Regional Development

Center (Hearing Room)

2880 International Circle

City of Colorado Springs

Meeting Minutes - Final

Downtown Review Board

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

9:00 AM

Regional Development Center (Hearing Room)

2880 International Circle

1. Call to Order and Roll Call

6 -

Present:

Board Member Kronstadt, Board Member Hensler, Board Member Lord, Board

Member Friesema, Board Member Mikulas and Board Member Luciano

1 - Board Member Kuosman

Absent:

2. Changes to Agenda/Postponements

3. Communications

Ryan Tefertiller - Urban Planning Manager

Ryan Tefertiller, Urban Planning Manager, thanked the board members for

attending the meeting despite the agenda going out later than usual. He

introduced Mellisa Wutzke as the new Senior Business Support Specialist.

Mr. Tefertiller thanked Sam Friesema for his service to the Urban Renewal

Authority. Last week, the Urban renewal meeting re-appointed Board

Member Sam Friesema for a second term for the Downtown Review Board

and City Council will take formal action on the re-appointment next week.

The Downtown Development Authority has issued an RFP for an update of

the Experience Downtown Master plan which was adopted by City Council

in 2016. It can be found on the Downtown Partnership’s website and

proposals are due at the end of this month. Urban Planning staff will be

highly engaged in the process to review proposals. Once a firm is selected

they will work with the Downtown Development Authority to update the plan.

Staff continues to make progress on updates to the form-based code and

Mr. Tefertiller believes that the schedules should marry up to the Downtown

Master plan. He met with City Attorney Young Shin last week to review the

changes.

Mr. Tefertiller said the next Downtown Review Board meeting is scheduled

for October 1st but is not sure if there will be items. He asked the Board

members to not remove the meeting date from their calendars. If the

meeting is canceled, he will update the board members.

4. Approval of the Minutes

Motion by Board Member Friesema, seconded by Board Member Kronstadt, to

approve the Minutes for the July 2,2024, Downtown Review Board Meeting. The

motion passed by a vote of 6-0.

6 -

Aye:

Board Member Kronstadt, Board Member Hensler, Board Member Lord, Board

Member Friesema, Board Member Luciano and Coats

1 - Board Member Kuosman

Absent:

Abstain:

1 - Board Member Mikulas

DRB 2293

Minutes for the July 2, 2024 Downtown Review Board Meeting.

4.A.

Attachments: DRB_7.2.24_Minutes Draft

5. Consent Calendar

6. Items Called Off Consent Calendar

7. Unfinished Business

8. New Business

8.A.

FBZN-24-000 An FBZ Warrant with an associated Minor Improvement Plan to allow for

the construction of an 8’ in height fence enclosing the entire Penrose

Library campus addressed as 20 N. Cascade Avenue, which also

includes significant improvements to the fencing material and visual

contiguity along the plaza space exterior along N. Cascade Ave.

Presenter:

Johnny Malpica, Planner II, Urban Planning Division

Attachments: Figure 1 - Site Plan

Figure 2 - Project Statement

Figure 3 - Downtown BID - PPLD Fencing - Letter of Opposition

Figure 4 - Updated Site Plan

Figure 5 - Updated Project Statement

Penrose Library FBZ Warrant 2nd Hearing - Staff Report _JPM

Letter of Support - Pikes Peak State College President - 9-3-2024

Johnny Malpica, Planner II, presented the Penrose Library fencing

application located at 20 N. Cascade Avenue. This item was originally

heard at the Downtown Review Board meeting on May 5, 2024, which

initially proposed an eight foot tall wrought iron fence surrounding the entire

property perimeter along West Pikes Peak Avenue, North Cascade

Avenue and West Kiowa Street. The revised proposal shows a seven foot

tall fence and includes significant upgrades to the fencing along the plaza

space to allow for visual continuity and openness during operational hours

and landscaping along West Kiowa Street. Public notice was sent out and

two comments were received. Following the revised submittal, Chelsea

Gondeck, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership, does support

the project. A letter was received by Lance Bolton, President of Pikes

Peak State College, just before the meeting showing support for the

project. Staff finds the application complies with PlanCOS and meets

review criteria.

Board Member Questions

Board Member Kronstadt asked Mr. Malpica if the changes from the

previous meeting included material of the fence and setting it back along

West Kiowa Street with landscape improvements along the fence. Mr.

Malpica said those have occurred and the style of fencing along the plaza

space has been changed from wrought iron to an omega style fence. The

gate on the fence will roll back during operational hours. A masonry

monument sign will be lit at night and the rearticulation of the space meets

the review criteria.

Board Member Mikulas asked Mr. Malpica if the material change to the

fence is a dependent feature of it being able to open and close. Mr.

Malpica said the original application included an eight foot tall fence. Staff

suggested that the seven foot wrought iron style fence along West Kiowa

be brought back and the secure style fence be reduced to seven feet.

Board Member Mikulas asked if the secure style fencing around the

common lawn would return to wrought iron style fencing as seen on page

ten of the project statement. Mr. Malpica said at the time of the resubmittal

in August the renderings included the secure fencing style and staff felt that

it should be returned to wrought iron style. The applicant presentation will

show the updated renderings in it based on the technical modifications

staff is suggesting.

Board Member Mikulas asked if there was a record of endorsement or

support from the Downtown Partnership. Mr. Malpica said there is one

record of endorsement in email format from Chelsea Gondeck which is in

the staff report.

Applicant Presentation

Chris Lieber with NES spoke on the challenges of keeping the fencing

opening and welcoming. Mr. Lieber stated he met with Lance Bolton,

President of Pikes Peak State College, who supports the project and

articulated some of the same issues they are facing with the project. He

also met with Chelsea Gondeck, Executive Director of the Downtown

Partnership, to talk about alternatives that could be used after the first

presentation. Mr. Lieber presented the site plan for the library showing the

fencing types and gate access. He noted that one of the technical

modifications was the removal of two parking spaces for fire department

access. He confirmed that all the fencing will be seven feet. The existing

wrought iron fencing between Knights of Columbus and Carnegie Buildings

will remain, along with the xeriscpe landscaping. Mr. Lieber said from an

Urban Planning perspective they are comfortable with a three foot set back

from the property boundary. It will be experienced as a ten foot landscape

corridor from the back of the sidewalk to the fence. He said the style of the

omega fencing was used so that you could see the building allowing the

backside to be predominant. Mr. Lieber said the corner of Cascade and

Kiowa will be used to extend the children’s area. He said sliding gates will

be used in the entrance of the building to ensure there is a view of the

mountains and landscaping. During business hours, the sliding gate will be

hidden behind a monument wall. He showed renderings of the omega style

fencing during business hours and when the gate is closed and of the

xeriscape landscaping. He said wrought iron fencing will be added to the

parking lot.

Board Member Questions

Board Member Hensler said the site plan shows the fencing going all the

way around the parking lot; however, it is not shown on the renderings. She

asked if the fence extends above the existing wall. Mr. Lieber said there is

an existing site wall that is lower in height and Pikes Peak drops in

elevation and provides that function. He said along Cascade, the fencing

would be extended. Board Member Hensler asked if it is a shorter amount

of fence on top of the existing stone wall and if that is where the gate would

go behind when it is open. Mr. Lieber said yes. Board Member Hensler

said there is support from Pikes Peak State College and asked what the

benefit is to them by adding a fence. Mr. Lieber said that the college has

expressed taking a similar approach to their campus.

Board Member Mikulas asked how ten feet of xeriscaping was determined.

Mr. Lieber said it varies due the property boundary moving but there is a

minimum of ten feet of landscape from the back of the sidewalk to the

fence. The fence would be a minimum of three feet back from the property

boundary. Board Member Mikulas asked who would be maintaining the

landscaped area. Mr. Lieber said the library would be responsible and

said that they have done a great job maintaining the current landscaping.

Board Member Mikulas asked if the ten feet of xeriscape provides the

desired outcome with the issues, or could it be a space that could pose

issues in the future. Mr. Lieber invited Michael Brantner, Chief Safety,

Community Resources and Security Officer for the Pikes Peak Library

District, to answer questions. Board Member Mikulas stated he wanted to

hold for that answer and asked Mr. Lieber to describe the corten steel wall.

Mr. Lieber said it will be pieces of corten steel to fit with the existing

architecture. He said the back side would remain vertical to tuck the fence

behind it. Board Member Mikulas asked if the wrought iron fence material

could be used with the same sliding function instead of the more modern

look. Mr. Lieber said yes, however, it has more custom pieces to it and felt

that the more contemporary style was softer. He said he could ask his

client to see if that was the direction they wanted to go.

Board Member Luciano asked if the staff recommendations for addressing

landscaping in front of the fencing is different than what is being proposed

or if they are asking for more detail. Mr. Malpica said they are just asking

for more detail and was done on the presentation but was not included on

the staff presentation.

Mr. Lieber invited Michael Brantner, Chief Safety, Community Resources

and Security Officer for the Pikes Peak Library District, to come speak to

help answer any other questions. Mr. Branter said the corten steel was

chosen to help tie in the existing art pieces in the downtown corridor. He

said the landscaping is maintained by the library district and any new

landscaping would be the responsibility of the library district. He said the

new landscaping has provided more safety. Mr. Brantner spoke with the

Chief of Police and asked for a letter of support. Two crime prevention

officers were sent out and studied the campus and the officers provided

their endorsement. Mr. Brantner said they have had many discussions with

Mr. Bolton and staff members at Pikes Peak State College and said this

change in the library will make positive changes to the Penrose Campus

and it will help people feel safe.

Board Member Hensler thanked Mr. Brantner of all the work to revise the

plan based on the previous comments in May.

Board Member Kronstadt said he is sympathetic to the issues at Penrose

Library and thinks they are being asked to deal with symptoms of a

problem that is our City government’s issue to solve. He feels that fences

are not the solution and with Pikes Peak State College now wanting to

implement fencing, he asked if we are going to continue to fence off areas

until the entire downtown area is fenced off. Board Member Kronstadt said

the solution to people needing to go the bathroom and camp, is to provide

them places that are allowed. This is not the problem of the library and is

the up to the City government. Board Member Kronstadt will not be

supporting this. He said there are three City Parks within two blocks of the

library, and it would be great to see the City government install bathrooms,

trash cans and sharps containers. Places for people to more safely do the

things that people need to do or are compelled to do through addiction that

we are not solving. Board Member Kronstadt said he is sorry that they are

having to continue to deal with those problems and wishes the City would

step up and do their part.

Public Comment

Chelsea Gondeck, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership, met

with NES to discuss options of the design and came to agree with what

they have provided. The slides might be different that what was discussed,

but they support it. She said they are happy to see the architectural

element at the plaza and the extension of the signage which is a great

opportunity to hide the fencing during opening hours.

Board Member Comments

Board Member Mikulas said one of the statements from the Downtown

Partnership originally when they opposed it was the concern for setting

precedence. There are semi-permeable blocks that have certain sections

fenced off and have been a personal challenge, specifically the corner of

Bijou and Bolder. He sympathizes with Board Member Kronstadt this is a

real problem that needs to be addressed in some form, but in the absence

of real action, he will be endorse the fencing. He said it will be challenging

to see similar solutions and it will be challenging to oppose them. Board

Member Mikulas said from a design perspective, it is a matter of

preference and does not relate to the form-based code.

Board Member Friesema said the applicant has done a great job of

incorporating comments from the last meeting. He said the plaza is more

civic and lines up with the existing buildings, continuing the landscaping on

Kiowa and is in favor of the proposal.

Chair Lord appreciates the approach NES and the library has taken with

this project. He said the long-term issue as the review of the form-based

code is addressing fencing and safety issues. He will be voting in favor of

the proposal.

Motion by Board Member Friesema, seconded by Board Member Luciano, to

approve to approve the application as submitted based on the finding that the

Warrant criteria in Section 5.4.3. of the Form-Based Code is being met. The

motion includes the requirement to work with staff to implement the technical

modifications listed below in the final approval of the plan. Planning * Reduce

the fence height from 8' to 7'. * Step the fence back from the property line, where

suitable to allow space for landscaping between the fence and the pedestrian

ROW along W. Kiowa St. * Add landscaping along W. Kiowa St. Consider plant

selections that have environmental benefit. * Replace the newly proposed 'Secur'

(double wire fence) along W. Kiowa St, with the wrought iron style fence that is

7' in height, proposed in the initial submittal. Fire * Minor technical modifications.

* Removal of two parking spaces to ensure adequate turnaround for fire

apparatus vehicles. * Submittal of a separate permit through the Colorado

Springs Fire Department, to be reviewed concurrently with this plan.

Enumerations * Clarification regarding fence height, that if 7 feet or over may

require addressing. Utilities * Minor technical modifications * Informational

comments. SWENT. Clarification regarding total land disturbance. * Technical

modifications. * Informational comments The motion passed by a vote of 6-1.

6 -

Aye:

Board Member Hensler, Board Member Lord, Board Member Friesema, Board

Member Mikulas, Board Member Luciano and Coats

1 - Board Member Kronstadt

No:

1 - Board Member Kuosman

Absent:

9. Presentations

10. Adjourn