HomeMy Public PortalAbout2 Bi-Weekly Update 1 December 2017
Bi-W e e k l y U p d a t e D e c 1 , 2 0 1 7
Highlights
• Town Holiday
Hours
• 2018 Town Budget
• Public Works
• Planning
• 2017 Fraser
Sustainability
• New Pilates Studio
• Short Term Rental
Program
• Snow Plow Murals
By Fraser Elemen-
tary
Upcoming
Events
Dec 1
Festival of Trees at
Fraser Valley Rec
Dec 16-21
Freestyle Mogul
Selections
Dec 23
Wish Lantern
Festival
Dec 29
Christmas Eve
Torchlight Parade
Dec 30
Winter Adventure
Festival
Town Holiday Hours
Happy holidays everyone! Fraser Town Hall will be closed for business
on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Following the Town Board
Meeting on Dec. 6th, there will not be another Town Board Meeting until
Jan. 3rd with the next Bi-Weekly Update available Dec. 27th. Enjoy the
holiday season and be safe!
2018 Town Budget
The budget identifies the Town Board’s vision and hopes for the community via proposed expenditures. Over
the course of the year, the Budget provides the framework for the annual work plan, all programs, projects,
and services (and levels of service) to be provided to the community.
In addition to the basic services, the Town Board included the following in the 2018 Budget:
• The 2018 Budget includes establishment of a new
account, Community Housing. This account is pro-
vided for affordable housing projects and programs.
The Town Board is appropriating funds in the interest
of fostering a new housing development. $365,000 of
fund balance is appropriated into this account. This
combined with the affordable housing restricted re-
serve would provide for $500,000 toward a housing
project.
• Additionally, funds are appropriated for the development of the Town owned property adjacent to
the Fraser Still commonly referred to as the FroDo property.
• The US40 Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project, funded via two grants from the Colorado De-
partment of Transportation along with a local match of $775,000. This project will provide a series of
traffic calming medians and crosswalk improvements between CR8 and Old Victory Road, along
with additional pedestrian trail improvements. This project is funded in the Capital Asset Fund. Given
the additional landscaping opportunities related to these medians, provisions have been included for
additional garden staff and planting supplies.
• In late 2017, a new nightly rental registration program was established. Accordingly, the Budget
includes a $20,000 expenditure for software support and revenues associated with the registration
fees and sales taxes in a new account for community housing expenditures.
• Two projects initiated in 2017 will wrap up in 2018, the Development Code Update and Fraser Riv-
er Corridor Master Plan.
• In anticipation of capital projects as may be recommended by the Fraser River Corridor Master
Plan, $100,000 is appropriated in the Restricted Revenue Fund for implementation of an open space
capital project. (This may need to be funded by GF)
• A $25,000 contribution from the Conservation Trust Fund to the Fraser Valley Metropolitan Recrea-
tion District initiative to install a refrigeration system at the Icebox ice rink.
• Increased funding for the Business Enhancement Grant program from $25,000 to $50,000.
• A $5,000 contribution to the Grand Enterprise Initiative. This is a countywide initiative designed to
provide free confidential business support and assistance, with the goal of growing local businesses.
(They’ve requested an increase to $7,500)
• Continued support for Headwater Trails Alliance ($10,500 for operations, $6,000 for winter trail
grooming, and $30,000 for capital projects relating to the Trail Smart Sizing Project). While it re-
mains our goal to fund trails expenditures in the Restricted Revenue Fund, in 2018 the General
Fund will support these expenditures as transit start-up costs along with uncertain revenue impacts
due to the Winter Park grocery store continue to limit opportunities to utilize the Restricted Revenue
Fund.
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Public Works
December Update
• Staff performed traffic speed and vehicular counts on a portion of Rendezvous
road following speed complaints. Processing of data is underway.
• We hired one new equipment operator this month, Bradford Rome, who brings
with him heavy equipment and snow management experience.
• A Mobile Message Board has been staged in advance of the Christmas tree cutting season on
U.S. Forest Service land in the Elk Creek drainage area which will begin on Friday, Dec 1st.
• Public Work’s new CAT wheel loader is being prepped for delivery sometime this December.
• Our snow management operations plan and maps are being updated to provide better service.
• Staff performed maintenance on one of our North system production wells
that developed some issues that required it to be taken out of service until the
work is completed later this month.
• We are making changes to striping at the US40 and CR8 intersection for
channelization to allow for a left turn acceleration lane onto US40 from CR8.
2017 Accomplishments
• Mary’s Pond survey and improvements grant project.
• We submitted a grant application for the CR8 Bridge replacement project.
• US40 Highway Safety Improvements Project: 2 grants awarded to Fraser for a combined project
totaling nearly $1.1 million in funding.
• Mountain Parks Electric completed LED security street light fixture upgrades throughout town lim-
its. These are the fixtures at intersections on town roads and US40.
• Speed radar signs for the school zone along US40 in the downtown area have been installed.
• Eisenhower at Union Pacific Waterline Project Completed.
• LED lighting upgrades completed at Town Hall, the maintenance shop and all new fixtures on the
Amtrak platform including an upgraded electrical panel.
• US40 LED upgrades will be completed by the end of the year.
• Installation of 2 additional trail kiosks.
• CityWorks, our new asset management software, is up and running ‘LIVE’ which provides better
management of our Public Works staff and resources to accomplish more in less time.
• Planning Area 28, affectionately known as the ‘Snow Pit’ (across from the Historic Tubing Hill),
was rehabilitated this year to provide for increased snow storage space as we continue to lose
storage throughout the Town. This has been a long overdue task that is now complete.
• The ‘Fraser River Source Water Protection Plan’ document was completed this summer in collab-
oration with seven other Grand County water and sanitation districts and Denver Water as part of
a grant we received in 2015 from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
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Planning
Fraser Downtown, Affordable Housing, and US40 Improvements
We are moving forward with implementing some of the goals in
the 2017 Downtown Fraser Strategic Plan: create a “walkable”
downtown core, expand economic opportunity, create safe
multimodal connections, increase housing choices and show-
case the Fraser River. We have received grant funding from
Colorado Department of Transportation to implement some of
recommendations that were a result of our Downtown planning
initiative.
The project is part of a community vision to calm traffic speeds along US40 and enhance safety for
people walking and bicycling. Included are two enhanced crosswalks that will add pedestrian medi-
an refuge islands and curb extensions for the safety of school children needing to cross US40 to get
to our local elementary school and access district-wide busing. Also included are two segments of
new concrete walkway to provide year-round use, accommodate ADA access, improve safety and
eliminate the need to walk on the roadway.
Resiliency
The Town of Fraser received design resiliency technical assistance (DART). The assistance is pro-
vided by the American Institute of Architects and the Urban Sustainability Directors Network.
On September 11-13th, 2017, we welcomed this all volunteer consulting group from across the coun-
try with expertise in the following fields: Political structure, land use, envisioning downtown and
mixed-use housing, planning and sustainability, economic and market analysis, affordable and work-
force housing, climate adaptation and hazard mitigation.
Thank you to all who participated in the community involvement. The community spoke and said we
want small town life, community, authenticity. “Cookie cutter isn’t cool, not for Fraser.” The goal is to
help Fraser develop a strategic vision and promote community resiliency.
The Colorado Resiliency Framework defines resili-
ency as the following: The ability of communities to
rebound, positively adapt to, or thrive amidst
changing conditions or challenges – including
disasters and climate change – and maintain quali-
ty of life, healthy growth, durable systems, and
conservation of resources for present and future
generations.
The consulting team analyzed what is preventing Fraser from being resilient. The following challeng-
es were identified: Lack of diverse, year-round economy; Lack of affordable and attainable housing;
Challenge of US40 bisecting the town; Lack of mixed use development; and Floodplain and water
supply. The team has recently provided the Town of Fraser with a final report and recommended
next steps to promote community resiliency to help Fraser act, adapt and thrive!
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Planning
Fraser River Corridor Master Plan
The Town of Fraser has begun the process of developing a
Master Plan for 120-acres of the Fraser River Corridor through
Cozens Ranch Open Space (project area – Rendezvous Road
to CR 804).
The outcome of the project is to protect, connect and in-
spire! Our desired outcome is to showcase Cozens Ranch
Open Space to one and all and allow the natural beauty of the
river corridor to positively impact people of all ages without hav-
ing a negative impact on the wildlife population.
The next Fraser River Corridor Master Plan Public Work-
shop is scheduled for Tuesday, December 12th from 5:00-
7:00 PM at the Fraser Historic Church.
Development Code Update
Fraser received a Colorado Department of Local Affairs administrative grant in the amount of
$25,000 to assist the Town with a comprehensive overhaul of the zoning and subdivision develop-
ment codes. We are in the middle of this project now. The objective is to create a unified develop-
ment code that is user-friendly and reduces some of the regulatory barriers to development. More
public engagement meetings will be scheduled for early 2018.
2017 Fraser Sustainability
We are proud to look back on 2017 with several sustainability accomplishments. The Fraser Town
Board approved the Town of Fraser Sustainability Plan in late 2016 and joined the Compact of Colo-
rado Communities this year in a commitment to reduce our greenhouse gases emissions by 20%
from 2014 levels by 2025 and has laid out initial strategies to help achieve this goal. Three major
projects have stemmed from this commitment and have begun in 2017.
High Efficiency LEDs
As of March of this year, our Public Works department started the process of replacing all of our
street lamps and public lighting with high efficiency LED bulbs which has resulted in less electricity
utilized for Town lighting. This has been a great project for our Public Works and are nearing com-
pletion of every public light being energy efficient!
Recycling and Pay-As-You-Throw Facility
Since this Spring, our staff has been working diligently on finding a location and acquiring funding for
this facility. Following a Waste Diversion Study in 2016, a need for free recycling and other trash dis-
posal options were identified due to a large population of Fraser Valley residents that don’t recycling
and pay too much for trash service. We are hoping to have this facility up and running by Summer
‘18!
High Efficiency Blowers at our Wastewater Treatment Plant
Our Wastewater Treatment Plant is getting new blowers that are 30% more energy efficient which
will save thousands on the Town’s electricity bill and result in a lot less greenhouse gas emissions!
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New Pilates Studio
We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Polestar Pilates Studio to Murdoch’s Shopping Center in
Fraser! Polestar Pilates Studio offers group classes in reformer, as well as private and semi -private
sessions. Sarka Ruzickova, Pilates instructor and owner of the studio, is planning on an early De-
cember grand opening.
Sarka is well known around the Fraser Valley. In addition to being a Pilates instructor, she has been
a professional skier and mountain bike racer and continues to coach athletes and inspire women to
be active. After Pilates helped her recover from previous injuries, Sarka was inspired to learn how to
assist other high-level athletes and the general public to teach them the healthy movement patterns
that helped her heal. This passion for movement and to help others led her to the Polestar Pilates
curriculum, and she graduated as a Studio practitioner in April 2017. In addition to being a Polestar
graduate, Sarka has a Master’s degree in Chemistry and Physical Education from TU Liberec,
Czech Republic. She has also trained with the Oov and is Level 1 Terramethod Cycling trained.
As she already works with many women, Sarka is actively trying to motivate more men to do Pilates
to enhance their body awareness and prevent injuries. Sarka wants to help everyone achieve their
goals and inspire them to take better care of their bodies and souls.
Pilates works. Period. If you are looking for a refreshing mind-body workout with an emphasis on
mindful movement, check out Polestar Pilates Studio for their introductory offer or class packages. If
you are a competitive athlete
looking to increase flexibility,
athletic performance and pre-
vent injuries, give Polestar Pi-
lates Studio a call to see why
so many professional athletes
have already incorporated Pi-
lates into their training regi-
ment.
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Short Term Rental Program
The Board of Trustees has determined that it is in the public’s interest to
establish a registration program for short term rentals (STR) in the Town of
Fraser. STRs are considered rentals of less than thirty days. The registra-
tion will be available starting in January 2018 with an annual fee of $150.
More information to follow in January.
Snow Plow Murals By Fraser Elementary
Fraser Valley Elementary School students are working hard on their annual snow plow blades pro-
ject. Coordinated by Fraser Valley Elementary School Art Teacher Shelley Madsen, the smaller of
the two plow blades features a rainbow pattern made from students’ handprints with the message
“smile” in the center, while the larger plow blade features a beach and underwater theme. The plow
blades are nearing completion and you will be able to spot them plowing Fraser roads in the near
future!
Thanks for Creating a Successful Mural Program!
Speaking of murals, we’d like to give a huge, end of the year thank you to the Public Arts Committee
for all of their hard work in establishing the Fraser Mural Program! They have made tremendous
progress in incorporating public art all around Fraser. Stay tuned for the 2018 iteration of the Fraser
Mural Program, as we will be soliciting applications in the spring! Details to follow.
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Please feel free to contact
us with any questions
Town Hall
970-726-5491
A full list of contacts can be found at:
www.frasercolorado.com
People come from far and near to see the epic Torchlight Parade in Winter Park!
Town of Fraser
PO Box 370, Fraser, CO 80442
Did You Know…
We now have a new transit map for the upcoming winter
season! Check out the new transit map at nearly any
business in Fraser or Winter Park. One of the new
additions to this season’s transit are four new bus stops
in Rendezvous along with a few others. ADA Paratransit
service is available to eligible riders who are unable to
reach their nearest designated signed stop by calling
(970) 726-4163. We are proud to offer free transit to Fraser Valley residents
and continue to work to make it better. Also, download the RideHop App for
free to see your bus in real time.