Summary
This meeting was to discuss the Comprehensive Master Plan and Downtown Master Plan. Windsor has not updated their town Comprehensive Plan since 2016, and growth has tripled since then. Both Plans will eventually be integrated into one Comprehensive Plan, Phase III, for the Town of Windsor. Consultant group, Logan Simpson, has been brought in to oversee four (4) consulting groups, manage the public survey and economic group data, review information from water experts and incorporate the towns transportation master plan. This will be Phase III and the final Master Plan document. Updating the Comprehensive Plan is already one year in and has an estimated one more year to go for completion.
Observer Name: Nanci Wendland
Agency: Windsor Planning Commission
Agency Website: https://www.windsorgov.com/651/Planning-Commission
Date & Meeting Time: June 21, 2023; 7:00 PM
Members Present: Gale Schick, Chairman; Ben Kirch; Cindy Beemer; Nathan Kinney; Jose Valdes; David Hassard - Alternate
Members Absent: Roger Colonnese; Timothy Reddick, Vice-Chairman
Others Present to Note: Victor Tallon, Town Board Liaison; K. Cinnamon, Deputy Town Clerk; David Eisenbrown, Senior Planner; Marion McIlbray, Logan Simpson Consulting Group.
Relevant Document Links:
Meeting agenda: https://windsorco.portal.civicclerk.com/event/883/files
Meeting packet: https://windsorco.portal.civicclerk.com/event/883/files
Recorded Meeting: https://www.windsorgov.com/MeetingsOnDemand
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The Planning Commission’s responsibilities include preparation and maintenance of the Town's Comprehensive Plan, which includes the Town's Land Use Plan; review and implementation of provisions of zoning and subdivision ordinances, investigation and recommendation of amendments to master plans, zoning maps, conditional use grants, and recommendations of appropriate zoning classifications for all annexations.
Meeting Notes:
Davis Eisenbrown gave an overview and answered a few questions from the commissioners regarding the Town of Windsor Comprehensive Plan. The Town of Windsor hasn’t updated their town comprehensive plan since 2016. The town has tripled its growth in the last 6-7 years affecting parking, water, transportation, land use, taxes, and other town services. Surveys were sent to the public, who responded with good comments, but now with the different phases, they are seeing some fatigue and confusion from the public. Which phase are they in, why are there multiple surveys, and when will they see results?
Earlier in the year, surveys were sent out by the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to the residents of Windsor. The DDA is funding and managing both Phase I and Phase II of the Downtown Master Plan and addresses downtown Windsor only. Eventually this Downtown Master Plan will be integrated into the Comprehensive Master Plan for all of Windsor.
Commissioner Hassard asked about parking. Victor Tallon, Town Liaison, responded the town as already implemented and complied with Prop 200. In January of 20232, the town held a special election and one of the items voted on was Proposition 200, passing an amendment that added a permanent parking zone in the central business district: (https://windsorgov.com/165/Municipal-Elections).
David Eisenbrown also mentioned that parking is a priority, and the town has invested 1.5 million dollars to fund additional parking.
Marion McIlbray with Logan Simpson Consulting Group gave a presentation update on what her group has been doing. Logan Simpson was contracted by the city as a project manager, to oversee and manage other specialized consultants and provide the final Comprehensive Plan document. Their focus is on:
Economic groups and data.
Water experts.
Reviewing and incorporating the Transportation Master Plan data.
Creating an urban design based on public feedback.
There is a subcontractor hired direct through the town who will provide Land Use & Tax information.
Marion believes they will be drafting a policy direction in late summer or fall. They are still gathering information from the Advisory Commission and public surveys. So far there are multiple outcomes from the public feedback and several focus areas for improvement:
Improve and add local parks and trails.
Have water efficient landscapes.
Put scenic buffers around Windsor Lake.
Diversify housing in neighborhoods, keep the Historic District, add more affordable housing.
I25 area
The Ranch Event Center transition.
East of Downtown.
South of Highway 34
Harmony Road & Highway 257 area.
The town and Logan Simpson are working on a new Vision Statement with ten guiding principles (page 12 of the presentation). Public Surveys will be open through the summer. Currently there are only 52 responses. Logan Simpson will have booths and flyers with information and the town website at Farmer Markets, summer concerts, and the Harvest Festival.
The presentation listed Guiding Principles and the level of interest from the residents (page 13 of the presentation):
Manage Growth – 58% support
Connectivity & Livability – 48% support
Vibrant resilient economy (education, employment)– 58% support
Small town character – 84% support
Multi-Modal Transportation – 50% support
Open space, Parks, Trails (equitable access) – 83% support
Water efficiency & availability – 83% support
Stewardship of Natural Resources – 79% support
High Quality Public Facilities & Services – 83% support
Fiscally responsible – 90% support
What’s Next?
There will be revisions as they collect more data and public responses; a land use workshop; refining the Vision Statement and Guiding Principles; a Fiscal Impact Analysis; Policy Framework Development.
There were no other questions.
Meeting Adjourned at 8:18PM.
Follow-up Questions:
This is the second community to comment that they don’t want to be like Fort Collins. What is it these other towns don’t like about Fort Collins?
As towns are preparing their plans and budgets, do the commissioners/committees know specific negatives about Fort Collins?