Crested Butte council briefs…

Transportation news
Williams told the council that the Rural Transportation Authority had awarded a contract to Alpine Express to run the down-valley shuttles. She said Alpine Express officials had yet to sign the contract but plan to do so. Last year, the Mountain Express handled the duties.
Councilperson Roland Mason, who sits on the Mountain Express board, said the idea of a bus stop at Fourth Street and Elk Avenue in front of the Mountain Heritage Museum might arise again. In order to accommodate such a bus stop, the town would have to reconfigure the area, take out some of the pavers between the museum and Lil’s. “It could cost the town some money if it happens,” he said.
“It could also cost the town significant parking,” said Williams. “And there would be snow plowing issues as well.”
“The issue is out there and being looked at by Mountain Express,” said Mason. “I’m just giving everyone a heads-up that it might come to us again.”

Waterproof your basements and other ordinances
The council approved an ordinance requiring that basements being constructed in town be waterproofed. Citizen Keith Bauer came in after the vote was taken and voiced concern that the new ordinance would add costs to locals trying to build in town, especially if they owned a “dry” lot.
But the council said that water could eventually change course, especially if blocked by waterproof basements, and what is a “dry” lot now might become wet in 20 years.
The council set for public hearing an ordinance authorizing the sale of a small piece of land by the Visitor Center. The 140 square feet of town land sits under the porch and part of the house just east of the parking lot.
The council also set for public hearing an ordinance amending mobile home side yard setbacks. The move will allow an unusual configuration of mobile homes to be subdivided and sold individually.

Festive notes; fire, biking past and future
The council heard from the town marshals that while the celebration of Vinotok last weekend went off pretty smoothly, the fire was too hot. As usual, discussions will be held this fall to make the bonfire safer next year. The council’s representative to the Chamber of Commerce, John Wirsing, reported that Fat Tire Bike Week is garnering a ton of good press. Apparently there is a 17-page spread about biking the area in the magazine Mountain Bike Action.
Councilperson Jim Schmidt said he has been pushing for a through-town leg of the Quiznos Pro Challenge bike race that might be coming through Crested Butte on one of its seven stages next August. Schmidt said all indications are pointing to a Crested Butte visit and he is suggesting seeing if the racers will take a lap up Elk Avenue and around to Maroon Avenue before heading to the finish up in Mt. Crested Butte. That would involve some significant street closure in town but the council felt it was worth pursuing.

Love and hate over Snodgrass
Crested Butte mayor Leah Williams said she and the Town Council had received a letter from Paula Steuer of the Coalition for Lifts on Snodgrass asking the council members to reconsider their stance of “neutrality” over the Snodgrass ski lift expansion issue. The letter urged the council to contact U.S. Forest Service supervisor Charlie Richmond and urge him to let the ski resort’s proposal to add lifts on Snodgrass to go into the review process.
The council felt nothing has happened to make them reconsider their position but were looking to see what will result from the meeting between the Forest Service and Crested Butte Mountain Resort officials scheduled for September 27. “At the moment, nothing has changed,” she said. “I’ll email Paula to that effect.”
“The public opinion from the public we represent hasn’t changed,” said councilperson John Wirsing. “They love it. They hate it.”
“They love us. They hate us,” added councilperson Reed Betz.

Budgets, insurance and just who is a “local” to be discussed in the future
The council is in the heart of planning for the 2011 budget, where many of the long-term decisions are made, because the simple fact is that money is scarce in town at the moment. The next work session over the budget is slated for September 27.
At future meetings, the council will look at how special event insurance works in the town. There has been some question by council members on how strident the town is with special events and insurance. They will also review affordable housing guidelines and qualifications. The issue came up when a person living in deed-restricted housing couldn’t sell her house to an incoming school teacher. She is asking the council to reconsider the requirements and definitions of a “local” applicant.
The council will see those issues on future meeting agendas.