Summer Options for the Summit Safe Parking Program
Unsheltered in Summit developed “The Summit Safe Parking Program” in 2019 to provide a designated, secure location in parking lots for members of the local workforce to sleep in their vehicles. For the 2022-2023 winter season, Unsheltered requested usage of the Marina Trailhead parking lot. Town Council approved Emergency Ordinance 22-12 in October 2022 amending Chapter 180 of the Code of Ordinances to accommodate this residential use of parking lots. During that same meeting, Town Council also approved a Revocable License Agreement with Unsheltered for use of the Marina Trailhead parking lot for the Safe Parking Program.
For the 2022-2023 winter season, the Safe Parking Program utilized a total of 25 spaces in the Marina Trailhead parking lot. The program provided sanitation (port-a-lets) and trash collection for its members to maintain a clean and sanitary site, and this winter the site was used as intended with an overwhelmingly safe and positive experience. Before being able to utilize this program, individuals are required to fill out a questionnaire, including place of employment and a personal history; employment is required to participate. During the summer months, the Marina Trailhead parking lot is utilized for other uses, making the space unavailable for the Safe Parking Program.
Town Council directed staff to find other options for this program to operate during the summer months, and subsequently, Town staff recommended using of a portion of the 602 Galena parking lot, which is where the Colorado Workforce Center is located. This lot would only be available at night due to business needs at the Workforce Center and not for 24-hour residential parking, as it had been at the Marina Trailhead parking lot. Council directed staff to come to the May 9 meeting with an agreement for use of the 602 Galena parking lot for the Safe Parking Program.
Process for Asking for Water Service Outside of Frisco Town Boundaries
In the past, homeowners living near, but outside of, the Town of Frisco jurisdictional boundaries have requested connections to the Town of Frisco’s water system. Staff anticipate that these requests will continue to be made and may even increase, and therefore, a more robust and clear process for water requests and decisions is needed.
Chapter 171 of the Town Code is ambiguous when it comes to these requests. The code, as it currently stands, has no application process for out-of-town boundary water requests. During the February 14, 2023 Town Council meeting, Council requested that staff work with Frisco’s town attorney, water attorney, and water rights engineer to design a process that protects the Town’s water rights, ensures that there will be a sufficient supply of water for the community’s needs, and creates a process for out-of-town water requests.
This proposed ordinance would create a process for property owners to formally apply to the Town for water connections outside of Town boundaries and give staff and Council criteria to either approve or deny such requests and set requirements for service. Here are some highlights of what this amendment does:
- Creates an application and process to evaluate requests
- Creates an application fee structure
- Defines the amount and seniority of wet water that an applicant would need to bring to the Town
- Creates a cash in lieu of water right dedication process where equitable and reasonable, and sufficient fees will be determined by the newly created water planning and fee evaluation tool
- Sets certain parameters that must be met for approval of any application (i.e. well abandonment, connection to sanitation sewer system, etc…)
- Creates several other administrative requirements for Council to consider when evaluating any application
- Removes the provisions of charging one and a half times the current in town tap fee and two times the quarterly water use fees (water bill)
Town Council voted to approve on first reading this Ordinance Amending Chapter 171 Of The Code Of Ordinances to create a process for water requests outside of the Town of Frisco boundaries.
Establishing a Town of Frisco Housing Authority
For the past few months, Town of Frisco staff have been considering multiple affordable rental housing projects, some of those include an application for low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC). To be eligible for a LIHTC project, it was necessary to form a limited liability limited partnership between a general partner and a limited partner. Traditionally, it is best to have a partner, which is an established municipal housing authority, in order to be able to establish statutorily allowed property tax and sales tax exemptions for the project.
Town of Frisco staff believes that it is most prudent to establish its own Housing Authority, rather than utilizing the existing Summit Combined Housing Authority, which would require several additional side agreements. In addition, the Town will potentially be pursuing other housing projects in the future where this new housing authority could be utilized. Town Council provided direction to staff to go forward with the process to establish a Housing Authority.
Median and Roundabout Landscaping and Finishes on Highway 9/Summit Boulevard
Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) completed the Hwy 9 “Gap Project” in 2021, and consequently, the Town of Frisco will be completing the median and roundabout landscaping this summer, which is the Town’s responsibility. Over the past year, Town staff has been working with Norris Design, CDOT, and Turnkey Consultants (traffic engineer) to create a welcoming median and roundabout design, while ensuring sustainability and driver safety. The design, which uses a mix of decorative concrete, a Frisco welcome sign, and landscaping while using plantings that require minimal watering and maintenance, was presented to Town Council during the summer of 2022. Town Council’s and CDOT’s feedback was subsequently incorporated into the final design.
This project is anticipated to begin after July 4 and be completed by October 31, 2023. Work is scheduled for Monday-Thursday from 7:00am-7:00pm and Fridays from 7:00am-12:00pm with no work anticipated for weekends and holidays. Only the left lanes will be closed during median and roundabout work.
On March 22, 2023, the Town released a request for proposals for this project and received only one proposal from Columbine Hills Construction, LLC. The original bid was for $2,660,293.00. The 2023 Town Budget has $2.3 million allocated for this project and asked for a revised bid. The revised bid price is $2,277,293.00, and the contract was approved by Town Council through resolution.
Frisco Town Council Meetings: Ways to Participate
Frisco Town Council meetings are available to view via Zoom and YouTube, and are also held in person to make Town Council meetings easier to access for everyone.
The public can provide comment during meetings via Zoom or in person (not YouTube), and a public comment period will be available at 7:00pm; during the consideration of ordinances; and at the discretion of Town Council during work session items, which are discussions that don’t require a formal vote by Town Council and do not require public comment.
Again, this hybrid approach is intended to make Town Council meetings more accessible, and meeting recordings will typically also be made available the day after a meeting in the meeting archive with agenda topics bookmarked to the discussions in the video.