The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“It was always part of the plan”
The Crested Butte Land Trust is proposing to subdivide the recently purchased 36-acre property at the entrance to Crested Butte South known as the Niccoli parcel.
The Land Trust wants to carve out a five-acre parcel from the 36.77 acres and allow one single-family residence and one secondary residence. A public hearing on the issue will be held Friday, December 5 at the Gunnison County Blackstock Government Center.
“It has always been part of the plan to subdivide that property to help finance the project,” explained Crested Butte Land Trust president Jeff Hermanson. “The building on the five-acre homesite will have a number of restrictions and size limitations, but it was always part of the plan.”
The Land Trust paid about $2.5 million for the property in December 2006. The town of Crested Butte contributed $1,000,000 toward the project.
At last Monday’s Crested Butte Town Council meeting, the council asked that Land Trust representatives come to the next meeting to talk about the project. Mayor pro tem Leah Williams had expressed an interest in a park-and-ride area on the parcel to help increase Crested Butte South bus ridership. Councilperson Skip Berkshire reminded her that the Land Trust gave “big pushback over that idea at the time of the purchase. They felt it wasn’t appropriate,” he said.
Berkshire said that a 60-acre parcel immediately south of the Niccoli parcel was currently on the market and a park-and-ride could perhaps be obtained on that property.
Councilperson Dan Escalante wondered why the Land Trust would allow a homesite on the property if there is already a county regulation limiting one house per 35 acres by right.
Berkshire said that given the proximity to Crested Butte South, the fear was that a developer would push an extension of small lots on the property.
Land Trust board member David Baxter said part of the agreement with the Niccoli family was to limit the remainder of the ranch on that side of the highway to two new homesites as well.
The Crested Butte council asked for members of the Land Trust to attend the December 1 meeting and talk about their plans for the parcel. Town attorney John Belkin was going to look into how much influence the town still has over the parcel.
Hermanson promised that the Land Trust would be represented at the council meeting to answer any questions.
The issue is also on the agenda of the Gunnison County Planning Commission for Friday.
