The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Allow trailers for the workers and “a free car for a teenager”
By Mark Reaman
The Crested Butte Town Council members refined some points they want to discuss with their counterparts in Mt. Crested Butte, specifically, reinforcing the main goals of holding five of the 14 acres at the Corner at Brush Creek property for future use, limiting development on the rest to 15 units per acre and having the developer provide two parking spots for every unit.
They also brought up two more points they want to address: getting an impact analysis to see what they can expect in terms of direct impacts on the upper valley as a result of the new development, and not prohibiting residents from parking work trailers at the site.
“Crested Butte will feel most of the impacts on things like parks from the people living at Brush Creek,” said mayor Jim Schmidt at the December 3 meeting.
“The intent of putting aside five acres was to determine the use in the future, whether it be more parking or something like a park or ball fields,” said councilman Kent Cowherd.
Cowherd also pointed out a problem that a Vail workforce housing project encountered after it was completed.
“The project is supposed to house a lot of local workers and many of the workers have work trailers,” he said, referring to people in the trades who keep their tools in such trailers. “So I think it is appropriate that trailers be allowed and not be prohibited in the development. That also goes to the requirement of asking for two parking spots per unit.”
“This makes sense since so many people have trailers for work,” agreed Schmidt.
Councilman Chris Haver said he would be uncomfortable expanding the 15-unit per acre density on the property but felt that it could help the project work financially. His bigger concern was having an impact study done for the upper valley and he said he didn’t care who paid for it, the developer or the local governments.
“This will put a population the size of Mt. Crested Butte there and it will have impacts on the towns and the schools,” Haver said. “An impact study analysis can tell us what to expect down the road. I also think a transit study needs to be done because we all know buses will be used but no one knows who will pay for them. These studies won’t hurt the project at all but we would be irresponsible if we didn’t get them.”
Haver likened the studies to a teenager getting a new car. “A free car sounds great to a teenager who just got their license,” he explained. “But then you realize there are things that come with the free car. You have to pay for things like insurance and gas. We should be planning for what comes along with this project. It is just proper planning. I think it belongs somewhere in the Land Use Resolution process.”
The Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte councils will hold a joint work session on January 7 to continue working out details of their mutual concerns.
