IGA would require Boulder to reimburse Nederland a maximum of $41,100 per year for maintenance costs associated with the phosphorus removal.

Trustees approved the renegotiated IGA.

Nederland’s Public Engagement Manager Peter Cacek presented the Town’s proposal to apply for the Colorado Tourism Office’s yearly Tourism Management Grant for $10,000, with a $2,500 match from Town, for the development of a dedicated “Visit Nederland” website and for a “complimentary array of attractive handouts to be given out at the Visitor’s Center.”

The $2,500 for the required match is expected to come from the Nederland Community Center’s budget and the Town would have until April, 2025, to fulfill the grant. The “Visit Nederland” website would be a separate website from the Nederland municipal website, which would include a link to the tourist site. The aim is to create a user-friendly website for tourists in an effort for the Town to capture more tourism revenue.

Being in agreement that having a tourism site separate from the municipal site was a logical step for Nederland, considering it is common practice among most neighboring towns, the Board voted to approve the Town applying for the Tourism Management Grant for $10,000.

Trustees interviewed four candidates eligible for appointment to the vacant seventh seat on the Board formerly held by John Mountain, who resigned on October 17, 2023. Riley McAllister, Luke Miller, Max Ovett, and Aaron Tye all applied for the available position, and attended a BOT orientation meeting on January 9.

Each applicant was present and answered questions from the public and from the Board, which included how the candidate would make hard decisions and navigate the Town’s more controversial issues. Candidates were also asked about their vision of Nederland’s future, what projects excited them, and which issues made them feel jaded.

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 Board. He admits that, in making decisions, not everyone is going to be happy, and that what is most important to him is taking in all the input of an issue and being aware of the timeline for making such decisions.

Ovett named the pump track and the need for child care as issues that resonate with him, and noted his forensic engineering background as being a unique perspective that could benefit the Board. As for East 1st Street redevelopment plans, Ovett expressed wanting to adhere to Nederland’s 35 foot building height limit. And regarding developing sustainable revenue streams for Nederland, Ovett felt that focusing on tourism was the best course of action.

Tye is an 8-year resident who has worked as a Nederland police officer and a local handyman who is interested in bringing his objective, bipartisan approach to the Board. Having grown up in a small town, Tye believes it is better to raise a family in a “tight knit” community, and hopes to be a positive influence towards Nederland’s inevitable growth.

Tye is excited about the prospect of serving on the Board during discussions concerning redevelopment and believes that Nederland should not forget its “Old West mining town” charm when considering such growth. He also believes the town should leverage its charming history when considering using tourism initiatives to create a sustainable revenue stream.

Miller grew up in Nederland, then lived down the hill for several years before electing to move back with his family. He has a background in environmental studies, worked as an instructor at Eldora, and is a former small business owner with experience working in the government field.

Miller hopes to join the Board to focus on transportation and infrastructure, and believes that he can connect with people and look at a full spectrum of perspectives. Miller stated his understanding for the need for East 1st Street redevelopment, as well as Nederland’s need to draw revenue from tourists, especially the summer recreation crowds.

McAllister is the Health and Safety Director for American Clean Resource Group and has run for Trustee three times. He expects to use facts to make hard decisions, regardless of there being public opposition, and hopes to address inconsistencies in Town code and to make code more accessible for citizens.

McAllister noted his experience visiting 47 countries and living among different cultures and different economic backgrounds as being a benefit to the Board. He wishes to focus on mental health and mental health services if appointed to the Board, believes paid parking to be one of the best opportunities for revenue creation, and prefers the Town reassess its water and sewer infrastructure before redeveloping East 1st Street.

A motion was made to appoint Aaron Tye to the open seat on the Board; the motionwasdeniedbya3-3vote.A motion was made to appoint Luke Miller to the Board, which passed.

The Nederland Board of Trustees meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month. Their next scheduled meeting is on Tuesday, February 7, 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/ government/boards-and-commissions