Regional Development  
Center (Hearing Room)  
2880 International Circle  
City of Colorado Springs  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Downtown Review Board  
Tuesday, November 5, 2024  
9:00 AM  
Regional Development Center (Hearing Room)  
2880 International Circle  
1. Call to Order and Roll Call  
9 -  
Present:  
Board Member Kuosman, Board Member Kronstadt, Board Member Hensler, Board  
Member Lord, Board Member Friesema, Board Member Mikulas, Board Member  
Luciano, Board Member Coats and Board Member Nolette  
2. Changes to Agenda/Postponements  
3. Communications  
Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager  
Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, recognized Board Member Troy  
Coats, as he was appointed to a second term with the Downtown Review  
Board by City Council in September.  
Mr. Tefertiller said there may not be action items for the December meeting  
and asked the board members to keep the date available until further  
notice.  
4. Approval of the Minutes  
Motion by Board Member Hensler, seconded by Board Member Kuosman, to  
approve the minutes The motion passed by a vote of 8-0-1.  
8 -  
Aye:  
Board Member Kuosman, Board Member Kronstadt, Board Member Hensler, Board  
Member Lord, Board Member Friesema, Board Member Mikulas, Board Member  
Luciano and Board Member Coats  
1 - Board Member Nolette  
Abstain:  
DRB 2294  
Minutes for the September 3, 2024, Downtown Review Board Meeting  
Presenter:  
David Lord, Downtown Review Board Chair  
Attachments: DRB_Minutes_9.3.24_DRAFT  
5. Consent Calendar  
6. Items Called Off Consent Calendar  
7. Unfinished Business  
8. New Business  
8.A.  
FBZN-24-001 A Conditional Use to convert an existing Mixed-Use Building to a  
2
Residential Childcare Facility, a Warrant to allow on-street parking to be  
counted toward meeting required parking standards, and a Minor  
Improvement Plan for the addition of new stairs on the back of the  
building, a small outdoor recreation area and reconfigured parking in the  
FBZ-T1 (Form-Based Zone Transition Sector 1) consisting of 7,600  
square feet located at 123 and 127 East Las Animas Street.  
(Quasi-Judicial)  
Presenter:  
William Gray, Senior Planner, Urban Planning Division  
Attachments: Staff Report_E Las Animas Residential Childcare Facility _WEG FV  
Attachment 1- Original Staff Report  
Attachment 2-Project Map  
Attachment 3-Zoning Map  
Attachment 4-Project Statement  
Attachment 5-Minor Improvement Plan  
Board Member Bob Nolette disclosed that he has a professional  
relationship with the owner of the property but feels that he can remain  
impartial and spoke to City Attorney Young Shin about this matter.  
William Gray, Senior Planner, presented the E. Las Animas Childcare  
Facility application. The application includes a conditional use for a  
residential childcare facility, a warrant to allow one of the required off-street  
parking spaces to be provided by an on-street parking space and an  
improvement plan for rear stairs and recreation area. Standard public  
notice was done, and two comments were received. One comment was  
disclosing information regarding a neighboring bail bonds service with  
clientele that are in trouble with the law. The other comment was in support  
of the childcare facility. City agency review was done, City Fire and the  
applicant are working together to determine whether a fire pump is  
needed. SWENT is requiring a floodplain statement to be added to the  
cover sheet of the minor improvement plan and Planning will work with staff  
to determine CDI Fees. The application is PlanCOS compliant and meets  
review criteria.  
Board Member Questions  
Board member Hensler asked what drives agency review conditions when  
this is an existing office building and if these would have been addressed  
with a previous application. Mr. Gray said anytime a property is touched or  
an occupancy is changed it triggers a review. Board member Hensler  
asked if the applicant will be speaking on the play area in the back. Mr.  
Gray said yes.  
Board member Nolette asked what the plans will be for metered parking on  
Las Animas and the impact on the area. Mr. Gray said he is not aware of  
any additional parking plans in the area. Mr. Tefertiller said the City is  
doing a curb management study for downtown and Old Colorado City.  
Staff is working with parking consultants and analyzing supply and demand  
of public and private parking. The outcome of the study could lead to a  
number of changes, but on a policy level for rates and hours, it could  
provide recommendations on the location of metered parking. Mr.  
Tefertiller said his advice to the board is to analyze the request based on  
existing conditions and future parking meters.  
Board member Friesema asked if the use is changing in the east building  
and if the two buildings are together on the plan is due to the initial  
development plan. Mr. Gray said yes, and nothing is happening to the west  
building.  
Applicant Presentation  
SherryLynn Boyles, CEO of Joint Initiatives for Youth and Families (JI),  
provided a summary of the project. Joint Initiatives priority is to establish  
an emergency youth shelter to provide shelter for abandoned youth. The  
shelter provides a 72-hour hold for youth in order to provide the county or  
other entities to review the situation and provide long term placement. The  
shelter provides formal testing for youth from 11 to 17 years of age. The  
goal is to have additional spaces to provide shelters for younger children in  
the future.  
Board Member questions  
Board member Hensler asked if the play area would be fenced in with  
concerns over the bail bonds location next door. Ms. Boyles said there are  
licensing requirements from the state which they will be complying with.  
There will be staff on site with the youth and will keep hourly logs. Fencing  
is in the back space as well. Board member Hensler asked how many  
youth will be housed at a time. Ms. Boyles said the maximum number of  
youth is eight at a time.  
Public Comment  
Raliegh Carter, commercial property owner on Las Animas, said the  
homeless population is increasingly bad. She said there has been  
trespassing and camping issues in the area.  
Applicant Comment  
Ms. Boyles said they are aware of the homeless population in the area and  
feels that once they are moved in and staff and security are in place that  
would be sufficient and will increase security if needed.  
Board Member questions  
Board member Mikulas asked why the applicant landed at this location and  
how being downtown serves the needs of this program. Ms. Boyles said  
they looked at several options and this was by far the best option. Being  
downtown is helpful and federal funders who look for accessibility. They  
want to ensure they are close to medical facilities in the area. Ms. Boyles  
said having an office within the property is important. Board member  
Mikulas thanked Ms. Boyles for the work with the youth.  
Board member Hensler said she appreciates what the applicant is doing  
and thinks they adjacent lots are helpful.  
Motion by Board Member Hensler, seconded by Board Member Friesema, that  
this Planning Case be accepted Proposed Motions:  
1. Approve the Conditional Use, Warrant and Minor Improvement Plan for the E  
Las Animas Residential Childcare Facility, based upon the findings that the  
application meets the approval criteria as set forth in Form-Based Code Section  
2.5.4, Form-Based Code Section 5.4, and Form-Based Code Section 5.6 with the  
following conditions:  
CONDITONS OF APPROVAL:  
a. Planning.  
-
Add the required Floodplain Statement to address the SWENT review  
comment.  
-
-
Determine applicable CDI Fees for the application.  
Revise plan title to "123 and 127 East Las Animas Minor Improvement Plan.  
b. Fire.  
-
-
Address and verify with CSFD the need for a new Fire Pump.  
Revise Minor Improvement Plan to match decision regarding the Fire Pump.  
c. SWENT.  
The Drainage Memo is approved by SWENT.  
-
The motion passed by a vote of 9-0.  
9 -  
Aye:  
Board Member Kuosman, Board Member Kronstadt, Board Member Hensler, Board  
Member Lord, Board Member Friesema, Board Member Mikulas, Board Member  
Luciano, Board Member Coats and Board Member Nolette  
9. Presentations  
9.A. DRB Work Plan and Other Updates  
Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, presented the draft work plan for  
the Downtown Review Board. City Charter requires boards and  
commissions to create an annual work plan and annual report. The draft  
work plan includes review and acted upon development applications,  
update the form-based code and update the Downtown Master Plan. The  
annual report will be drafted by staff for board review in January 2025. Mr.  
Tefertiller updated the board on two urban renewal plans that recently went  
before the City Planning Commission and both will require final action from  
City Council. Mr. Tefertiller also gave a project status on the Tejon  
Redesign and proposed renovations for Palmer High School.  
Board member Kronstadt asked what their roles would be within the reboot  
of the Downtown Master Plan as it relates to the Downtown Partnership  
and the Downtown Development Authority. Mr. Tefertiller said there is an  
opportunity for formal and informal involvement. Staff will make the board  
aware of opportunities in the community.  
Board member Hensler asked how goal two and three will interact with the  
form-based code. Mr. Tefertiller said the first two project updates are draft  
documents being reviewed by the city attorney’s office. The engagement  
on form-based code changes should be coordinated closely with the  
master plan.  
Chair Lord asked how long the process is for the master plan. Mr.  
Tefertiller said it should be done by late 2025. There has been  
community-wide discussion about the changes happening in the downtown  
area and they are optimistic that it be gathered and added to the  
documents.  
Chair Lord asked if revenue from the parking authority will help pay for  
streetscape designs. Mr. Tefertiller said some parking enterprise money is  
helping to supplement the project. Downtown Development authority is  
also helping to supplement the project.  
DRB 2295  
9.B.  
Annual Ethics Training  
Presenter: Young Shin, Associate Attorney  
Attachments: Ethics Code & OML Training  
Young Shin, City Attorney Office, presented the Annual Ethics Training to  
the board. Mr. Shin spoke on ethical topics that included gifts, open  
meetings, law and conflicts of interest.  
10. Adjourn