Public asks for more alternative energy in updated building rules

Important to be flexible…

More discussion over revisions to the Crested Butte Design Guidelines will be held over the next month. A public hearing on the proposed changes was continued until November 2 to allow more input from citizens on features such as solar panels.

Town Building and Zoning director Bob Gillie told the Town Council Monday night that several people wanted to comment on the alternative energy section of the revisions. “In the interest of trying to iron out some concerns in that section we are willing to sit down and try to find some common ground with the issues being brought up,” he said.
Gillie said the revisions address solar and other alternative energy situations in Crested Butte. “The way the guidelines are written now, it lays out some parameters for the best ways to apply the alternative energy aspects,” he said.
Town resident Lena Wilensky of Nunatek Alternative Energy Solutions said she was hoping to see the guidelines dealing with solar energy be less restrictive. “The guidelines allow some solar but don’t encourage solar,” she said. “I’d like to see the guidelines reflect the practice BOZAR [Board of Zoning and Architectural Review] has been following.”
Val Jaquith of Crested Butte encouraged the council to allow higher cold frames in peoples’ yards. Cold frames are meant to capture the earth’s heat and help with growing food; under the revisions they are limited to 30 inches high. “Anything we can do in this harsh environment to encourage viable food production is great,” Jaquith said.
Resident Erika Vohman said the town needed to be a leader in the field. “Global warming is real,” she said. “We need leadership in reducing our carbon footprint. It’s really important.”
Local builder Robb Fessenden added, “It is more important to be flexible in allowing solar panels to happen. I understand the historical guidelines in Crested Butte but flexibility is important.”
Jay Pozner agreed. “It comes down to promoting vs. tolerating it,” he said. “How we speak as a town is important.”
Bernholtz thanked everyone for adding their input but warned that the big wheel of government doesn’t always move quickly.
Councilman Skip Berkshire said although BOZAR was doing a pretty good job, he supported the effort for more changes to the guidelines.
The discussion will continue at the November 2 meeting.