Community and Public Facilities Element
Background and Existing Conditions
The quality of life in the County depends, in part, on the quality of the facilities, schools, recreational resources, and infrastructure. The availability and level of service of these facilities should be consistent, reliable, and adequate for growth. However, the County’s unique mountain character presents limitations on provisions of facilities and services. Thus, the same level of service found in urban areas should not always be expected in the County. Community and public facilities provided should be in accord with the County’s and individual basins’ character and projected build-out.
In general, the provision of public facilities, schools, and recreational resources currently meets local demand. The County recently opened a new Community and Senior Center in August of 2002. The North Branch Library in the Town of Silverthorne and the South Branch Library in the Town of Breckenridge were respectively completed in August 2000 and May 1996. In April of 1997 the County opened a new County Commons facility in Frisco housing the Main County Library and a number of social service programs. Moreover, individual towns within the County have responded to local demands to provide similar and other community and public facilities (e.g., parks, theaters, and pavilions). Current School District expansion plans take into consideration projected budgets, enrollment, and demographic trends. In addition, two fairly new recreation centers have been built. The Breckenridge Recreation Center opened in December of 1991 and the Silverthorne Recreation Center opened in August of 1994. Population increase in the County, representative of a higher median age, has brought with it the increased need for available and affordable daycare. According to the Summit County Early Childhood Resource and Referral Agency, in 1998, there was an acute shortage of infant/toddler childcare, as well as shortages in preschool age services. Approximately 1.3 children were in need for every 1 slot available in a licensed childcare facility. Licensed childcare offered includes childcare centers, family childcare homes, before and after school programs, and in-home childcare workers. Providing for more childcare facilities or services will continue to be essential for working parents and important for employers in the County.
The County’s growth has also presented an increase in solid waste material for disposal. According to the Summit Recycling Project, waste quantities generated increased 31 percent between 1994 and 1998 alone. While landfills are the primary way in which waste is managed, other options include the reduction of waste, reuse of materials, and recycling. In the context of the County’s pristine mountain environment and the environmental consciousness of its residents, it is important to maintain and increase the availability of recycling as a viable waste disposal option.
The health and safety of the County’s residents and its environment depend considerably on the adequate and safe supply of water. Thus, the proper planning, management, and maintenance of the quantity and quality of water is essential. Land development effects both demand for and supply of water within the County. Water is essential for almost all development and must be obtained by drilling wells on individual parcels or from a central water system.
Water or metro districts serve many residents in the County. Some of these districts rely on surface water (streams) for their supply, while others rely on reservoirs (e.g., Goose Pasture Tarn). Because of interrelations, the impacts of existing and future development on the water resources of the area should continue to be studied and managed to ensure safe and adequate supplies. Moreover, recent drought conditions have exacerbated the need to be more judicious in managing water resources and the litigious nature of water rights. The physical availability of water will likely be one of the largest factors in future development of the County.
The availability of sewage disposal is another essential consideration for all existing and new development. Sewage is treated either through individual septic tank/leach field systems or central sewage treatment plants. Improper treatment or disposal of effluent can result in the contamination of wells, surface water, and underground water resources.
There are costs when local jurisdictions provide new or expanded community and public facilities to development. In general, this cost is rising at a pace that exceeds local government revenue-generating capabilities. The increasing cost of maintaining existing infrastructure is forcing jurisdictions to seek alternatives. Impact fees are a charge imposed on a development to help finance the cost of improvements or services. These fees shift some of the burden of paying for new or expanded facilities from public entities to private developers.
Providing adequate infrastructure will be increasingly important as the County grows, particularly the maintenance and construction of roads. If not, the overall level of service of the road system will degrade. Therefore, it is prudent to implement a means to provide necessary community and public facilities to developing areas without placing a financial burden upon County government and existing residents. Studies to determine the feasibility and equitability of impact fees to pay a ‘fair share’ for the increase service demands of new development need to be conducted.
Community and Public Facilities Key Issues/Concerns
The following provides a bulleted list of key community and public facilities issues/concerns:
Emergency Services
• Lack of coverage by Fire Districts (e.g., Lake Dillon Fire District - Lower Blue Basin).
Public Facilities
• Infrastructure to access to Summit Stage transit
stops (e.g., sidewalks).
• Inadequate childcare services.
Recreational Resources
• Lack of County active recreational use facilities
(e.g., ball fields).
• Insufficient linkages to significant summer and
winter trailheads.
Infrastructure (e.g., water, parking, roads, and
schools)
• Physical availability of water:
- Protecting water supplies from significant depletion
and contamination.
- Future development furthering demand and reliance on
limited ground water resources.
- Providing for water rights and storage capacity more
resistant to drought conditions.
- Increased out-of-district requests for water
requiring future expansion of water, sewer, or
metro district boundaries.
- Meeting criteria for mandated water and metro
district augmentation plans at projected build-out
(e.g., Copper Mountain Consolidated Metro
District).
- Lack of conditional water rights from Green Mountain
Reservoir (Copper Mountain Consolidated and Hamilton
Creek
Metro Districts).
- High fluoride levels Hamilton Creek Metro
District.
• Adequate parking for peak weekends.
• Increased costs to cover development
impacts.
- Budget implications to fix roads.
• Increasing costs of maintaining existing
infrastructure.
• Maintaining the level of service of the existing
road system and bikepath.
• Lack of sidewalks in existing subdivisions (e.g.,
Dillon Valley).
• Specific dedication of school sites.
Regulatory Framework
There are a number of different jurisdictions, County departments, and levels of government involved in the provision, planning, and management of community and public facilities. The overall infrastructure is interconnected and accordingly a number of different statutes guide the level of service provided. Likewise, the number and types of agencies administering community and public facilities is wide ranging and is not the sole responsibility of the County.
One component of community and public facilities that is within the County’s purview is the use of impact fees. Specifically, implied authority is given through C.R.S. 29-20-104.5. Key requirements of imposing impact fees on capital facilities include:
• Fees must meet ‘directly related’ test.
• Legislatively adopted.
• Generally applicable—not aimed at a specific
property.
• Can apply only to capital facilities (useful life of
5-years or more).
• Cannot be used to remedy existing deficiencies.
• Can be used for any facility related to a service
the local government is authorized to provide:
(roads, water, sewer, parks and open space,
libraries, police/fire, storm drainage, etc.).
The use and implementation of impact fees would require significant research and studies. Said studies would need to include components addressing a capital facilities plan, demonstration of need, proportionate share, calculation of costs, crediting, and cash flow projections. Subsequently, other similar development charges or alternatives to impact fees should also be considered in-lieu of impact fees. These methods include: adequate public facility ordinances, development excise taxes, land dedication/exactions, or development agreements.
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