The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Looking for collaboration with partners
By Mark Reaman
The Crested Butte town council asked for public feedback on new proposed parking restrictions and they are receiving it, both online through social media sites and through personal encounters and letters to the town and local paper.
During the April 1 council meeting, mayor Ian Billick reported on several letters that town received protesting the new parking direction. One of those letters was from resident Caren Carroll who spoke during public comment asking council to reconsider the restrictions “that a lot of us are concerned about.”
Janet Martin said she too would like council to reconsider the decision since thousands of people like her live outside of town but come to Crested Butte for several reasons since it is the hub of the North Valley. “This feels like a radical move and in my opinion, it is one of the worst decisions I’ve seen made since I got here in 1982,” she said. “Find solutions first before creating more problems.”
At the end of the council meeting, the council wanted to make clear to the public that they are hearing the feedback. Council members emphasized they are listening and are working on alternatives to help make the situation work and are willing to pivot from their direction next winter if restrictions on parking spaces near the Four-Way and Teocalli Avenue bus stops cause problems.
The town has received the conceptual okay from RE1J school district superintendent Leslie Nichols for the community to be able to use the school parking lot on busy holiday and powder-day weekends. Specific details would need to be worked out. Community development director Troy Russ told the council that a meeting is planned for April 9 between the “North Valley transportation/parking partners (the town, CBMR, Mt. Crested Butte, Mountain Express and the RTA).” In a memo to council, Russ said the purpose of the meeting is “to explore the employment of the Crested Butte Community School as an overflow parking area for holidays and powder days.”
The main school parking lot has about 73 spaces. The issues involved with that alternative include who is responsible for plowing the lot over the holidays and weekends, how to provide effective advertising to the public about the alternative and whether Mountain Express would provide bus transportation from the lot to its current main route.
“The parking discussion happening warrants talking about it in public. We should let people know we are hearing their comments and there is the ability to shift and pivot next winter,” said councilmember Jason MacMillan. “The council is trying to find a balance to achieve our transportation goals.”
Councilmember Kent Cowherd suggested issuing an official letter explaining “how and why we’re doing what we’re doing. The ultimate goal is to de-emphasize cars and encourage pedestrians and bikes. But perhaps a letter is appropriate to let people know we are listening to their comments.”
“There seems to be a lot of confusion,” said councilmember Anna Fenerty. “When I speak to people one-on-one, they better understand why we made those choices. I’m supportive of the decision we made. But a lot of people don’t know that those restrictions by the bus stops just apply in winter. The reasoning behind going from head-in parking to parallel parking on Fifth Street is for safety.”
“Getting our reasoning out is a good move,” said councilmember Beth Goldstone. “Let people know we are pursuing the alternative of the school parking lot as an alternative parking area. I too stand by the decision.”
“I stand behind the decision but with the caveat I am very hopeful the school parking lot comes into play,” added councilmember Gabi Prochaska. “I would be willing to amend the direction a bit if in fact the school parking lot doesn’t happen.”
“The school lot is open, but the question is making it easier with things like plowing and having a Mountain Express shuttle and getting the word out,” said Goldstone.
“The RTA and Vail [Resorts] are super important to the conversation,” said Fenerty. “It seems that (CBMR VP and general manager) Tara (Schoedinger) is engaged, but Vail has shuttles in all their other resorts but not here. Nothing would have happened if we didn’t move the dial.”
“Skier traffic here has moved from air to the drive market,” said mayor Ian Billick. “Things have changed, and Vail hasn’t moved to that responsibility yet. They may be open to it. It is a complex issue, and it is important for the town to be part of the solution. At the same time, CBMR and Mt. Crested Butte have some responsibility. I want to work collaboratively with our partners but am not sure our residential neighborhoods should carry the brunt of the parking.”
Billick clarified his stance after the meeting saying he is ready to pivot from the parking restrictions direction if locals encounter problems with parking in town to catch the Mountain Express. “With CBMR transitioning to more of a Front Range drive market and putting parking pressure on Crested Butte’s residential neighborhoods, I’d like to see the local stakeholders, including Vail, develop a strategy to address parking and transportation,” he said. “However, because I believe it should be a town priority to facilitate access by locals to the ski resort without driving up the hill, if the partners are unable to address the situation before next winter and locals have problems accessing Mountain Express because of the changes around the Four-Way and Teocalli Avenue, I’d like to see the town pivot quickly.”
“We certainly don’t want people driving up to Mt. Crested Butte to ski given our climate goals,” said MacMillan. “We need alternatives for people and the school parking lot is one opportunity. Let’s see how that April 9 meeting goes.”
“When talking public transportation and climate goals, a lot of the cars are already being driven to town,” said Prochaska. “The climate goal is fewer cars in general, not just in town.”
“There have been a lot of strong statements and a lot of reaction to this,” said Billick. “I don’t agree with some of the things like the need for an expensive parking garage. But I hear a lot of people saying we need to be methodical in making the puzzle pieces fit. That’s fair. The sequencing needs to do justice to the larger community. We need the things like the school parking lot and an intercept parking lot at Brush Creek.”
“Before taking away something we need to have an alternative,” agreed MacMillan. “There are things we can do to not just provide alternatives but make it better.”
“I agree we can wait and see what comes out of the April 9 meeting and how the school parking lot ends up,” said Cowherd. “People should know that this plan is flexible and can and will change depending on whether things are working or not.”
Council agreed to wait to see the outcome of the April 9 parking meeting and then re-discuss the issue at the first council meeting in May given that the next council meeting falls during the school’s spring break.
