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Grand Lake may relax standards for trash bin enclosures

Trash bins

Grand Lake town board is looking into amending its design review trash standards it adopted last May. Standards currently outline that commercial, multi-family and community trash bins must be screened from public view if not located in an alleyway. Residents’ conformance to the law sunsets in May of 2009.

But with more than 100 different trash facilities in different ranges of compliance in town – with about 75 percent possibly non-compliant, according to Town Planner Abby Jo Wittman – and with the cost of building a fence around bins more of a challenge in trying economic times, town officials are reconsidering their stance.



The town may still consider a rule that all bins should be in alleyways, but the screening of bins remains questionable. At Monday’s town board meeting, town officials opted to bring back the topic for discussion on Oct. 12 – following a third planning-commission review on this issue.

Zoning



Grand Lake amended its zoning regulations on Monday, adding changes to parking requirements and adopting parking requirements for specific types of businesses.

For restaurants, lounges, bars and coffee shops, town officials opted to not have parking requirements that apply to occupancy, but keep the same formula at one space per 250 square feet of floor area. General retail is at one space per 350 total square feet of floor area.

As part of the revised code, the board adopted changes, such as a new section for Special Events permits, which entails a new detailed application form for each special event on town land and a $100 deposit for cleanup. Other additions include provisions for accessory dwelling units and adult-oriented businesses in town.

Affordable Housing

Grand Lake an applicant as part of a $59 million Colorado Division of Housing application submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Grand County Housing Authority Director Jim Sheehan informed town trustees on Monday that the town is in the running for $1 million out of $2.1 billion in stimulus available nationwide for attainable housing initiatives.

Grand Lake officials aim to use the money to create deed-restricted housing in the Grand Lake area, perhaps by purchasing foreclosed units. Sheehan told town board members he expects to hear in December whether Grand Lake is a recipient.


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