Colorado Department of Transportation Exit 203 Update
In 2019, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) studied I-70 exit 203 and an eastbound auxiliary lane, by modeling traffic through the year 2045. CDOT determined that by 2045, the infrastructure at this exit would rate poorly (level F). CDOT then explored five interchange designs for the exit and the Lusher/Dillon Dam Road intersection. Subsequently, CDOT presented their findings to Frisco Town Council in May 2020 and then secured funding for the eastbound I-70 auxiliary lane, which was completed in fall 2023. Following the completion of the auxiliary lanes, CDOT secured funding for the entirety of the Exit 203 interchange improvements.
In 2024 and 2025, CDOT engineers finalized the design of Exit 203 (watch the video simulation of the design), began with the right-of-way acquisition process, and identified the utilities that needed to be relocated for the final design. Utility relocations continued into 2025 with the relocation of a major Xcel gas line, which was required to ensure that the planned underpass could be installed without major impacts to the future construction schedule.
Construction on Exit 203 is scheduled to begin in April 2026 and continue for two construction seasons with anticipated project completion by winter 2027; each construction season is anticipated to run from April 15 to October 31 each year. The first construction season will focus on the I-70 bridge foundation, underpass structure, and retaining walls. The second construction season will complete the I-70 bridge, frontage road, roundabouts at Meadow Drive and Dillon Dam Road, improvements at the westbound ramp terminal (transitioning from a roundabout to a signal), and the intersection at southbound Highway 9/Lusher Court/Dillon Dam Road. An overview of the project can be found in the slide deck.
Council Discussion
Council had questions about the impact on Ten Mile Drive, and CDOT staff felt like the impact will be significant during construction but should resolve once the project is complete and the efficiencies created by the project have been implemented. Council also wondered when the most significant construction impact will be felt, and CDOT staff answered that the second phase, and specifically transitioning from a roundabout to a signal at westbound exit 203, will likely have the most substantial impacts.
CDOT staff also addressed how they plan to mitigate and discourage truck traffic from accessing Frisco via Exit 201. They also addressed questions about why the Exit 203 roundabout is being replaced by a traffic signal and how the traffic engineers determined that the current roundabout was backing up traffic onto I70. Council also addressed traffic light timing, and CDOT staff explained that all of the traffic signals will be connected with fiber optics and will be timed based on traffic flow, time of day and week, and practical experience.
Water Rate Study Discussion
Background
In May 2025, the Town of Frisco contracted Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc. to complete a comprehensive Water Rate and Connection Fee Study. The last full water study for the Town of Frisco was adopted in 2019 and established new rates and a tiered structure through October 2024, which increased water rates by 5% annually. To bridge the gap from October 2024 until the new study was completed, water rates continued to increase 5% per year.
Current Conditions
- 34 miles of water mains – roughly the distance between Frisco and Avon
- 4,700 water customers: 2,155 active water accounts holding 4,668 EQR’s
- 350 fire hydrants
- Three (3) storage tanks
- $30 million estimated replacement value of water infrastructure (excluding water rights)
- One (1) million gallons per day (MGD) delivered from three (3) wells and a surface water treatment plant – enough to fill 2.5 football fields, one foot deep, daily
- Water utility owns and maintains all water mains, hydrants and main line valves
- Water customers own and maintain all service lines and curbstop valves from the tap at the water main to the interior of the building
Frisco’s Current Water Rate Structure
Customers pay a quarterly base rate of $57.43 per Equivalent Residential Unit (EQR) plus tiered usage charges designed to promote conservation:
Tier Water Use (per EQR) Rate per 1,000 Gallons
- Tier 1 1–8,000 gallons $1.44
- Tier 2 8,001–16,000 gallons $2.86
- Tier 3 16,001–50,000 gallons $5.10
- Tier 4 Over 50,000 gallons $6.38
Future Water Projects
The 10-year maintenance and improvement plan for the Frisco water system includes $29,916,429 in anticipated improvement and maintenance needs. This includes well and water tank maintenance and rehab, hydrant replacements, water main replacements, a new well, new treatment equipment, and general water division equipment needs, such as vehicles.
Rate Structure Alternatives
Raftelis presented the two primary rate structure scenarios to align revenue recovery with cost-of-service findings while maintaining the Town’s emphasis on conservation and fairness. These scenarios assume residential and commercial/mixed- use remain as the same customer class.
- Option 1: Status Quo with 8.5% Adjustment:
- Maintains existing tier structure and proportionality between service and volume charges.
- Applies an across-the-board 8.5% rate increase to meet financial plan targets.
- Option 2: Proposed Cost-of-Service (COS) Alternative:
- Adjusts rate components to better align with system cost drivers.
- Service Charge: Continues to recover customer and administrative costs, remains consistent with today’s base rate.
- Volume Rates:
- Residential and commercial/mixed-use customers share the same four-tier structure.
- The Tier 3 threshold is reduced from 50,000 to 35,000 gallons to strengthen conservation incentives.
- The Tier 3 and Tier 4 pricing ratio is increased to further differentiate between moderate and high-water use – 50% increase vs current 25% increase between Tier 3 and Tier 4.
- Irrigation (only seven irrigation meters at this point) is billed under a uniform rate across all usage levels.
- Under the recommended cost-of-service alternative, the average residential customer (1 EQR) would experience a quarterly bill increase of approximately $5–$6, or about $1.70 per month. Larger commercial users likely have more than 1 EQR.
Council Discussion and Direction
- Does Town Council support proceeding with the Proposed Cost-of-Service aligned rate structure (Option 2), which maintains the current base service charge and relies on tiered volumetric usage charges to achieve the needed 8.5% revenue increase? Or does Council prefer Option 1, status quo with its 8.5% increase? Council agreed that staff should move forward with Option 2.
- Does Town Council support adjusting the Tier 3 threshold from 16,000–50,000 gallons to 16,000–35,000 gallons (shown in Option 2) to strengthen conservation incentives and ensure that higher-use customers pay their fair share? Council supported this adjustment in the Tier 3 threshold.
- Does Town Council support maintaining a single customer class for residential, commercial, and mixed-use customers and keeping rate increases the same for all customer classes? Council supported maintaining a single customer class.
During the January 27, 2026 Town Council meeting, staff and the consulting team will return for further discussion of the next decision points in the water rate study process.
Municipal Election Update
Frisco’s Municipal Elections are governed by the State Constitution, statute, Frisco’s Home Rule Charter, as well as the Town’s Municipal Code. Regular municipal elections are conducted in each even-numbered year on the first Tuesday in April. The next Regular Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
For the next Municipal Election, there are four Council seats up for election. These are the seats currently held by the following Councilmembers:
- Mayor Pro Tem Andy Held
- Councilmember Elizabeth Skrzypczak-Adrian
- Councilmember Robyn Goldstein
- Councilmember Zach Ryan
Seats currently held by Mayor Ihnken, Councilmember Allen, and Councilmember Kibbie are not up for election in 2026. There was a vacancy process completed earlier this year when then Mayor Pro Tem Aerenson and then Councilmember Holenko resigned. Councilmember Aerenson’s term was through April 2028, and Councilmember Holenko’s term was through April 2026. Town Council decided to move forward with appointments for each position, rather than a special election, and Frisco’s Town charter dictates that the successful candidate for each vacancy will serve until the next regular election in April 2026.
During the 2026 election the top three candidates receiving the most votes will serve four-year terms. The fourth-place candidate, who will be filling Mayor Pro Tem Aerenson’s former seat, will serve a two-year term. This is structured to ensure that the seats maintain their terms in accordance with Frisco’s Home Rule Charter, so that the community is never potentially electing an entirely new Council at the same time. Frisco elections are conducted as mail ballot elections with in person drop-offs or mail drop-off options to ensure ballots are cast, and the voice of the Frisco community is heard.
Running for Council
Community members residing within Frisco town limits for one year and who are 18 years of age are eligible to run for Town Council. Those who are interested in becoming a candidate for open Town Council seats are encouraged to attend the informational session hosted by the town clerks of Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Keystone, and Silverthorne on Thursday, December 11, 2025 at 5:00pm at Keystone Town Hall, 1628 Saints John Road in Keystone. Other key dates for candidates include:
- Frisco Candidate Petition Pickup and Circulation Start: Tuesday, January 6, 2026
- Petition Deadline: Monday, January 26, 2026
- Ballots Mailed: Monday, March 16, 2026
- Frisco Candidate Forum: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
- Election Day: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 by 7:00pm
Preconstruction Services for Well 7
Background
In the spring of 2020, the Town of Frisco opted to participate in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s voluntary water sampling program to identify the potential presence of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water throughout the state of Colorado. The results of that first round of sampling showed low levels of PFAS in Well 7 located at the Frisco Peninsula. As a result of these findings, staff engaged with water engineering firms to better understand the chemical concentrations and identify potential issues with water chemistry.
Subsequently, Well 7 was taken offline in 2022, which it remains, and staff began working with Plummer Associates to develop a remediation plan for PFAS removal in Well 7. The goal of the remediation plan was to find the best possible filter material to remove PFAS contaminants. Plummer conducted a pilot program that ran through 2024 and concluded that the best filter material for this well is granular activated carbon (GAC).
GAC offers a significant long-term advantage, as it can be expanded in the future to incorporate ion-exchange treatment if required by evolving EPA regulations. Additionally, GAC does not require hazardous material disposal, which reduces future maintenance costs and eliminates any long-term liability to the Town due to disposal.
Grant Funding and Selecting a Contractor
In June 2024, the Town applied to the State Revolving Fund (SRF) and successfully received an $8,200,000 loan with 100% principal forgiveness.
On October 7, 2025, the project officially went out to bid. There was a mandatory pre-bid/site-visit on October 16, 2025, which resulted in ten contractors attending, along with five subcontractors that ranged from electricians to filter media vendors. Proposals were due on November 13, 2025, and two proposals were received. GSE Construction and Hensel Phelps were the two contractors who submitted proposals for the project.
Council Discussion
Staff presented a project overview of the Well 7 PFAS treatment facility at the December 9, 2025 Town Council meeting. The treatment facility will be located adjacent to Well 7 at the Frisco Adventure Park to take advantage of the existing Well 7 infrastructure and pump. The facility is projected to be 1,651 square feet with two GAC vessels.
Staff sought Council’s approval for a contract with Hensel Phelps for preconstruction services of the Well 7 PFAS Treatment Facility. This contract is a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) agreement in the amount of $34,720. While this contract amount is not typically in front of Council for approval, staff feels it is important to review the agreement and project with Council, as Council will be asked at a future date to review and approve a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) amendment to this contract for construction services. Council approved this next step in the treatment of Well 7.
Graywater Opt-Out
In May 2024, Governor Jared Polis signed into law House Bill 24-1362, Measures to Incentivize Graywater Use. The legislation, effective January 1, 2026, authorizes the installation and use of graywater treatment systems in new construction projects, unless a county or municipality determines that the use of such systems is not authorized within its jurisdiction. Prior to this law, jurisdictions had to establish individual graywater programs under State Regulation 86, resulting in inconsistent and limited participation.
“Graywater” is defined as wastewater from showers, bathtubs, bathroom sinks, and laundry (excluding toilets, dishwashers, and utility sinks) that can be reused for purposes such as irrigation or toilet flushing. Under the legislation, local governments retain control through the option to opt out of the program by adopting an ordinance or resolution.
Adopting HB 24-1362 would require the Town to develop a formal graywater program, amend building and development codes, document system installations, track annual inspections, and ensure compliance with State and local plumbing standards. These responsibilities would increase staff workload and create ongoing administrative costs.
Although modest utility savings could occur from reduced pumping and chemical use, meaningful system-wide benefits would require large-scale adoption. Given anticipated low participation and the significant staff time needed for program administration, the cost-benefit ratio for Frisco appears unfavorable.
Council Decision
While HB 24-1362 advances the State’s water conservation goals, staff recommends that the Town of Frisco opt out of participation as outlined in Ordinance 25-24. Implementing and enforcing graywater system standards would place new administrative, technical, and inspection demands on limited staff resources. The program also presents potential public health and cross-connection risks requiring specialized oversight. Given Frisco’s size, staffing, and existing water utility structure, the anticipated local benefits do not justify the associated costs. Council emphasized that they would like staff to continue to consider future gray water projects and programs when resources allow.
Council adopted Ordinance 25-24 on the second reading.
Construction Permit & Excavation Fee Schedule
Currently the fees associated with construction permits and excavation fees are located within the Town Code. Ordinance 25-20 modifies the Town Code to remove such language and inserts a Town supplemental fee schedule. Having fees in a town wide fee schedule allows the Town Council to review and analyze fees on an annual basis. It is also how fees are handled in most jurisdictions. When such fees reside in code language, as Frisco’s do now, they are typically not changed until a request for a change of fee(s) is requested and requires two readings of an ordinance for any proposed modifications.
Council Decision
Council adopted Ordinance 25-20 on the second reading.
Honoring Employee Tenure and Service
Town Council honored two staff members for their years of exceptional service: Peggy Faessen for 25 years of service in the Finance Department and Janice Pappas for 20 years of service in the Police Department. Town Council and former and current staff thanked them for their extraordinary service to Frisco and to the community and acknowledged that their contributions have truly made Frisco a better place to work and live.
Frisco Town Council Meetings: Ways to Participate
Frisco Town Council meetings are available to view via Civic Plus Resident Portal, 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.