Meeting Notes
Berthoud Town of Trustees Meeting
Agency website:2023.04.25 Town Board Meeting
Date & Meeting time: 04/25/23 @6:30 PM
Attendees:
Members Present: Mayor, William Karspeck. Mayor Pro-Tem, Mike Grace.
Trustees Present: Tim Hardy, May Soricelli, Sean Murphy, Karl Ayers, Jeff Butler.
Staff Present: Town Administrator, Chris Kirk. City Planner Ann Johnson, Absent: None
Others Present: about 24 members of public,
Presenters:
First Street Corridor Overlay Planners:
Martin Landers Project Manager, Plan Tools.
Roger Sherman, BHA Designs
Aaron Bagnell, Silver Spur Architects
Kelly Ledbetter, Transportation Planner, PHU
Ludlow Farm Presenters:
Will Charles, Baseline Engineering
Kevin Mulshine, HMS Development
Don Hensen
Kristen Turner, TB Group
The Scene
The Town Trustees, the mayor, the town administrator, and planner were all present along with about 25 town citizens. There were also a half dozen representatives from two planning companies. Everyone was convened to discuss two aspects of the town’s Comprehensive Plan: the approval of the First Street Corridor Overlay Plan and a public hearing on the Ludlow Neighborhood Master Plan and Rezoning.
Background
Berthoud’s slogan is “The Garden Spot”. To this end the town began a Comprehensive Plan Process four and a half years ago in an effort to respect the history and rural surroundings while providing for growth in population, traffic, and business of the future while preserving the town’s charm. In 2019 the Town approved the Mountain Avenue Overlay Plan which was the first phase of the Comprehensive Plan.
The Issues
Issue 1: The First Street Corridor Overlay Plan (Resolution 2023-09) RESOLUTION 2023 09 APPROVING THE 1ST STREET CORRIDOR PLAN.PDF
This plan was presented to the board as the final step in a yearlong process which included public comments and three public workshops to get input from the citizens. Tonight was the final of the seven steps in the plan development. BERTHOUD 1ST STREET CORRIDOR PLAN.PDF.
This plan is a strategic plan that doesn’t build anything but rather guides future development. It conforms to the Comprehensive Plan. It has three different zones along First street: an urban zone on the south end, a transition zone, and a rural zone as you go north out of town. It provides for pedestrian, car, bicycle, and even possible train transportation. In high visibility areas there will be more strict architectural standards while in less visible areas there will be less costly development. There is a strip park that runs the length of the corridor. Landscaping and irrigation is planned throughout. There were no public comments.
The Debate
The board raised questions about pedestrian safety at possible train crossings and the future intersection with highway 287 as well as the timeliness of code changes.
Outcome
The Board of Trustees and the Mayor voted unanimously to approve Resolution 2023-09.
Issue 2: The Ludlow Master Plan (Resolution 2023-08)
Issue 3: Rezoning-Public Hearing (Ordinance 1318)
Tonight was the “public hearing, planning committee, board hearing, and vote '' part of the four part Land Use Planning Process. In 2010 the town approved annexation of the Ludlow Farm along with its Plan Unit Development. When the town approved the Town Comprehensive Plan update in 2021 the staff wanted the applicant to bring the Ludlow Plan into alignment. This is their voluntary amended proposal. There is no change to the overall acreage. The Ludlow family has owned this land for 90 years and wants this development to be its legacy. They felt it was important to bring it into compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. They believe it will take 8-12 years to complete. There will be 1500 units total, only 150 units per year. There will be residential and commercial buildings.
The Debate
The board raised questions about building heights, commercial buildings, and hiking trails, preservation of existing structures, open space, and coordinating with CDOT on traffic intersections. The citizens raised concerns about the impacts of a development this size on population growth and pressures on public services and utilities, mostly water and schools. There were also concerns about the availability of affordable housing.
Outcome
The Trustees voted to approve Resolution 23-08 with the conditions that if CDOT allows for traffic lights, and if FEMA allows for a trail crossing at Dry Creek, the developer must build them, however, the mayor voted no.
The Ludlow zoning changes for Ordinance 1318 were approved without conditions by the board but the mayor again voted no.
Other Business
All the Consent Agenda items were approved by the board unanimously. At the end of the night, around midnight, they decided to postpone the executive session where they planned to discuss Chris Kirk the town administrator’s contract. They promised to address it at the next and earliest opportunity.
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