CB begins in-depth process to address new design standards

Preventing mini Taj Mahals…

by Mark Reaman

As the town of Crested Butte continues its update to town zoning codes and design standards, a joint work session between the town council and BOZAR (Board of Zoning and Architectural Review) was held Monday, August 17 to begin the drive to focus on new design standards and guidelines.

Crested Butte planner Jesse Earley led the work session and said the update was meant in part to continue to strongly protect the existing Period of Significance (POS – the mining era from 1880 to 1952); develop new standards and guidelines for the newly established POS (the early recreation era from 1960 to 1984); and ease the design and style restrictions for areas outside the established historic periods while preserving overall mass and form.

“We want to integrate affordability, climate action and wildfire resiliency,” said Earley.

“As someone going through a small remodel right now, it can be hard to reconcile those three all of the time,” said councilmember Kate Guibert.

“I agree,” said BOZAR chair Erik Nauman. “They actually go against each other. I think that needs reworded. While ‘affordability’ is listed first, climate action and wildfire mitigation is expensive and adds costs.”

“Could there be a different set of standards to build more affordably with deed-restricted housing?” asked councilmember John O’Neal. “Could they be allowed to build smaller for example?”

Consultant on the project, Marcia Boyle said consideration is given in the update to help keep things affordable.

“It seems overall, this is the general direction we want to go with those three goals, but we need to look closely at the details given some skepticism being voiced,” said mayor Ian Billick.

Boyle said the new documents would change verbiage from “standards and policies” to “goals” to more clearly represent the overall vision and intended outcomes of the design process. Those six primary goals included: honor what was built here; build for this place; keep the street human; make room for future design; build for everyone; and steward the land.

“The goals of making room for future design and honor what was built here seem to be in tension,” said councilmember Mallika Magner.

“Maybe we need to include a flexibility piece to delineate things like location and Periods of Significance,” said Boyle. “The goal is intended to honor primarily the mining era. The future design goal is meant for outside the Period of Significance.”

“I think we should specify the type of architecture in Crested Butte,’ suggested BOZAR member Luz Spann-Labato. “This is a mountain town. What prevents a future builder from saying they want to build a mini Taj Mahal? Some people with a lot of money want to build whatever they want.”

“I appreciate using some of the original goals and standards, keeping some rough edges around the town,” said BOZAR member Ed Schmidt. “We do need to honor who we are, which is a mining town, a mountain town that keeps our rough edges rough. Let’s remember where we came from.”

Boyle said some language to that effect could be added in the documents.

“I’m on the other side and don’t see the two goals in opposition,” said councilmember Gabi Prochaska who has said consistently it is appropriate to have modern looking structures next to historical buildings. “If we build everything the same, it doesn’t call out the history. We are now in 2026. What are things that should be built today? It should be contemporary and not a mimic of what was.”

“People are building for their bottom line and investments,” noted Nauman. “I don’t see it as much of an issue in the future. The building inspector controls much of it.”

“It is important to maintain the size, scale and setbacks,” said Magner. “That will prevent a mini Taj Mahal. Those factors constrain what buildings will look like.”

Both council and BOZAR members said they were uncomfortable including what could be considered nebulous guidelines.

“If it is important, it should be a standard,” said Nauman. “Make things clear to people coming in to build.”

“Sometimes standards conflict with each other and having guidelines can move a discussion forward,” said Schmidt.

“I agree with Eric and don’t see the purpose of guidelines,” said O’Neal. “Let’s try to stay true to simplicity and clarity with this update.”

“Guidelines can help new applicants understand things better,” said councilmember and architect Kent Cowherd. “I would like to run some test scenarios with these updates and find the weaknesses.”

Two more work sessions were scheduled for further discussion between BOZAR and the council on the topic. The first was September 8 and the second, focusing on the Periods of Significance, will be held October 5.