Half-baths added to four affordable housing units

By Kendra Walker

The town of Mt. Crested Butte has agreed to a two-year extension to an existing planned unit development (PUD) approval for the Nordic Inn, and in exchange for town-owned property, developer Pearls Management, LLC (Pearls) will provide community housing as part of the Nordic Inn redevelopment. 

The Nordic Inn, which has gone through several proposed iterations for a major alteration PUD, has a new proposal that would give the existing building a makeover and add cottage-style lodging to the property. Per the agreement with the town, Pearls will provide eight community housing units in the development, four of which will be constructed on the town-owned ROS-1 property adjacent to the Nordic Inn and conveyed to the town. 

The agreement also requires that the town’s community housing units be constructed at the same time as the rest of the development. In the event that construction does not commence before the expiration of the PUD, Pearls shall pay the town $1.05 million.

The two-year extension was sparked by the town council requesting additional half bathrooms in each of the town’s four community housing units during agreement negotiations. The original PUD was set to expire March 4, 2025. Pearls attorney Aaron Huckstep explained the reasoning behind the two-year extension request during a public hearing and town council meeting on February 6. 

“I think we’ve thought of every single possibility we can here and have been working on this agreement for quite some time,” he told the council. “The reason why we want two years is because won’t know how long it’s going to take for this PUD to be processed. It’s very easy for me to see how quickly that time can get eaten. I don’t know how to predict the way meetings will fall over the next 10 months and I don’t want to put my client at risk. I want to make sure you all understand our full intention is to get this major alteration into the process, get your review and get it approved and start moving dirt.”

“I want to make clear that this agreement does not and is not intended to circumvent the PUD process,” town manager Carlos Velado told the council. “We have to go through that process. This agreement puts guidelines in place for that but does not force any decisions for approval on the town.”

The town council expressed concern with a PUD extension possibly pushing the project, and therefore their community housing, back even farther. 

“All it does is that the approvals of the existing PUD will remain in place until 2027. But if we can approve a new PUD, that will replace it,” said Velado. “If we get this resolved then we can move forward with this process. It’s the intent of both parties to get started on this process immediately.”

With the new extension, the existing PUD will now expire on March 4, 2027. As part of the pending development agreement, Pearls shall submit a new PUD application with a different development plan. The existing PUD would be replaced by the new application, if approved, or after the existing PUD expires, whichever comes first.

I had to tease some of my county friends during a break at Monday’s town council meeting that they were sounding like stereotypical developers. They were there asking for alterations to understandings and agreements that had been made for expenses and collaboration, while changing the template on the income end to bring in more money. They rightfully responded that the big difference was that a stereotypical developer had the chance to make millions of dollars while they didn’t. They were trying to get a major workforce housing project approved for the North Valley. 

Fair, but…

And the “but” is big. It seems to revolve around quality-of-life issues for future Whetstone residents in terms of using mass transit, technical clarity over engineering questions, the idea of who ultimately pays how much for what, and future relationship issues with the One Valley (eye roll) partners over planning the corridor coming into Crested Butte.

 My take is that the county needs a written commitment from the town to extend water and sewer utilities to the project in order to obtain some financing and some state regulatory approval for what is at least a $132 million price tag. It ain’t cheap! They are looking at an expensive project and need to make the finances work. An initial estimate for a roundabout with an underpass giving pedestrians easy access to buses is estimated to be another $10 million and dropping that certainly would save money. But the town insists that is a crux point for the project and tied it to the utility extension, while county officials say they would support the idea of a roundabout in perpetuity…but it’s not up to them whether it happens.

But…the county approached the town asking that a so-called “will serve” letter be approved at the next council meeting on February 20 or risk losing the project. The town staff made clear to the council there were still a ton of unanswered questions over the engineering feasibility of the utility extension, that the county seemed comfortable not pushing the state on the town required roundabout with a pedestrian underpass, and while coordinated planning for the highway corridor was specifically part of the conditional utility extension agreement, the county recently started that planning process without any notice to the town. The county also implied Monday that the town might have to pick up some of the tab for the project. Staff reminded the council that some of their conditions in the conditional approval for the utility extension were not being met, and originally when the town asked if they would be expected to contribute funding, the county said no. Staff said those had been clear deal points for months and months. But…

Top tier county officials all argued Monday that they did not control the decisions made by the Colorado Department of Transportation and they could not guarantee the state would approve a roundabout with an underpass. The town argued it wouldn’t be hard to lay the groundwork and get a nod from CDOT for such an improvement. Rather, they said, the issue seemed more about money to pay for the work and it seemed the county was attempting to passively value engineer the intersection and cut back on costs. Town said no alternative to the roundabout had been presented but the dark cloud of a traffic light with a crosswalk and turning lanes hung over the discussion. Council focused on the roundabout as the major sticking point while indicating that corridor planning and engineering technicalities could probably be worked out and any gap in those communications and financing issues could be bridged. I don’t know if that is actually true, but… 

Money also came into play on the income side. As the reality of paying for a major 13-acre housing development began to unfold, the county found ways to redesign the project to add more units to the development. The latest number has grown to 255 units, which would bring in more rent money. While the aspirational goal was to have 100% of the units deed restricted for workforce housing, it now appears that at least 80% of the units will contain a deed restriction that include income limits, but those limits have gotten wider and more complicated as higher rents are needed to help cover costs. The county is still committed to having a large chunk of the units (40% of the 80%) go to people making under 120% of the Area Median Income but….

I don’t envy local officials doing the good work and trying to dig up $150 million. If Mark Walter calls me I’ll ask him to consider a donation… after all, some of his employees might be living there.

I remember when the Corner at Brush Creek was being vetted, I predicted that would be the first spot where a stop light would appear north of Gunnison. Welcome to Breck! But Crested Butte planners insisted on using a roundabout with a pedestrian underpass to mitigate that alternative while providing quality of life for future residents. Including a safe way to get to an RTA bus stop and get in and out of the subdivision with the roundabout appeared to have been accepted by all the parties and most of the neighbors. 

If the mainly unspoken alternative is what ends up happening, the intersection at Brush Creek and Highway 135 could possibly look more like one of the entrances to Park Meadows Mall with a stoplight and five or six through and turning lanes built to access Whetstone and the growing subdivisions up Brush Creek. If something like that goes in even “temporarily,” who will then push for the roundabout? While the current town council is intent on putting in place a trigger for a future CB annexation process for Whetstone, the place could feel more like Lone Tree urban sprawl than anything CB. 

The county has said for years that Whetstone would basically be filled with people currently living in Gunnison so it would not add vehicles to the highway entrance to town. I don’t buy that. Given population shifts, it seems there will still be plenty of people living in Gunnison and coming up valley to CB or the ski area for work and pleasure. Adding 600 more people two miles south of the CB Community School will also result in the need for more services and more workers to serve the workers. 

Whetstone will most certainly add to the local highway traffic and the expectation was that easy access to mass transit for residents with the pedestrian underpass would allow some living there to not use vehicles much, if at all. 

As a few councilmembers noted Monday, the roundabout design with pedestrian access to mass transit is a critical part of the whole project. Despite the county voicing support for a roundabout as the first choice, it seemed less critical to county officials. 

Look, I had hoped the aspirational goals of developing a community made up of working neighbors with a high quality of life would come to fruition. It still might. The chosen developer, Servitas, made the case for doing the entire project in one fell swoop and the county agreed. Great aspiration but…Cha ching!

It appears all the aspirations are running into 132 million pieces of reality and now some difficult decisions have to be made. As I have for years, I will advocate that quality-of-life aspects should be at the top of the decision list and that might mean having fewer but more spacious units for the working people and their toys. What’s the right financial balance? It might mean phasing the project to deal with cost issues and filling the units quickly. It might mean stating unequivocally the roundabout with its mass transit access is a permanent part of the project and not even considering the idea of not including the roundabout, but instead digging deeper to find the money to make it happen. It was mentioned Monday that there are government grants for such multi-modal projects and Lord knows the feds are releasing billions for infrastructure right now. Surely someone knows someone who can latch on to some of that money for a project close to being shovel-ready.

I have long maintained that the county administration has an impressive track record of accomplishing big projects, and despite these new voiced and insinuated challenges, I would not yet bet against that happening here. Their intent is noble, and the focus is on actively addressing the affordable housing issue in the valley. But it must not just happen, but happen in a way consistent with this community. That easy bus access is crucial. 

I teased my county friends they were sounding like stereotypical developers, and they demurred. And they are not stereotypical developers, but…based on the vibe Monday night, there is certainly more tension between the development applicant (the county) and the utility supplier (the town), both of whom are trying to get this project across the finish line. It could be time for a reset and realignment of the common goals and hard realities, and a hard discussion over which means to an end will result in a successful project. The road to urban sprawl that changes the character of our place can be paved with good intentions…but we can’t let that happen.  

—Mark Reaman

Another $10 million on top of $132M?

By Mark Reaman 

Timing and money issues related primarily to a potential roundabout and pedestrian underpass at Brush Creek Road and Highway 135 are adding stress to the proposed 255-unit Whetstone affordable housing project south of Crested Butte near Brush Creek. 

Town of Crested Butte and Gunnison County officials vigorously debated Monday how to move forward to meet some regulatory and financing constraints and whether a Brush Creek roundabout must be guaranteed as part of the housing project for the town to extend water and sewer utilities to the development. Most council members said the roundabout was imperative, while county representatives said it needed a so-called “will serve” letter from the town promising the utility extension would not be tied to the roundabout to retain a $10 million grant and get in line for state regulatory approval for the utility extension from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). The county indicated such a letter without conditions connected to issues other than utilities was needed for additional financing as well. 

The county maintains it needs to break ground on the project this summer or else lose the $10 million Transformational Housing Grant from the Colorado Division of Housing. The county has asked for an extension of that grant but been turned down as it is tied to projects that are closed out by 2026. Cost estimates for the roundabout have come in at close to $10 million and that is on top of the overall project estimate now tagged at $132 million.

It was stated that CDPHE review is at least three months away, so it was necessary to get in the queue immediately. The county asked council to approve the “will serve” letter at the February 20 council meeting, but every indication was that it would be at least March before an agreement could be crafted to the satisfaction of both parties.

“The town and county have been great partners in addressing housing challenges,” said Crested Butte Community Development director Troy Russ. “Crested Butte’s Compass committed the town to comprehensive, intentional, value-based decisions so we need complete information to make informed decisions.”

Engineering questions not answered

Crested Butte Public Works director Shea Earley said that while the town council has given conditional approval for the utility extension “upon certain issues being resolved, we are waiting on a complete response from the county.” Earley said the county recently replaced its engineering consultant on the project which has impacted some continuity, but town was scheduled to meet the new engineers this week.

“Based on a preliminary review this is a very complicated project with a lot of things to work through,” said Earley. “We are working through issues now including engineering and rate structure issues.”

“Town staff doesn’t yet have sufficient information to make a strong recommendation to council,” added town manager Dara MacDonald. “The draft agreements contain some substantial changes and there is a lot of work yet to do. It won’t be ready in two weeks.”

She said with the extension of utilities it was necessary to have a thorough corridor plan in place to make sure the town and county were in long-term alignment on what the corridor around Crested Butte looked like. She also said that a pedestrian underpass and access to mass transit heading north on the highway (with an underpass from Whetstone) has always been a key issue for the town that the county could not yet guarantee would be part of the project.

Assistant county manager for operations and sustainability John Cattles said the engineering firm switch was made with the expectation it would make the process faster. He said the town’s proposed $7.5 million “buy-in” figure for utilities for the county project was higher than expected and he wanted to go over the analysis with Earley. “To be clear, there could be impacts to town we can’t compensate,” he said. “How much is the town willing to absorb?”

Assistant county manager for public works Martin Schmidt said the county has spent more than $400,000 on the Brush Creek roundabout design and had asked town staff for input, but the county had no say over whether the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) would approve such a roundabout. “The reality of the situation is we don’t control CDOT,” he said.

Assistant county manager for community and economic development Cathie Pagano said the county put out a request for proposals (RFP) for a corridor plan without consulting the town given that a grant associated with such a plan had to be used before April of 2025. “Plus, we want to get ahead of development we see coming in the area,” she said while also promising that the town would be included in the development of the corridor plan since they are a “critical stakeholder.”

MacDonald said that as far as being comfortable with the engineering information needed, town wanted to, at the least, settle on the major components. “Maybe if we had five or six unanswered questions we would be comfortable, but not 57,” she said.

“I don’t think we’re that far apart,” said Cattles. “We’ll make sure we’re offering something more clear, settle in with solutions and come back with a package. Hopefully that will take weeks and not months. We need to start construction this season to be successful and that will be hard. We need the ‘will-serve’ [letter] for CDPHE and our county approval process.”

Mayor Ian Billick asked if the county was comfortable with a “will-serve” document that contained caveats given the speed of the request.

“We are willing to take some risk,” said Cattles.

“Given the outstanding unknowns, whether the county can get comfortable with taking on the level of risk the town identifies at this time is not clear yet,” said MacDonald. 

Time is money!

Gunnison County has spent more than $5 million of its own money on the acquisition of the land and the planning for the Whetstone project. The Brush Creek roundabout is initially estimated to cost about $9.7 million, including the underpass. The entire Whetstone project is expected to cost more than $132 million, not including the roundabout. 

County attorney Matt Hoyt said another component of having a “will-serve” letter is tied to overall financing. “We risk the financing that makes the project viable if we don’t have a ‘will-serve’ letter as part of the utility extension agreement,” he said. 

“Again, the more immediate concern is the CDPHE approval,” said Gunnison County manager Matthew Birnie. “It is 90 days before they will even look at a project so we need to get in that line. There is also the $10 million grant to consider.”

“The devil is always in the details,” said town attorney Karl Hanlon. “This is a very complicated project. What was described sounds easy but there is a lot on the line for both parties. I’m estimating it could be worked out by the first part of March.”

“The challenge is that time is of the essence,” said Hoyt. “The longer it takes, the more money it takes and the less likely the project happens. I agree it is a complex transaction, but time is not our friend.”

Hoyt said a “will-serve” letter with conditions only related to utilities would be acceptable to both regulatory and financing entities, but including conditions not related to utilities, like a requirement for a roundabout, is more challenging.

Roundabout with underpass critical to town

Billick said the town has long made clear that having pedestrian access under the highway, providing safe access to the northbound bus for Whetstone residents, and controlling traffic flows into town were a requirement of a utility extension, and therefore that requirement should not be a surprise.

Russ said the town has not seen any alternatives to the roundabout plan and “we are sitting here blind to any alternative. Alternatives could have major impacts, so we need to understand the alternatives.” 

Among the possible alternatives to a roundabout mentioned or insinuated at the meeting was a traffic light with accel and decel lanes at the Brush Creek intersection.

“We all understand housing is a huge priority,” said councilmember Gabi Prochaska. “But to discuss this project without access to mass transit is irresponsible. It just makes me crazy. From my perspective it is irresponsible to let go of that. I don’t want it to destroy the project, but the roundabout and underpass are needed. It will be expensive but we need it.”

“I agree that the roundabout and underpass is part of the project,” said councilmember Jason MacMillan. “If it were the only issue we could maybe work through it but it is very much part of the project.”

“The underpass is so necessary for so many reasons,” added councilmember Anna Fenerty. “To do Whetstone before the road is figured out seems backwards. There is a responsibility to deal with the traffic this creates.”

“We believe the roundabout is the right solution and we believe the intersection is critical to this the project,” said Birnie. “Whetstone won’t create any new vehicle trips since they are already coming up from Gunnison. To solve the $10 million problem of the intersection we can’t have contingencies on utilities that are outside our control.”

Birnie said the issue centered on the order of things. “If the housing is going to happen we need to move now,” he said. “We aren’t asking you to abandon your values. We’re committed to the same things you are, but we can’t solve everything at once. We can’t do everything at once. We need to advance this critical project in order.”

Billick asked what happens if the town issues the “will-serve” letter and in two years the county decides the roundabout isn’t viable.

“If housing is there, CDOT will have to raise the project to the top of the list,” said Cattles.

“We would be committed to the roundabout forever,” said Birnie. “We would pursue that solution. We just can’t guarantee it.”

“CDOT would approve the idea but the stumbling block here is paying for it,” said MacDonald. “If it’s not a roundabout, it will be something else. A concern is in the future, there will be different elected officials and different staff and so it may not be a priority.”

“The pedestrian underpass and access to transit is most important,” reiterated Fenerty. “It is hard to make a decision that could put people’s lives at risk over money. But that’s where I’m at.”

Councilmember Kent Cowherd disagreed. “I’m willing to untie the roundabout and do a ‘will-serve’ letter since the entire project could be at risk,” he said. “We need to move forward with this project. The county says they are hopeful a roundabout will happen.”

“I don’t quite understand why the county can’t make the commitment that the roundabout will stay,” said Prochaska. “We need a stronger commitment to that intersection improvement.”

“I believe CDOT will eventually solve the problem, but I’d be pretty disappointed if it didn’t happen,” said MacMillan. “I could see where through value engineering we end up with a stoplight and crosswalk and I’d be pissed. That would be my fear. I’m not sure where I stand.”

“I don’t think I’m comfortable going forward without the safety and efficiency of that intersection (roundabout) being in place,” said councilmember Mallika Magner.

Council members agreed that if a special meeting was needed to discuss options and move toward a faster decision, they would be available to hold one.

Billick concluded that no decision would be made that night. He hoped the county and town staffs could take the feedback and work toward a mutually agreeable solution. He said he was confident a corridor plan could be worked out between the town and county and was “cautiously optimistic” the gaps in the engineering issues could be bridged. But he said the transportation element was the crux of the hold-up that needed solved.

“There are no guarantees where council will come down on this until we see what you all come back with,” he told the county representatives.

The town of Mt. Crested Butte is holding a special election to recall councilor Roman Kolodziej from the town council. The election takes place until Tuesday, February 13 and all registered voters in Mt. CB should have received their ballots in the mail by now. 

There will be two questions on the ballot: the first asks whether to recall Kolodziej from the town council. If the majority votes are in favor of Kolodziej’s recall, then the second ballot question will ask for the selection of his replacement. Four candidates are running for the seat if Kolodziej is recalled. 

This is the final week of a question-and-answer series we are running to provide information to Mt. CB voters on the positions of Kolodziej and the four candidates. Here’s what they had to say:

Roman Kolodziej

What are your ideas for getting more affordable housing in Mt. CB? 

Here is an idea I’ve already promoted. 

Across Emmons Road from the soon-to-be-renamed “rasta lot” is a town-owned parcel of land at the northwest corner of the paid parking lot where snow is currently stored. Over a year ago, I proposed the idea of building affordable housing on it. Here’s how it might have, and still might, work. The town would donate the lot for development. The Downtown Development Authority (DDA), of which I sit on the board, could freely spend some of the millions of dollars it has on design, horizontal infrastructure and/or other project expenses. I approached other potential partners about them making cash or in-kind contributions to bring the project to reality.

Here are the issues the project ran into. 

The town’s main sewer line not only runs under the development site, but drops 50 feet or so from Emmons Road to the site itself. Moving the line wouldn’t be cheap, but it is possible. 

Access. The project could be accessed from Gothic Road directly, though a more effective access point would be through an adjacent parcel owned by the Muellers. 

Perhaps the most significant issue is the fact that the town’s parcel, and every parcel from there to the Grand Lodge, are all tied to one Planned Unit Development (PUD). Our project most likely needs to be a PUD as well to accomplish certain things (altering setbacks, height restrictions, etc.) but you can’t have two PUDs on top of one another. This would require “decoupling” the existing PUD, which is cumbersome but not impossible. 

Fun stuff, right?! Due to the challenges this idea posed, town staff felt time and energy would be best spent on other parcels. I still hold out hope for the project. 

What would be your approach to balancing goals that might conflict — such as promoting tourism and limiting environmental impacts, or balancing STRs with housing opportunities for locals?

One thing I’ve been asking for from the Tourism and Prosperity Partnership (TAPP) is their explanation of marketing “doneness.” In other words, what is the success metric they use for marketing that indicates they should turn it off or tone it down? They are very good at taking the “more = good” perspective, but being able to understand when to temper marketing efforts might help us better gauge tourism capacity in our valley.

How can the town help bring back more vibrancy to the Base Area?

Helping the three largest base area property owners decouple the PUD that restricts individual property development there. It would allow us and them to approach individual projects as we do elsewhere in Mt. CB.

If you are not chosen, would you run in the next regularly scheduled council election?

I’m not sure. During my time on town council, I’ve dedicated myself to thoughtfully fulfilling my role while advocating for my community and have contributed to some positive and impactful decisions. If enough voters believe, or are led to believe, otherwise and vote me out of public service, it will force me to reconsider where I choose to put my energy.

One person, dead or alive, you would choose to ride up with on the Silver Queen, and why?

I’d like to ride up the Queen with Winnie the Pooh. 

Chair lift rides offer me opportunities to be contemplative and reflective and I’ve found it satisfying to lean into both while riding to the top. Pooh demonstrates an idyllic approach to life that is kind and simple and sometimes when I get off the lift, I am able to see myself navigating life in a similar way, albeit for a brief moment. 

It would be great to talk with Pooh about his perspective and understand how I might carry those brief moments of clarity with me once I leave the lift. 

You wouldn’t expect a boring answer from me about the founding fathers or something, would you?

Bobbie Sferra

What are your ideas for getting more affordable housing in Mt. CB? 

Affordable housing is not only a huge challenge for Mt. CB, but this issue has been front center since I have been coming to Crested Butte over 15 years ago. I have just begun to educate myself on how new projects are financed using grant monies, low interest loans and tax credits. New developments require a number of units designed for affordable housing. The cost of building continues to rise and the north valley cost is one of the highest in the nation at $750–$1000 per square foot. Even a small house or duplex is close to a million dollars or higher to build. How is this affordable for towns, developers and qualified buyers? The question really becomes who is responsible for providing housing for employees. Mt. CB has done a wonderful job of providing affordable housing to town employees; however, I don’t believe that the town of Mt. CB should be using tax dollars to provide housing for the business communities. So the question becomes, how do we continue to have a vibrant workforce for the many businesses, and partner with these businesses to begin to solve these issues. The town should encourage developers to consider building rental units that may better meet the needs of low income and seasonal employees. In addition, the town should encourage the hotels and businesses that rely on seasonal employees to repurpose hotel rooms for affordable housing, as well as provide incentives to private individuals to rent to local workers. 

What would be your approach to balancing goals that might conflict — such as promoting tourism and limiting environmental impacts, or balancing STRs with housing opportunities for locals? 

Before any decision is made on a controversial issue, the community needs to be informed and have an opportunity for input. It is the responsibility of each town council member to be thoroughly knowledgeable about alternatives, be informed of pros and cons, and based on the data, make the best decision for the town. 

How can the town help bring back more vibrancy to the Base Area? 

The base area is the main hub of Mt. Crested Butte. By providing more restaurants, shops and entertainment, visitors would be encouraged to stay on the mountain. The town and resort should work in partnership to ensure essential businesses exist in the base area year-round and provide more opportunities for activities beyond skiing.

If you are not chosen, would you run in the next regularly scheduled council election?

Absolutely! I am retired and would like the opportunity to serve in the community where I live.

One person, dead or alive, you would choose to ride up with on the Silver Queen, and why?

I would choose my friend, Doctor Pete Harrelson. Pete is a long-time friend in Telluride who was the first person in 2024 to be killed in an avalanche a week ago. Pete was fun and lived life to the fullest. His death was a reminder on how fragile life is and the importance of friendship and staying in touch with those we love.

TOM ROLLECZEK

What are your ideas for getting more affordable housing in Mt. CB? 

Currently, there are provisions in place for new developments that allocate units to affordable housing as part of the building requirements. I suggest we work with each developer’s unique situation and always provide agreement for units, even if they are existing. The alternative is a monetary sum and inadequate to build in our high price environment. The goal should be guiding policy for beds locally, even if they are older units. I also believe there are many existing opportunities in the commercial sector of Mt. CB that are underutilized. Negotiating incentives with landowners for undeveloped lots, could offer viable options for future housing.

What would be your approach to balancing goals that might conflict — such as promoting tourism and limiting environmental impacts, or balancing STRs with housing opportunities for locals?

In any good negotiation, both parties walk away with less than they expected. If this is not the case, the resulting deal will fail as a result of the inequities. As the great Mick Jagger put it, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well, you just might find. You get what you need.” In respect to the two examples you provided, or many others, it’s beneficial to approach with an open mind that is ready to accept compromise.  

How can the town help bring back more vibrancy to the Base Area?

As mentioned, an intentional meeting between the base area stakeholders, landowners and town is overdue; let’s outline potential opportunities and set timelines for projects. Financial investment is a crucial part of a successful outcome and should be prioritized in these negotiations. Any resulting actions should encourage investment from local businesses such as retail, food and beverage, hotels and guest services. By focusing on economic vibrancy, we will create a landscape of locally owned businesses, exciting community recreation projects and a thriving base area resort.  

If you are not chosen, would you run in the next regularly scheduled council election?

Indeed, my original intention was to run in the general election 2024. I would likely re-apply.  

One person, dead or alive, you would choose to ride up with on the Silver Queen, and why?

Chuck Norris; I would like to see the North Face tremble under his skis.  

PETER ESSELSTYN

What are your ideas for getting more affordable housing in Mt. CB? 

In my five years in Mt. CB, I have heard countless “opinions” on how to solve affordable housing but none of them include quantifying the problem. In my experience, you are unlikely to solve a problem if you don’t characterize it first. To that end, I believe the town (including Crested Butte and Gunnison County) needs to determine what the current and future affordable housing needs are and set a road map with quantifiable goals and schedule to meet these needs. What are the types of housing needed? Dormitory style? Miniature housing style? Family style housing? If this type of analysis has been done, I have yet to hear about it. 

This affordable housing issue has been a long running problem. This past year, the Crested Butte News ran a story about the need for affordable housing in the “20 Years Ago Today” section. I felt I was reading an article that was written today! Perhaps with forward thinking planning and a clear roadmap, we won’t still be talking about this issue 20 years from now. 

Of course, this is not solely a Mt. CB issue. The town of Crested Butte and Gunnison County also are stakeholders in this quandary. Other resort towns that I have visited offer incentives to property owners to house locals. They may include property tax incentives, resort/business incentives for housing local employees, etc. I also question what the town’s responsibility is versus what the private employer’s responsibility is. I don’t believe the town(s) have the sole responsibility to solve this, but can provide a variety of incentives to support the needs of the local businesses.

What would be your approach to balancing goals that might conflict — such as promoting tourism and limiting environmental impacts, or balancing STRs with housing opportunities for locals?

At first glance, I would say that each of these items need to be weighed on their own merits and I don’t think there is necessarily a balance between each of these topics exclusively. We are largely a tourist-based economy in the north valley and to that end, if tourism takes a downturn, then many of the businesses and investments in the area will also drop. I certainly support limiting environmental impacts when done in a measurable and practical approach that makes a real impact. The environment and natural beauty here in the north valley are one of the biggest reasons we have a tourism-based economy.   

I don’t claim to have all the answers regarding STRs vs. housing opportunities for locals, but I struggle to connect STRs with solving local housing issues. The way I see it, there are many STRs currently available, but are market priced, making them out of financial reach for many of the seasonal and/or local workers. Also, STRs by definition are limited to 30 days making long-term living situations unrealistic. I am curious to know how Mt. CB allocates STR fees they collect to address opportunities for local’s living concerns and is this allocation sufficient.

How can the town help bring back more vibrancy to the Base Area?

When my wife and I purchased land in Mt. CB in 2016, we heard the rumors that Vail may purchase CBMR. We were excited for that possibility as historically Vail has invested heavily in their resorts and the base area at CBMR certainly was ripe for an injection of vibrancy. However, the property owners at the base area are diverse and not limited to a single property owner. I am of the belief that the town needs to provide a pathway for investment in the base area in terms of removing approval roadblocks and providing incentives. Vibrancy at the base area would be good for all involved. For right or wrong, when people think of Mt. Crested Butte, the first thought is the resort and base area. We already have excellent choices in lodging and transportation, and several very well-run restaurants at the base area, but after the lifts stop running in the late afternoon, the base area attendance quickly drops. An inviting and walkable base area is what people desire when they come to a ski resort complete with a variety of shops, day and night restaurants, bars that are open in the evening, perhaps a brewery, and attractions common in more developed ski towns, are all vital to the base area. Expanding on the existing great venues will attract more people to spend their off-slopes time in Mt. CB.

If you are not chosen, would you run in the next regularly scheduled council election?

Yes. I see that Mt. CB is at somewhat of a crossroads. We have not had a choice in town council members for many, many years! Suddenly we have four very qualified people vying for one potential seat. This tells me that the residents of Mt. CB are looking for a change in town leadership and are willing to step up to the challenge. I know a couple of the other people who are running in this election, and I believe Mt. CB will benefit from the contributions of any of these candidates. I and the current slate of candidates jumped into this race for a variety of reasons. I would continue with the same intentions I have now for the fall. I voted against Mt. CB’s last fall’s ballot question on term limits, as extending term limits doesn’t address the issue of why residents have not been running for town council. It is positive to see that this concern is past us given the number of contenders in this town council election.

One person, dead or alive, you would choose to ride up with on the Silver Queen, and why?

Hmmm, the Queen ride isn’t much time to talk with historical inventers or scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla or Albert Einstein, but since we’d be on a chairlift for only 7 minutes, I’d like to talk with James Curran. James was a railroad engineer from Omaha, Nebraska and he invented the ski chairlift in 1936. I would be interested to know if he considered the fact that one of the best ways to cool an object (a person) is to hang it from a wire and blow cold air at it… !!!

BRUCE NATION

What are your ideas for getting more affordable housing in Mt. CB? 

There is currently a bill in the state legislature that is looking to tax STRs as commercial property if they are rented for more that 90 days a year. While I don’t think that bill is perfect, if enacted it would provide a lot of additional funds for affordable housing and reduce housing being bought up by speculators while still allowing for locals to rent their property for some extra income when they desire.

I would also want to promote more density where it makes sense. I think the Pitchfork development is a great model. It has a good mix of affordable housing and unrestricted housing, all in a relatively small footprint.  

What would be your approach to balancing goals that might conflict — such as promoting tourism and limiting environmental impacts, or balancing STRs with housing opportunities for locals?

I have two philosophies on balancing goals like these. The first is we need to make the easy way, the right way. The easier we make it for everyone to use public transport or walk or stay in a hotel the better. The second is to use tax policy to encourage the results we want to see rather than simply banning something we may not like. For instance, using STR taxes to pay for or incentivize affordable housing.

How can the town help bring back more vibrancy to the Base Area?

I would talk to the local business owners in the base area to try and find what support they need to stay open later. Many of the restaurants and shops are closing at 5 p.m. and not leaving much for people to do while there. I’m very encouraged by A Bar Above being open late seven nights a week with live music. How can we replicate their success with the rest of the mountain?

I’d also like to see some kind of food truck\cart access at the base area. We used to have a waffle cart, what happened to it?

If you are not chosen, would you run in the next regularly scheduled council election?

Absolutely. My original plan was always to run in November.

One person, dead or alive, you would choose to ride up with on the Silver Queen, and why?

Jesus. I’m not a religious man, but I still have a lot of questions. If he can walk on water, he probably shreds on snow.

Roman Kolodziej

What is Mt. CB doing well, and where do you think it is missing the mark?

I’m glad you asked it that way because too often the focus is on the town’s council. In short, our town is fully staffed and firing on all cylinders right now. 

The Maintenance and Parks departments are doing a great job keeping our town functioning and in good repair and our Finance department has done well in advocating for them to have the tools they need.

Our Marketing and Events department has a firm grasp on how to organize and manage the many events our town has to juggle. They do their research, develop plans and are transparent about how to improve. The way our Admissions Tax Grant Program has evolved in the hands of Marketing is remarkable and I’m thankful of how thorough the vetting process has become to help us be better stewards of taxpayer money.

Over the last year, the Capital Projects and Planning reports and memos have become far more robust, which is a reflection of how many projects and items staff is managing. Often, their agenda items are complex and contain highly technical documents and staff has done a great job of highlighting key components for the council to consider in their meetings.

Finally, our town manager seems comfortable and confident in navigating his role. He’s presided over several big accomplishments, does well in managing his staff, ensures our town functions properly, and looks down the road to see the bigger picture.

Although there’s always room to improve, I can’t say Mt. CB is missing the mark on anything. 

What is your approach to the proposed major developments coming down the pipeline, such as the Village at Mt. CB (North Village)?

Several years ago, I sat on the North Village working group with our current mayor. We met every week for about six months in an effort to help shape a massive project that would heavily impact our community. The project idea was complex, very unique and lacked needed definition. Progress was slow but productive. My time on that committee helped me appreciate the work of the town’s staff. 

When I now see a project as an agenda item in my packet, I’m thankful for how much heavy lifting the staff has done ahead of time so I might best fulfill my role on council.

In short, my approach to large projects is to understand what the project is, what the developer wants, what it has the rights to do, what it is asking for from the town and how the council can best advocate for its community’s needs, wants and values.

What do you think the town’s relationship should be with CBMR?

The relationship between CBMR and the town seems strong and there appears to be effective communication given the inherent limitations of CBMR’s organization structure. However, I would like to see CBMR demonstrate it is serious about the deficit of affordable housing by engaging the town, offering ideas of its own and contributing some of its resources.

Favorite event in the North Valley and why?

That’s tough. The Chainless is very special to me. Not just because I may be the winningest World Champion of all time, but because the slow roll in the back of the pack is unlike anything I’ve been a part of. That being said, the AJ might take the cake when the weather cooperates. At either event, I find true joy when I look around and see the best people in the world.

TOM ROLLECZEK

What is Mt. CB doing well, and where do you think it is missing the mark?

Mt. CB is doing a great job of carrying forward the spirit of the community that I fell in love with in the mid ‘90s. The major accomplishment of completing the rec path should be recognized. Along with improvements to the base area parking, bus stops, recent signage and efforts to bolster this summer’s event schedule. Additionally, the staff of Mt. CB does an excellent job of creating a welcoming culture and attitude of inclusiveness for full and part-time residents. There is room for continued improvement on long-term development strategies, and aligning complex priorities between town council, staff and the community as a whole. 

What is your approach to the proposed major developments coming down the pipeline, such as the Village at Mt. CB (North Village)?

Major developments in Mt. CB such as North Village are inevitable. My approach is to consider them in a framework of “thoughtful development.” As a caveat to this philosophy, we would strive to preserve the audacious beauty and serenity that we celebrate in Mt. CB. I believe with aligned leadership, thoughtful planning and healthy input from the community, this outcome is ours to create.  

What do you think the town’s relationship should be with CBMR?

The relationship between the town and CBMR is of the utmost importance. Clear alignment between all the CBMR/Base Area shareholders should be a priority. Definition of a two, five and 10-year outlook surrounding committed investments and long-term development should be earnestly discussed, implemented and monitored for progress and best practices. We are a team and can make great things happen if we play as one.

Favorite event in the North Valley and why?

The annual town picnic. Because it feels like a family dinner and a big part of why I moved to the mountains. However… Chili and Beer fest is a close second!

BRUCE NATION

What is Mt. CB doing well, and where do you think it is missing the mark?

Mt. CB is doing a lot of great things. Planned Unit Development decisions are being made with affordable housing at the forefront. I like that the speed limits have been lowered to coincide with the rest of the valley. The town manager position has been solidified with the promotion of Carlos Velado.

I would like to see more of a focus on housing density where it makes sense. Our land is our most limited resource. We certainly don’t want large buildings popping up everywhere disturbing our sight lines, but there are places where density should be made a priority. I’d also like to see more of a focus on solar energy being used in new developments.

What is your approach to the proposed major developments coming down the pipeline, such as the Village at Mt. CB (North Village)?

When done correctly large developments like North Village give us a lot of opportunities for positive impacts on the town. For a project like that, I like to not only focus on the normal issues (affordable housing, transit, density, sight lines), but on how it will impact us as a community. I’d want to see a North Village that gives us a place to hold community events, have an après-bike coffee or just hang out. Right now, the base area is the main hub of our town, and it’s nice, but it is focused on the ski experience.  I’d like to see the North Village focused on community.

Also, I hate the name “Village at Mt. CB,” it makes it sound like a golf course community. Since I don’t want to complain without giving a constructive alternative, I nominate calling it “Snodgrass Valley.”

What do you think the town’s relationship should be with CBMR?

Mt. CB and CBMR could not exist without each other, at least not as we currently recognize them. I think both parties know this and have been working together well.  My biggest concern is that after the Vail acquisition of CBMR, it seems much of the decision-making power has been moved to Broomfield. I’ve heard multiple reports of requests to Vail getting lost in the bureaucracy. I would like to see Vail address this and make some kind of commitment to keeping someone with decision-making authority in touch with the town.

Favorite event in the North Valley and why?

I really enjoy the Grand Traverse races; I’ve been helping out with them the last few years as my wife was the race director. The history of the race mixed with the logistical challenges and a true backcountry experience make it really special.

PETER ESSELSTYN

What is Mt. CB doing well, and where do you think it is missing the mark?

As far as what Mt. CB is doing well, I would point to many things: I’ve heard many positive comments about the newly installed direction signs, the town’s street division is doing an excellent job with the snow clearing and year-round road maintenance, the summer recreational activities are well run, and I was quite impressed with the Planning Commission when I attended the early planning session related to the proposed Crested Butte Ridge (aka Nevada parcel) project. The job of running the town is often thankless, but in my opinion, the town can pat themselves on the back for many of their unsung successes.

On the other hand, I found it disheartening to see how the Homestead project unfolded over the past several years. Unfortunately, the missteps related to that project not only cost the town unnecessary substantial taxpayer dollars, but that fumble also left many people who had contracts for that property and needed affordable housing with no real options. A properly designed performance bond would have protected the town and the contract holders if the project went south with the developer.

What is your approach to the proposed major developments coming down the pipeline, such as the Village at Mt. CB (North Village)?

I believe this is where my past professional experience will help me succeed if I am fortunate enough to join the town council. In my career, I have managed the development of numerous very large-scale projects which relied on the combined cooperation of both public and private entities. Identifying dedicated stakeholders early and gaining alignment is key, agreeing on a master plan, setting a road map with clear deliverables at each stage in terms of costs and schedule, and not reversing decisions is key. Large projects such as the North Village are difficult, but not insurmountable given the right leadership and clear unwavering goals. All the existing development in the North Valley was completed in the face of adversity, but eventually persevered and we have a fantastic town and wonderful ski resort because of their dedication.

What do you think the town’s relationship should be with CBMR?

Mt. CB and CBMR surely understand their relationship is symbiotic. It is difficult to see either party succeeding without a positive and productive working relationship with each other. CBMR has substantial opportunity for growth and there are ample expansion opportunities which can and should be capitalized on. I don’t claim to have all the answers on why CBMR hasn’t invested more in their 5+ years of ownership of the resort here, but I believe with proper incentives provided by the town, CBMR can perceive a long-term vision for the resort and develop the area to its full potential. Also, I would be interested to meet with town council members from other ski towns to gain insight in their dealings with corporate ski companies.

Favorite event in the North Valley and why?

There are so many fun events in the North Valley year-round to choose from that it’s tough to pick only one. But for sure, I try to hit all the summer concerts both in Mt. CB and CB. Our community spirit really shines at the concerts!

Bobbie Sferra

What is Mt. CB doing well, and where do you think it is missing the mark?

Mt. Crested Butte is a magical place with unmatched views in every direction. This quality is not lost on our residents or guests. The rec path helps many access this outdoor playground. Mt. CB has been proactive in moving the community toward public transportation, pedestrian paths, bikes and e-bikes for commuting within the valley. The rebate program has been a success and the public reaction to FirstTracks has been positive. The town has done a good job of focusing on events that foster community which include the fall festival, town picnic, Music on the Mountain, 50th anniversary series and many more. The town park provides a foot path, exercise equipment, playgrounds and both tennis and pickle ball courts. A wedding garden and reception area provide the most wonderful place for couples to begin their lives together. The town is also generous in providing grants to a number of nonprofits that reach out to many in our community improving their lives and helping to create our “mountain vibe.” Mt. Crested Butte is addressing the housing issue head-on and has hired additional staff to oversee town sustainability and construction projects.  I also believe the town is exceptional at valuing employees, providing a positive work environment and assisting employees with housing in Mt. CB.

Over the years, Mt. CB has worked with developers in expanding the community which include new developments and affordable housing. Mt. CB needs to be more proactive in determining what our town will look like in 10, 20 years and further into the future. Currently, it feels like developers are the ones who are driving this vision at the detriment to the perceived goals of a vibrant community. Obviously, we need to work with developers. Colorado ski towns are not islands, but have developed in similar ways. Mt. CB is unique in that we have an opportunity to step back and evaluate the paths various ski towns have taken and look at the results both pro and con to see our path forward.

What is your approach to the proposed major developments coming down the pipeline, such as the Village at Mt. CB (North Village)?

I believe the town needs to pay attention to all future developments and their impact on the community. As our footprint grows with the Village at Mt. CB, we have an increasingly exponential effect on the environment through water consumption, impacted movement of elk and mule deer through the natural corridors and a huge increase in traffic on the only artery through this valley. How do we balance this growth with the ideas that support a growing community? Future development should focus on creating a smaller footprint for the environment and community. Mt. CB should maintain its roots as a community, not become just a high-end ski resort.

What do you think the town’s relationship should be with CBMR?

CBMR has changed since it was purchased by a large corporation. The town and CBMR should work together in partnership to provide the quality of experiences for residents and visitors to enjoy the mountain resort and the town. It would be nice to see CBMR make proactive investments in housing for seasonal employees at the resort and become actively involved on ventures that benefit both entities.  

Favorite event in the North Valley and why?

My favorite event is Music on the Mountain. The opportunity for families and vacationers in the community to come together and enjoy a variety of high quality music is exceptional. 

Preliminary plan would have been due February 9

By Katherine Nettles

Gunnison County commissioners agreed this week to extend the preliminary plan application deadline for its Whetstone Community Housing project to give county staff and the project developer a few extra weeks given a few minor delays in the process. Some other issues with the timing of state grants for the project and for other county-led affordable housing projects are creating a bit of stress for county staff, however. 

Commissioners approved the Whetstone sketch plan application on February 9, 2023, for the large affordable housing project planned for the north end of the valley. The project is expected to include 255 housing units, varying from studio apartments to three-bedroom townhomes, along Highway 135 across from Brush Creek Road. According to Gunnison County Land Use Resolution (LUR) standards, the deadline for the county and developer to submit the preliminary plan to the Gunnison County planning commission is 12 months later, or February 9, 2024.  

Assistant county manager for operations and sustainability John Cattles and Servitas, the developer the county has selected for the project, requested an extension in early January based on recognition that the preliminary plan application would need a few extra weeks. 

“Really we’re just a few weeks behind,” Cattles told commissioners on Tuesday, January 16. “It was getting really close [to the deadline].”

“We are certainly doing our best to maintain the schedule for other reasons related to the economics and constructability of the project with the seasons. But we’re probably going to need a couple weeks extra to get the submittal in front of the planning commission,” said Cattles.

The extension request also included a memo from Norris Design, a partner in the project. It stated the full 12-month extension period is not anticipated to be needed. “The extension will allow the county and development team adequate time to prepare a high-quality Preliminary Plan submittal, which is in progress at the time of this extension request. The Whetstone Community Housing development remains dedicated to the creation of affordable housing for a diverse mix of local individuals and families to live and work in the Gunnison Valley. 

“In accordance with the LUR, there have been no substantial changes to the site, the surrounding context, or the status of services. Ownership, site conditions, adjacent uses, and the ability of service providers to serve the site remain substantially unchanged.” 

Assistant county manager for community and economic development Cathie Pagano said she recommended approving the extension request and reminded commissioners that the LUR allows one extension for a period of up to 12 months in this situation.

In an accompanying memo, Pagano wrote, “Staff has reviewed the request and the applicable standards and finds that there are no substantial changes in adjacent land uses. The applicant continues to work with the town of Crested Butte to serve the development with water and wastewater treatment utilities and there has been no change in the willingness of any other service providers to serve the development. Finally, there has been no change to the subject parcel,” the memo stated. 

“I’m just happy to hear you’re keeping your foot on the gas,” commented commissioner Laura Puckett Daniels. “I think for the sake of everybody in [this room] and in the public, understanding this isn’t because you’re dilly dallying is important.”

“No. We’re very sensitive to how fast delays can compound and the costs compound with those delays,” replied Cattles. “We’re really defending against that.”

“I can understand you need a little more time. It’s a complicated project,” concluded Puckett Daniels.

Commissioners approved the request of a 12-month extension unanimously. 

The trouble with grants

Commissioners and staff also discussed some frustrations with state-backed grant funding, starting with the $10 million grant for the project’s infrastructure that has been approved for the project but is not yet finalized for use. Commissioner Liz Smith asked if the state grant issue has caused delays to the project. 

“It has not. It has impacted our ability to spend that money. We’re having to spend our own money on engineering and things like that which we had hoped the grant would cover,” said Cattles. 

County manager Mathew Birnie said the hold up on grant funding and having to spend county money is related to how the state’s contracting process works. 

“The state has just been moving very slow. But we’ve had to keep the project moving so we’ve had to fund [some engineering] using county funds instead of utilizing the state resources,” said Cattles. Smith asked if that would be compensated or reallocated to other aspects of the project. 

“This is frustrating,” said Birnie, “But they will only reimburse you for costs if you borrow the money. If you spend money you have, they won’t reimburse you which is totally illogical.”

Birnie said the grant doesn’t cover the whole cost of the project’s infrastructure, so he is confident they will still spend all the grant money.

Cattles said they would be able to spend at least some of it. “We may struggle to spend everything we applied for,” he conceded.

Pagano said that while the grant was awarded in March, “We still do not have a final contract in January. So it’s been almost 12 months. It’s absurd.”

Pagano said she has been in conversation with the state about it, and Smith said she would be happy to provide feedback to colleagues at the state.

“We do have concerns. Every grant that we’re seeking with the state is a very long and arduous selection process,” said Cattles. “But it is just drawn out for months and months and months and then the contracting process, we’re finding, is even worse.”

Birnie said the issue is that projects eligible for grant funding are supposed to be “shovel ready” but then the grant process has the potential to stall a project that far along. This was a consideration as commissioners also approved county staff applying for a state grant for its Sawtooth phase II housing project in Gunnison. Pagano said that the preliminary process of applying for the state grant started in July 2023 and the award will be announced in May 2024. 

Commissioner chair Jonathan Houck echoed Smith’s remarks that they can continue this conversation about efficiency and grant timing at the state level.

County attorney Matthew Hoyt commented that it seems to be an overly cautious approach based on the “state’s inability to differentiate between a private and public project…is that something you see?” he asked. 

“I think there’s something to that,” replied Cattles. “But a lot of it is just a lack of understanding of how projects work, the timing that’s required and the momentum that’s required to keep projects on track. And then just generally trying to force all these new resources into existing programs instead of creating something more unique and streamlined. So, we’re working with programs that were developed with federal funds and been in place for decades.”

Taking the challenges into consideration, county staff and commissioners agreed the grants are still worth applying for, and the latest effort to secure a grant for Sawtooth will move forward. 

Roman Kolodziej

Years in Mt. CB: 19

Occupation: I own Black Tie Ski Rentals.

Do you agree with this recall election? 

This might be a shocker, but I don’t. Recall elections, in my opinion, should be reserved for situations involving egregious behavior like sexual harassment, misappropriation of funds or other severe conduct. This recall, however, is due to something far more mild. 

As a town councilor, I also sit on the Mountain Express (MX) board. I and the four other MX board members, including one of my Mt. CB co-councilors, unanimously voted to change some of the free condo bus loops to a free Uber-style service called FirstTracks, which extended transportation to everyone in North Mt. CB. Some citizens didn’t want their service to change and when it wasn’t changed back, they decided to focus their aggression on me and eventually decided to try to remove me from council.

As I’ve said before, if I wasn’t educated on the issue and read the petition language in a vacuum, I would have signed it myself. It insinuates that I alone spent taxpayer money in a “reduced tax environment” outside of the State of Colorado without asking permission of the town council.

Here are the facts. MX is an independent organization formed by both towns through a vote of the taxpayers to provide free public transportation. By design, it doesn’t need the permission of either town’s council to spend money or make operational decisions. Yet petitioners, after being corrected numerous times, keep repeating those false claims as recent as last week’s letter to the editor. And yes, MX spends money outside of the state like EVERY person, organization and governmental entity in the valley. Until they open a bus factory or oil refinery in Almont, MX will need to purchase its products and services elsewhere. Additionally, sales tax revenues are at an all-time high, so I’m not sure what “reduced tax environment” the petitioners keep talking about. Finally, MX has a board of directors consisting of five members: two town councilors from each town and an at-large member. I alone do not have the power to do anything.

I get that people were upset about a change in their bus service. The MX board heard their comments and concerns, seriously considered them, and used the opportunity to improve the FirstTracks pilot program. In the end, MX has a job to provide free transportation to as many people as possible and I, in my role as a Mt. CB town councilor, need to consider all constituents when making decisions. This is evident in that the petitioners still have free but different transportation and now so does everyone else in North Mt. CB.

This is not an election between me and other people. This is an election between me and not me. If not me wins, there are other people interested in my vacated seat whom citizens can vote for.

What motivated you to take this position and what strengths do you bring to the role?

I realized it was time to stop complaining about things and actually get involved to affect them. 

My greatest strengths are being prepared and being a critical thinker. I read my packet and attend council meetings and committee meetings (STOR, Mountain Express, as well as other advisory/working group committees over the years) with intention. I do not like to make decisions based on what “feels” right, rather, I strive to have a defendable position. I’m conservative in my approach to spending taxpayer money and am always advocating for the many good people in our community that are getting pushed out with increased frequency.

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Mt. CB town council right now?

This is tough. Affordable housing is right at the top of my list. I’ve repeatedly advocated for it and although we as a council have made great strides recently to move the Homestead development forward, the council does not have a unified voice and direction regarding affordable housing. 

That being said, there are several major developments in the works that will dramatically alter Mt. CB. Our council needs to navigate them carefully and can best do that with input from the public.

If anyone wants to reach out to me about this recall petition, Mountain Express and the FirstTracks program or anything town council related, they can reach me at rkolodziej@mtcb.colorado.gov.

Favorite winter activity:

Sitting on the lift and answering the question, “So, why do you telemark ski?”

Bobbie Sferra

Years in Mt. CB: 6 years

Occupation: Retired (Former teacher, school principal, assistant superintendent, college professor), community volunteer (Crested Butte Center for the Arts, Nordic Center, Farmer’s Market and special events).

Do you agree with this recall election? Yes

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role?

As a full-time resident in Mt. Crested Butte, I would like to become more involved in our community. Last summer, I learned that due to lack of candidates to run for town council seats, there has not been an election since 2006 and that all of the members have been appointed. I started researching about the town of Mt. Crested Butte and attended public meetings to become informed of the issues, news and developments in our town. I believe the town needs people who are highly invested in the community and have the time and skills to make informed decisions on behalf of the town and its citizens. If I am elected, I am prepared to give 100% to the role as town council member. 

As a retired school administrator and college professor, I have over 40 years of experience working with diverse communities, communicating with the public, problem solving, personnel issues, policy making, strategic planning and working with multi-million-dollar budgets. I understand how important it is to be transparent and communicate with the people who are impacted by decisions. In addition, before I moved here, I participated in a nine-month experiential program with the purpose of training community members to participate as leaders in the community.

The strengths I bring to the role are: a commitment to represent the community at public events, strong communication skills, ability to build relationships and engage with community members and community organizations to better understand their needs and concerns and solid research/analysis skills for decision making.

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Mt. CB town council right now?

I believe the number one issue is maintaining the Mt. Crested Butte culture and vibe as a community-based town for year-round recreation. This includes efforts to welcome people to our community and to work with businesses and organizations to assist in providing affordable housing to allow the people who work here to live here.

Favorite winter activity: Nordic skiing

PETER ESSELSTYN

Years in Mt. CB: 5

Occupation: Retired Mechanical Engineer/Capital Project Manager

Do you agree with this recall election?  

I don’t agree or disagree with the recall. What I do know is the people who initiated the recall had their reasons to do so and they should be heard. I applaud Mt. Crested Butte for having a process for this recall to take place regardless of how it turns out. As a potential town council member, I believe the residents should be heard – it is not my opinion that matters, but what the town constituents think that greater concerns me.

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role?

I have had conversations with several current and past Mt. CB town council members about the lack of participation in being on the town council. I am a firm believer in term limits for all elected officials and find it disconcerting that new blood doesn’t come into elected offices leaving legacy members to fill the void. I moved to Mt. CB from Boston, MA and sadly saw in many of those local and state elections candidates run unopposed leaving the will of many people unanswered. In an effort to be more of the solution rather than the problem, I decided to volunteer my time and get involved. In my years in Mt. CB, I have forged many relationships within the town, county and CBMR, from being the president of the Summit HOA and being a volunteer on the Crested Butte Fire Protection District. In my volunteer and previous career positions, I have been a team leader and welcome collaboration and a pooling together of ideas. `

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Mt. CB town council right now?

I believe that I offer more of a visionary perspective on the growth of Mt. CB versus just being reactionary to issues as they arise. In conversation with town residents, I often find they don’t know what is going on in the town or what the town is striving towards. My approach would be trying to create an environment so that residents and visitors alike are able to enjoy all that our community and gorgeous lands offer. I’d like to take part in the long-term planning of the town. Infrastructure and planning is part of my professional DNA from being an engineer, planner and creator. My approach is always to make things better with any project that I undertake. 

Favorite winter activity:  

Well, my wife and I came here for the alpine skiing, but we also enjoy taking our dog on the CB Nordic trails and we do a bit of backcountry skiing. I also enjoy building projects in my wood shop and brewing beer.

BRUCE NATION

Years in Mt. CB: About 4 1/2 years. My wife and I moved here from Ohio in 2019, just in time to get to spend the pandemic in a place with sunshine and outdoor activities. It’s been one of the best decisions of my life.

Occupation:

I’m a Database Administration Consultant. For those that don’t work in tech, I’m a data nerd. How to structure it, store it, retrieve it, interpret it, present it, etc. Before moving to Mt. CB and starting my own business doing consulting, I worked for all sizes of companies from startups to Fortune 500. The most recent being a healthcare tech startup that I helped grow from just a few employees to over 700 before being acquired.

Do you agree with this recall election? 

That’s a great way to phrase this question. I do support the election. I think it’s important that citizens have another way to have their voices heard when we have not had a contested election for town council in so long. I’m very encouraged by the number of folks stepping up to get involved in our local government.

I think there are some very valid complaints about the poor communication and engagement with the community from Mountain Express around the changes coming to the bus routes. If you’re going to pick one person to hold responsible, Roman Kolodziej as chairman of the Mountain Express board is that person.

However, I do not plan to vote for his recall. I did initially sign the petition for the recall, but after speaking to colleagues of his from inside and outside town council, and attending the last several meetings, I feel he is one of the hardest working, engaged and effective council members we have. I think his heart is in the right place and he truly wants to do what is best for Mt. CB. One person I spoke to said they think “he’s the only town council member that consistently speaks up for working people and who seems to grasp the reality of what’s going on valley-wide with issues like housing.” In summary, while I feel he has made some mistakes, working hard and caring about the town and its citizens go a long way with me.

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role?

My initial motivation came from hearing there was a need in town for more people interested in local government. I’m a firm believer in term limits, so seeing two ballot initiatives to extend ours just so we could keep the council populated was a big eye opener.

My biggest strength has always been problem solving. Throughout my career I’ve always been good at not only finding unique solutions to problems, but analyzing and mitigating any unintended side effects of those solutions. I’ve also worked in some very dynamic workplaces where change is constant.  I’ve learned it’s important to keep an eye on that change and try to guide it in the ways you want it to go rather than simply being reactive to it.

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Mt. CB town council right now?

I see affordable housing as the biggest issue, not just for Mt. CB, but the whole valley. This issue affects everyone. With a housing market this out of balance, it’s the reason you can’t hire employees, or find a plumber or have to pay $30 for a pizza.  Hotels are getting variances to allow people to live there full-time, while houses are being used like hotels. Businesses are buying housing for their employees, which helps that business, but also removes that housing from the general pool and ties a person’s housing to their job. There are a lot of tools we have at our disposal to help the housing crisis. Some of which can be enacted by Mt. CB alone, but to truly solve the problem it will take cooperation between Mt. CB, CB, Gunnison and the county.

Favorite winter activity: 

I enjoy almost all winter activities. My favorite generally depends on the conditions. If you’re gonna make me pick one, I have to go with drinking hot chocolate.

TOM ROLLECZEK

Years in Mt. CB:

Six years. Our family moved to Mt. CB in 2017. However, I started college at Western in 1993 and moved away in 1999.

Occupation:

I work as a business development consultant in the technology field. 

Do you agree with this recall election?

I have been following the recall objectively; with the goal of understanding all sides.  Therefore, I don’t have a position on the matter. I am simply enthusiastic to represent my community.  

What motivated you to run for this position and what strengths can you bring to the role?

I am motivated to serve because I believe Mt. Crested Butte is at a crucial crossroads in its development. I would like to contribute my skills of project management, negotiation and problem solving. I also strongly feel anyone elected to this role has a responsibility to listen carefully to the community members; something I will do well.  

What do you see as the number one issue facing the Mt. CB town council right now?

There are many important and practical issues facing the council at this moment. Thus, it is difficult to identify one as the most important. However, population growth and the resulting community development is an overarching theme that the council must address on many fronts.  

Favorite winter activity:

Skiing! Of Course!!

By Kendra Walker

The following briefs are from Mt. Crested Butte town council meetings that took place over the past several months.

Thompson Divide withdrawal support

The Mt. Crested Butte town council approved a letter of ​​support for the Thompson Divide Withdrawal Proposal, which includes the protection of the area surrounding Mt. Emmons. 

“We specifically support the proposal to withdrawal- subject to valid existing rights- approximately 224,713 acres of land in this area from all forms of (1) entry, appropriation and disposal under the public land laws; (2) location, entry and patent under mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials and geothermal leasing laws. We agree with the USFS Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and are encouraged that this project will protect our tourism-based economy, water resources, and way of life,” the letter states. 

“The Town of Mt. Crested Butte supports the 20-year protection of this area through this proposed mineral withdrawal,” it concludes. 

Proposition 123

The Mt. Crested Butte town council agreed to opt into Proposition 123, which was approved by Colorado voters in 2022 and dedicates roughly $300 million per year in state income tax revenue to fund state housing projects. 

The funding becomes available to local governments if they opt in to a commitment to increase affordable housing in their jurisdiction by 3% each year through 2026. For Mt. CB, this would be an increase of nine affordable housing units by 2026.

Noxious weeds

The town council approved a weed management service contract with Native Landscapes for 2024. Native Landscapes, owned and operated by Bradley Wigginton, has managed noxious weeds on town property, rights-of-way and open spaces for the last two seasons. 

Wigginton told the council that for the 2023 growing season, he treated 7.12 acres for weeds. He said the top species targeted included White top, Canada Thistle, Cheatgrass, Common Tansy, Dames Rocket, Field Bind Weed, Houndstongue, Musk Thistle, Oxeye Daisy, Scentless Chamomile, Western Salsify, Yellow Sweet Clover and Yellow Toadflax.

By Mark Reaman

TWG closes on Mineral Point financing

TWG Development, Construction and Management closed on the financing for the Mineral Point low-income housing tax credit project. TWG is overseeing the $16 million affordable housing project on the north side of Crested Butte. Mineral Point will consist of 34-units throughout three highly energy efficient two-story walk-up buildings, with studios, one-, and two-bedroom layouts. This fully affordable community will serve Crested Butte residents making 30-60% of the area median income (AMI).

Fee discussion includes cemetery plot costs

As part of the proposed 2024 fee increases, the council decided to not raise the price of cemetery plots. Originally the fee was anticipated to go to $1,500 for a large plot from $1,000 and to $500 from $300 for a small plot. 

Councilmember Beth Goldstone stated she hoped the town could begin to determine ways to incentivize people to embrace climate mitigation measures through low fees. Town will also start charging a “climate responsible event fee” to encourage zero-waste events. Fees will range from free to $150.

Vacation rental license update

The changes made to the town’s vacation rental policies a year ago appear to be working with regulations limiting the number of licenses in town and eventually restricting the number of vacation rental properties allowed on any one block. Based on location and type of license, there are 182 “unlimited” licenses with 13 new applicants and seven properties not renewing. No more than 198 total unlimited licenses are permitted in town. There are seven “primary” licenses that limit vacation rental nights to 90 per year and ten new applicants have applied for that license while three are opting to not renew. There will be a lottery for one unlimited license in 2024 between two properties vying for one available license on a specific “block face.” Under the town regulations, there are four unlimited vacation rental licenses available for properties within blocks that have not yet reached the maximum concentration of vacation rentals.

Chamber agreement approved and changes expected

With no discussion, the Crested Butte town council approved the Services Agreement for the Crested Butte–Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce to operate the Visitors Center at the Four-Way Stop as part of the December 4 consent agenda. The agreement allocates 75% of the estimated annual business license revenues (about $47,250) for Visitors Center operations January through September. The Chamber must provide the council with a new business plan for operations of the Chamber by April 1, 2024 as part of the condition of the allocation. Chamber board president Josh Futterman said the board has heard the council’s concerns loud and clear and promised changes within the organization starting at the top. Chamber executive director Scott Clarkson announced his resignation from the position later in the week.

Stuff:

—Council adopted the $31 million 2024 budget. It also amended the 2023 budget by about $500,000 due to some cost overruns.

—Council approved a resolution in support of the goals stated in the One Valley Resiliency Roadmap.

—Given the likelihood that his new house will be ready before his term is up in two years, councilmember Jason MacMillan relinquished the role of mayor pro tem. The council chose Mallika Magner to take over the position which runs the meetings when the mayor is not able.

—Council approved a $500 per year lease with CB Nordic for the Outpost property.

Valley Housing Fund kicks in $100K to help with shortfall

By Mark Reaman

The Crested Butte town council is using another mechanism to help fund the Mineral Point affordable housing project that should start construction north of the Gas Café in the spring of 2024. Council on Monday, December 4 approved a so-called “gap funding loan” for $500,000 to the project’s developer TWG of Indianapolis. There is little expectation that the low interest loan will be paid back in the near-term, but the loan agreements provide an avenue for eventual repayment and it covers needed financial obligations to make the project work at the current time. 

The interest rate is 2% and the loan document states the 40-year loan could be paid back at the end of the term or at the time the project is sold or refinanced. While loan payments could be made immediately, the town made clear in a staff memo to council from housing director Erin Ganser that “operating costs on a project like Mineral Point tend to be quite high when measured against the rent restrictions and it is not likely that the net cash flow will be sufficient to pay debt service on the town’s loan. Repayment will most likely occur at the time of a refinance or sale.” 

The loan will also be subordinate to loans provided by the state for the project. Ganser explained in her memo to the council that the loan is not taxable to the project and the town is “empowered to act as a lender in this capacity because the public purpose served by the development.” The $500,000 is accounted for within the 2023 Affordable Housing budget.

Meanwhile, the Valley Housing Fund announced this week that the board approved a $100,000 grant request “for its Partner Support Program to assist with an unexpected budget shortfall in the project.” According to a press release, board president Scott Desmarais stated the community still has a major affordable housing crisis in Gunnison Valley and that “getting Mineral Point across the finish line and having these homes available for community members is absolutely critical.”

When allocating Partner Support grants, VHF prioritizes community housing projects that emphasize sustainable design, access for residents with disabilities, and quality of life. The all-electric project includes a 30% reduction in indoor water use, low energy lighting, and photovoltaic and EV charging infrastructure. 

Additionally, six of the 34 apartments at Mineral Point meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities, and two meet standards for individuals with visual and hearing impairments. 

According to the VHF executive director Lauren Koelliker, VHF’s Partner Support Program has contributed more than $3.1 million to local affordable housing projects since 2010. “Private funding, even on a small scale, benefits overall project success by allowing developments to be more responsive to local needs, adding amenities, unlocking larger funding sources from state and national entities, and shortening the timeline for development,” she noted. 

Ganser told the VHF she was appreciative of the grant. The VHF press release stated she also said it will help to complete the project. “The saying ‘it takes a village’ couldn’t be more applicable when it comes to building workforce housing,” she said. “The headwinds on these projects are persistent and the Valley Housing Fund’s participation will help get Mineral Point to the finish line. The Town sincerely appreciates their donation to the project.”

The  $500,000 loan brings the amount provided by the town for the project to $5,860,000 thus far. State grants and tax credits have offset some of that contribution so Ganser is estimating the town is in for $1.9 million so far to support the development of 34-low-income workforce rentals or a cost of about $56,000 per unit. The expectation is that the Mineral Point apartment building will start construction next spring and be completed by the end of 2025. The units are in part being funded through Low Income Housing Tax Credits like those used to help fund Anthracite Place so the project will serve residents making less than 60% of the Area Median Income, or about $40,000 per year for a one person household.