NEDERLAND - The Nederland Downtown Development Authority (NDDA) met on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, to discuss the potential of utilizing privately owned land as potential locations for the upcoming Summer Concert Series. Last year’s successful event was mostly hosted at Chipeta Park, with the exception of one event on East 1st Street.

The Authority has budgeted a total of $60,000 for the 2025 series, and contracted with Peter Fiori’s Sweet Wave Audio during their last meeting on January 8.

NDDA Board members each offered their suggestions for potential alternate locations to Chipeta Park. While Board members agreed that Chipeta Park was the ideal location for most events, there was also consensus that East 1st Street could work, providing certain concessions could be made.

Board members suggested creating a survey or form to collect data and assess the impact to East 1st Street businesses. 

Peter Fiori provided a list of their suggested dates for the six concerts, as well as backup dates in the case of cancellations due to weather or other complications. 

The Authority voted to approve June 7 and 21, July 4 and 12, and August 2 and 16 as the preferred dates. July 12 is the the same day as the yearly cycling event Ned Gravel. June 28 and dates in September were selected for backup. 

There was also discussion regarding how the Authority would like to move forward with their Outdoor Performance Space project.

Andrew Dewart, NDDA Chair and member of the Performance Space Committee, stated that, though the Authority has not budgeted any money for the project in 2025, the project can move closer to “shovel ready” by sharing the current design plan with landscape architects. 

Signage   

The NDDA was tasked with voting to approve contracting with one of three companies for the fabrication and installation of informational signage as part of the Authority’s Wayfinding initiative. 

On January 14, the Wayfinding Committee, along with third party wayfinding design firm Merje and NDDA Executive Director Kate Masingale, conducted interviews of all three bidders, Arapahoe Sign Arts and Altitude Signs, E3 Signs, and Geograph Industries Inc. 

Following the interview process, the Ohio-based firm Geograph Inc., who came in with the lowest bid of $280,967, was recommended to the Authority for approval, based on their cost, quality of past work, and past experience collaborating with Merje. 

Board members voted to approve contracting with Geograph Inc., and noted that the vote was a step towards finally getting physical results from the long-ongoing Wayfinding project. 

Bag fees and bans

Nederland Sustainability Coordinator Cass Grady led the Authority in a discussion regarding Ordinance 862, which involves a 10-cent fee on disposable paper bags and a ban on polystyrene products like styrofoam for all Nederland businesses. 

Grady informed of some changes to the ban in the official Agenda Information Memorandum provided to Board members.

“The bag fee is still 10 cents per bag and charged to the customer at a retail store, but it now only applies to distributing disposable paper bags since plastic bags are banned from use in Nederland retail stores and food establishments.

“Another change is, the retail store may retain 60% and remit 40% to the Town, instead of the previous 50/50 split. An important note is that the paper bag fee only applies to retail stores, but the plastic bag ban and Styrofoam ban applies to both retail stores and food establishments in Town limits.”

Despite Ordinance 862 having been previously approved and implemented in July, 2024, the Town has delayed enforcement of the ordinance until a community outreach plan has been carried out. 

Grady reported to the Board of Trustees in December, 2025, that the delay has cost Nederland potential revenue, having at this time only collected $432 in quarterly revenue from the fees. According to that report, only one business had been correctly collecting, reporting, and providing their fees to the Town since the Ordinance’s implementation. 

The Town’s ideas for outreach approaches were presented to the Authority for their feedback. These ideas include: providing signage; posting on social media; posting on the Zero Waste page on the Town’s website; emailing businesses; printing a press release through The Mountain-Ear; presenting at an NDDA Economic Vitality meeting; and hosting a webinar for Nederland businesses.  

Board member Danielle Crouse recommended taking the outreach one step further by visiting each business in person. Board member Scott Papich provided a list of Nederland-specific social media pages and suggested that the press release be printed in multiple editions of The Mountain-Ear. 

NDDA Chair Andrew Dewart suggested creating a reusable bag for Nederland businesses with some sort of design work by a local artist. 

The Town currently expects to roll out their outreach plan over the second quarter of the year, and will begin collecting fees by the third quarter of the year. 

Downtown Subarea Plan

Board members also reviewed the latest draft of the Downtown Subarea Plan (DSP) from Studio Seed, who has been working on the DSP as a supplemental addition to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan, currently being updated by SE Group. The DSP will also represent the Authority’s Plan of Development and 18 Month Work Plan.

With both the Comprehensive Plan and DSP expected to go before the Planning Commission for final approval on February 26, 2025, Studio Seed required feedback from the Authority.  

The Authority focused mostly on the 18 Month Work Plan, which Chair Dewart noted will both “inform” and “align with” the organization’s budgeting process. Masingale also suggested that Board members begin immediately adhering to the Work Plan.

The Work Plan delivers recommendations for tackling certain Central Business District-focused objectives, including supporting and stabilizing current businesses, encouraging new business development, incentivizing affordable housing development, protecting historic assets, implementing already planned infrastructure projects, improving downtown walkability and transit, and working to create a cohesive downtown through greater amenities. 

Nederland Community Planner Britt DeMinck invited the NDDA to attend a virtual-only Work Session on Wednesday, February 19. Members of the Nederland Board of Trustees and Planning Commission will be present to discuss the Comprehensive Plan and DSP; the official start time for the session has yet to be posted. 

The Nederland Downtown Development Authority meets the second Wednesday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at 6 p.m. and will be held online as well as in person at the Nederland Community Center. 

For more information go to: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/downtown-development-authority.