Town Council to review proposed Community Housing Mitigation Methodology at April 21 meeting
At its regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, April 21, 2022, the Mountain Village Town Council will review an ordinance proposing the adoption of a Community Housing Mitigation Methodology program.
Housing mitigation is a common strategy used in other Colorado resort communities to address the impact a particular development has on a community’s overall housing supply. Specifically, the mitigation methodology employs a formula that calculates the housing need(s) a particular development creates based on a variety of factors, including the development’s size and use. The developer is then responsible for fulfilling the housing need generated by the development. The methodology applies to commercial developments, planned unit developments and certain single-family home construction.
“As part of the Town’s multi-tiered approach to addressing our community housing crisis, implementation of a mitigation methodology provides another tool in our toolbox,” said Mountain Village Housing and Planning and Development Services Director.
The Design Review Board reviewed the latest proposed methodology at its March 17 joint meeting with Town Council and moved to continue its hearing to April 21 to allow more time for public and DRB review. DRB will again review the methodology on April 21 at 10 a.m. and Town Council will hold a first reading on an ordinance to adopt the methodology, with a potential second reading and adoption slated for the May 19, 2022 Town Council meeting.
“During the Comprehensive Plan amendment process, it became evident the community generally supported new development so long as such development paid its own way with respect to the housing need generated by the new development,” said Town Manager Paul Wisor.
Town Council’s intent to pursue a mitigation methodology was announced in May of 2021 as part of the Town’s overall Community Housing Initiatives and shortly after, the Town issued an RFP to hire a firm to generate the study and the proposed mitigation formula.
The Town hired Economic Planning Systems and RRC Associates to create the methodology. EPS has also worked closely with the Town on its proposed Comprehensive Plan amendments.
The proposed methodology offers developers a number of options for offering community housing once a calculation has been made, they include: build on-site, build off-site either in the town or in the region, or provide a payment in lieu. The mitigation methodology encourages developers to build on-site units and payment in lieu of building is disincentivized through this proposed model.
This is a common approach to generating community housing in other resort towns, including Telluride, Vail, Aspen, Crested Butte and Jackson Hole, WY.
“Adopting a mitigation methodology recognizes that new development generates employees who need housing,” Haynes said. “The mitigation methodology works successfully in other communities to satisfy the housing created by such developments, and we look forward to our continued meeting in April to determine how Mountain Village can best address these impacts.”
For more information on the proposed worksheet and ordinance, please review the packet information below.
Written public comments on the methodology may be addressed to the Design Review Board and Town Council and sent to .
The public is invited to attend all hearings virtually or in person. Meeting info and Zoom log-in information will be available once meeting material is posted on the Mountain Village Town Council webpage. Meeting material is posted to the Town’s website the Friday or Saturday before each meeting and will be publicly noticed per Town policy.
