Housing and community top concerns from recent town survey

Info for a long-term vision

by Mark Reaman

With just more than 1,100 responses to the town of Crested Butte’s community survey this past summer, the town planning department has concluded there are three “over-arching community issues that need to be addressed: lack of workforce and attainable housing; affordability and the cost of living; and maintaining the quality of life and sense of community.”

“It was not a surprise to see housing at the top of the list,” town planner Bob Nevins told the council. “The survey has a lot of insights and we can use it as a foundation for our community plan.”

Based on the returns, Nevins informed the council in a summary of the survey that Crested Butte is comprised of long-term residents, with 59 percent of the respondents having lived in town and/or the Gunnison Valley for between 11 and 40 years or longer. The majority of those who responded were homeowners and worked in town.

“Residents are largely outdoor enthusiasts who are open to accommodating responsible growth that preserves the Town’s unique historical character and developing a balanced economy with good-paying jobs and attainable housing,” said Nevins in his report.

Nevins said the three primary concerns (housing, cost of living and sense of community) “are valley-wide as indicated by the residents in the north and south valley that took the survey. “What is interesting to note is that Crested Butte and its environs seem to attract people with like-minded interests, values and concerns as evidenced by the responses from Colorado and out-of-state visitors who participated in the survey.”

The survey was available for three and a half month, from June 1 until mid-September. The SurveyMonkey was on the town website, promoted through the chamber of commerce and Facebook, and available at local coffee shops with dropboxes. The goal was to get at least 1,000 returns and in the end, 1,104 people responded. Thirty percent were from in-town residents; 39 percent from those in Crested Butte South or north of Crested Butte South; and 14 percent from the south end of the valley including Gunnison. The rest were from Colorado residents or people living out of the state.

As might be expected, when given a chance to add comments to the survey, people did. Nevins described them to the council as “some being pretty funny and others being telling.” See the sidebar below this story for a sample.

Results of the survey, including the comments, are posted on the town website. It is expected the survey will be conducted every few years to keep a finger on the pulse of the community.

 

Sample of CB survey comments…

What kind of community do you want Crested Butte to be in 20 years?

• I’d like for Crested Butte to be able to accommodate responsible growth without losing its unique historic character. But, I also need to see Crested Butte support a more diverse community that comes from all different socioeconomic background, races, sexualities, etc. Crested Butte can’t continue to be just an affluent white space, we need to understand the importance and the value of diversity and work harder as a community to become more diverse in all aspects.

• Community is key. If we lose community we become Disneyworld and just a façade. Town has always been a year-round community, although always difficult to financially support oneself here because of the seasonal and supposed consequential low wages. However, taxing primary homeowners is not the answer to affordable housing, we’re already struggling, tax the second homeowners more by sheltering primary residents with a homestead tax break.

• I just hope the locals don’t become super di*ks to the tourists and new people that move to town.

• I want town to keep its character and kindness. That’s what makes Crested Butte the place it is.

• Town closes most of Elk Ave. to Pedestrian Only Zone with planted trees and a small creek using water diverted from Coal Creek.

• In 20 years I will be in my late 80s and hope to walk around like Paul Reddin.

• New CFA monstrosity gets sold to mining company and Mt. Emmons project finds its legs! HCCA moves to Telluride and farms funds there.

What are the greatest local challenges Crested Butte is facing now and in the future?

• Increased traffic and parking problems; changing demographics/values; impacts of climate change and other environmental factors; affordability/cost of living; and second homes/vacation rentals.

• Parking is unbearable.

• Locals being forced out, town is losing its character.

• Kindness Drought.

• Too many tree huggers, not enough miners.

• Stop ruthlessly marketing Crested Butte.

• No affordable housing equals no workforce, multi-million-dollar homes and short-term rentals mean no real housing.

• Lack of mining, too many bicycles, not enough straws.

Solutions for traffic and parking issues?

• Close Elk Ave. permanently to cars. Turn it into a park pedestrian zone with outdoor cafés in the middle. Add a small creek with diverted water from Coal Creek. Allow Bird/Lime eBikes and eScooters with nightly restock at CBCS to encourage remote parking.

• Move the post office off of Elk Ave. Everyone drives on Elk to get their mail.

• Gravel pit parking transportation center/ tram to the mountain/ Electric mass and individual transit, foot and bike travel only.

• No roundabouts! They ruin walkability and speed up cars. If people want to come here they can learn to stop at stop signs.

• Roundabouts at each Four-way Stop.

• Time for permit parking!

• The locals are the worst. Parking on Elk all day in two-hour parking areas. Enforce the law for starters!

• Get over it. Cars bring people. People bring money. Without people with money y’all don’t live in Crested Butte.

• Vegi powered fart cars.

• Phase in a total ban of cars in town over a three-year period except for residents with permits.

How to promote environmental stewardship

• Reduce fuel use by taking the bus, walking or biking to work.

• Bring my own cup and plate to events.

• Quit using straws at the Talk of the Town.

• Choose to not have children.

• Keep my thermostat low. Use flannel sheets and comforters all year.

• Just stay out of the car and off the snowmobiles as much as possible. Don’t fly much at all, a huge fuel suck. Turn off the light, keep heat low (energy efficient home), hang clothes, etc. and conserve energy.

• I rode my bike or walked to work for 35 years. Ban the automobile from town. I know it can be done because I lived it.

• Dumb—This is why you have a problem and are out of touch. These are stupid.

• I take daily actions to increase my carbon footprint!

Any other comments?

• Our motto should be: Crested Butte, love it by leaving it the way that you found it. We should not even try to accommodate more growth, it will simply ruin the wonderful community that we have.

• The reality appears to be that many are leaving not only because they can’t afford to be here any longer but the character and the demographics are changing the town, our home, exponentially. And yes, Crested Butte may lose its essential funkiness.

• Do not put additional expenses on the businesses. It is a tough economy here with the seasonality and bad last winter.

• I am not afraid of the changes that are coming. I’m more afraid that the changes won’t be allowed because so many are trying to stop all change and don’t consider any change with an open mind.

• Your voting district has lost the voice of reason and the voice of the middle class.

• Even the smallest changes are met with heated opposition. Don’t listen to the haters.

• Crested Butte is a fine place to live and raise a family. Keep it that way.

• Talk to the businesses, workers and owners who are directly impacted by the Town decisions instead of solely relying on the public input from people who have enough free time to attend the public meetings and write letters to the papers.

• Keep resisting big massive ill-conceived projects like the Corner at Brush Creek.

• The Town should be supportive of the Brush Creek project, as it would serve the whole Crested Butte community.

• VRBOs are killing this community. Every changing of the season sees more locals moving away because of lack of housing.

• Way too many tourists—we should stop spending tax dollars on tourism promotions.

• The local government has a socialist flavor.

• I loved the Crested Butte of 20 years ago. And I’m still loving it today and sharing it with generations of my family.

• Save the Alleys. Stop promoting. We are full.

• The Town’s values are good, but town has gotten to the point where the average person can’t afford to live here. This is a travesty.

• I’m not anti growth exactly. However I am anti propel forward at any cost. I’m terrified that one day there will be homes from the current edge of town all the way to the base of the Butte. That will make me sick.

• Remove stupid and short-sighted short-term rental regulations.

• We need a gondola from town to the ski hill.

• Not all development is bad development. It’s time to stop blocking every little thing that comes down the pike. And be as open-minded as you claim to be.

• It’s the culture of Crested Butte to resist any changes.

• Out with the yuppies, and in with job creators and people who earn their living!

• The people of Crested Butte are kind and lovely and love their community and it is evident in their care for their community.

• Now that Vail is in town, you might be screwed.

• All these people worried about Vail—they could have not done anything that negatively impacts the town as the new Center does and we did it to ourselves.

• Crested Butte and Gunnison should enhance their serendipity.

• We are privileged to live here. We need to be realistic about our expectations and all play a role in being inclusive and intentional with how we support a viable community so that we don’t become an empty historic over-priced exhibit instead of a town.

• One of the best things about Crested Butte and the valley is how the rednecks and hippies all get along (riding mountain bikes and dirt bikes on same trails).

• Stop regulating and taxing so much.

• Crested Butte is truly special and unique.

• It is important we keep our unique character through our funky festivals, traditions and community events and hard on people who come here and don’t respect the environment we so strongly love and protect.

• Love.