Frisco Backyard Update with the US Forest Service
During the March 25, 2025 worksession, Pete Swenson, Nordic and Trails Manager, along with Adam Bianchi and Sam Massman with the U.S. Forest Service, provided an update with a Frisco Backyard presentation to Frisco Town Council on the Backyard Plan project and associated trail and resource management in the area. During the work session, an overview of the following was given:
- Overview of the project and what work has been done so far.
- Update on the current status including timelines.
- Update on funding: USFS funds; Summit County Strong Futures Wildfire Fund request; Colorado State Forest Service Agreement.
- Information on the upcoming 60-day public comment period including an open house with USFS and Town of Frisco on April 9, 2025.
The Town is currently under an agreement with SNO-Engineering, Inc. (SE Group) for the development of a United States Forest Service (USFS) Proposal for Resource Management and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Review in Frisco’s Backyard. The estimated project completion date is March 30, 2026. This date was originally July 2025, but due to additional research and reports needed, the timeline is pushed to early 2026.
In partnership, the USFS and the Town of Frisco have developed this project to examine and propose approximately 1,576.3 acres of fuels reduction activities along with trail decommission, improvement, and construction activities near the Town of Frisco. The project area contains 18 national forest system trails that total approximately 28.6 miles, including 2.1 miles of paved recreation pathway managed by Summit County Government on National Forest land. Additionally, the project area contains approximately 21.1 miles of non-National Forest system routes that have been developed by recreation uses over time; these are “social” and not official trails. The project area is within the newly designated Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument (CHCDNM). The area encompasses the land located generally south and east of Frisco and west and north of Breckenridge, comprising Mount Royal, Miners Creek, Rainbow Lake, Ophir Mountain and Gold Hill. These are primarily National Forest System (NFS) lands that serve as an important community recreation resource, providing a natural forested backcountry character in close proximity to Frisco.
The primary purposes of the proposed Environmental Assessment proposal include:
- Reduce high intensity wildfire risk to the project area, adjacent private property, critical infrastructure, and firefighters. This includes diversifying tree species and managing the forest in such a way that it is sensitive to recreational and aesthetic considerations. The USFS would like to reduce fuels in the first 500 acres in 2026 with the whole area (1,576.3 acres) taking up to 10 years for fuel reduction.
- Improve the trail system and recreation facilities to meet the needs of multiple user groups while considering local and visitor needs. This includes considerations for uses that have become more popular, including winter walking.
- Strengthen the resilience of the Monument’s natural, historic, cultural, and Tribal objects to wildfires and recreational activities.
- Balance a high-quality recreational experience with effective wildfire risk mitigation in the Backyard.
The purpose of the recreation improvements is to address system and non-system user created trails, trail redundancy, parking and access issues, while considering the 250,000 user visits annually. It will improve the trail system and recreation facilities to meet the needs of multiple user groups; strengthen the resilience of the natural, historic, cultural and tribal objects to wildfires and recreation; and balance a high-quality recreational experience with effective wildfire risk mitigation. A story map of the project is available. The implementation of the plan for the whole project is estimated to cost between $13-$14 million with approximately $6 million for fuels reduction and $4 million for recreational improvements.
602 Galena Workforce Housing Project Financing & Timeline
Background
In August 2022, the Town of Frisco and Summit County Government entered into an intergovernmental agreement to purchase the property known as the Colorado Workforce Center, located at 602 Galena Street, to be developed into 50+ affordable workforce rental housing units. The Town then approved a long-term ground lease in May 2023, with the NHP Foundation, a not-for-profit real estate organization with experience preserving and creating multifamily housing affordable for low- and moderate-income families.
In April 2024, The Town of Frisco was awarded a Strong Communities grant for $4,000,000 by Colorado Department of Housing (DOH) for the construction of project infrastructure related to affordable housing projects located at 101 West Main Street and 602 Galena Street. Additionally, in July 2024 the Town of Frisco was awarded a More Housing Now grant for $375,898 by Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) for the construction of Town owned infrastructure related to the affordable housing project located at 602 Galena.
After significant negotiation between NHP Foundation and the Town it was decided that NHP Foundation would lead the financing method, ownership of the project and operations of the project.
Development Agreement
During the March 25, 2025 worksession, the NHP Foundation staff walked Council through this project and where it currently stands from a financing, funding contribution, permitting and construction timeline standpoint. Staff also discussed the evolution of the 602 Galena Development Agreement and presented the amended and restated Development Agreement during the regular meeting. Modifications to the agreement include:
- Financial modeling has evolved this site to now be higher AMIs (120% AMI), although rents are financially modeled at 100% AMI.
- 101 West Main Street has evolved to now be the sole Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) project, pending approval.
Additionally, NHP provided a presentation to provide an overview and to provide the background to lay the foundation to discuss the following amendments that NHP is proposing for consideration:
- NHP proposes 22 studio or small one-bedroom units, 20 one-bedroom units, and 12 two-bedroom units with a maximum 120% AMI.
- There is still a need for additional funds for this project, and therefore, Town Council will need to consider filling this gap with Town Housing Fund dollars to keep this project on schedule and if no other funding sources are found.
- All conditions agreed to with the State of Colorado regarding the purchase of the property have been satisfied.
- Any changes to the number of units or affordability requirements in the dwelling units shall require the prior written consent of the Town, in its reasonable discretion.
- Obligations agreed to with Summit County regarding the affordability of the project, timeline for demolition and construction are all currently being met.
The development services agreement, with associated ground lease and loan documents, would solidify the Town’s relationship with the NHP Foundation as this project moves forward quickly through bond financing and construction. There has been one major issue that has remained unresolved with this development agreement, and that is an identified projected funding gap of $4.9 million dollars. This draft contemplates that this could possibly be settled in a further amendment to this adopted document in the April or May of 2025 timeframe. For the NHP Foundation to sell bonds to finance this project the $4.9 million dollar question needs to be answered by the parties to the agreement.
As a next step to bringing this workforce housing project closer to reality, staff recommended that Council adopt the development services agreement by approving Ordinance 25-05, and Town Council approved this ordinance on first reading with the second reading scheduled for April 8, 2025 with direction to provide an amendment that will include the Town committing to the full funding request from NHP, including the most recent $4.9 million dollar request from NHP, bringing the Town’s total funding commitment for this project to $8.1 million. Council noted that they did not want to wait until April or May to resolving the $4.9 funding gap, as they want this workforce housing project to become a reality for community members as soon as possible.
Open Meetings Laws & Ethics Overview
The Frisco Town Attorney also reviewed the Colorado Open Meetings Law and provided an ethics in government review with the newly elected Town Councilmembers and a refresher for the members currently on Town Council.
Liquor License Applications
The White Peak Hotel
On January 3, 2025 Vince Linden with Linden Law Group, on behalf of Adam Pietraszek, as Owner/Operator of New Vision Hotels Two LLC DBA The White Peak Hotel by IHG located at 1129 North Summit Boulevard, sought approval of their application for a Hotel & Restaurant liquor license.
Staff recommended that Council approve the application based on the findings of the investigation, as outlined in the staff report.
Town Council approved the liquor license application for New Vision Hotels Two LLC DBA The White Peak Hotel. After public and staff comment regarding the condition of the exterior of the hotel property, Council also urged Mr. Pietraszek to work with his neighbors to clean up the White Peak property to the satisfaction of his neighbors and in compliance with Town code and the warnings that have been issued by the Town.
McCoy’s Watering Hole
On February 4, 2025, Martin Wells with Dill Dill Carr Stonbraker & Hutchings, P.C., on behalf of Lane Gregory, as Owner of the Prospectors Marketplace facility and McCoys Watering Hole LLC DBA McCoy’s Watering Hole located at 310 East Main Street, sought approval of their application for a Tavern liquor license.
Staff recommended that Council approve the application based on the findings of the investigation, as outlined in the staff report.
Town Council approved the liquor license application for McCoys Watering Hole LLC DBA McCoy’s Watering Hole.
Wildflower BBQ
On February 13, 2025 Abel Beazley, owner of Wildflower BBQ LLC DBA Wildflower BBQ located at 842 North Summit Boulevard, sought approval of their application for a Hotel & Restaurant liquor license.
Staff recommended that Council approve the application based on the findings of the investigation, as outlined in the staff report.
Town Council approved the liquor license application for Wildflower BBQ LLC DBA Wildflower BBQ.
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.