CB zoning code draft bringing some rule changes

Holiday lights, digital signs, trailers are focus points

by Mark Reaman

The Crested Butte council gave an unofficial thumbs up to the final draft of the proposed zoning and subdivision code update at the June 15 council meeting. It will now go before the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) for their comments before heading back to council for the official vote and approval in July.

In a one-hour work session, the primary topics of discussion were changes (or no changes) to the Mobile Home District, how to regulate timing of holiday lights in the winter, and whether to allow digital marque signs at a few places in town.

Community development director Mel Yemma said the process started last fall and while the zoning code update could be approved next month, the Design Standards changes will be discussed before coming to council for approval in December.

Ultimately the zoning and subdivision codes will be combined into a Crested Butte Land Development Code. Yemma said it would improve clarity and eliminate redundancy. Still, the document is pushing more than 175 pages.

“While lengthy, it is more readable and usable as a result,” said town attorney Karl Hanlon.

Changes initially proposed to the Mobile Home District took up most of the public discussion. Mayor Ian Billick said town had received a lot of comments from the residents and neighbors of the M-District and staff and council had pivoted away from the major proposed changes that, for example, would have allowed second stories on trailers in exchange for deed restrictions. The neighbors were adamantly against such changes.

“We spent a lot of time and took a lot of feedback, and we are not recommending any major changes over there,” committed Yemma. She said there were three points the council should weigh in on however. Should that district be included in a town-wide allowance for small in-home daycare operations?

After lengthy discussions, council indicated that dense neighborhood was not an appropriate place for such a business but they could allow some small in-home businesses like massage therapists.

Council was asked whether the district should be included in the new town-wide regulation that allowed homeowners to have just one parking space in a unit with two or fewer bedrooms. Council felt given the logistics and density, keeping the two parking spot requirement was a good idea. And there was some confusion on snow storage requirements, but it was explained that nothing would change.

Mobile Home District resident Brandon Burns informed the council that he and his two neighbors actually lived in modular homes so the M-District wasn’t an entirely pure mobile home park.

“The idea of changing something that is already working so well like the Mobile Home District is a bad idea,” Dave Watkins told the council. “You have enough on your plate. Messing with the trailer park seems strange. Filling the town-owned lot over there is also important for someone who really needs it.”

Councilmember John O’Neal said given the tightness of the neighborhood he didn’t think a childcare facility being allowed was appropriate.

Hanlon said given state regulations for such operations there may not be enough room for parking. “It would be hard to license such a spot in that neighborhood,” he said.

“I agree with the neighborhood’s idea to leave it alone and not make major changes,” said councilmember Kate Guibert.

“I’m okay not making major changes,” said councilmember Beth Goldstone. “But the idea was to preserve the neighborhood as much as possible for the future.

“I agree. We are thinking about the next generation of residents there,” said councilmember Gabi Prochaska. “Having a discussion on how to preserve the neighborhood in the future is a conversation worth having later.”

“I’m okay supporting the staff recommendation of no changes after the public feedback,” said councilmember Kent Cowherd.

“I think it is great we got such strong feedback from this community,” said mayor Ian Billick. “I support that neighborhood’s vision of itself. If that community wants a future discussion, I’m okay with that. If they don’t want to have a discussion, I’m okay with that too.”

“The mobile home park was originally meant to be affordable housing and it is changing,” said Goldstone. “They are selling for expensive prices. I want to preserve what the neighborhood was meant to be and would love to hear ideas from the neighbors on how to do that.”

During the council meeting public comment period, the issue was again broached. Michelle English reiterated that 14-foot trailers were readily available, so setbacks didn’t need to be changed. She also wanted to know if council was promising to not vote for major changes, but as is customary, they didn’t directly respond to questions brought up during the public comment period of the meeting.

Mindy Sturm reiterated arguments against childcare operations in the district and noted that roof pitches were important as well. “And the last three sales in the district have gone to locals,” she pointed out to the council.

Molly Minneman said reducing parking requirements across the entire town could cause more street congestion throughout Crested Butte, not just in the M-district.

Digital signs

Council was split on whether to allow digital marquee signs in town and BOZAR was against the idea.

Yemma said the request originally came from the school district but she has also heard from the Center for the Arts who would like to utilize one.

School district superintendent Leslie Nichols told the council that the current signs’ location was an issue as was the time spent changing it. “Not last winter but most winters, the snow has made it almost impossible to change,’ she said. “Plus, it takes significant staff time. We can agree to restrictions to regulate things like brightness. We can agree to have no motion at all. It could be a white background with black letters like it is now. The size could be the same as well.”

“The marquee at the Center is not charming,” said Prochaska. “I appreciate what BOZAR is saying but we can have parameters with the digital sign. If the school can figure it out and use it, so can the Center. I really disagree with BOZAR on this one. It’s 2026, we should be able to figure out digital signage.”

“We should make it easy for our organizations to communicate,” said Guibert.

“I could support them for the school and Arts Center ,” said O’Neal.

“I didn’t like it at first but could support it for the school with the parameters stated by Leslie,” said Goldstone.

“It’s a slippery slope,” said councilmember Mallika Magner. “We will see other organizations come in with their reasoning.”

“I want to support BOZAR. It’s something that gives us the rough edges,” said Cowherd.

“We have a digital sign at the entrance to Elk,” noted Prochaska. “I’m strongly in favor of including the Center. We can figure out limits but allow them to use that tool to communicate to the public.”

While she and O’Neal were okay with digital signs at both the school and Center, Goldstone was fine with it at the school but not the Center. Cowherd and Magner were against any digital signs. Guibert was good with the school and tepidly okay with the Center. Billick reminded everyone that no decisions were being made at this point so the discussion will continue when the update is considered for a vote in July.

Holiday lights

Yemma said council direction was different than BOZAR feedback on when to require that holiday lights should be turned off. Council in the past was okay letting both residential and commercial lights remain lit until the end of the ski season. BOZAR wanted to maintain the current regulations that require residential holiday lights be turned off by January 15 while those in the commercial zone could remain on until the end of the season.

“I’ve heard strong feedback on keeping the town vibrant in the winter both on Elk Avenue on in the neighborhoods,” said Prochaska. “I’d still be in favor of keeping them both on the same date.”

“What I have heard is that there are plenty of places in the world with bright, shiny sparkling holiday lights,” countered councilmember Mallika Magner. “There are fewer places with dark skies like Crested Butte. I agree with BOZAR to have the neighborhood lights turned off by January 15.”

“I like the festive town,” said O’Neal.

“People like how Crested Butte looks like a Christmas card with all the lights,” said Brandon Burns.

Mindy Sturm said she appreciated the safety aspect of a lighted Elk Avenue late at night.

Sue Navy said holiday lighting shouldn‘t go beyond the holidays in neighborhoods. “They should go off January 15. I’m okay with them on Elk,” she said. “Lights run counter to our dark skies and our sustainability plan given the extra electricity we use. They can also have a negative impact on residents with light coming into their homes.”

O’Neal advocated for allowing residents to put string lights on their patios in the summer but didn’t receive any council support for the idea.

“That doesn’t follow the town’s night sky ordinance at all,” said town planner Jessie Earley.

“When people have a gathering they can get away with using them, but the problem is when they are on and no one is even home,” said Goldstone. “It doesn’t work.”

“I’m a big fan of the dark skies in Crested Butte,” said Billick.

On another zoning topic, Keith Bauer opined that he thought Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) should be limited in height to 24 feet or smaller.

The zoning code will have at least two more opportunities for public input as it goes before the council in July.