The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Thoughts on development, stewardship and people….
by Mark Reaman
During the so-called “listening session” conducted by county officials and consultants working on the Gunnison Valley Corridor Plan specific to the north valley, the Crested Butte town council was pretty clear they are focused on where future development is located along Highway 135 between Gunnison and Mt. Crested Butte, making efforts to preserve the valley’s rural feel with working ranches, addressing affordability for residents through things like affordable housing and being environmental stewards of the land and wildlife.
As explained at the August 4 council meeting, “this listening session is intended for the project team to gather initial high-level feedback from the town council on their key values and hopeful outcomes for the corridor plan.” Consultant Miles Graham emphasized that the discussion was intended to gather input on councilmember’s visions on the corridor and what it might look like in five, 10 or 25 years from now. “We are in the discovery phase,” he said.
One councilmember again brought up the idea of the county implementing a moratorium on new development applications in the area until the plan is completed while another expressed concern over the length of time the planning process is taking. The county team promised to take all feedback back to the board of county commissioners.
In a memo to the council and project team, Crested Butte community development director Mel Yemma summarized previous council discussion over priorities. She listed community livability and affordability; maintaining a rural, small-town scale; being stewards of the land; and having a connected corridor (transit opportunities), as the four main issues.
“This seems like a long process, and we are facing a lot of major development proposals in that area,” councilmember Mallika Magner told the listening team. “Would the county consider implementing a moratorium?”
County principal planner and Corridor Plan project manager Hillary Seminick responded that the county attorney has said Gunnison County cannot impose a moratorium longer than six months. “We hear what you are saying,” she said.
Seminick continued, “It’s an 18-month process and a moratorium can only go for six months. The 18-month timeline was agreed to by the various stakeholders, and we have a contract with (consulting firm) HDR we need to honor.”
“I realize your constraints, but this council could have a big turnover 16 months from now,” said councilmember Kent Cowherd referencing the next town council election in November of 2027. “At the very least why not keep the moratorium as a tool for at least the six months out from the conclusion of this process?”
Seminick said that decision was up to the county commissioners while potential political turnover was simply part of the process.
“My understanding is that the county has considerable discretion under the Land Use Resolution (LUR) for review of projects,” said mayor Ian Billick. “To be frank, the rural nature of the community is a core value. We are looking at a potential increase of 25% to 50% increase in units in the North Valley soon. Can the commissioners be careful of an expedited review for proposed developments?”
“We are hearing your concerns and can take them under advisement,” responded Seminick. “There is a county work session next week to provide feedback from these meeting to the BOCC and planning commission.”
Cowherd made it clear that for him, a successful outcome of the plan would be to provide clarity and consistency within the community for development. He also emphasized the need to integrate the CB and Mt. CB three-mile plans as part of the overall planning process. “The agricultural nature of the valley is very important,” he said. “Retaining uninterrupted agricultural segments is important. There are a lot of approved but undeveloped lots up here. Maybe build those out and move on to maintenance (instead of more growth).”
Councilmember Kate Guibert said she envisioned a mechanism for regional coordination for planning.
Billick emphasized the need for regular council and public input as the process unfolds. “I’m very concerned about the cumulative growth up here,” he said. “Things like water quality standards are important. So is the increased need for parking mitigation in town. Town absorbs a lot of parking already. Related to that is how do we pay for all of this? It would be nice to have financial models as we look at key thresholds. And affordability is important to town residents.”
“The town of Crested Butte cannot continue to support all the needs of outlying development,” added Magner.
“There will be opportunity in the feedback loop for comments,” Graham assured the council.
“It is also important to help the community continue to flourish,” said councilmember John O’Neal. “How will the plan help the community economically? It would be nice to have more predictability and consistency when looking at development. Having a collaborative process is also important to me.”
“This phase is meant to define and understand what all this means,” said Graham.
Billick said providing affordable housing in the future could be more difficult given the significant amount coming online with the Whetstone and Mineral Point projects. “We need to be more targeted and focused after the recent big projects,” he said. “When evaluating affordable housing projects, we need to address the actual needs.”
“Development should happen where infrastructure already exists. I don’t like new development in the middle of nowhere,” said O’Neal. “I would be willing to lose some ranchland near existing development.”
“If we lose ranchland, it should be near where current services are located,” agreed councilmember Gabi Prochaska. “Crested Butte bears a lot of growth impacts, so services need to be included with new developments. And transportation infrastructure is very important.”
“I would love to see our emphasis on agriculture articulated by the ranchers,” said Billick. “They need to be asked for what they think. They are the ones who understand where the important ranchland is.”
Graham said having an “ag group” would be important in the process.
“Just the talk of getting rid of some pastureland makes my heart sad,” said Magner. “That should be a last thing to do. I am not good with allowing development on pastureland.”
“That’s the purpose of this phase,” said Graham. “Some hard decisions will have to be made.”
“In terms of the idea of finding future locations for growth, we should finish up in existing places like town and CB South before permitting new growth,” said councilmember Beth Goldstone. “CB South isn’t close to build-out yet. Transportation is important. How do we get people out of their cars and onto buses?”
When asked about what makes the corridor special to them, the council generally responded with people and its rural feeling.
“I love driving down the road and seeing lights on in CB South,” said O’Neal. “There are people living there. I love the cows and ranching heritage. I love people living here and how most of the year this still feels like a small town. I am afraid of too much uncontrolled growth.”
“I value the public transit we have and the ability to know people up and down the valley,” said Goldstone. “I love the access to recreation without needing a car.”
“I value the empty space and chance to see coyotes in the fields,” said Prochaska. “It can feel like getting a glance back in time.”
“The Gunnison Valley is still a real community,” said Magner. “People who work here need to be able to live here. Concentrate development where it is already platted.”
“I for one embraced this community for its small scale and rural feel,” said Billick. “The more we lose of that the more we lose what attracted many of us here. Long-term community is important because it brings about long-term relationships.”
“We want the plan to remain aspirational yet be actionable on day-one,” said Graham. “Values aren’t values unless you are willing to make some trade-offs. What trade-offs are you thinking of?”
There was no immediate response from councilmembers.
“This is just the beginning of the process,” said Graham. “We’ll start digging in deeper and we will be coming back at various phases.”
The final plan is expected to be released in the fall of 2027.
