Loading...
TC Minutes 03-11-2025AVON REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 . v o n HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM COLORADO 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL The meeting was hosted in a hybrid format, in -person at Avon Town Hall and virtually via Zoom.us. Mayor Tamra N. Underwood called the March 11, 2025, Council Regular Meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. A roll call was taken, and Councilors present in person were Chico Thuon, Ruth Stanley, Lindsay Hardy, Kevin Hyatt, Mayor Pro Tern Richard Carroll, and Mayor Tamra N. Underwood. Councilor Gary Brooks was present virtually. They were joined in person by Town Manager Eric Heil, Deputy Town Manager Patty McKenny, Chief Administrative Officer Ineke de Jong, Town Attorney Nina P. Williams, Town Clerk Miguel Jauregui Casanueva, Rec Director Michael Labagh, Community Development Director Matt Pielsticker, Engineering Director Eva Wilson, Chief Cultural Officer Danita Dempsey, Facilities Manager Luis Tapia, Sustainability Manager Charlotte Lin, Sustainability Coordinator Sarah Smith Hymes, Planning Manager Jena Skinner, Planner II Max Morgan, and Sergeant Tyler Churches. 2. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Video Start Time: 00:00:47 Mayor Underwood initiated the meeting with the Agenda approval process. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll motioned to approve the Agenda, as presented. Councilor Thuon seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously with a 7-0 vote. 3. DISCLOSURE OF ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST RELATED TO AGENDA ITEMS Video Start Time: 00:01:35 Mayor Underwood asked if there were any conflicts of interest related to the Agenda, and no conflicts of interest were disclosed. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT Video Start Time: 00:01:55 Mayor Underwood explained that public comment can be made by participating in the meeting in person, via zoom's video/audio, via telephone, or via email. She added that the public comment section is intended for items not listed in the Agenda, and participation by members of the public is limited to 3 minutes, with an additional minute that may be granted at Council's discretion. She added that members of the public should address Council directly and should not expect a response as it is only intended as an opportunity and space for the public to provide input to Council. She asked if there was any public comment from those present in the room or virtually and requested that they spell their name and mention the neighborhood they reside in upon taking the podium. Nicholas Reese, resident of Avon at the Piedmont Apartments, took the podium in person to speak of construction noise related to pile driving by Shaw Construction at Traer Creek. He asked that Council direct staff to ensure that noise is not violating any ordinance or construction rule. 1 AVOW REGULAR MEETING MINUTES A TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 Avon HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM C O L O R A D O Tim McMahon, resident of Avon, took the podium in person to speak of the several concerns he has with the new camping regulations that were approved at Avon, asking for additional information related to what he considers to be a camping ban. He also spoke of an unhoused person in Avon, who recently was fined, and the issues they are experiencing. Calyn Rieger, resident of Avon at Lake Nottingham, spoke of the camping ordinance that he disagrees with and does not support, and which he equated to criminalizing homelessness. He suggested a dog has more resources and liberties than a homeless veteran and asked how that makes sense. He asked Council to consider suspending what he called the camping ban in Avon. He also took the opportunity to make an official announcement of his intention to run for Avon Town Council for a third and final time in the 2026 election. No other public comment was received in person nor virtually. 5. CONSENT AGENDA Video Start Time: 00:18:00 Mayor Underwood introduced the approval of the Consent Agenda to include the following: 5.1 Approval of February 25, 2025 Regular Council Meeting Minutes (Town Clerk Miguel Jauregui Casanueva) Councilor Thuon motioned to approve the Consent Agenda. Councilor Hardy seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously with a 7-0 vote. 6. BUSINESS ITEMS 6.1. Resolution 25-08: Approving a Cultural, Arts and Special Events Committee (Town Manager Eric Heil) Video Start Time: 00:18:36 Town Manager Eric Heil delivered a presentation related to Resolution 25-08 and provided an update related to the proposed composition of the Cultural, Arts and Special Events Committee (CASE Committee). Mayor Underwood opened the floor to public hearing, and no public comment was received in person nor virtually. Councilors Hardy, Stanley, Brooks, and Mayor Pro Tern Carroll favored Resolution 25-08 as presented under Option 2 in the packet. Mayor Underwood recapped the process of voting to appoint members during the February 25th, 2025 Council meeting, highlighting that in the second vote, Amy Lewis and Charles 'Chug' Yang had the top 2 votes, in that order. CASE Nominee Amy Lewis took the podium virtually to express her support for Resolution 25-08 as presented under Option 2, and her willingness to serve if appointed. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll motioned to approve Resolution 25-08, as presented under Option 2, and to appoint Amy Lewis to a 2-year term on the CASE Committee, and to appoint Charles 'Chuq" Yang to a 1-year term on the CASE Committee. Councilor Stanley seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously with a 7-0 vote. AVON REGULAR MEETING MINUTES A TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 Avon HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM COLORADO 6.2.Work Session: Recreation Center Refurbishment Costs (Recreation Director Michael Labagh) Video Start Time: 00:28:40 Recreation Director Michael Labagh delivered a presentation and led a work session related to Recreation Center refurbishment costs. He was joined at the podium by Facilities Manager Luis Tapia, who also spoke of the cost and challenges of maintenance of the Recreation Center. As this was discussed as a work session, no public comment was received, no motion was requested, and staff received feedback and direction to continue their work. Councilor Thuon mentioned that he heard that a local spa company will bid to replace a hot - tub at an approximate cost of $63,000 and found out that a company with offices in Florida and in Denver was able to bid and replace that same hot -tub locally for $4,000. He encouraged staff to look for bids from national spa companies in addition to local spa companies. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll asked what will happen to Rec Staff during the refurbishment and was advised that there is not yet a defined strategy for that staffing concern other than keeping full-time employees on payroll and assigned to other functions while reducing part-time employees during that time, and closing the wet side and dry side of the Rec Center for construction refurbishment on different years to avoid a total closure. Councilor Hyatt updated his fellow councilors on the discussions related to this refurbishment project at the Health and Rec Committee meeting earlier this day, focusing on the fact that the work is expensive but necessary and overdue and should not be piecemealed. Councilor Thuon added that as the Country may be staggering into serious issues, it may be time to think of pumping the breaks on this refurbishment project which is coming at a bad time. He suggested the Town wait till June to decide, since a recession may hit by then. Mayor Underwood added that if there is a recession, it may be the best time to move forward with such a project since labor and other costs may be lowered, which Councilor Thuon also agreed with. Councilor Hardy stated that this minimum refurbishment is overdue and necessary. She added she would like to see lap lane gutters added to the pool. Councilor Stanley also spoke in favor of the necessary repairs under the proposed refurbishment, and asked questions about the repairs needed for the hot tubs, which she felt were most urgent. Councilor Hardy also felt hot tub repairs were most urgent. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll thanked staff for this work session and asked if there is a way to get more precise cost estimates about this refurbishment. He added that loss of revenue is something that needs to be accounted for, including maintaining staffing and exploring financing options with the Finance Committee, so long as it does not get funded through a tax increase. Councilor Brooks asked staff to analyze deferred maintenance more cautiously to avoid falling behind on maintenance that could lead to avoidable refurbishments and wondered what creative solutions the Finance Committee could come up with to fund this refurbishment. He also asked for Council to fine tune what to prioritize so that more precise cost estimates can be gathered for the project. 3 Ak AVON REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 Avon HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM COLORADO Mayor Underwood recommended that staff explore the opportunity to poll the public on whether a mill levy would be a desirable means to pay for this refurbishment and wondered if the pedestrian mall redesign could influence the exterior refurbishment of the REC building, including exterior hot tubs. Councilor Thuon asked that Staff invite Council to tour the facility before the next meeting in which an update on the refurbishment gets presented before Council. 6.3.Presentation: Net Zero Analysis (Sustainability Manager Charlotte Lin) Video Start Time: 01:27:07 Sustainability Manager Charlotte Lin delivered a presentation related to her Net Zero Analysis. As this was discussed as a presentation to Council, no public comment was received, no motion was requested, and staff received feedback and direction to continue their work. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll suggested that the source for economic growth be included in Sustainability Manager Lin's future materials and asked how she estimated demographic growth. Councilor Thuon asked Sustainability Manager Lin if achieving proposed Net Zero goals could cause indirect greenhouse gas emissions elsewhere, and was advised it would not. 6.4. Work Session: Composting (Sustainability Manager Charlotte Lin) Video Start Time: 01:46:10 Sustainability Manager Charlotte Lin delivered a presentation and led a work session related to Composting. As this was discussed as a work session, no public comment was received, no motion was requested, and staff received feedback and direction to continue their work. Councilor Hyatt mentioned there is a lot of composting of products already occurring in catering operations, and wondered how homeowners who choose to participate could benefit from a compositing program. Councilor Thuon suggested the public might buy into composting if they are made aware of how many greenhouse gas emissions are produced by those households. Mayor Underwood added that understanding greenhouse gas emissions is key to the topic and it is necessary to gather numbers to understand where a composting program could get more bang for the buck. She added it seems composting for commercial businesses is a more effective way to start. She suggested that if the Town will launch a composting pilot program, Staff should go after low hanging fruit which likely starts with commercial composting. Councilor Stanley suggested that the Town offer rebates to those who compost at home. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll asked questions on the composting formula used and wondered if a pilot program for local restaurants would be a better strategy to launch composting in Avon. Councilor Hardy mentioned she is in favor of the residential composting program and is also in favor of a turnkey offering for commercial composting which would have more impact on reducing emissions. She suggested the Town also explore composting drop sites. Mayor Underwood spoke of the challenges of drop sites for residential composting, which can 4 AVON REGULAR MEETING MINUTES A TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 . v O n HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM COLORADO have bad smells. She suggested staff shift focus and go all in on commercial composting which has greater impact on lowering greenhouse gases, and a more limited residential composting offering through the local residential trash haulers. She asked Sustainability Manager Lin for more estimated numbers on this topic to determine the most impactful path forward. She also asked if Staff could analyze and learn from City Market's current composting practices. Council gave the following direction to key decisions of the Avon Composting Pilot Program: 1. Who is the focus - Commercial composting only received 5 thumbs up, and Commercial/Residential composting received 2 thumbs up. 2. Program scope — a pilot program received 7 thumbs up, and full implementation received no support. 3. Collection approach - curbside approach received 7 thumbs up, and drop sites or hybrid received no support. 4. Costs and funding — free vs. subsidized or full cost will require further financial modeling before deciding the best path forward. 5. Number/type of haulers - Multiple haulers received 7 thumbs up, and single hauler received no support. 6. Mandatory or voluntary - Incentive based received 7 thumbs up, and mandatory received no support. 6.5.Work Session: Tract S Arcadian (Community Development Director Matt Pielsticker) Video Start Time: 02:31:55 Community Development Director Matt Pielsticker delivered a presentation and led a work session related to the Tract S Arcadian parcel. As this was discussed as a work session, no public comment was received, no motion was requested, and staff received feedback and direction to continue their work. Mayor Underwood asked staff to ensure the Town is given an access easement to Tract S. Councilor Thuon asked why this parcel is being offered, and was advised that the developer has identified it has limited development potential. He added that if the Town accepts the dedication, it should do so with wildlife considerations in mind to preserve the elk herd that migrates through there. Additional questions included understanding the impact of hiking trails on Tract S. Councilor Hardy wondered if hiker liability is increased in Town by incorporating this space and a trail on it to Avon's open space portfolio, adding she hikes it yearly and it is very slippery. Councilor Stanley wondered if this space could be accepted as a wildlife preserve. Councilor Brooks spoke favorably about the acceptance of the dedication. Councilor Carroll also spoke favorably of the acceptance and noted the advantages it offers the Town. After deliberations, Council directed Staff to proceed to accept the dedication of Tract S and incorporate this parcel into the open space portfolio as a benefit to Avon's community. Ah AVON REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 Avon HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM C O L O R A D O 6.6.Work Session: Vehicle Dwellers (Planner II Max Morgan) Video Start Time: 02:45:45 Planner II Max Morgan delivered a presentation and led a work session related to Vehicle Dwellers. As this was discussed as a work session, no motion was requested, and staff received feedback and direction. Councilor Thuon noted that vehicle dwellers are transient in nature, and rules and regulations should be mandatory to ensure that there are no registered sex offenders or criminals camping near the homes of tax paying residents in Avon. Town Manager Eric Heil indicated that Staff are not making a recommendation to allow vehicle dwellers to park and sleep on Town streets, and staff is simply reporting back on what Summit County is doing to regulate vehicle dwellers who park to sleep in their County, as directed by Council. Councilor Hardy commented that after the lengthy conversation during the last Council meeting, she believes the County should take lead in creating safe spaces for vehicle dwellers and working homeless to park and sleep safely in the County, since Avon is not capable of solving that issue on its own at a municipal level. She added that access to homeownership is limited, and the conversation is important. Mayor Pro Tern Carroll thanked the public for commenting on this issue. He highlighted that Avon is not criminalizing the unhoused, that public engagement is critical, and he looks forward to continuing this discussion for the public to really understand what Avon is doing to regulate camping in Avon. Councilor Brooks recommended that Staff contact Homeless Services Manager Monica Brutout with the Eagle County Housing and Development Authority's Bold Housing Moves program, to better understand homelessness services available in Eagle County. Mayor Underwood opened the floor to public comment, and Mr. Tim McMahon, resident of Avon, took the podium in person to acknowledge there are already vehicle dwellers living in Avon, and he suggested that the Town of Avon should propose that Eagle County consider a program for vehicle dwellers like the one launched in Summit County. 7. WRITTEN REPORTS 7.1.January 23rd Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority Meeting Summary (Mayor Underwood) 7.2.February 24th Planning & Zoning Commission Abstract (Development Coordinator Emily Block) 7.3.February 20th CASE Committee Meeting Minutes (Special Events Coordinator Emily Dennis) 7.4.March 3rd Finance Committee Meeting Minutes (Chief Finance Officer Paul Redmond) 7.5.Ice Rink End of Season Recap (Recreation Director Michael Labagh) ** Indicates topic will be discussed at future agenda's A R M M W&I VON EGULAR FETING INUTES avon TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM COLORADO 8. MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS & MEETING UPDATES Video Start Time: 03:10:04 Councilor Thuon spoke of the possibility that the Federal government will dismantle the Education Department, which facilitates a free lunch program at local schools. He invited the community to look at this and added that hungry and vulnerable children in the local schools will need protection, and this is a more pressing issue for the community than composting. Councilor Stanley invited the public to attend classes and workshops offered at the Vail Valley Art Guild at Avon, including one coming up on March 13th related to the 'Perspective in Artwork' mini workshop, and also invited the public to visit www.vvagco.org for more information on upcoming programing. Councilor Brooks spoke of his membership to the board of the Eagle River Coalition and invited the public to attend the 10th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival on April 3, 2025, at 5 p.m. in Riverwalk Theater in Edwards. Councilor Hardy also recommended the public to attend the film series. Mayor Underwood spoke of her attendance last week to the Colorado Association of Ski Towns legislative update meeting alongside Councilor Stanley and Town Manager Heil. She noted that Governor Jared Polis, Senator Dylan Roberts, and Will Toor, Executive Director of the State's Energy Office, were all present. She added that in relation to House Bill 25-1117 (Concerning the Regulation of Vehicle Immobilization Companies), she spoke to the Colorado Municipal League Legislative Specialist about the State's booting ban, and she asked that they advocate for Town Manager Heil's suggestion that the Bill should include a home rule municipality opt - out for those municipalities that have existing booting regulations in place such as in Avon. 9. ADJOURN There being no further business before Council, Mayor Underwood moved to adjourn the regular meeting. The time was 8:17 p.m. These minutes are only a summary of the proceedings of the meeting. They are not intended to be comprehensive or to include each statement, person speaking or to portray with complete accuracy. The most accurate records of the meeting are the audio of the meeting, which is housed in the Town Clerk's office, and the video of the meeting, which is available at www.highfivemedio.org. AVON REGULAR MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2025 n neon HYBRID MEETING; IN -PERSON AT AVON TOWN HALL AND VIRTUALLY THROUGH ZOOM C O L O R A D O RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: APPROVED: Mayor Underwood Rich Carroll Ruth Stanley Lindsay Hardy Chico Thuon Kevin Hyatt Gary Brooks s _"IyXiL"� "" ael Jauregui �7" ueva, Town Clerk