The Salida City Council will meet in regular session at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday May 3, 2022 and the complete packet is here with highlights noted below. Mayor Dan Shore will proclaim May 12, 2022 as “Arbor Day” in Salida, to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands.
Consent Agenda Includes Contract for Splash Pad Construction
Preceding the citizen comment section, the consent agenda includes entering into a $350,000 contract with Stratton & Brätt Landscapes, LLC of Pleasant Grove, Utah for the construction of the long-awaited (and budgeted) Splash Pad at Centennial Park.
Liquor License Hearing
Sitting as the Liquor Licensing Authority, Council will conduct a hearing to review a new Hotel and Restaurant Liquor License for The Crossroads LLC dba The Crossroads on Hwy 50 at G Street.
Major Impact Reviews
Conceptual drawing of Salida Bottling Company project at 323 West First Street in Salida. Image courtesy of the applicant
Ordinance 2022-06 is a Final Reading and Public Hearing for The Residences at Salida Bottling. The Major Impact Review is for 16 residential units plus one commercial unit at 323 West First Street and the Monarch Spur Trail, in a planned development overlay. The units range in size from 800-1,400 square feet.
After hearing multiple points of view at the April 5, 2022 Council meeting, the matter was tabled so that staff could gather feedback and work further with the developer. Since that time, additional view surveys have been conducted to address neighbors’ concerns. Those surveys and additional revisions will be covered at the May 3 meeting/public hearing.
A variance for a maximum height of 40 feet for some of the buildings caused the major point of contention with abutting neighbors on First and Second Street. At that time council pressed for an additional inclusionary housing unit; the latest version leaves the height variance intact while providing for a fourth inclusionary housing unit (AMIs will vary). Left unclear from discussions at prior Planning Commission hearings (and not stated in the current packet) is whether the applicant, Eric Warner would pursue Short Term Rental (STR) units in the project.
Green Heart LLC property at 535 West Seventh Street in Salida.
A second Major Impact Review in Ordinance 2022-08 will have a first reading for the proposed planned development overlay and minor subdivision for Green Heart LLC at 535 West Seventh Street (slightly north of the Monarch Spur Trail) near Longfellow Elementary School.
Approval is sought for a Minor Subdivision to subdivide the 1.23 acre property into 4 residential lots, together with a private access road and developer-provided water and sewer connecting the city mains. The developer would remove a barn, workshop, and shed from the site which looks westward onto the Williams Tract, a possible future conservation easement.
Owner Jeff Williams, noted in written comments that it is an “…irrigated hay meadow west of the proposed development…This land is an active livestock and hay operation where this use may become a nuisance to the lot owners.”
Applicants Robin Nejame, Zack Zeiset, Annie Ruiter and Andy Riemenschneider are local Salida residents who have each lived in Salida for at least 20 years. Their stated goal “is for both families to live on this parcel of land and to create a development that is a good fit for the neighborhood.” After Planning Commission review, the planned development application was approved to pass to City Council with noted conditions, including that “Applicant agrees to give a preference to current Chaffee County residents or workforce for Lots 3 and 4 on the Property, to the extent permitted by law.”
“Open Doors” Program Proposed Amendment
Salida RV Resort Park Models in background with RV Sites Awaiting Completion. Courtesy photo
Resolution 2022-16 will consider an amendment to the existing Chaffee Housing Authority (CHA) “Open Doors” Program. On April 4, 2022, staff presented the council with an additional emergency housing program idea to purchase and locate up to 10 recreational vehicles at the Salida RV Resort to be rented out to up to 15 members of the local workforce, at least for the high-season months of approximately May to November.
The concept was further refined when presented by Salida Development Director Bill Almquist and RV Park owner Brian Morrison at the April 18, 2022 work session and is noted in the YouTube video at approximately 35 minutes into the session.
Staff has been working with CHA staff to incorporate this program as an addendum to the Open Doors program, especially since the original Open Doors program will likely not be able to be fully implemented until sometime after the summer. The proposed amendment to the Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) defines the responsibilities of the CHA, the city, and other third parties in providing the interim program.
In a fiscal note, the City says the initial cost to purchase up to 10 used RV units is anticipated to be in the vicinity of $250,000. As master lessee of the spaces at the RV Resort off Hwy 50 at the eastern edge of Salida, the city will be obligated for payment of space rental; however, rents charged for the units are anticipated to cover the space rental.
The regular council session will conclude after hearing reports from the council members, the mayor, treasurer, attorney and staff. At that point, council will hear a motion to go into Executive Session. The purpose of that session is to consider potential real estate acquisitions.
To register to listen and participate in the Regular City Council Meeting click on Go To Meeting
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. To simply watch the meeting “LIVE”, click on the City’s broadcast channel.
Featured image: Conceptual drawing of the proposed Salida Splash Pad. Image courtesy Stratton & Brätt Landscapes, LLC
Recent Comments