Silverglance Way potholes

Ore Cart photo - May 22, 2021

ALSO

• Subdivisions moratorium rejected.
• Special use permit for commercial storage denied.
• Ten applications received for tenant RFP at Town’s 3 S. Glasgow Ave commercial building.
• Recycling grant approved.

Rico Board of Trustees

Regular Monthly Meeting

May 19, 2021 6:30 PM

video conference

Town of Rico’s recent online Infrastructure Priorities Survey asked citizens to select projects which they are willing to support with a property tax increase. The survey included fiberoptic cable installation for internet upgrade, Silver Creek water supply reactivation, Town shop/garage for road maintenance equipment increased funding for road maintenance, and sewer/wastewater treatment system for the Rico commercial area. Each survey question included an estimated property tax to pay for financing these projects.

Survey results are reported in the June 2021 Rico Board of Trustees Meeting packet. Response rate was 98 surveys completed. Totals for first and second choices are shown below:

__________________________

Town of Rico Infrastructure

Priorities Survey

Total of 1^st and 2^nd Choices

Silver Creek water

with grant ______.37

without grant.____18

Street Fund

Maintain current levels of snow removal and grading; repair drainage ditches and culverts; add dust control; improve surfacing; necessary equipment replacement and repairs.

________________22

Shop/garage

with grant.______.37

without grant___,.31

Sewer/wastewater treatment for business area

________________24

Fiberoptic cable for internet

with grant_______20

without grant____.17

__________________________

Trustees selected Street Fund as the best option to propose to Rico voters, and and instructed Town staff to create a 10 - 12 mill draft ballot property tax increase ballot question for consideration at a near-future Trustees meeting.

Trustees approved in April the first reading of a proposed ordinance to enact a temporary moratorium on subdivisions within the Town of Rico pending an amendment to the Rico Land Use Code regarding the allocation of water taps. On second reading of the proposed ordinance May 19, Trustees, Trustees voted to reject the proposal.

The site is north of the convenience store and south of the vacant yellow taco stand. The application is described in the May 2021 Trustees Packet:

. . . The Rico Planning Commission denied the application in a four to one vote. The Planning Commission cited concerns that a storage facility would be incompatible with the entrance to Town, concerns that the building as shown on the site plan encroached into the setbacks and a setback variance application had not been submitted, concerns about parking for access to the upstairs portion of the building (the stairway is on the exterior of the building on the side facing Glasgow), concerns about security and concerns having to do with there being no area for restroom facilities if the building is re-purposed sometime in the future. According to Section 426.1 of the Rico Land Use Code, it is ultimately up to the Board of Trustees to make the final determination.

The parcel in question is in the commercial zone district. According to the Rico Land Use Code, storage facilities are not a use by right in the commercial district, so a special use permit is required.

- - -

Trustees voted in agreement with Rico Planning Commission to deny the special use permit application.

The number of proposals grew from six when Trustees packet was prepared to ten at meeting time. Proposals include retail goods stores, outdoor outfitter service, yoga studio, bicycle sales, bicycle repair/maintenance shop, custom design furniture and lighting creations shop, antique store, and art gallery. Trustees selected bicycle repair, custom furniture, and yoga studio for further consideration.

Excerpt of April 30, 2021 email correspondence from Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDHPE) to Rico Town Manager Kari Distefano:

Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that your Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity waste diversion grant application titled Town of Rico Recycling Program was approved by the Pollution Prevention Advisory Board (board). The department hereby awards you $82,883.76 to implement your proposed project. We are confident that your project will help achieve the goals of the RREO grant program.

- - -

Town is shopping for a truck, trailer and containers for recycling at the Town Shop.

CDHPE describes the RREO recycling program at its website:

About RREO

The Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity (RREO) Program provides funding that promotes economic development through the management of materials that would otherwise be landfilled. Funds are available to support recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, source reduction, and beneficial use/reuse.

Grants and rebates are overseen by the Pollution Prevention Advisory Board and its corresponding Assistance Committee.

Related:

• Street Fund, Silver Creek Water Re-Activation, & New Town Shop Proposals in Town Infrastructure Survey - May 5, 2021

• Opinion Survey Question For Business Area Sewer Approved at Rico Board of Trustees April Meeting - April 26, 2021
• Colorado fund pays $ millions to build small town & rural fiberoptic Internet service in nearby town - April 22, 2021
• Trustees Decide: No Residential Property Tax Increase for Proposed Commercial Area Sewer Project - March 21, 2021
• Rico Street Fund Revenue Options to be Explored at March Board of Trustees Meeting - March 16, 2021