Redstone July/August 2018

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LOOK FOR REDSTONE REVIEW AT ISSUU.COM / SDCMC VOLUME 19, NUMBER 6

LYONS, COLORADO

RESIDENT / OCCUPANT PRSRT STD ECRWSS US POSTAGE PAID LYONS, CO PERMIT No 2053 $.50

JULY 18 / AUGUST 15, 2018

B •R •I •E •F •S Mayor Sullivan and Sergeant Crist change policy in LaVern M. Johnson Park LYONS – The Town of Lyons is a welcoming destination for visitors from across the state wishing to enjoy our unique and beautiful parks. We greatly appreciate the economic support visitors bring to our community. On some days (particularly holidays) however, there is the potential for our parks to become crowded to the extent that safety issues may arise. LaVern M. Johnson Park over the July Fourth holiday was crowded to the point where first responders had concerns about their abilities to address an emergency should one unfortunately occur. In addition to enforcing existing regulations, we feel it is prudent to trial several new guidelines to ensure that residents and visitors to our town and parks continue to have a safe and positive experience. Beginning this weekend, the following efforts to limit overcrowding will be applied: • The park will be considered “Full” when all the parking spaces are taken. • Visitors (in vehicles or on foot) toting coolers will not be allowed to enter the park once the “Park Full” sign is posted, and will be encouraged to utilize Bohn Park instead. • Visitors directed to Bohn Park will be informed of the need to use the paid parking lot on Second Avenue. • Visitors without coolers may enter the park on foot for purposes of accessing the river, jogging, walking dogs, etc., when the “Park Full” sign is posted. • Cars will not be allowed to idle in access lanes to ensure emergency vehicles can get into the park. • The town will pilot a “pack-in / pack-out” policy for trash. By instituting capacity limits in LaVern M. Johnson Park, the staff and Sheriff’s deputies feel Continue Briefs on Page 2

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I •N •D •E •X LYONS

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MAYOR’S CORNER

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INTEREST

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OPTIONS

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OPPORTUNITY

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INSIGHT

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COMMUNITY

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A&E

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EXPRESSIONS

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LIBRARY

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July’s unusually long spell of hot weather drew lots of families and kids to LaVern Johnson park to play in the river and lounge in the shade of the trees. PHOTO BY CATHY RIVERS

Board seeks to change the OAOD, new attorney attends board meeting, other issues By Susan de Castro McCann Redstone Review Editor LYONS – On Monday night the Lyons Town Board had a lengthy discussion about an ordinance (1040) to change the municipal code pertaining to the Outdoor Activity Overlay District (OAOD) in order to modify the boundaries. In 2009 the Board of Trustees (BOT) exempted itself from the 500-ft. rule, which prohibited allowing liquor establishments within 500 ft. from a school. The town also adopted an OAOD, which gave businesses within 500 ft. of the elementary school the right to sell liquor and have outdoor activities such as music. Recently some businesses wanting to locate on the north side of Main Street in the OAOD wanted to have outdoor seating. They discovered that was not allowed and they decided not to relocate to Lyons. Another business wanted to expand its seating to the north side of Main and was denied expansion due to the OAOD. The Planning and Community Development Commission (PCDC) found that the proposed change to the ordinance followed the direction of the Comprehensive Plan and would create an environment in

which local businesses could prosper. Paul Glasgow, Director of Community Development said, “Taverns, bars, restaurants would be allowed be allowed under conditional use review. The PCDC thought that the (OAOD) map changes would allow business to expand.” Trustee Mark Browning pointed out to the board that one business, the Stone Cup, was still in the area labeled Restricted on the Overlay District map. The restricted area only allows business to have amplified music on Sundays with the town administrator’s approval. The businesses that want amplified music on Sunday would need to be permitted administratively. Currently the Stone Cup has music outside on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The town board immediately began shuffling around trying to figure out how to exempt one business in the restricted area of the outdoor overlay district so that business could continue hosting music events on Sunday. The Trustee Mike Karavas suggested grandfathering the Stone Cup in, so that the ordinance could stay the same with just a clause added. But Paul Glasgow said that it is not clear as to whether the Stone Cup ever had a permit to play music on Sunday or not.

“I will have to go back and check the records to see if they had a permit,” he said. Mindy Tallent, who is the owner of the Stone Cup along with her husband Sam, said she did not know that a permit for music on Sunday was even required. “We have been doing music on Sundays for years and years,” she said. “I had no idea.” Then the board tried to modify the ordinance to allow the Stone Cup to have music on Sundays. Mayor Connie Sullivan pointed out they that needed to proceed cautiously. Considerations in that area would be the two churches nearby and new businesses that might come in and want to have music on Sunday. In the end the board decided to continue the ordinance until the August 20 board meeting. They discussed having a workshop before the meeting to figure out a way to amend the ordinance. In other matters, the town’s new attorney, Brandon M. Dittman, attended his first board meeting. The board approved a contract with Dittman’s law firm, Kissinger & Fellman PC in Cherry Creek in Denver. He is an associate at the firm. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree and Dittman Bachelor of Science degree in 2011 from Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, and his law degree in 2014 Continue Town on Page 13


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