Emergency Ordinance to Amend Town Code to Allow for Summit Safe Parking Program

Town Council approved an emergency ordinance as well as a revocable license agreement with Unsheltered in Summit to allow for the temporary use the Marina Trailhead parking lot for the Summit Safe Parking program through the winter and before the start of the Marina season.

The Summit Safe Parking program, which began in July 2019, offers space for members of the local workforce who are without permanent housing to sleep in their vehicles in designated locations, and has helped over 50 individuals continue to live and work in the community as they transition into permanent housing.  As the need continues to grow and the group is required to vacate their current location, Unsheltered in Summit continues to seek other locations in addition to this Frisco location.

The Code changes are necessary because current Town Code does not permit camping within Town limits. The suggested changes have been reviewed by the Planning Commission at their October 6, 2022 meeting. The emergency nature of this ordinance is due to the deadline by which Unsheltered needs to vacate their current location in Breckenridge.

At the August 9 and September 13, 2022 work sessions, Town Council and Unsheltered in Summit discussed possible opportunities and locations. Council supported the use of the trailhead parking lot at the Marina as a temporary program location as it sees very little traffic during the winter season and provides a private, safe, low-light area for up to 25 vehicles. Unsheltered Summit made an updated request at the October 12 meeting that these working residents be allowed to utilize the lot 24 hours a day (due to late night work schedules) with up to 25 cars parked in the area. This is a change from the original discussion with Council and was precipitated by increased demand and needs. Participants would sign agreements with Unsheltered Summit and meet work and protocol requirements.

Staff has continued to research and pursue other locations for longer term solutions including 602 Galena, the Workforce Center property the Town  purchasing from the State of Colorado for future workforce housing, and as well County, US Forest Service, and privately owned properties which have expressed interest in participating. The Unsheltered group continues to seek opportunities to create areas for the Safe Parking Program in other Towns and unincorporated Summit County.

Short Term Rental (STR) Ordinance – Second Reading

Council passed the second reading of an ordinance that will establish the short-term rental (STR) license cap at 25% of the residential housing stock, allowing a maximum of 900 licenses currently. The license limit will be reassessed annually as the total residential housing stock increases or decreases. As of October 11, 2022, the Town had issued 825 licenses. The ordinance will go into effect on October 17, 2022 and includes an exemption for residential properties that are under construction or under contract as of October 11, 2022. These eligible properties have 20 days to apply for a license from their closing date or from the date that they receive a Certificate of Occupation. The ordinance also includes exemptions to allow an active STR license to transfer under certain circumstances.

Council heard extensive feedback from the community while researching potential impacts of a STR license cap, and ultimately passed this ordinance as means to meet a main objective of mitigating negative impacts to the local community and to preserve and honor community character.

Paid Parking Enforcement Review

At the May 24, 2022 Council meeting, Council approved a three-year contract with Interstate Parking Company to manage paid parking at the Frisco Bay Marina, and to enforce parking year-round on Main Street.  All revenues collected through the paid parking program at the Marina went directly into the Marina Fund, and the implementation of paid parking helped address parking turnover and to support access to local businesses and a thriving economy on Main Street.

Staff from Interstate Parking presented highlights from their analytics report and discussed with Council possible changes for 2023. Council continued to support the parking programs as follows for 2023:

• No changes to the parking rates at the Marina, except for a new holiday premium rate
• Unlimited season pass sales for $99 that will likely be made available for purchase starting  in early 2023Season pass holders will be redirected to park in the lot on the corner of Marina Road and Summit Boulevard on weekends (Friday through Sunday).
• Incentivizing Marina employees to find alternative means to get to/from work, and redirecting parking to other areas, including the boat storage area to make more parking available
• Increasing communication and signage about free and paid parking locations

Council plans to continue with the three-hour parking enforcement on Main Street throughout the winter, and will consider additional options to better utilize parking spaces at the Marina and around Town.

Council Approves Over $117,000  in Non-profit Grants

In response to annual Countywide grant requests from 60 nonprofit organizations in Summit County, Frisco Town Council supported local nonprofits by allocating discretionary funds for a combined total of $117,050, in addition to in-kind donations. This amount includes $10,000 in scholarships for graduating Frisco seniors.

Council focused on criteria such as benefit to Frisco and Summit County residents, past allocations, an organization’s results from programs previously supported by Frisco, and alignment with Town of Frisco strategic goals when considering if and how much funding to distribute to an organization. While Council was unable to fund every organization that applied, Council encouraged those who did not receive funding for 2023 to apply again for 2024 with more details explaining the service the nonprofit provides to the Frisco community and its use of funds.

The Town Council also receives requests for amounts larger than those permitted through the countywide grant process. These requests are granted if they align with the Town’s strategic goals around providing important health, welfare and community services in Frisco and Summit County, and Council supports these entities with funding  out of the General Fund and the Nicotine Tax Fund.

Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Now to Require a Fee

Since 2019, the Town of Frisco has installed three dual-port charging stations, using a total of 27.5M watt-hours (Wh) of energy to fuel EVs. While all three stations are currently free to users, the intent was to transition these stations to fee-based usage after an initial promotional period.

During the October 11 meeting, Town Council supported a recommended fee of $.25 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for vehicle charging, based on typical fees at other municipal locations in the area and operating costs for the Town’s EV stations, to cover the Town’s utility costs and network subscription fees. Any remaining fees can be used toward maintenance not included in the warranty such as broken handles or bent pins, or staff time to respond to customer inquiries and coordinate with the EV charging station contractor.

Additionally, Council directed staff to move forward with an overstay charge to promote turnover at the charging stations and allow more users to charge their vehicles. The overstay fee, implementation date, and proposed time limits will be determined by staff, as per Council, and communicated prior to implementation.

First Reading: Approving ordinances for the annual budget for 2023

Town Council approved the first reading of two ordinances pertaining to the 2023 budget. Council discussed the budget during their September 27, 2022 meeting, with the desired changes Council offered at that time reflected in the presented budget ordinance. Staff estimates expenditures totaling $65,039,510; revenues and reserves of $90,521,082 are adequate to meet those expenditures, leaving a total ending fund balance of $25,481,571 at the end of 2023.

The changes to the budget from the work session include:

• Sustainability Grants for the Pay as You Throw and Universal Recycling programs which have been increased from $40,000 to $98,000
• Based upon August sales tax received in September, sales tax revenue has been adjusted with a conservative approach in mind. This resulted in a decrease of $385,000 to 2023 proposed revenue. This impact is also reflected in a reduced transfer to the Capital Improvement Fund.
• Capital Projects for 2023 have been reviewed by staff and spread across future years, reducing some 2023 expenditures. However, this reduction has been offset by the addition of $750,000 in site work for the Marina Park.
• Expenses related to the park aspects of the Marina have been transferred to the 5-year plan for the Capital Improvement Fund.
• An additional police officer position for the purpose of providing service to Frisco Elementary ($78,150) and the Lenko Bearcat reimbursement to the Town of Dillon ($28,333) are included in the budget as placeholders, pending future approval by Town Council.

Overall, the Town’s fund reserves demonstrate the Town is prepared to weather an economic downturn with a seven-month reserve in the General Fund and conservative and strategic budget approach. Additionally, the Town maintains a contingency plan, identifying core and less essential spending that can be trimmed from the budget, as needed.

Adopting the Energy Action Plan

Town Council adopted an Energy Action Plan developed collaboratively by Town staff, Xcel Energy, and Brendle Group through the Partners in Energy program. Staff presented a draft plan to Council on September 13, 2022, which Council supported as presented.

Partners in Energy is a two-year program with Xcel Energy designed to support Frisco in developing and implementing a strategic energy plan, motivating action, tracking progress, and celebrating and promoting successes. This plan offers opportunities for Frisco to leverage additional resources, identify cost savings, support economic development, and save energy.

 Xcel Energy will provide resources to support Frisco as a Frisco specific plan is developed. Xcel will also provide resources to reach the goals identified in the plan. In addition to their existing rebates and programs, Xcel will provide project management, program outreach, trainings for local implementation, data or tracking assistance, and more.

The Energy Action Team selected greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction as the primary objective while also prioritizing equity, and selected four focus areas to prioritize strategies and resources: residents, businesses & institutions, municipal facilities, and regional partnerships. The team also identified several strategies to include education, outreach, support, expanded rebates, and expansion of the Solarize Summit program to meet energy goals.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) detailing expectations of Xcel and Town roles and responsibilities during the two-year implementation period will be presented for Town Council consideration at a future meeting.

Thanking Clerk Deborah Wohlmuth

Town Council thanked Town Clerk Deborah Wohlmuth for her 19 years of service as she plans for new endeavors after her last day at the Town of Frisco on October 21, 2022.

New Beer, Wine and Liquor License for Thrashin’ Axes

Town Council approved a liquor license for Thrashin Axes LLC to be located at 211 Main Street. As prescribed in State statute, all new liquor license applications must be first submitted to the local licensing authority for approval. The applicants have filed the necessary paperwork in accordance with the Colorado Liquor Code and undergone the necessary background checks. Thrasin Axes anticipates a mid-December opening date.

Updates from Summit Fire & EMS

Summit Fire & EMS Chief Travis Davis presented an overview of updates for Summit Fire & EMS.

• The organization will be updating the fire code in 2023 likely to take effect in 2024.
• Summit Fire & EMS is creating a dedicated Wildland Division to better support wildfire prevention and firefighting efforts.  
• Summit Fire & EMS stated that building a fire station in Silverthorne and reacquiring a presence there is a top priority pending funding.
• Summit Fire & EMS anticipates several big capital expenses including:
  • Rebuild the fire station in Frisco in order to have a smaller, more efficient facility
  • Expand the fleet maintenance facilities at the Keystone station

Cemetery Management Ordinance – Second Reading

Council passed the second reading of an ordinance that changes Town code language to designate the Cemetery Superintendent (the Public Works Director) as the Frisco Cemetery Manager rather than the Town Clerk in order to streamline the cemetery management process. This ordinance will also change code language to only permit winter burials (November 1 through May 15) by exception and direction of the Cemetery Superintendent, due to the difficult soil conditions that make winter digging challenging.

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.