NEDERLAND - The Nederland Planning Commission met on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, to give their final decision regarding the Downtown Subarea Plan (DSP), which was developed by Studio Seed as a supplementary addition to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. The DSP focuses on Nederland’s preferred standards for downtown development. 

The official Agenda Information Memorandum, prepared by Community Planner Britt DeMinck, described the Downtown Subarea Plan as a noncommittal plan that “establishes a future vision” for Nederland’s Central Business District, as well as “outlines objectives and strategies for the Town, Downtown Development Authority (NDDA), property and business owners, and other downtown champions to use as a blueprint.”

Approval of the DSP is the final step in fully adopting all components of the SE Group-developed Comprehensive Plan, which was approved and adopted by the Nederland Board of Trustees (BOT) on March 4, 2025.

A member of the public noted that the DSP had no financial analysis data included in its recommendations, to which DeMinck replied that such analysis was never considered for either the DSP or the Comprehensive Plan. 

Commissioner Elizabeth Penziner inquired whether any funding sources for the DSP’s recommendations for economic and housing development, for growth and character standards, and for recreation, tourism, and “placemaking” improvements, were researched and listed.

DeMinck answered that, due to the DSP’s designation as a “blueprint,” it is intended to be used to assist the NDDA and BOT in allocating funding to projects for their annual budgets, as well as to be used as an incentive on grant applications when the Town seeks funding for DSP-related projects.

When asked to provide a specific concern for financial analysis not being included in the DSP, the inquiring individual answered that data on the projected sales tax and property tax revenues and other factors involved with the DSP’s recommendations would also be advantageous information for the Town to include on grant applications.

Some Commissioners questioned the context of the plan as a “visioning document,” stating that the detailed steps of implementation that are included with the DSP’s recommendations makes the DSP appear more as a strategic and “tactical” document. 

DeMinck reiterated that approval of the DSP was not a commitment to the recommendations included within it.

 The Commission voted unanimously to approve the DSP. Next steps include the plan being adopted by the NDDA as their Plan of Development, and the DSP being presented to the community through education-based outreach. The Town also plans to conduct reviews and updates of the DSP every five years.  

The matter of final approval for the plan went before the BOT on Tuesday, May 6. Full coverage of that meeting is included in this edition of The Mountain-Ear. 

Overlay zoning?

In addition to approving the DSP, Commissioners were tasked with providing Town staff guidance on the prospect of pursuing the development of a Downtown Overlay Zoning District.

Town staff requested from the Commission direction on whether to pursue overlay zoning, which was defined as a “tool that allows municipalities to apply additional or modified standards to a specific geographic area without changing the base zoning.” 

Commissioners were also asked to specify which “form-based standards” should be adopted in conjunction with the pursuit of overlay zoning. Such standards would dictate any new downtown-located development’s height and massing, permitted setbacks, “façade articulation and transparency,” permitted building materials and architectural features, and the preferred design of public-facing spaces and amenities. 

Establishing a Downtown Overlay Zoning District is just one of the several recommendations listed within the DSP, as are the recommendations to establish design standards, and to encourage small-format businesses, adaptive reuse, and pedestrian walkability. 

Town Administrator Jonathan Cain explained how regulations set within the overlay district could be complementary to the existing zoning designations in the area, and that overlay districts could be designed to only affect smaller areas of the entire Nederland downtown. 

Cain also presented examples of how Idaho Springs had utilized an overlay district to help codify recommendations made in their East End Action Plan.

The plan helped Idaho Springs’ government representatives to draft code which supported the community’s preferences for permeable street edges; better pedestrian walkability and amenities; “street level interests” such as transparent store windows, display cases, landscaping, benches, and cafe seating; specific rules for parking structures; and a classic mining aesthetic.  

Many Commissioners said they thought more information and public input is required before they could discuss the issue in depth. Cain reiterated that the recommendations for an overlay district and form-based standards, which were formed from a year-long public engagement and research-based drafting process, are listed in the newly approved DSP.

Commission Chair Jim Reis stated his belief that the matter should require months of review in public meetings, despite the $200,000 worth of work already completed by SE Group and Studio Seed in the DSP and Comprehensive Plans. 

The Commission directed Town staff to move forward on drafting an ordinance and to produce a more extensive list of the proposed standards. 

Commissioners also voted to change their monthly meeting start time from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

The Nederland Planning Commission meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Their next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at 6 p.m. Meetings can be attended online via WebEx. 

For more information: https://townofnederland.colorado.gov/planning-commission.