Ribbon Cutting at Slopeside Hall
Frisco Town Council cut the ribbon on the new Slopeside Hall project at the Frisco Adventure Park. Slopeside Hall, located at 605 Recreation Way, will have more space for youth camps, community programs, and events and will house Recreation Department staff offices on the second floor. This project also includes a tube storage building, a plaza, and a remodel at the Day Lodge, which is still under construction and should be completed by early December.
Project Background
A new building at the Peninsula Recreation Area (PRA) was initially budgeted for in 2019 and reviewed with Town Council in May 2019 when Council expressed concerns about the proposed location for the new building and a desire to understand the future of the PRA in a more comprehensive way. Subsequently, Town Council directed staff to reallocate the funds budgeted for 2019 to complete a comprehensive vision and project implementation plan for the PRA that identified current uses and capacities, and which would serve as a guiding document for future development and improvements. This planning process kicked off in 2019 with significant community input and was completed in 2020, with Council adopting the final plan on October 27, 2020. One of the high priority projects identified in this plan is the addition of a new administration and multi-purpose space building, Slopeside Hall (originally named the Village Center).
Slopeside Hall Uses
The Frisco Recreation Department has continued to grow their youth no-school, afterschool, and summer camp programming, and the comprehensive plan completed in 2020 acknowledged that a multi-purpose space could serve as a vital basecamp for Frisco’s youth programming. The multi-purpose space will also be made available for community rentals and for event needs, such as registration for athletic events. Since 2010, recreation staff have been officed out of temporary offices in the basement of the Frisco Adventure Park Day Lodge, and Slopeside Hall will allow recreation staff to have offices where they can observe the Adventure Park’s recreational amenities and be in the same space as youth programming.
The 7,880 square foot Slopeside Hall building was built to exceed the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) requirements by featuring solar panels and a Variable Refrigerant Flow HVAC system to achieve net-zero impact. This project also includes a plaza between the Day Lodge and Slopeside Hall, which connects the buildings and can be used for events and community gatherings. A new tube storage building has also replaced the storage container that had been housing tubes, and the improvements at the Day Lodge include expanding the kitchen facilities and the installation of service elevator for access to event equipment in the basement. This will allow the Day Lodge to host a third-party concessionaire in the winter to serve a greater variety of food, as well as improving the experience for summer rentals of the building. $10 million dollars were budgeted across 2023 and 2024 to complete all aspects of this project.
Xcel Energy Wildfire Mitigation and Power Shut Offs Update
Staff from Xcel Energy presented during the Town Council meeting regarding recent changes to their approach to wildfire mitigation and to reiterate that Xcel is committed to a clean energy future. Xcel summarized that extreme weather and drier conditions mean that wildfires are growing threat in regions across the country, and the changes in their approach are intended to meet the goal of ensuring that no catastrophic wildfire is started by Xcel Energy assets.
Since 2020, Xcel has invested over $500 million in wildfire mitigation activities in Colorado. In 2023, these measures included 2,777 distribution poles replaced, 15,067 distribution poles inspected, 312 priority corrections on transmission equipment, 2,832 miles of visual inspection of transmission lines, relays installed at 19 substations, and 94% of vegetation management goals met.
More Frequent Power Outages
In addition to the mitigation efforts described above, Xcel has implemented Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), which resulted in more power outages this past summer. When EPSS is activated, power lines are more sensitive and can quickly stop the flow of energy if an issue is detected, like a tree branch or other object touching the line. When that occurs, the power will remain off until Xcel crews can visually inspect the line to make sure it’s safe to turn it back on. EPSS is used in risk zones identified by the Colorado State Forest Service and risk probability models considering facts like weather, housing density, terrain, and miles of overhead lines.
Xcel also uses Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). In a PSPS event, Xcel proactively shut offs power due to safety concerns. Xcel staff reiterated that Xcel does not take this step lightly and that PSPS is a mitigation tool used when risk cannot be adequately reduced by EPSS and other methods.
2025-2027 Xcel Wildfire Mitigation Plan
Xcel is working towards earlier and more frequent PSPS communications whenever possible. In addition, Xcel is proposing $1.9B in future investments and improvements to improve resiliency. These investments are outlined in the 2025-2027 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, which is subject to regulatory review and approval. The regulatory process will allow for public participation and in-depth evaluation and analysis by state regulators and other parties to ensure the investments are prudent, necessary, and in their customers’ best interest. More information may be found at xcelenergywildfiremitigation.com.
Summit County Youth & Family Services: Youth Nicotine Use Presentation
Summit County Youth and Family Services staff and two Summit High students presented regarding the nicotine tax and tobacco cessation programs funded by the voter approved nicotine tax passed in 2019.
Taxation and other ordinance changes enacted in 2019 across Summit County:
- Sales tax on cigarettes to $4/pack
- 40% increase in sales tax for all other nicotine and tobacco products + graduated increase of 10% each year for 4 years
- Currently: 80% tax
- Purchase age to 21
- Local Tobacco Retail License required
Violations and Enforcement
Summit County Youth and Family services staff outlined that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only authorized 34 specific flavored e-cigarettes and that retailers are only permitted to sell those products. The following has been observed throughout all area municipalities:
- Retailers selling unauthorized flavored e-cigarettes; selling any flavored e-cigarette not listed by the FDA is a violation of federal law
- Illegal underage sales
- Retailers not collecting the tax authorized by Summit County voters through 1A
There was a discussion about enforcement and how to hold violators accountable.
Youth and Vaping
Two local students spoke eloquently about the impact of vaping on their health and youth generally, and the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey showed that 49.4% of Summit students felt it would be sort of easy or very easy to get vape products and 81% of those underage Summit students who tried to buy tobacco or vaping products in a store, were not refused because of age. Also, in 2017 47.5% of Summit students thought people who use electronic vapor products every day have a moderate or great risk of harm, and this raised to 87.3% in 2023 here in Summit. These numbers emphasized that enforcement and education are vital in discouraging vaping by Summit youth.
Historic Park & Museum Updates
Historic Park and Museum staff provided an update to Council. The Museum hosted 20+ community-focused events and programs and 37 guided summer tours. The Museum also partnered with many community organizations, including Summit Historical Society, Summit County Library, Building Hope, Summit County Fiber Arts Group, US Forest Service, Summit County High School, Theatre Silco, FHPM Building Sponsors, and National Repertory Orchestra.
Educational Outreach
The Museum has also expanded their educational outreach and is on track for a record year. Staff not only hosts students at the Museum, but they also travel to schools, including schools in Eagle County who request their presentations and materials.
Research and Oral Histories
The Museum staff saw 19 research requests from families, Town departments, and even the Forest Service as part of the establishment of the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument. The Museum provided a written description of Masontown, which was subsequently included in President Biden’s proclamation to establish the Camp Hale-Continental Divide National Monument. Notably, one research request even resulted in staff providing family with the first photograph which they had ever seen of their grandfather. In addition, the Museum continues to work on recording oral histories with Frisco locals.
Outreach and Media Coverage
The Museum staff participates in conferences and community and special interest meetings by being presenters, including at the National Council of Public History Conference on a panel, the Colorado-Wyoming Association of Museums Conference during poster session, the Denver Postcard Club as a guest speaker, and the Summit County Rotary Club as a guest speaker.
Staff also worked with Denver 7 on a Mayflower Gulch story, and the Museum staff has been taking part in book signings with Summit Historical at Dillon Farmer’s Market and Christmas Bazaar. The Museum has two books that they have published, and over 400 copies have been sold.
Exhibits and Archives
Museum staff do all of their own exhibits, both temporary and permanent. All 74 exhibits were recently evaluated and graded to understand how to better meet the needs of a broader audience. These evaluations are completed by Town of Frisco staff, as well as students. All exhibits include Spanish language translation, as well providing access to visually and hearing impacted guests.
Interpretative Signs
This summer the Museum installed new interpretative signage at North Ten Mile trailhead. Currently, the Museum is working on new Willow Preserve Nature Trail signage with Friso elementary students, which will be completed and installed in spring 2025.
Public Request for Code Amendments: New Bonus Density Incentive
Staff presented a request from a resident, Paul Schiff, for Town Council to consider initiating a code amendment that would allow a development to exceed the maximum density, provided that 100% of the bonus units are restricted with the deed restriction that the Town is currently utilizing under the Housing Helps program. The Housing Helps deed restriction requires occupants to work a minimum of 30 hours per week in Summit County but has no Area Median Income (“AMI”) limitation or appreciation cap.
When staff initially discussed this topic with Paul Schiff this year, it made sense to bring it forward as a code amendment. However, during work on the staff report and while researching the background of bonus density, it was discovered that this same amendment was proposed by former housing staff in 2022. After learning this this was brought before the Town two years ago by housing staff and it was not supported at that time by the Planning Commission or Town Council, it seemed appropriate to bring this back to Council for discussion.
Town Council gave staff direction to not move forward with a code change at this time, but to continue to consider this with other code changes in the future and how it would impact workforce housing and commercial space inventory.
Water Timing Code Correction
This water conservation program was developed to match surrounding communities and align with their irrigation schedules. This program was initiated to streamline public messaging and expand awareness of water use and conservation. Council approved Ordinance 24-07 in March of 2024 to adopt the new irrigation schedule. Unfortunately, an error occurred when translating code sections from the staff report into new code language, and the odd/even days were reversed. Ordinance 24-19 simply makes this correction. All of the information communicated with the public and posted on the Town of Frisco website on updated watering days was correct; only Frisco’s code language was adopted incorrectly.
Council approved Ordinance 24-19 on first reading.
Refuse Management Screening Requirements
Town of Frisco Community Development Director, Katie Kent, presented proposed amendments to the code of ordinances regarding universal recycling. Ordinance 22-04 requires all commercial customers, including Homeowner Associations (HOAs), to have recycling containers onsite on or before June 1, 2025. Per Frisco Town Code, Chapter §180-6.17, these recycling containers must be kept in an enclosure that contains four walls and a roof.
Concerns were raised by residents of existing developments (primarily HOAs) regarding the requirement to add screening for these recycling facilities. The addition of recycling is not a concern, but the cost of designing and constructing the required enclosure, that includes four walls and a roof, is the concern. Some developments have also voiced apprehensions over the added space they need to find for the required recycling and screening facilities. The current code allows a development to convert up to three parking spaces for refuse/recycling facilities, and developments have stated that it is not feasible to give up parking spaces due to all spaces being assigned and necessary for residential unit parking and/or commercial unit customer parking.
The proposed modifications to Town Code will allow multifamily residential, mixed-use, and non-residential developments, which have been constructed and received certificate of occupancies before or on March 22, 2022, to be exempt from screening requirements. These developments would still need to meet certain requirements that respect the concerns of neighbors and for wildlife:
- Recycling facilities would need to be wildlife resistant
- Adequate space should exist for the recycling collection facility to be accessed by service vehicles
- If partial screen is proposed (ex: four walls, but no roof), the proposed structure must meet all building and safety codes.
- Screening from public areas, including right-of-ways, public lands, etc… and adjacent properties, would need to be provided
- Screening could be achieved in various forms, including but not limited to walls, fences, mature landscaping, or other methods proposed by the applicant and deemed acceptable by the Community Development Director
Council approved Ordinance 24-13 on second reading.
Code Changes to Summons and Complaints Concerning Animals
Chapter 17-8 of the Town Code concerns the issuance of a summons and complaint into the Town’s Municipal Court for an animal code violation by a person who resides outside of Summit County. Staff recommends repealing Chapter 17-8 as it requires an unused, unnecessary, and undesirable process for the payment of fines and the posting of bail bonds in connection with animal code charges against individuals who reside outside of Summit County. Also, there are better, alternative means of enforcement that exist in current State and local law concerning the quarantine of animals after a bite, and for the posting of a bail bond.
Council approved Ordinance 24-18 on the second reading.
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.