Redstone Sept/Oct 2017

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LOOK FOR REDSTONE REVIEW AT ISSUU.COM / SDCMC VOLUME 18, NUMBER 8

LYONS, COLORADO

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

SEPTEMBER 13 / OCTOBER 18, 2017

B •R •I •E •F •S Join Us for a Site Blessing in Lyons Wednesday, Sept. 13 LYONS – On the flood anniversary, rebuilding continues. Join us for a site blessing in Lyons, Wednesday, Sept. 13. The face of our landscape and lives of our neighbors were forever changed four years ago as a thousand-year rain pounded down upon Boulder and Larimer Counties. Tangled debris remains – like scars on the riverbanks – reminding us of the unfathomable devastation of those September days. Yet it is also testament to the resolve for restoration with which that destruction has been faced. Rebuilding of homes, lives and communities is ongoing. This painstaking yet healing work is made possible because of the generous support from friends of Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley. Please join Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley for the site blessing of six new homes in Lyons. We celebrate the resiliency of the human spirit and power of community as we continue to rebuild in the wake of the floods of 2013. The site blessing will be held on Wednesday, September 13 at 5 p.m. at Second Avenue and Park Street. For more information contact Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley at 303-682-2485 or www.stvrainhabitat.org.

Flood recovery update meeting LYONS – The Town of Lyons is hosting a flood recovery update meeting for area residents at 7 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 13 in the Town Hall Board Room, 432 Fifth Ave., with an overview that is to include a review of the status of ongoing and upcoming flood recovery projects. The town has provided a link to the status of the projects: http://www.townoflyons.com/floodrecovery. Continue Briefs on Page 4

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These blue footed boobies on the Galapagos Islands, 600 miles west of Ecuador, are engaging in their distinctive and humorous mating ritual. First the male, who is the smaller, plants himself before the female and lifts his blue feet, one at a time, showing the soles of his feet in hopes the female will admire them. The more brilliant blue the foot, the better the health of the bird. Then, if her interest seems to warrant, the male spreads his wings and points his tail and head upward, in the emblematic skypointing gesture seen in this photo. Just after this photo was taken the female also sky pointed, signalling mutual affection. As the boobies have no natural enemies on these islands, humans can wander through the nesting sites without unduly disturbing these amazing birds. Half the blue footed boobies in existence live in the Galapagos. PHOTO BY JANE SELVERSTONE

Five-acre rule exemption for Eastern Corridor, short-term rentals are topics for the Lyons Trustees By Janaki Jane Redstone Review LYONS – The Lyons Board of Trustees discussed changing the five-acre rule at the September 5 meeting. The current ordinance requires Jane the Town of Lyons to hold a public vote before annexing any property over five acres that is not owned by the town. The new ordinance would exempt the eastern corridor from the voter approval requirement after October 15, 2017. Few members of the public spoke during the public hearing, so the Board voted to continue the public hearing to the October 2 Board of Trustees meeting. Former Mayor Nick Angelo pointed out that the public has never had a chance to vote on the Eastern Corridor plan, and that this ordinance had been put in place originally because the public desired it. He said it is appropriate to change the ordinance through a vote. Residents Mark Browning and Mike Loukonen also spoke for the ordinance. Trustees Jim Kerr and Wendy Miller supported having the ordinance change put to a public vote. Other Trustees took more nuanced views. Trustee Barney Dreistadt was hoping the BOT would get more input so

they could move forward with the change now rather than later. Trustee Juli Waugh feels strongly the ordinance change should go through, but “I’m stuck,” she said. Mayor Pro Tem Dan Greenberg talked about having conditions that would trigger a vote for specific types of properties. “There’s going to be a vote no matter what this Board does,” he said. Mayor Connie Sullivan would like to see “the default of the new ordinance be no vote,” with certain sizes of property or uses triggering a vote to annex. She has concerns that, for example, a 25-acre parcel with only two acres of buildable land (because the rest is too steep, or in the floodway) would lose a vote for annexation because misinformation could be easily spread. She is not optimistic that the ordinance change would pass a public vote, and so wants more public input. The Planning and Community Development Commission (PCDC) presented recommendations for Short-Term Rentals. After much input from the public, PCDC has drafted a new ordinance that “effectively allows short-term rentals as a use-by-right in residential zones.” The residence has to be owner-occupied at least six months of the year, which limits owners to two houses to use as short-term rentals. An Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (ADU) cannot be used as a short-term

rental, in order to allow for affordable housing. The Fire Marshall requested to have mandatory inspection for fire and CO2 detectors, in order to get a license. If the applicants refuse the inspection, they won’t get the license. The PCDC also reported that it is “getting an enormous amount of grief about why the town writes code and does nothing to enforce it.” The PCDC has presented the Board with a recommendation for hiring a Code Enforcement position. During audience business, Tyler Miller, who moved to town in November, requested that the Town change the zoning that does not allow marijuana businesses within 1000 feet of a school, daycare or library, when the license being requested is for manufacture, not retail. Miller wants to start a wholesale business making marijuana-infused products, which he predicts will have up to 12 employees and bring in $12,000 or more in tax revenue a year. Towards the end of the meeting, the Board discussed the proposal, and the consensus seemed to be to give the marijuana zoning ordinances another look. There was a first reading of the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) leasing town land to the Library Regional Library for the new building for a term of 30 Continue Trusteeson Page 15


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