Briefs Crested Butte

Whatever loose ends. Spending the $ and getting final feedback
Bud Light’s Whatever party is hitting last call in Crested Butte…sort of. The Crested Butte Town Council will hold a review meeting of the event on Wednesday, December 3 at 6 p.m. in town hall. They want a short summary from each department head on what went right and what was lacking. There will also be the chance for the public to comment.
Meanwhile the council will look at the recommendation of the joint Crested Butte-Mt. Crested Butte committee on how to divvy up the $500,000 gift from the event organizers. Early indications are that some money will go toward completing the southern end of the Mt. Crested Butte recreation path that runs from the bridge over the Slate River to Elk Avenue in Crested Butte. Money toward improving the Nordic Center/hockey rink warming house is also part of the recommendation, as is some cash for local affordable housing. Both councils will discuss the recommendations at their first meetings in December. “I think it needs to be on an agenda before we talk about it so the public can come and weigh in,” said Crested Butte mayor Aaron Huckstep.
And town manager Todd Crossett said the Crested Butte staff is determining how much money to hold from the escrow accounts to deal with the final punch lists from the event. The town will end up spending money on resealing part of Elk Avenue after the blue paint failed in the fall monsoons.

Parks and Rec Big Mine and tennis issues
Councilman Glenn Michel will be the elected representative on the Big Mine Park planning committee. That planning process is expected to last about eight months and run into early next summer. In the meantime, the council agreed to a contract with the West Elk Hockey Association. The WEHA is organizing all local hockey programs at both ends of the valley and will be using Big Mine Ice Rink. WEHA will pay the town $35 per hour for ice time this winter.
Parks and Recreation director Janna Hansen said the tennis court project is finished for 2014. Work will resume next spring. She said there are still several items to finish, with one of the biggest being the replacement of some of the gates in the newly erected fence. There are some gaps in the fencing that will be repaired next spring.

Snowcats on the prowl
Both Crested Butte Nordic and the Irwin snowcat skiing operations received approval for their proposed snowcat routes in town. The council is open to making the process more streamlined in future years since the routes seemed to be established and working well.

Creative District movement
Town manager Todd Crossett said strategic planning for the new Creative District designation has started. Meetings took place this week with local stakeholders. Local artist Shaun Horne informed the council that as general skier demographics decline, there is an opportunity to develop a cultural event economy in part through the Creative District. He said there could be a great and expanding draw for the community through holding and promoting destination cultural events, and the Creative District strategic plan could help facilitate that idea.
    
Big projects lining up…
The council will get a look at the proposed annexation in early December. A conceptual review plan with the developers is set for early December.
Building and zoning director Bob Gillie told the council that Anthracite Place, the upcoming affordable housing rental project approved for Sixth and Belleview, is moving through the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR). “We are cleaning up loose ends at the moment,” he said.
Gillie also told the council that there is a good chance that the Sixth Street Station development will come in with some sort of official proposal soon, since its vested property right expires next July.
As for the Grubstake Building and plans to make it a music hall, “It has been eerily quiet for the time being,” Gillie said. “They haven’t pulled the trigger yet.”
Meanwhile, the Crested Butte Center for the Arts is starting discussions with the town over the design proposal for its expansion.