B THE TOWN OF MINUTES OF THE BUENA VISTA BOARD OF TRUSTEES 8UENA VISTA) REGULAR MEETING CO Tuesday, April 8, 2025 MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE A TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNING BODY'S ACTIONS RATHER THAN A VERBATIM RECORD OF DELIBERATIONS. Work Session at 6:00 PM = Airport Rules and Regulations and Commercial Aeronautical Minimum Standards Overview & Airport Staff Presentation Mayor Libby Fay, Trustees Maggie Huyck, Andrew Rice, Micha Rosenoer (via Zoom), Devin Rowe, Cindie Swisher, and Chris Sturm were in attendance for the presentation from Airport Manager. Jack Wyles, Airport Operations Supervisor Chandra Swanson, and Airport Advisory Board Chair Dan Courtright. Also present were Town Administrator Brian Berger and Deputy Town Clerk Ed Barkowski. Jack Wyles outlined the airport's strategic vision, infrastructure projects, and staffing updates. Long-term goals include developing the airport as a small cargo hub or passenger transfer point to DIA and Colorado Springs, while short-term priorities focus on emergency response for rescues, medical evacuations, and wildfires. He reported progress on roof repairs, fixture upgrades, and future HVAC improvements, and praised Chandra Swanson for managing daily operations, allowing him to focus on planning and funding. Wyles covered the line technician role, responsible for towing, fueling, luggage handling, and snow removal, and spoke of military partnerships, aircraft testing and High Altitude Training for U.S. and NATO pilots. Chandra Swanson presented on airport operations, funding, and revenue, noting that FAA and CDOT grants cover about 20% of funding, town and county contributions add 17%, and fuel sales generate around half of total revenue. FAA grants support major projects like runway resurfacing, apron repairs and lighting upgrades, while CDOT funds statewide tools such as weather systems and aircraft tracking. Swanson reported on the airport's growing economic impact through increased air travel and local spending. She also emphasized its critical role in the 2024 Interlocken Fire response, which prompted a review of emergency preparedness. Efforts to add rental car services continue despite challenges with seasonal demand and staffing. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA' VISTA Page 1 of1 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 Trustee Rowe asked how wildfire response demands compare to peak summer business. Swanson noted staffing needs vary between spikes and sustained activity, while Wyles pointed to the added challenge of managing emergencies during busy summer operations. Swanson and Wyles addressed camera coverage, access points, and airspace management. In response to question by Trustee Sturm, on air traffic control, Wyles explained the airport's use of a unicom radio frequency in lieu of a control tower. Dan Courtright, Chair of the Airport Advisory Board, provided an update on revisions to the airport's rules and regulations. The proposed changes will address minimum standards for commercial aeronautical operations to ensure FAA compliance and continued funding. Airport business licensing will involve a new formal process to be managed by Town staff and reviewed by the Board. Non-aviation businesses will remain limited or absent. An in-person/virtual regular meeting of the Board of Trustees was called to order by Mayor Libby Fay at 7:06 PM, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at the Buena Vista Community Center, Pinon Room, 715 E. Main Street, Buena Vista, Colorado, having been previously noticed in accordance with the Colorado Open Meetings Law. ROLL CALL Attendee Name Title Status Libby Fay Mayor Present Maggie Huyck Trustee Present Andrew Rice Trustee Present Micha Rosenoer Trustee Present via Zoom Devin Rowe Trustee Present Chris Sturm Trustee Present Cindie Swisher Trustee Present Town Staff Present: Town Administrator Brian Berger Town Attorney Jeff Parker via Zoom Planning Director Marika Kopp Deputy Town Clerk Ed Barkowski Public Works Director Shawn Williams PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Mayor Fay led the pledge of allegiance. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 2 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 AGENDA ADOPTION MOTION NO. 01: MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. RESULTS CARRIED MOVER Trustee Swisher. SECONDER: Trustee Rowe AYES: Huyck, Rice, Rosenoer, Rowe, Sturm, Swisher CONSENT AGENDA Approval of matters that are routine in nature that require review and/or approval, i.e. minutes and reports. Professional Service Agreements (PSA) that exceed $25,000.00 require the Consent Agenda to be approved by a Roll Call vote) A. Minutes a. Board of Trustees Regular Meeting - March 25, 2025 b. Water Advisory Board Meeting = March 20, 2025 C. Historic Preservation Commission Meeting - March 5, 2025 d. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - March 19, 2025 B. Police Chief Report C. Planning Director Report D. Public Works Director Report E. Town Clerk Report MOTION NO. 02: MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. RESULTS CARRIED MOVER Trustee: Rowe SECONDER: Trustee Huyck AYES: Huyck, Rice, Rosenoer, Rowe, Sturm, Swisher PUBLIC COMMENT Rich Shoemaker, 30709 Stampede Run, gave support for the Electric Preferred amendment, naming an 'Internet of Things" potential, whereby household devices connect to offer greater ease of use, efficiency and could eventually make onsite energy production more feasible. Briston Jones with Atmos Energy, 1555 Blake Street in Denver, voiced opposition to the Electric Preferred proposal, asserting that it would limit home energy options and increase building costs for future homebuyers. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 3 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 Deb Hannigan, 115 River Run Court, spoke in support of Electric Preferred in how it could encourage residential solar panel installation, benefit the environment and increase residential device connectivity. Chris Martin (via Zoom), 30991 CR 356, voiced support for the proposed Electric Preferred code changes, noting that simpler homes stand to benefit more than complex structures from implementations like electric heat pumps. PRESENTATIONS Chaffee County Community Wildfire Protection Plan = 2024 Annual Community Report Members of the Chaffee County Forest Health Council will provide an overview of the 2024 Annual Community Report for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Kim Marques of Envision Chaffee County reviewed the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), aimed at reducing risks and preparing residents for future wildfires, and noted that its implementation is led by the Colorado Forest Health Council, which comprises experts from all county land management agencies. Marques highlighted top community concerns, including firefighter safety, drinking water, and critical infrastructure. The Colorado Forest Restoration Institute at CSU overlaid asset locations with GIS data to create a risk map. Adding cost and feasibility, a treatment priority map was made, targeting 30,000 acres for fuel reduction. Of the total acres, 70% are public lands and 23% private. To date, 12,000 acres have been treated. Perry Edwards, Salida District Ranger, emphasized the importance of coordinated, landscape- scale fuels projects and praised the collaboration among agencies, landowners, and local crews. He noted that prescribed burns near private property are helping lower insurance costs and stressed the need for tailored strategies, such as watershed-wide treatments and improved access in dead timber areas like Chalk Creek. Edwards credited past fuels work with helping contain the 2024 Interlaken Fire and underscored the need for follow-up burns every eight to fifteen years, while warning that extreme weather can still overwhelm mitigation efforts. JT Shaver, Supervisory Forester with the Colorado State Forest Service, explained how the last CWPP update helped shape two key private land wildfire mitigation programs called Chaffee Chips and Chaffee Treats. Launched in 2018, Chaffee Chips helps landowners dispose of slash and has engaged over 1,500 participants with support from Chaffee County Fire and the State Forest Service. Chaffee Treats focuses on larger landscape scale fuel reduction in partnership with agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fire Camp, and the U.S. Forest Service. Since 2020, this effort has resulted in 3,200 acres treated. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA' VISTA Page 4 of1 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 Kent Maxwell, Fire and Forestry Coordinator for Colorado Fire Camp, talked of the importance of the CWPP in guiding local projects. He highlighted the importance of volunteer labor, including 800 students from Southwest Conservation Corps and Americorps, and partnerships with municipalities. He also noted grant support from the Colorado Strategic Wildfire Action Plan and Chaffee Common Ground's recognition as a statewide model. Trustee Sturm commented on planned treatments in the Cottonwood Creek watershed, Town's primary water source, and emphasized that while reducing burn severity is key to protecting the supply, SO too are post-wildfire hazards like flooding and debris flows. Trustee Rice congratulated Kira Jones on her recent appointment as the new fire chief for Chaffee County Fire Protection District. Electric Preferred Presentation and Discussion - Chaffee County Chief Building Official, Chad Chadwick Chaffee County Chief Building Official, Chad Chadwick, will present an Electric Preferred amendment to Chaffee County's International Energy Conservation Code and discuss the proposal with the Board of Trustees Chad Chadwick, Chief Building Official for Chaffee County, opened by referencing updates to the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code as it applies to proposals within the Electric Preferred standards on new building electrification and efficiency. Matt Nykiel, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center, stated an intention to gather input on proposed amendments to the county's energy code. He outlined the initiative's timeline, which began with the county's 2020 comprehensive plan, and noted Salida's resolution in support. Referencing Buena Vista's comprehensive plan and survey data, Nykiel pointed to community support for renewable energy and environmental protection. Chadwick reviewed building code updates, including adoption of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code, requiring new homes with gas appliances to be wired for future electrification, solar panels, and EV charging. He said the proposed Electric Preferred code would promote electrification while still allowing gas, with minimal impact on affordable housing or local ousinesses. Nykiel assured that Colorado electric utilities routinely forecast twenty years ahead and can handle increased loads. He also pointed out that gas furnaces and appliances still typically require electricity for fans and controls. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 5 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 Christine Brinker, Senior Buildings Policy Manager for Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, (via Zoom) shared that her experience with other Colorado communities shows Electric Preferred is unlikely to significantly raise housing costs. She noted that builders have flexibility between mixed-fuel and all-electric options, with falling heat pump prices and upfront savings from eliminating gas piping helping to offset slightly higher equipment costs. An Eagle County model showed Electric Preferred yielding the lower total cost for businesses and builders. Chadick added that during his inspections for the Building Department, he has observed that up to 65 percent of new homes are being built as all-electric, prior to code amendment. Trustee Swisher questioned the relationship between electric sources and renewables. She noted that wind turbines last only 10 to 15 years, are not recyclable, and rely on lithium batteries, while acknowledging that every energy option has drawbacks. Swisher expressed concerns about outages and rising demand, and opposed incentives for electrification, suggesting that gas infrastructure could become overly limited or unfairly phased out. Nykiel spoke on renewable energy's potential and the eventual depletion of gas and oil, adding that electricity is becoming less reliant on fossil fuels, with Electric Preferred offering locally produced options. Trustee Huyck spoke of the community's large number of underserved residents and suggested prioritizing on-site energy generation over incentivizing changes to building codes. Mayor Fay asked what was known about upcoming Colorado building code changes. Nykiel responded that similar standards will be state-mandated by summer 2026, and early adoption would benefit builders and buyers, concluding that a countywide consensus is required for the amendment to take effect. Trustee Huyck inquired how Energy Preferred would apply to off-grid properties and if exceptions would be made. Chadwick said the amendment could include such language. Town Administrator Brian Berger requested that more details on the incentive points system and any additional studies beyond Eagle County's Lotus study be provided to the Board for future consideration. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 6 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 BUSINESS ITEMS Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF) Community Grant Presentation & Recommendations Members of the Chaffee County Community Foundation will present the 2025 Community Grant recommendations. Anna Hendricks, Director of the Chaffee County Community Foundation, discussed the recent grant review process, which balances support between established organizations and impactful smaller groups. She explained that the process includes screening, scoring, and interviews to better understand applicants' needs, with scores guiding but not solely determining decisions. Hendricks emphasized offering support to organizations not selected to strengthen future applications. Mayor Fay noted the grant funding comes from 1% of sales tax in Buena Vista, and likely the same in Salida. MOTION NO. 03: MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CCCF FOR THE COMMUNITY GRANTS FOR 2025 RESULTS CARRIED MOVER Trustee Sturm SECONDER: Trustee Swisher AYES: Huyck, Rice, Rosenoer, Rowe, Sturm, Swisher Crossman's Addition (The Crossing) Public Improvements Agreement Amendment Request Should the Board of Trustees approve the adoption of Resolution No. 24, Series 2025, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA, COLORADO, APPROVING A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT WITH CROSSMAN'S DEVELOPMENT LTD." Planning Director Marika Kopp introduced a request to amend the Public Improvement Agreement (PIA) for Crossman's Addition, requiring subsurface improvements to be completed first, while surface improvements can be done later. The amendment involves lots 54-57 of Block 11, and the Town plans to streamline PIA procedures to reduce future amendments. Paul Andrews presented on the project's progress, stating it's on schedule and within budget, and that the amendment would allow plan approval and foundation work to begin, avoiding delays and added costs. Mayor Fay asked about the number of homes; Andrews responded there are fourteen, offered through CHT at half-market price for income-qualified buyers. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA' VISTA Page 7 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 Trustee Rice referenced recent staff and Board discussions about PIA practices and asked Town Administrator Brian Berger if this amendment reflects the preferred structure. Berger affirmed, noting that using building permits as limiting factors is more effective than requiring all infrastructure to be completed before issuing Certificates of Occupancy. MOTION NO. 04: MOVE TO APPROVE A FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT AGREEMENT WITH CROSSMAN'S DEVELOPMENT LTD. RESULTS CARRIED MOVER Trustee Sturm SECONDER: Trustee Huyck AYES: Huyck, Rice, Rosenoer, Rowe, Sturm, Swisher Clear View Community Church Revocable Encroachment Request, 203 Cedar Street Should the Board of Trustees approve the adoption of Resolution No. 25, Series 2025, entitled, "A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA, COLORADO, APPROVING THE EXECUTION OF A REVOCABLE ENCROACHMENT LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH CLEAR VIEW COMMUNITY CHURCH" Planning Director Marika Kopp reviewed a permanent encroachment request from Clear View Community Church for 203 Cedar Street, involving a deck, lighting fixture, rock wall, and chimney. Due to a lapse in insurance, the original agreement requires reapproval. Kopp noted no concerns about public safety or the right-of-way, and Public Works had no objections. Dave Reyher, representing new ownership, spoke on the property's history and nonprofit status, and credited realtor Julie Kersting fori dentifying the need for reapproval during the recent sale. MOTION NO. 05: MOVE TO APPROVE THE EXECUTION OF A REVOCABLE ENCROACHMENT LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH CLEAR VIEW COMMUNITY CHURCH. RESULTS CARRIED MOVER Trustee Rice, SECONDER: Trustee Swisher AYES: Huyck, Rice, Rosenoer, Rowe, Sturm, Swisher BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 8 of1 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 Darren Patterson Christian Academy (DPCA) 4th and 5th grade class Pedestrian Safety Recommendation Reconciliation Town staff will review the list of possible ideas to improve pedestrian safety provided by DPCA students on February 11th and recommendations on moving forward with some of the proposed projects. Town Administrator Brian Berger shared outcomes from a school project by Darren Patterson Christian Academy students, who presented infrastructure recommendations to the Board on February 11th, 2025. Based on their suggestions, Berger developed actionable items with priority levels and cost estimates, noting that half could be implemented in the short term. He emphasized the value of showing students that their ideas can lead to real community change. Trustee Rice suggested the students revisit their analysis after improvements are made. Berger also reviewed a School Zone Traffic Study Evaluation with CDOT and how in order to reduce posted speed limits, traffic studies must first be conducted. With traditional traffic studies if actual speeds are higher than the posted speed limit, on average, the posted speed limit is adjusted to be higher. A School Zone Traffic Safety Evaluation doesn't pose the same risk, and could result in reduced speeds associated with school zones. The Trustees and staff discuss the drawbacks of implementing traditional speed bumps on town streets and the differences with temporary speed bumps, which are proposed in the dirt lot at the River Park. TRUSTEE / STAFF INTERACTION The Board discusses items with staff and staff can bring up matters not on the agenda. Mayor Fay announced that the April 27 Civics Bee, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Chamber of Commerce, is still seeking judges. She also referenced a recent public comment by Monika Courtney on pesticide and herbicide use at Chicago Ranch. Public Works Director Shawn Williams responded that he and Senior Policy Advisor Joel Benson attended a meeting on proposed remediation and is hopeful for appropriate solutions. Trustee Sturm offered to bring updates on discussions with the Forest Service on planned Cottonwood Creek treatments, including post-burn hydrology effects and restoration efforts. Trustee Rice gave an update on options for the upcoming Chaffee County Public Health book discussion of "Anxious Generation". He also requested that staff limit day-of amendments to Trustee packets, to ensure all meeting attendees are in sync. Lastly, Rice called for more BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 9 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025 information on the Electric Preferred proposal, suggesting feedback from builders or Sangre de Cristo Electric representatives to better understand impacts on construction and utility costs. The Trustees discussed the various renewable and fossil fuel sources that comprise the electricity provided by Sangre de Cristo Electric Association. Planning Director Marika Kopp reported on interview status for the Planner 1 position, with hopes to hire by mid-may. MOTION NO. 06: THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD, THE MEETING BE ADJOURNED AT 9:48 PM. RESULTS CARRIED MOVER Trustee Huyck SECONDER: Trustee Rice AYES: Huyck, Rice, Rosenoer; Rowe, Sturm, Swisher Respectfully submitted: bibh K Libby Fay, Mayor M Ed Barkowski, Deputy Town Clerk & a S - BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE TOWN OF BUENA VISTA Page 10 of 10 Regular Meeting April 8, 2025