Starview subdivision near CB South approaches sketch plan

A few last details to be submitted first

By Katherine Nettles

The Gunnison County planning commission held a final work session last month to review a major subdivision proposal for a land parcel immediately south of Crested Butte South. The 96-acre parcel is located at the corner of Highway 135 and Cement Creek Road. During its September 19 meeting, the commission reviewed some new details in the applicant’s major impact proposal for subdividing the parcel into 129 residential lots of varied sizes and types including some light commercial spaces. The commission asked for a few additional details prior to scheduling a joint public hearing with Gunnison County commissioners to move toward potential sketch plan approval. 

The development applicant is HGC, an Oklahoma City based firm. Harrison Land Estates, run by Russ and Celina Harrison, owns the land and the project has been named Starview Subdivison.

Starview would include 84 single-family lots, 40 multi-family units, four residential units above commercial spaces and one lot for CB South Metro District which may include employee housing.

The parcel includes a “high density” area including the 44 multi-family and residential above commercial units, and HGC would designate 22 of them to be deed-restricted for local workforce. The remaining 22 multi-family units would not be deed restricted but smaller in size and at a lower price point than the rest of the neighborhood.  

The planning commission had during its previous work session in July asked HGC to submit delineation around the allowed square footage and size of structures in the development, identify recreational amenities, address wildlife concerns, clarify if and where accessory dwelling units (ADU) would be allowed, consult the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) on possible deed restrictions, clarify road maintenance with the CB South Metro District and provide renderings of the proposed berms. 

“They did provide those items,” confirmed Gunnison County assistant manager for community and economic development Cathie Pagano.  

Local real estate broker Gary Huresky represented HGC, and presented the additional information requested. He said the applicant is aiming for a minimum requirement of 1,200 square feet and a minimum two car garage on the 52 larger and “mid-sized” lots, then a minimum of 1,000 square feet and one car garage on the 15 smaller lots closer to the higher density area of the development. There would be a minimum requirement of 800 square feet and one car garage in the high-density townhome area. 

Huresky said the developer would create pocket parks and structured playground spaces, which would be specified in a detailed open space master plan submitted at the preliminary plan stage. 

He said ADUs would be allowed on 25 lots, but those lots had not yet been designated and would likely be designed and built at the discretion of the owners where designated. He said the developer did not intend to build any ADUs, or deed restrict them if owners built them. 

Huresky said after consulting with GVRHA executive director Melissa LaMonica, the plan was to designate deed restrictions for workers making 80% of their income within the county and using an area median income (AMI) schedule based on 120-220% AMI. Rentals would be allowed on an occasional long-term basis where personal reasons warranted, but he noted “These units are meant to be owner occupied.”

Resale caps would be 4% annually on the 22 deed restricted units, and he said they appreciated LaMonica’s idea to spread them throughout the 44 units rather than having a specific block of them. 

Huresky said the Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) prefers north and south flag stops along Cement Creek Road to any flag stops on Highway 135 or pull-ins within the neighborhood. “Down the road, if there’s a roundabout [at Highway 135 and Cement Creek Road] and if that road is straightened, there would be room for a nice little transit hub,” said Huresky. He said any flag stops or transit hub would also be prepared with school buses in mind and it was his understanding that the flag stops would come from the developer.

He said Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) concerns chiefly involved bear activity, and CPW requested that vegetative screening, downlighting, trees and brush at the south end of the development and educational materials, leash laws and bear proof containers for trash would be included in homeowner’s association (HOA) covenants. Huresky said CPW officials had appreciated development proposed alongside the highway as opposed to further up Cement Creek Road where it would be closer to the backcountry. 

Last, there were four berm renderings in the new presentation showing some vegetation and a potential recreation path that could be located between them. 

Huresky said the applicant was hoping these new details would be enough to warrant getting on the commission’s public hearing schedule to move toward sketch plan review. 

The commission had a few questions about recreation amenities, berms, transportation and view shed impacts. Pagano recommended that the commission require certain open space amenities, such as locations of pocket parks and playgrounds and proposed trail system details be provided before the public hearing. 

Commission member Julie Baca agreed, saying she would expect most attendees at the public hearing to be CB South residents with questions about amenities like parks and open space.

Commission member Eric Phillips said it would be good to see how the development’s proposed trail system could connect to the RTA flag stops as well. “I think transportation is going to come up a lot with how we connect this development to the rest of the transportation,” he said.

Commission chair Roland Mason asked if the single-family homes could be dropped further down behind the berms to avoid impacting the iconic viewsheds behind them, and Huresky said the homes to the north would be limited to single-story “patio homes” to avoid such impacts. He said they would excavate to lower the overall elevation of the south end. 

Planning commission member Fred Niederer commented, “This is a fairly sizeable development. The more details that can be provided prior to a public hearing, the better. But I don’t personally need to see that information prior to a public meeting.” 

The commission agreed that once those final details are submitted to the county, they can schedule a public hearing which would include county commissioners as well. That meeting would require public notice 30 days prior.