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Trustees approve GMA changes

By Rudy Hemmann

The Surveyor

The Berthoud Board of Trustees held a regular business meeting Tuesday evening and held two public hearings.

The first public hearing was regarding a rezoning request brought forward by Doug Lindgren and Susan Lenthe for an oversize lot located at the southwest corner of the intersection of Seventh Street and Bruce Drive. The applicants requested a change from R-1; Single-Family district to R-2; Limited Multi-Family district in order to allow a higher density on the property.

With approval of the zoning request the applicants intend to subdivide the lot into three lots which would allow them to construct two single-family homes on the property in addition to a single-family residence that already exists on the lot.

Town Planner Tim Katers noted the planning commission had taken action on the request on May 30, and the commission had recommended approval of the zoning request.

The planning commission had also conditionally approved a minor subdivision application which had been brought forward by the applicants. The planning commission has authority to act on minor subdivision requests, but the rezoning request remains under the jurisdiction of the town board.

No members of the public attended the meeting to give views on the issue, and Katers stated there were no responses from public notifications of the proposal.

Lindgren addressed the board briefly to explain the applicant’s intentions and gave a timeline for construction of homes on the property.

There was little discussion by the board, and a motion was soon made to approve the rezone described above. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

A second “unofficial” public hearing was held on a request by town staff to modify the Growth Management Area (GMA) boundary to include two properties within the GMA that are currently outside the GMA. The properties in question are the Jaskowski property, located between Larimer County Road (LCR) 14 and Lonetree Reservoir, and the Haworth property, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of LCR 19 and LCR 8 (Mountain Avenue extended).

The Jaskowski property, which consists of approximately 78.8 acres, is town property, having been gifted to the town last year and is approximately one-half mile west of the GMA boundary.

The Haworth property, which is roughly 80 acres, is immediately to the west of the GMA boundary.

Since both properties are outside of the GMA they cannot be annexed into the town. Town staff is eager to annex the Jaskowski property and bring it under the town’s jurisdiction. The current owners of the Haworth property have requested annexation by the town.

According to Katers, the planning commission, which has authority in matters pertaining to the GMA, has already acted on the matter and approved a resolution extending the GMA to include the two properties. Any action by the town board would either be to support (ratify) the commission action or to not support it.

A public hearing regarding the issue was not required, however Mayor David Gregg stated the board was always interested in hearing from the public and asked that those interested in addressing the board concerning the matter come forward.

Three county residents who reside near the Haworth property spoke against including that property in the GMA. One county resident had questions regarding the GMA change.

Following the public input and a brief period of board discussion, a motion to ratify the planning commission action to amend the GMA boundary was made, seconded and unanimously approved.

In other action, the trustees approved revisions to ordinance 17-17-120 which regulates the discharge of firearms within the town limits. The basic change would allow the owner of a business (gun shop) to lawfully discharge a weapon into an approved bullet trap for the purpose of testing muffling devices.

The trustees requested language specifying periodic (every 18 to 24 months) inspections of the bullet trap be made by the chief of police.

The appointment of N. Joshua Dart to the Berthoud Community Library District (BCLD) board for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2016, was approved. Trustee Bauer requested that, going forward, the BCLD board president inform town staff when members resign from the board before their terms have expired.

As a housekeeping measure, the board also ratified the current list of BCLD board members and the dates on which their terms end, as presented to the trustees on Tuesday evening.

During reports, Town Administrator Mike Hart reported the board retreat which had been scheduled for June 15 has been postponed until September. A specific date has yet to be announced.