Certification will help sustain and grow cultural endeavors

by Olivia Lueckemeyer

Two years after being nominated, Crested Butte has officially been named a Creative District by Colorado Creative Industries and the Boettcher Foundation. With the certification come a number of benefits, including substantial funding from the state for marketing and branding of the district, as well as increased opportunities for local artists and creative industries.

Town planner Michael Yerman described the accomplishment as a “big relief,” citing a number of different entities and individuals that have tirelessly pursued this coveted endorsement.

“Two years ago we were nominated as a candidate district, and there has been a lot of hard work since then that went into getting the full certification—a lot of efforts from individual community members, town staff and Center for the Arts staff,” Yerman explained.

Executive director of the Center for the Arts Jennie Birnie echoed this sentiment, stating that a certification best serves to validate the passionate arts community that has been a part of Crested Butte for years.

“Crested Butte is a town of cultural inspiration,” Birnie said. “When the idea of applying for certification was discussed over four years ago, we knew it was a no-brainer. The arts community has been integral to the town since its inception and it is one of the core components at the heart of Crested Butte. It is exciting to receive this recognition.”

In 2011, the Colorado General Assembly passed HB11-1031 to encourage the formation of creative districts in communities, neighborhoods and geographic areas for the purpose of attracting artists and creative entrepreneurs to a community; enhancing economic and civic capital; enhancing areas as appealing places to live, conduct business and attract visitors; and to promote a community’s unique identity.

State senator Kerry Donovan called the announcement of Crested Butte as a certified Creative District “great news,” referencing the economic benefits the certification has had for communities and regions such as Salida and the North Fork Valley.

“In Senate District 5 and across the state, we have seen the establishment of Creative Districts help revitalize neighborhoods and make them even more exciting places to visit and do business,” Donovan said. “I look forward to seeing how a Crested Butte Creative District will help boost local business and entice even more people to come by and visit Crested Butte.”

Six months ago, the Town Council voted to adopt an ordinance to form the Creative District Commission—a committee of seven community members, one Town Council member and one Town Staff representative—to oversee the district. To attain the final certification, the commission finalized documentation, created a website and logo, initiated branding efforts, acquired buy-ins for future projects, and outlined future tasks.

While forming a commission was not a requirement to become a creative district, chairperson Shaun Horne says doing so played a major role in setting Crested Butte apart from other nominees.

“Other towns were busy making flyers and brochures, and we built something longer lasting,” Horne said. “I think the commission is going to be really important going forward, because there are so many key people involved with it. It’s great news we got the certification and we are going to do a better job with it because we have the commission.”

Along with the certification, the district will also receive funding from the state annually over a five-year period to help the commission accomplish its goals. This year the district will receive a $30,000 grant to be put toward several key efforts—namely way-finding signage throughout town, as well as the creation of a public arts policy.

In the past, all public art pieces have been handled by the town. With a legitimized, funded Creative District Commission, those responsibilities will now be overseen by a specific group and will be governed by a specific set of rules and policies.

“What we have right now is that all of our public art has been done very organically—the dragon, the new horse, our benches and flowerboxes, all of those things are handled by the town,” Yerman explained. “There has never been a policy put in place. We want to talk about opportunities where public art doesn’t exist that could possibly be integrated into the town.”

In the long term, the district will also have the opportunity to apply for a $5 million “Space to Create” grant through the Boettcher Foundation, which could go toward furthering affordable housing.

“There are some things that are small, some big ticket items that have potential, and beyond that five-year certification, there are other things that come along with this,” Yerman explained. “We will get help on marketing and branding of the district from the Colorado Tourism Association, and there will be resources available that creatives in our community can tap into, whether those be educational trainings or additional marketing-type things.”

Yerman also pointed out the importance of the certification in assisting creative entities to acquire grants, as the designation carries a lot of weight and helps legitimize many creative endeavors.

“When you’re a Creative District, you’re on the National Endowment of the Arts’ radar, so that puts local creative entities in a better position,” Yerman explained.

The certification will undoubtedly drive tourism, which Horne acknowledges is a source of anxiety for some folks. However, he argues that the creative community stands to benefit exponentially by encouraging year-round tourism by promoting cultural events.

“Cultural tourists are high-quality tourists, and we can’t have locals fighting over the same patrons forever,” he said. “The cultural community needs to reach out and bring new patronage to this town and take the pressure off of the usual suspects in terms of who supports the arts around here. It’s a dangerous thing to have 45 nonprofits asking the same people for money… Having a good cultural economy will help local creatives, which is half of the town.”

To supplement the $30,000 grant from the state, the town plans to contribute $15,000, bringing the commission’s total budget for this year to $45,000. According to Yerman, the commission will hold a variety of public events and input sessions to ascertain which projects should be prioritized over others.

“What is unique about us is we are very deliberate and thoughtful about any decision we make that has an effect on the public realm,” Yerman said. “We need to make sure our decisions are upholding the integrity of our historic district and existing businesses.”

As for next steps, Yerman says the commission plans to work with the council on the upcoming year’s budget to identify potential projects within the capsule budget that creatives in the community can be involved in. While the state considers the certification an opportunity for economic development and tourism, Yerman stressed that for Crested Butte, the primary goal is to sustain “our vibrant arts community.”

“Our goal is really about the sustainability of the arts we have alive and well today, and to create additional spaces and opportunities for our creative industries in town,” Yerman said.

Coal, balance, public lands and putting the miles on the car

by Mark Reaman

Crested Butte’s Gail Schwartz is the Democratic Party’s nominee for Colorado’s Third Congressional District. Challenging Republican incumbent Scott Tipton, Schwartz said she feels she has the passion and experience to effectively represent the sprawling district that includes places as diverse as Crested Butte, Pueblo, Grand Junction and Cortez.

Schwartz and her husband moved to Crested Butte two years ago. Prior to that they lived in Snowmass and Aspen. In 2006 and 2010, she was elected to the Colorado State Senate. She has also been elected to the Colorado Board of Regents from the Third Congressional District.

We sat down with Schwartz between campaign stops, and she made it clear that while she and Scott Tipton have a cordial personal relationship, there are stark differences when it comes to issues such as water, jobs, climate and public lands. Aware of the recent affordable housing kerfuffle, she also touched on her time as a planner for ski areas and the need for affordable housing in towns such as Crested Butte and Aspen.

Here are some excerpts from a conversation held on Elk Avenue.

News: Was affordable housing something people thought about in the 1980s when you were helping to plan ski villages and living over in Aspen?

GS: The market in ski towns exploded in the 1980s and that’s when locals couldn’t really buy property in ski towns, so it was an important time to look at how to stabilize communities. And not just for our [service] workforce, but for our seniors and our people working in places like the school districts and the hospital. We put language in the land use code that was used to get the marketplace to step up with the housing.

News: How did you end up getting to a position to run for Congress?

GS: I bring a lot of community grassroots work to the position. I was asked by Governor Roy Romer to serve on the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and I thought, “I love this policy stuff.” So I ran for the Board of Regents against an incumbent when nobody knew me. I realized that if you wanted to attract resources for higher education you did it through the legislative process. So then I ran and won against a 22-year incumbent from the San Luis Valley for state senator. So I’ve run and won three times in this district and this will be number four.

News: What was the motivation to run?

GS: I sat in on a meeting with Scott Tipton at the invitation of the Citizens Climate Lobby group about two months ago. We talked with ski area reps about the issues impacting the ski industry and the fact that the Colorado ski industry is a $5 billion industry with 44,000 employees. The comment from the industry executives was that “March is the new May” and we have to address climate issues. Plus we aren’t seeing federal dollars from the industry come back to Colorado in terms of concession fees. The industry puts in $22 million but only $1 million comes back.

We need to reinvest the dollars the ski industry is putting into our federal lands. And the comment was that Scott Tipton doesn’t believe in climate change and he is more interested in the coal jobs. I am sympathetic to the coal jobs as well. Any job loss in rural Colorado is important and should be addressed. But that conversation made me think that this person is not representing the jobs, the industries, the issues that are so critical to Western Colorado. My thinking was, “Somebody needs to run against him.” But it wasn’t going to be me. But now it is.

News: Do you guys get along?

GS: He and I have a very nice rapport and I have always enjoyed talking to him. But at that point I saw that while we agreed on issues around things like hydro-generation, I just thought it important to protect the recreation industry—protecting public lands and not selling and leasing our country’s public lands. There are clear differences between us when it comes to a changing climate and being able to mitigate the impacts of that. There are differences when it comes to our water, and when it comes to our jobs, and the issue of public lands and providing enough resources to the federal agencies to maintain our public lands and making sure the leasing of our public lands is done in an appropriate way. I do think we need to protect this resource since our economies all hinge on the protection of the resource, not selling it off or leasing it off. Thompson Divide is the perfect example.

I think we have to adapt to a changing climate. We will have 20 percent to 30 percent less water here in the future. We have to be able to mitigate impacts and support the opportunities to diversify our economies. That’s where we need responsiveness.

My position has always been to represent the communities and the people who I was elected by. It doesn’t matter what party but it’s important to represent the interests of these comm unities and work with them to identify resources and solutions to the issues.

News: It’s early in the campaign, but do you feel like you are getting traction out there in such a big district?

GS: As I’ve said, I’ve won three times in this district. I have a commitment to the water community and the agricultural community. I’ve worked with these issues in the state senate and worked with people throughout the district.

News: It seems your legislative background was focused on education.

GS: My legislative background was really on renewable energy and energy in general. Along with agricultural and water, I’ve done quite a bit on education. Those are three legs of the stool. I’m proud of what we accomplished in eight years with renewable energy and the issues around agricultural and natural resources.

With education, I ran bills for funding needs for higher education. It provided about a billion dollars in capital that went into higher education. I sponsored the “Building Excellent Schools Today” legislation that has built $1.2 billion in rural schools in five years through a funding source with the state lands board. So we blended that with local bonding capacity to build schools. I am very proud of that. Rural communities were caught in a predicament and we figured out a solution to make education opportunities fair and uniform.

News: Does the size of the district intimidate you?

GS: I represented 13 counties that covered about 20,000 square miles in the senate. I drove 350,000 miles while I was in the state senate. I show up. I’m in communities. I’m present to issues. And that is a real priority for me. There is a pattern of my being present in a community and talking to people about issues. This is very second-nature to me.

News: What about Tipton’s charges that you are responsible for losing coal jobs on the Western Slope?

GS: There was a comment that I led the war on coal. The free market led the war on coal. I have actually worked quite hard and stood up against my caucus on issues to protect the coal jobs and the coal industry in my district. That includes the roadless rule and making sure the venting opportunities were there. I’ve stood up against the environmental community to address the coal jobs issue. I really care for generations of coal miners and their families and work very hard for identifying state resources.

I have also worked hard on broadband in rural areas. How can we have 21st century jobs when we can’t connect our communities to the global marketplace? So broadband has been a big push for me. That being said, I am equally concerned about the coal jobs.

News: Are you prepared for the meanness of a national political campaign?

GS: I’ve always run on my own merit. It’s not about Scott Tipton. It’s about what I can offer. I always run on my own record. I plan to keep it on that level. I’m not afraid to point out very clearly what our differences are and let people have a choice and have a broader conversation. He’s served for six years. My eight-year record in the state senate produced so much in terms of policy and opportunity. I feel I can do the same thing in Congress.

News: Why run now and what will you bring if things change in Washington?

GS: When I had that conversation a couple months ago I saw very clearly what is not being represented by our current congressman. Secondly, for the last six years I was asked weekly if I would run for this office. Given the national conversation I think this is the year to do it. I still have a lot of passion and experience to bring and I felt it was the time to step up.

The question is, how do we bring a balance? You have people now going to Washington to shut it down. I want to be one of those that go to Washington to seek solutions. My opponent voted repeatedly to shut down the government. That’s not me. Ninety-five percent of my bills were bipartisan. I am used to collaboration, reaching across the aisle and finding solutions.

News: Anything else?

GS: I think the race is competitive and people are receptive to my candidacy. So I’m very optimistic that this is the year and we can have the conversation and bring some things into balance. I’m not afraid of the work it will take. And I’ve developed a thicker skin the last 15 years so I can deal with the expected aggressiveness. Listening and hearing the issues that are unique to each community is an important part of the job.

“It will definitely continue to be a family affair”

By Alissa Johnson

This month, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) president Ethan Mueller is packing up and moving east with his family. They’re relocating to New Hampshire, which is home to one of two other resorts owned and operated by the Mueller family, Mount Sunapee Resort. The Crested Butte News caught up with Mueller this week to talk about what the change means for CBMR, his role within the family business and his family.

Will your role change once you move to New Hampshire? 

My role in the company isn’t really changing at all. I have had dual roles for a number of years now, that being president of CBMR and senior vice president of operations for all of our resort operations.

Running the resorts has always been such family affair. Will that continue to be the case, and does that mean that your sister Erica’s role is going to change?

It will definitely continue to be a family affair. Our company has always been family-owned and operated. It is something our whole family is very passionate about. Erica will definitely be staying in the valley, along with her husband, Gavin, and will work closely with all of our day-to-day operations and the community at large.

I definitely plan on being here quite a bit as well, probably about once a month, but if I need to be here more I will. When our family decided we were going to make this change we talked a lot about how this would affect things. Ultimately we decided it would have a positive effect on our company and the communities we work with. We wouldn’t be doing it otherwise, and you have our entire family’s commitment to that goal.

As a result of this transition, will the relationship between CBMR and the sister resorts and the priority that gets placed on each change?

That’s an easy one! The answer is no, it won’t change the relationship or priority with respect to the resorts we operate. CBMR is very important to us, as are our other properties. If we neglected any one part of our business it would hurt the whole. Additionally, as I mentioned before, the resort and the valley are poised more than ever to collaborate and support each other in moving forward. Our family very much wants to be in support of that, and will do whatever we can to help.

In public meetings, it has always seemed like you place an emphasis on community collaboration. Can you speak to that and your philosophy in running the resort?

Making sure your company works with the related community and gets involved is always important, perhaps even more so in our small valley, where all of our lives are so intertwined. We do put a lot of emphasis on this, and the community can expect that to continue through myself, Erica and others in our company.

This valley seems more in sync than I have ever seen it, and because of that we are starting to see improvements. Finding that common ground, developing trust, and working in unison is going to be the best way for this valley to do the things it wants to.

What do you see as the biggest changes at CBMR during your time at the helm?

I think the biggest changes at CBMR have been driven by our team here and the community. My role has been, and will continue to be, one that supports everyone involved. We have a great team at the resort, and they have accomplished so many amazing things in what has not always been an easy playing field.

Seeing the improvements and results they have accomplished coming off of being denied due process with Snodgrass and the worst economy our country has seen since the Great Depression is what makes me the most proud. A lot of people at the resort made that happen with a level of hard work and trust that is nothing shy of amazing in my eyes. I’m happy I am able to be a part of that.

What do you see as the most important strategies or directions for CBMR in coming years?

As mentioned above, I think it will be extremely important that we continue to work closely with the valley on developing trust and common goals. If this continues then everything else will fall into place, no matter what the issue is (affordable housing, air service, wages, open space, land management, etc.). None of us can solve these problems or reach these goals on our own, but together we can.

You’ve been raising your family here in addition to all you do at CBMR. Any reflections on what it has been like to live here/things you’ll miss?

When I moved here I was 26 years old with a small truckful of gear, and I was so excited to embark on everything this valley had to offer (working at a western resort, backcountry skiing, hunting, fishing, biking, etc.). This valley did not disappoint, and I have so many amazing memories because of it.

Now I’m moving away at 38 years old with a MUCH bigger truck (a.k.a., tractor trailer) full of gear, and a home that is largely defined by my wife, Katie, Anika (8), Tobin (6), Hazel (1), and our dog, Maylin.

Everything I’m leaving with was in part because of living here. I met Katie here, and we had all three of our kids here. This valley will always be a big part of our family’s life, and you can expect to see us all as much as we possibly can.

Looking back, it has all been amazing, but also quite the evolution. When I moved here I was focused on what I could do in this valley, but I’m leaving realizing that there is so much more to this special place. The friends, the culture, and spirit of this valley are truly unique.

Thorough sketch plan impressive to Planning Commission

By Mark Reaman

A Gunnison County Planning Commission public hearing about the Cypress Foothills Slate River development proposal will be held this summer at the Crested Butte Town Hall. The proposal is in the sketch plan phase of the Gunnison County review process and is part of an unusual “hybrid” development proposal that coordinates county approval of 30 acres and an annexation of 14 acres to the town of Crested Butte.

Cypress wants to develop the 44 acres just north of Crested Butte across from the Gas Café. The proposal calls for 23 home sites on the east side of the Slate River that would stay in the county.

The 14 acres west of the river would be annexed into Crested Butte and be used primarily for public purposes including a possible school site, parks, affordable housing, a potential site for a new fire hall and eventually even a possible recreation center.

Approximately 11 of the acres would be conveyed to the town. There would be six private home sites on the west. All the lots would be connected to the Crested Butte wastewater treatment system. There would be public access to the Slate River and a river trail.

The developers came before the county Planning Commission on Friday, May 20 in Crested Butte for the first of many meetings with the regulators.

Cypress attorney Marcus Lock gave a history of the project, saying that the developers have been working on it for about two years. While the original idea was to try to annex the entire property to the town, Lock said negotiations broke down and that idea was scrapped. When the developers went to the county for development approval, they were told to go back and try to work out a deal with the town for sewer services. Crediting the fall election and town planner Michael Yerman, Lock said the talks last fall “turned into a very productive process. This is a cooperative approach for a project with the county and the town,” he said.

“There is an integration between the county and the town processes so we really want you to think about it as a whole,” Lock told the planning commissioners. “A lot of the public benefits are on the west side of the river so don’t look at the east side in a vacuum.”

Cypress vice president Cameron Aderhold said the intent of the proposal is for the development to blend into the community. “Our approach has been to enhance the community and keep impacts to a minimum. We want a first-class development,” he said. “We see this as a transitional property with the west side following the grid of the town and the east side design being more contoured to fit in with the land. There are a lot of potential community benefits and there would finally be a resolution to the dump.”

Part of the property was used as the old community landfill. The developers have said they will clean up some of the dump on the west side of the river if the development is approved. Other sections of the dump would be “capped.”

County planning commissioner Tom Venard wanted to make sure that if and when the old landfill is disturbed, the public would be protected from any potential hazards that are currently buried on the property.

The developers have had environmental clean-up expert Paul Casey of Casey Resources look at the dump situation and it appears there has been no impact to the ground water and there is very little hazardous material involved.

“The cleanup is an issue of great concern to the Town Council and people of town,” Lock said. “Our studies indicate the stuff in there is relatively benign. We want to be careful about it and do it right but we want to get it done. We want this to be a vibrant part of Crested Butte.”

In conjunction with the pre-annexation agreement that has been signed with the town, Lock said the developers have agreed to larger setbacks from the wetlands that are required by the county. He said the developers have also agreed to limit the size of the homes on the property to 5,000 square feet for the main house and 750 square feet for accessory dwellings.

The developers have met with local Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials and understand that there are elk that use the area, in part for migration. He said the developers will put in fencing height restrictions, along with rules for leashing pets and requiring bear-proof trashcans.

“The elk use this area and migrate through there,” Lock said. “The Parks and Wildlife officials don’t know what the elk will do after the development. But we all agree that education is very important. Cypress intends to work with CPW officials to make educational resources available to lot purchasers.”

Lock said the Crested Butte Fire Protection District would ideally like two access points into the future subdivision. One would be off Gothic Road and they hope to put in another through Eighth Street in town. Part of the landfill could sit beneath the area that includes Eighth Street so discussions need to be conducted about how to best handle that part of the landfill.

Water would be supplied through augmentation and underground storage tanks. The developers will conduct a thorough traffic study that looks at future potential traffic on Gothic Road and increases caused by not just the development, but other factors that could put more vehicles on the road.

“I appreciate the thorough sketch plan application,” Gunnison County Community Development assistant director Neal Starkebaum told the commission. “I wish they all were this thorough. It should cut down on the time frame for the review.”

Starkebaum said, “in the interest of good planning,” he has requested the developers have a conversation with the developers of the proposed Foxtrot subdivision just north of the Cypress property to talk about potential easements for a wastewater pipe connection.

Lock said as part of the pre-annexation agreement with the town, there is a clause asking them to do that as well, “so it has been contemplated.”

A 30-day public notice is required for a public hearing about the sketch plan so the Planning Commission has tentatively scheduled a site visit and public hearing for Friday, July 15.

More than a few years ago when I started my first job in a news department at a small TV station, some of the poorly paid reporters were expected to drive their personal vehicles to cover stories. There were only a few station cars and so I would sometimes hop in my car and zip off to a fire or a meeting.

After about a year I took my concerns for what I thought was an unfair practice to my boss. He didn’t have much sympathy. I talked to a few other reporters and photographers and suggested a “strike” or “unionization” if the situation wasn’t changed. They agreed to support the idea and I met with union organizers. I went back to my boss and again explained the situation and informed him there was support amongst the troops. He went to his boss and the situation was changed.

Point being, I am not unfamiliar with worker action when warranted.

Now, I’m not the smartest guy in the valley but it still irks me when foolishness starts to show up in a smart community. Foolish oozed all over social media (Facebook) last weekend when there was a call for a “Local Worker’s Strike” on the busiest weekend of the year against local business. According to the new FB page it is hoped that a strike from Friday, July 1 through Monday, July 4 will result in:

“1) Regulations for AirBnB and VRBO which would limit these rentals to the property owners primary residence only which may then be offered as a short term rental for a maximum of 60 days per year. 

2) A livable minimum wage of $20 per hour for all workers in Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte and Crested Butte South.

3) The creation of 500 affordable housing units (condos, duplexes and single family homes) in the next three years funded and subsidized by a 3 percent “Gaper tax” on all hotels, short term rentals, van shuttles and restaurants.”

The primary organizer, David Gottorff, said he and a couple of other people were discussing the idea casually and came up with the strike idea. In other words, it was basically a bar conversation that goes on every day in the valley. So unless there was obvious overwhelming support (and the opposite appears true), it doesn’t seem worthy of, say, a front-page news story. But Gottorff has great skill in agitating and using the tool of social media to tweak people. It has served him well in his role as president of the Lake Irwin Coalition. He is an agitator and he is good at it.

This latest idea has struck some nerves and amplified an ongoing conversation. But David has no skin in the game in the sense that he is not an employee of a local business willing to take the risky step of leaving his boss in the weeds, nor does he own a business here with employees that would put him up the creek. So I think it is worth an opinion page piece.

The affordable housing and income disparity issues are real. The frustration is legitimate. I am a believer that in a resort environment like Crested Butte, government subsidy for affordable housing is appropriate. To keep a town like Crested Butte vibrant you need locals living there year-round. Given market prices, it takes support and—absent a magic wand to solve all the problems—there is actually widespread backing and action toward addressing the problem in the Gunnison Valley.

So this strike idea seems to me silly. It would have been like me at the TV station going to the viewers and threatening to take a sledgehammer to their televisions if I didn’t get what I wanted. That would show ‘em. Huh?

Gottorff can see a problem (Scarp Ridge/Irwin/Eleven, affordable housing, income disparity) and push the buttons to get people riled up. He is not wrong in some of his concerns—but he is not right in his methods.

Frankly, this call for a “strike” has managed to take an issue that has almost universal support in the valley—taking action to increase affordable housing for workers—and driven a wedge between people who agree with one another. Gottorff’s call to employees disrespects the overall community. Local business owners want their workers to live near their jobs. It makes for happier employees and better business.

By attacking local business to make a known point, the idea kicks them in the nuts. I’ve owned businesses in Crested Butte and believe me, the dollars that fill the bank account on July 4 are not used for yachts and gold-plated toilet seats—they are used to pay the rent, the heating bills and the wages in October.

Heck, maybe local workers should picket the sewer plant. It makes about as much sense. But at least then you might still have a job on July 5.

Look—I understand solutions aren’t keeping up with the demand right now. But there is no magic answer. If there is—give me one. Instead there is community direction and that direction is being taken. It is apparently easier to scream “strike” than do a little research so here are some facts:

The town of Crested Butte more than any other regional entity has worked to address the affordable housing issue for decades (see the 20 Years Ago Today column this week). Heck, when I was on council in the early 1990s, we put in a “trailer park” at the entrance to town despite some vehement resistance. Red Lady Estates continues to house a good core of the community.

—As for workforce housing on the ground, there are currently 210 deed-restricted housing units in Crested Butte. Within the next eight years, there will be more than 300 units with deed restrictions and that will amount to 25 percent of the town housing. That is real.

—There is a Crested Butte citizen’s group meeting right now to try to figure out the best way to regulate short-term RBOs (rental by owners). Recommendations should come before council this summer. I’ll speculate there will be some time restrictions and higher fees suggested.

—The possible “hybrid” development north of Crested Butte being overseen by the town and county could result in an acre of land being set aside by developers (Cypress Foothills) for affordable housing.

—The $6.5 million Anthracite Place sits at the entrance to Crested Butte and will provide 30 apartments for local workers. It will open this summer. So far, 47 people have put in applications.

—On the county side, it too contributed to Anthracite Place. County and OVPP reps have started discussions about how to pay for more affordable housing. That could mean putting a ballot issue before voters for a tax on short-term rentals that would raise money for more workforce housing. They have broached the idea to use Western State Colorado University housing over the summer.

—In Mt. Crested Butte, seven deed-restricted units are coming online this summer at the Timbers project. A duplex is under construction in the Homestead subdivision by the Community Rebuilds group. There is a triplex designed for Homestead that could potentially be built if the town could pre-sell them but staff has not yet discussed this with the council. There are approximately 75 deed-restricted units in Mt. Crested Butte.

—The Crested Butte-Mt. Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce will be holding a meeting with local business people to get their perspective on the housing crunch. That will take place June 8 at 8:30 a.m. at the Crested Butte Town Hall.

So as I said before, there is legitimate frustration and these are real issues. A strike would only poison tangible efforts and cost some people their jobs. This is a community of smart people. Smart people don’t do stupid things (often). Closing your eyes and clicking your heels three times would have as much impact on the issue as a strike against local business.

It may not be obvious to Gottorff and his few followers, but a solution won’t magically come by not working. It will come by rolling up your sleeves and actually adding to the good work already taking place.

—Mark Reaman

Streets, housing, Big Mine, tennis courts, mine transition and overall stuff

by Mark Reaman

Summer is busy, not just with tourism but also with local improvements. The town of Crested Butte has a full roster slated for this summer.

Probably the biggest project will begin after the busiest part of the summer season, when construction will shut down Big Mine Park at the end of August and into September. The town will upgrade the utilities on the site and that means a lot of digging.

“We are in the initial stages of design and the exact location of the construction is yet to be determined,” explained Crested Butte Parks and Recreation director Janna Hansen. “There will be a lot of trenches dug and new pipe laid, but when it’s all said and done, Big Mine Park will look pretty much the same as it does now. This work is the first step in bringing recommendations from the Big Mine Park Master Plan into fruition. Utility upgrades are phase I of the plan with phase II including an expansion of the warming house and the construction of changing rooms and bathrooms for the ice arena.”

Other projects in the Parks and Recreation realm include constructing a bike jump park out by the gravel pit. That will take until July. There are plans to upgrade the bathroom facilities at Pitsker Field, resurface the tennis courts at the Four-way Stop, do some new landscaping around the Depot and the tennis courts, and build some new trail kiosks at the recreation path and bike park.

The first project you might notice around the tennis courts is construction of a retaining wall that started this week. Sidewalk construction by the courts will begin next week. The courts themselves will be resurfaced due to bubbling and delamination of the existing material. That is a two-week project that has to happen when the nights are warm. So expect it to happen in late June or early July.

Public Works director Rodney Due has a pretty full plate this summer as well. A paving project at the tennis court parking area is slated to be complete before June 17. “But of course that is weather-dependent, like almost everything,” Due said.

Town streets will be crack-sealed, patched and slurry-sealed throughout the summer. “We hope to finish up Butte Avenue and get Block 79 and 80 prepared for affordable housing projects by July 1,” said Due. “I am also hoping to get the new RV dump station on-line by mid-June.”

Town planner Michael Yerman is also deeply involved with the affordable housing blocks. Yerman said the town will offer home ownership classes in June. The lottery to choose the people who can purchase the open affordable lots will be held the second week in June. The Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority (GVRHA) is assisting with this process and qualifying applicants. Applicants must be pre-approved for construction loans for this year’s lottery.

Speaking of affordable housing, “Anthracite Place, the 30-unit building at the entrance of town is currently under construction and is slated to be completed by July 1,”^” said Yerman. “The town will need to invite elected officials at all levels, including federal, state, and local representatives [to the ribbon cutting]. The town should work with GVRHA to make sure it is well attended and the project full.

“And when it comes to short-term rentals, or RBOs [Rental by Owner], there is a working group to develop regulations and discuss issues surrounding RBOs,” Yerman continued. “The Planning Department has begun the initial investigation on the legal framework to provide funds for affordable housing. This discussion is ongoing at the regional level with the county and GVRHA. There have already been quite a few locals in my office who have lost their rentals. This will be a major issue again June 1 and the community will put pressure on the town to act. So we will have to be prepared for when the council decides to throw out ideas once they feel the pressure.”

As the economy picks up, so does the idea of development, so Yerman and the town are involved with that planning. A pre-annexation agreement has been executed with Cypress, the development group working toward a “hybrid” annexation and development just north of the town boundaries. Cypress is submitting a major impact application to the county. The planning department will continue to monitor and attend meetings on the application throughout the submittal.

Foxtrot, a four-lot subdivision north of Crested Butte, has a minor impact application under county review. Yerman said a wastewater connection agreement needs to be executed with the developer and town.

The Center for the Arts has submitted an expansion proposal in Town Park to the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR). This will remain a town-owned building. The town will conduct park-planning meetings from July to September. A Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) grant is due in November.

A traffic study will be conducted this summer for a possible campground at Avalanche Park, south of town by the county shops. Designs will need to be refined and a budget will need to be prepared by this fall.

And of course there are the backcountry issues that pop up in the summer. The town has been engaged with Freeport-McMoRan, new owner of the mine site west of town on Mt. Emmons, on the mine and water plant. As the project has progressed, the Planning Department has become involved in the property acquisition associated with the deal.

Initial conversations have begun with the BLM and Crested Butte Land Trust on the planning for the Oh Be Joyful Campground parcel on the Slate River. The town has been requested to participate in a possible GOCO grant for the project. And the town is continuing to construct a trail up Baxter Gulch in July. This requires time to manage work crews in July.

So while summer is a time to get out and enjoy the perfect mountain weather and cultural activities, it is also a time to get stuff done and that’s what the town of Crested Butte is planning to do before the next big snow flies.

Proposal includes Crested Butte annexation

by Mark Reaman

Cypress Foothills LP has officially submitted a sketch plan application with Gunnison County to develop the 44 acres just north of Crested Butte.

The major impact review process of the county Land Use Resolution (LUR) will be used for the proposed residential Slate River development. Ultimately, the hope is to coordinate with the town of Crested Butte for a “hybrid” development plan that utilizes the overall property for civic and private uses between a Crested Butte annexation of 14 acres and private home sites that would remain located in the county jurisdiction on 30 acres.

Essentially the developers are asking for 23 residential home sites on the 30-acre parcel east of the Slate River that would be in the county. All of the homes built would tie into Crested Butte’s sewer system. On the 14 acres west of the river, the developers have a pre-annexation agreement with the town that would include some free market home sites, land for affordable housing, open space, park land and land for potential civic uses such as an emergency services center or school facility.

“Cypress hopes it will be an exemplary demonstration of cooperation and coordination between Cypress, the County and the Town,” the sketch plan application states.

The application also makes clear that “Cypress and the Town have been careful to acknowledge and preserve the County’s exclusive jurisdiction over the Project.”

Gunnison County community development director Russ Forrest said the process is not a quick one and will take at least 12 to 18 months. “Right now we are sending the application out to referral agencies including the town of Crested Butte and Crested Butte Fire Protection District,” he said. “We do not have dates yet for work sessions or a hearing. This will be a major impact review that includes sketch plan, preliminary plan and final plan phases. All need approval and all those steps will include opportunity for the public to comment on the proposal.”

Cypress plans to clean up some of the old landfill property on the west side of the property if the development is ultimately approved.

Under the proposal, water to the project would be supplied by wells located on or in close proximity to the property. In the event the wells cause depletions to the Slate River upstream of its confluence with Washington Gulch, Cypress’s plan for augmentation will include a small off-channel augmentation pond located on or in close proximity to the property.

Trails and river access

In the event the project is approved, Cypress has agreed to construct a public river trail along the west bank of the Slate River through the west parcel in order to provide potential connectivity to the existing Rec Path south and east of the property.

According to the proposal, Cypress also will allow public boating on the Slate River through the property and provide public boating access to the Slate River from its west bank, immediately south of the “Road A” bridge.

In conjunction with the construction of the river trail, Cypress will move the Crested Butte sewer outfall to facilitate boating along this stretch of the Slate River and construct fencing between the river trail and the town’s public works yard.

In addition, Cypress’s proposal contemplates a private river park for the benefit of the residential lot owners on the east parcel. The bridge across the Slate River is anticipated to be approximately 10 to 12 feet above high water levels to avoid interference with boaters using this stretch of the Slate River.

Cypress has agreed that the traffic study it prepares pursuant to the county LUR will include the proposed uses on both the east parcel and the west parcel. The traffic study will not just include the impacts of the proposed development itself but will also evaluate the Gothic Road intersection with increased background traffic on Gothic Road from general growth projections at the upper end of the valley.

As for the herd of elk that sometimes occupies that area, the proposal acknowledges there is some elk impact. “Like the Town of Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte, the Buckhorn Ranch subdivision, the Skyland subdivision, and the Crested Butte South subdivision, the Property is located within the winter range of elk, and elk have been observed on the Property. However, there are no mapped elk migrations corridors on or through the Property,” the application states.

If all goes as proposed, “Cypress is proposing to cleanup portions of the old Town landfill for the benefit of the Town, its residents, and nearby residents of the County,” the application states. “Once the cleanup has been completed and approved by CDHPE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment), Cypress will convey this land to the Town of Crested Butte to be used for various public purposes. The Town Agreement also gives the Town the option of further cleaning up Town Parcel 4 in the future so that it can be used for additional public purposes such as a recreation center.”

The county review process will take at least a year and if approved, the town would begin an annexation process for the lower 14 acres.

by Mark Reaman

EPA to let town hear about its emergency response plan

Town public works director Rodney Due said the Environmental Protection Agency plans to give the council a presentation in May about its emergency response plan as it relates to its work on the old Standard Mine this summer. The 30-minute presentation will be scheduled for the May 16 council meeting.

Yerman stuff: BLM presentation / roundabout / affordable lots

Town planner Michael Yerman said the Bureau of Land Management will update the Town Council on summer backcountry issues from the BLM perspective on May 2 at 6 p.m. They will talk about insights and future efforts geared toward the Oh Be Joyful campground.

Yerman said he is sort of on the roundabout road show circuit. He has made presentations to the school and plans to update the county commissioners and Mt. Crested Butte Town Council about the idea. He wants to get on the Colorado Department of Transportation grant list. And he said the town will be listing six to eight affordable lots in blocks 79 and 80 starting next week; they will be posted on the town website. Sales of those lots should help replenish the affordable housing fund in the town budget.

It is off-season. And while not at all good for general business, it is a great few weeks in the village for mental health. The pace is slow, the conversations longer and the hand waves more plentiful. Sort of like the new electric vehicle charging station at the Four-way, spring is a time for all of us to recharge and reboot.

For those who didn’t leave the upper valley when the ski resort shut down the lifts, most of us pray for sunshine and not much more snow. We’ve been somewhat lucky thus far but the forecast doesn’t look promising for the coming weekend—unless you like backcountry powder. And having hit Red Lady on a corn search last week, there is something to be said for spring skiing. And spring biking. And spring in general.

This week in particular has been really quiet. The Crested Butte Community School spring break corresponds with the week after the ski area closes so ski bums and families alike head out of town. I would guess 99 percent head south. Smart people. Looking at social media, it appears this year that Mexico, Costa Rica and Sedona are favorites. When the weather turns a bit chilly at 9,000 feet and Hartman’s looks wet, the Crested Butte stragglers vacation vicariously beneath the palm fronds of the beaches and along the red dirt trails of the Southwest that show up on the computer screens.

Resort residents understand the rhythm of how to spend the immediate days after the ski season closes. Filling in the weird winter tan lines, embracing some heat (anything above 50 degrees), and relishing the water that started as snow in the front yard but is now a spring desert creek or a wave in the ocean. Life on social media, as can be expected, is almost always good.

Until it isn’t.

There is the social media opportunity for outcry along with the Instagrams of blue skies and smiling kids. There are Facebook pages like “Crested Butte Housing Crisis” that seem to get a new post every couple of hours these days. People desperately ISO a place to live this summer since their current place is being sold. There are people offering rooms for rent at twice the rate of a few years ago or places in Almont for $800/month. It’s the same with the “Crested Butte Rentals and Roommates” page. There is a ton of people looking for a summer roof over their head. There are folks wanting to move here from the city looking for the relaxing mountain town vibe and willing to pay bank. They must be coming with money instead of counting on a job to pay the bills. I saw one post from someone ISO a roommate in Crested Butte South for the month of April. Good luck.

As an aside, it is rough out there right now but the town of Crested Butte has a few deadlines coming up dealing with potential affordable housing. Take a look at the story on page 1 of this week’s paper.

Then there’s the Gunnison Marketplace. That’s where a single mother might be selling her platypus to buy medicine for the cat. You can pick up a wonderful VHS collection for $5, some “Vail Sucks” stickers for $4 or see pictures of a tick on a person’s ear. Really. Love that always interesting site.

Should we even go into Crested Butte Bitch and Moan? There you can read about Christmas lights that never come down, cows on the public land, fat bikes, guns and weed.

Anyway, while a few minutes a day checking in on social media is addictive, it might be better to get outside as the snow recedes, the sun shines and people slow down. That way you can communicate directly with your neighbors and friends instead of just putting a Smiley Face emoticon under their picture of a burrito and margarita. An afternoon bench session on Elk or sitting outside on a deck with a beer is pretty smiley in itself in April and May. It is sort of the human equivalent of the electric car recharging station. Plus it is actually “social” and not just social media.

Happy off-season, everyone.

—Mark Reaman

New finance committee allows outgoing councilmembers to stay involved 

By Alissa Johnson

A new group took the helm of the Mt. Crested Butte Town Council last week, including two new councilmembers and a new mayor. Two familiar faces will remain active in new roles: a town finance committee is being established to help guide budgeting and the five-year plan, and will include citizens at-large.

At the April 5 Town Council meeting, town clerk Jill Lindros swore in four councilmembers: incoming council members Bill Thompson and Janet Farmer, as well as councilmembers Ken Lodovico and Nicholas Kempin, who both filled vacated seats last year. Farmer then nominated Todd Barnes for mayor and Barnes nominated David O’Reilly as mayor pro tem. Both were voted in unanimously.

“For me it is an honor to be chosen to lead,” Barnes told the News. “Momma always said, ‘with privilege comes responsibility.’ I would like to promote our town, valley and resort as an incredible destination. Fiscal responsibility is key to me as well as entertaining continued efforts in the affordable housing domain/dilemma. It has always been important to me personally to work where you live and vice versa.”

As part of the evening’s agenda, Barnes recognized outgoing councilmember Gary Keiser for his service. Keiser completed eight years as councilmember and two years as mayor pro tem.

“See you in two years,” Barnes joked.

The council will recognize outgoing mayor David Clayton at a later date, since he had to leave the meeting early for a family emergency.

Also on the agenda, the council appointed members to various Gunnison Valley boards and organizations. Among the appointments, Barnes will stay on the chamber of commerce board of directors and will join the Colorado Association of Ski Towns, Club 20 and the Gunnison Valley Regional Housing Authority.

O’Reilly will continue to represent the town at Region 10, a regional league for economic assistance and planning, and the Crested Butte Center for the Arts.

Councilmember Danny D’Aquila will continue to represent the council on the Mountain Express board of directors and the Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA). He will be joined by Lodovico at Mountain Express and Farmer on the RTA.

Farmer also enthusiastically volunteered to attend Downtown Development Authority meetings, indicating that her interest in the DDA in part led to her running for council. In general, she brings a lot of excitement to her new position.

“I have loved Mt. Crested Butte since I first came here in 1973. That love, combined with my personal value of giving back to my community, inspired me to run. I came into office with an open mind, eager to learn. I want to contribute to the best of my ability,” she told the News.

Lastly, Lodovico expressed interest in the newly created finance committee, given his experience running a small business.

Town finance director Karl Trujillo explained, “This is a committee we haven’t really had. We just had audit committees. The finance committee is going to help with the five-year plan, budget, and the audit so we would need at least one councilmember and two citizens.”

Three citizens had volunteered, including outgoing mayor Clayton and outgoing mayor pro tem Keiser, who both have extensive knowledge of and experience with town finances. The third, Robert Fox, is a relatively new town resident with 25 years of experience in the finance industry in New York and Toronto.

“Is there room for three citizen members or is this something you want to keep smaller and limited?” Kempin wanted to know.

“I don’t think it would hurt to have three,” Trujillo said.

“He seems very qualified, so if there’s room for him, why not?” Kempin said.

“Any member of the community who is new and wants to get involved is perfect,” Barnes said.

The council appointed all three members to the committee.

Newly appointed councilmembers will serve four-year terms, and the mayor’s position is a two-year term.