Briefs Crested Butte

Center for the Arts update

Center for the Arts executive director Jenny Birnie gave the town council a quarterly update at the December 19 meeting. She touched on the proposed expansion of the facility and said the center hopes to “grow the visual arts component.”

Birnie did ask the council for an “exclusion” from possible affordable housing fees being discussed by the council. She said the expansion would be centered on spaces that didn’t require more employees. The project is estimated to cost between $5 million and $8 million; Birnie said making them abide by the new fee schedule would essentially kill the project.
A new membership drive will start in January and the Crested Butte Arts Center continues to work with the proposed Mt. Crested Butte Performing Arts Center.

Stallion Park too far away for some
Gunnison County housing authority director KT Gazunis reported to the council that there isn’t enough growth in the area at the moment to attract developers who build affordable housing units using low-income tax credits. She also said there are several affordable units in Stallion Park sitting empty. She said people prefer to find places in the town of Crested Butte. But Gazunis said she would keep trying to search out new affordable housing opportunities for the community.

Retreat!
The council will hold a retreat in January to flesh out some attainable goals. They plan to spend no more than $3,000 for a facilitator for the retreat. Members of the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) will hold an educational conference retreat this year as well. The town hopes to bring in a nationally known preservationist and facilitator to lead several meetings between BOZAR and the council and other preservationists from the Western Slope, as well as hold a public meeting. That facilitator would cost $10,000 but the town hopes to get a $5,000 grant to offset the cost for the June event.

Council buddies gathering
The Crested Butte town council members will be getting together with their Mt. Crested Butte counterparts over the next few weeks. An informal gathering will be held Wednesday, January 4 at The Avalanche Bar and Grill in Mt. Crested Butte. The public is invited to imbibe with the council and share their thoughts in an informal setting. In a more formal gathering, members of the two councils will hold a joint council meeting on February 8.