Joint Work Session with Frisco Arts & Culture Council (FACC)
In 2023, Frisco Town Council approved the Frisco Five-Year Arts and Culture Strategic Plan as a road map to art and culture programming in Frisco. This plan was written after significant public input to reflect the community’s vision of community centered art and culture programing and projects. To this end, the plan states that the goal of arts and culture programing should primarily be to support local quality of life and create community attachment, rather than acting as an economic driver or way to attract more visitors. The plan also called for the creation of an arts and culture council, which Frisco Town Council also approved in 2023 and which was formed in May 2023. The Frisco Arts and Culture Council (FACC) is charged with implementing the programming and projects that the plan outlined.
Council update covered efforts since the FACC last met with Town Council in 2024: Continue supporting existing Frisco arts and culture events such as July 4th parade and Wassail Days.
- Support music and performing arts through various approaches, including 14 beginner and intermediate sound and lighting workshop sessions for youth and adults.
- Host local art workshops at temporary “Art Lab” locations such as the go.
- Work to define a Frisco Al Fresco community dinner and/or outdoor film event. This goal has been implemented through the August Movie Night at the Marina which combines food and free movie screening.
- Acquire the services of muralists, pop up artists, and participatory and youth art-focused events. FACC has commissioned 10 murals in different locations since 2024, including mural on recreational pathways, on and in a pedestrian tunnel, and on a restroom structure in Walter Byron Park. Other efforts have included Frozen Frisco ice art display, a mural scavenger hunt, and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States declaring independence and the 150th anniversary of Colorado’s statehood with Main Street banners created by local elementary, middle school, and high school students.
- Maintenance and repair of the seven existing public art pieces within the Town by working with Pacific Coast Conservation.
Projects Currently Identified for 2026 and 2027
- A mural at the building adjacent to Recreation Way near the Frisco Nordic Center lodge to be completed in fall 2026.
- A graphic design project to create nine designs to wrap the 36 new waste and recycling receptacles which will be installed at 18 locations along Main Street. Completion date December 2026.
- For 2027, the FACC is pursuing a mosaic art installation, the elk sculpture move, and several ongoing event efforts, including July 4th parade stipends, Wassail Days mug design, and Movie Night at the Marina, in addition to identifying other potential projects and programs.
Council Discussion
Town Council expressed appreciation for the FACC’s work and emphasized how much they value art in the community and what it adds to Frisco’s vibrancy. They encouraged the FACC to be bold and brave with public art pieces and to continue to pursue the significant art commission outlined for year five of the Frisco Five-Year Arts and Culture Strategic Plan. Council voiced support for the Art Fund established in 2025 to save for a larger piece and to allow donations to the art program. Council members also discussed support for the “art lab” concept and the possibility of partnering on a rehearsal and sound recording space outlined in the plan.
Landscaping and Revegetation Requirements Code Discussion
Staff provided Council with a quick overview of the proposed modifications to Chapter 180 of the Code of Ordinances regarding landscaping and revegetation requirements. The changes were initiated in response to new statutory requirements and a long-standing need expressed by staff to update the landscaping and revegetation requirements to be more practical and meet the community’s needs. Staff outlined the intent of landscape regulations which include managing environmental risks and maintaining community character.
Staff has been asking for Planning Commission feedback and guidance about landscape and revegetation requirements, and at the July 16, 2026 Planning Commission meeting, the Commission gave feedback which included the desire to maintain a minimum tree/shrub count for each property while not requiring an excess of trees for remodel/addition projects. Additionally, Commissioners gave feedback that they would recommend not allowing amenities such as benches and planter boxes to be a replacement for trees and shrubs, except on Main Street where alternatives are already permitted. They also provided feedback about turf replacement and providing a consistent and clearer definition of xeriscaping.
In this update to Council, staff also outlined some possible changes supported by the Planning Commission to the current landscaping modification process to make this process more flexible with more available options, clearer direction around the removal of dead and diseased trees, and the potential to reduce application requirements in some cases for greater efficiency.
Next Steps
Staff will be bringing any proposed changes back to Council at a future Town Council meeting, as this was just a quick update about current direction from staff and Planning Commission and what to expect on a future agenda.
Downtown Colorado Incorporated Economic Development Program Presentation
Downtown Colorado Incorporated (DCI) presented information on economic development tools available in Colorado, which may be used to increase economic development activity in Frisco, including information about urban renewal authorities and downtown development authorities. DCI, an organization the Town of Frisco joined in 2026, is a non-profit membership association committed to building better communities by providing assistance to Colorado downtowns, commercial districts, main streets, rural communities, and town centers.
This information was provided as a useful resource so Council has a foundation for possible future discussions and deliberations if needed. DCI staff emphasized that they work on the intersection between economic development and community so that the values, traditions, and treasured areas in a community are respected and valued while focusing on how a community can better thrive.
Council Discussion
Council expressed gratitude for the information, and a desire to include other special districts in any future conversations about urban renewal authorities and downtown development authorities. There was no direction to bring this back for discussion at this time.
Revocable License and Right of Entry Agreement for Utility Thermal Energy Network Test Bore – Resolution 26-23
Staff presented Resolution 26-23 to approve a Revocable License and Right of Entry Agreement with Xcel for a thermal energy network test-bore at the Frisco Town Hall property at 1 Main Street.
Background
Xcel Energy is piloting a Utility Thermal Energy Network (UTEN) demonstration project in two communities in Colorado, including Frisco. A UTEN connects multiple buildings to a shared temperate-water loop. Vertical boreholes exchange heat with the ground, horizontal piping circulates water through the network, and water-source heat pumps in participating buildings provide heating and cooling. The proposed demonstration (pilot) project includes Frisco Town Hall as an anchor customer and contemplates construction of the central system in 2028, subject to regulatory approval, final design, and future agreements.
During the July 28, 2026 work session, Xcel presented its proposed test-bore location in the Town Hall parking lot near the clock tower on the Madison Avenue side of Town Hall. The test bore will allow Xcel to evaluate subsurface conditions and complete thermal conductivity testing needed to advance project design. At the July meeting, Council provided direction supporting continued design of the project, while reserving approval of permanent facilities and long-term use of Town property and rights-of-way for later consideration.
The Revocable License and Right of Entry Agreement would authorize Public Service Company of Colorado and its contractors to enter a limited portion of the Town Hall property to conduct boundary surveys, archeological inspections, cultural analysis, environmental studies, soil testing and sampling, drilling of a test geothermal well up to 1,000 feet deep, and thermal conductivity testing. The license is temporary, revocable, non-exclusive, and limited to these investigative activities. It does not authorize permanent UTEN facilities, production wells, distribution piping, vaults, mechanical equipment, or other permanent installations.
Council Discussion and Decision
Council had questions about potential noise from the drilling which is anticipated to take about four days. Xcel indicated that the drilling would be as loud as the engine on a large truck and will occur from 7:00am to 7:00pm and be limited to Monday-Friday. Council also received clarity that the project will only require repaving a small portion of the parking lot where the drilling occurs.
Town Council voted to approve Resolution 26-23.
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 on 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.