Challenges of 'Pedestrianization'

While members of the Telluride Town Council voiced strong support of "pedestrianization" on Tuesday, a note of caution was sounded about street closures. Street closures have aroused strong opposition from members of the business community, Town Manager Jay Harrington told council. And in planning circles there are reports that more and more municipalities that closed streets to traffic years ago and are now re-opening them, noted Kathy Green of the Telluride Planning and Zoning Commission.

Encouraging pedestrians and taking measures to calm vehicular traffic are not always the same thing, members of council agreed.

The subject gained a sense of urgency following an accident last week near the Telluride Elementary School, involving a child riding a bicycle who was hit by a car. The child was not seriously injured.

Members of council and the public agreed that measures should be taken to improve pedestrian safety as quickly as possible – with four-way stops as one suggestion – though there was no determination of exactly what steps should be taken. The mysteriously related subjects of pedestrianization and traffic calming will be discussed further at another work session at the next council meeting.

Free and Fair Parking

Several local business operators told the Telluride Town Council on Tuesday that the town's current downtown parking system is unfair because it favors some businesses. The system includes 27 short-term parking zones, 16 of them in pay-to-park areas. In those 16 zones, free parking is permitted for 15, 20 and 30 minutes, depending on the zone.

"I don't see why we can't provide fairness," Baked In Telluride owner Jerry Greene told council. Greene argued that the cost of parking in Telluride is trivial, and benefits everyone.

Tricia Maxon of the Bank of Telluride agreed that the free zones should be eliminated altogether.

"I don't think it's fair for one bank in town to have free parking while the other banks don't have it," David Wright of American National Bank said.

On the other side of the argument, Val Mortell of Timberline Hardware said "it is very nice to have a space very close to the hardware store where people can park and run in … because there are some things people get at the hardware store that are heavier than" … and she nodded in Greene's direction to indicate no offense … "a donut."

Ginny Gordon of Telluride Bottle Works said that it's very nice to have a free parking area in front of her business so that customers can run in and pick up a case of wine.

"There need to be areas in town where the time you are allowed to park is limited," Gordon said, whether those spaces are free or not. "I would hate to see all of the opportunities for short lengths of parking go away."

Council agreed to retain short-term, 30-minute parking zones, but to require payment to use them. The only free zones will be at the post office, the freebox and in front of day care centers.

Master PlanWork Continues

The Telluride Planning and Zoning Commission is on schedule to complete its work on updating the town master plan by mid-September, P&Z Chair Michael Zivian told the Telluride Town Council on Tuesday. The Telluride Town Council could have the update before it for consideration in October.

Draft materials were reviewed on June 9, with additional meetings scheduled in July and August.

Though public involvement in the process has diminished since a series of public meetings last winter, P&Z is not departing from the thrust of the public comment it received during those meetings, Zivian said in response to questions from Mayor John Pryor about how the work is proceeding.

Med Center Update

The Telluride Medical Center is exploring the idea of employing "temporary, full-time, onsite management," Judy Thompson, a member of the Telluride Hospital District board told the Telluride Town Council on Tuesday. The board is also looking at outsourcing its billing and collections. A professional medical billing company should be able to increase revenues and collections, Thompson said, helping to alleviate a budget shortfall.

Thompson and hospital district board president Stephen Wald appeared before council – a late addition to the agenda – to inform council how the district is dealing with what Wald described as "a continuing challenge" in operating the clinic.

Since becoming independent from the Montrose Memorial Hospital approximately two and a half years ago, Wald told council, "from a medical point of view, both the emergency room and family practice have served the community well." The board is "taking some significant steps right now" Wald said, to address business challenges.

"We've had our ups and downs," Thompson allowed, but "we have come a long way."

"We are somewhat at the mercy of the national health care system, whether we like it or not," she added.

Festival Hospitality Center Gets Town Nod

The Telluride Film Festival will once again erect a large tent adjacent to the Telluride gondola station to serve as the event's hospitality center, and a smaller tent for support space.

The Telluride Town Council on Tuesday approved the necessary temporary use permit. The festival has used a similar tent for the past two years. Permission from the Mountain Village Homeowners Assn., the owner of the property, is also necessary, and is likely forthcoming.

"It's been very successful," Telluride Film Festival director of operations Jim Bedford told council. "Literally thousands of people who attend the festival go there for information."

No Sign Needed

The Telluride Town Council responded this week to a query from the San Miguel County Commissioners by saying that the town sees no need for signs at Society Turn indicating that food and accommodations are available three miles away in the town of Telluride.

Tourists on Hwy. 145 should be able to deduce that such services are available in a town, Councilmember Mallory Dimmitt said. The rest of council agreed that they would prefer to resist the proliferation of signs.

The county dealt with the issue last week, when the commissioners denied an application from Jerry Greene of Baked In Telluride to permit "Tourist Oriented Directional" signs for his business. Greene said that the downtown economy would benefit from signage to draw business. While the commissioners denied the application for a sign specifying a particular business, the commissioners indicated they would support a more generic sign, if the town expressed interest.

Board Appointments

Sid Brotman was appointed by the Telluride Town Council to a seat on the Telluride Marshal's Citizen's Advisory Board on Tuesday. Ron Gilmer, who has been the chair of the Commission on Community Assistance, Arts and Special Events was reappointed to that board. Lynda Tueller was named the representative from the Telluride R-1 School District to CCAASE. Scott Elkins won an appointment to the Telluride Parks and Recreation Commission. And Richard Haggerty was reappointed to the Telluride Ethics Commission.Challenges of 'Pedestrianization'

While members of the Telluride Town Council voiced strong support of "pedestrianization" on Tuesday, a note of caution was sounded about street closures. Street closures have aroused strong opposition from members of the business community, Town Manager Jay Harrington told council. And in planning circles there are reports that more and more municipalities that closed streets to traffic years ago and are now re-opening them, noted Kathy Green of the Telluride Planning and Zoning Commission.

Encouraging pedestrians and taking measures to calm vehicular traffic are not always the same thing, members of council agreed.

The subject gained a sense of urgency following an accident last week near the Telluride Elementary School, involving a child riding a bicycle who was hit by a car. The child was not seriously injured.

Members of council and the public agreed that measures should be taken to improve pedestrian safety as quickly as possible – with four-way stops as one suggestion – though there was no determination of exactly what steps should be taken. The mysteriously related subjects of pedestrianization and traffic calming will be discussed further at another work session at the next council meeting.

Free and Fair Parking

Several local business operators told the Telluride Town Council on Tuesday that the town's current downtown parking system is unfair because it favors some businesses. The system includes 27 short-term parking zones, 16 of them in pay-to-park areas. In those 16 zones, free parking is permitted for 15, 20 and 30 minutes, depending on the zone.

"I don't see why we can't provide fairness," Baked In Telluride owner Jerry Greene told council. Greene argued that the cost of parking in Telluride is trivial, and benefits everyone.

Tricia Maxon of the Bank of Telluride agreed that the free zones should be eliminated altogether.

"I don't think it's fair for one bank in town to have free parking while the other banks don't have it," David Wright of American National Bank said.

On the other side of the argument, Val Mortell of Timberline Hardware said "it is very nice to have a space very close to the hardware store where people can park and run in … because there are some things people get at the hardware store that are heavier than" … and she nodded in Greene's direction to indicate no offense … "a donut."

Ginny Gordon of Telluride Bottle Works said that it's very nice to have a free parking area in front of her business so that customers can run in and pick up a case of wine.

"There need to be areas in town where the time you are allowed to park is limited," Gordon said, whether those spaces are free or not. "I would hate to see all of the opportunities for short lengths of parking go away."

Council agreed to retain short-term, 30-minute parking zones, but to require payment to use them. The only free zones will be at the post office, the freebox and in front of day care centers.

Master Plan Work Continues

The Telluride Planning and Zoning Commission is on schedule to complete its work on updating the town master plan by mid-September, P&Z Chair Michael Zivian told the Telluride Town Council on Tuesday. The Telluride Town Council could have the update before it for consideration in October.

Draft materials were reviewed on June 9, with additional meetings scheduled in July and August.

Though public involvement in the process has diminished since a series of public meetings last winter, P&Z is not departing from the thrust of the public comment it received during those meetings, Zivian said in response to questions from Mayor John Pryor about how the work is proceeding.

Med Center Update

The Telluride Medical Center is exploring the idea of employing "temporary, full-time, onsite management," Judy Thompson, a member of the Telluride Hospital District board told the Telluride Town Council on Tuesday. The board is also looking at outsourcing its billing and collections. A professional medical billing company should be able to increase revenues and collections, Thompson said, helping to alleviate a budget shortfall.

Thompson and hospital district board president Stephen Wald appeared before council – a late addition to the agenda – to inform council how the district is dealing with what Wald described as "a continuing challenge" in operating the clinic.

Since becoming independent from the Montrose Memorial Hospital approximately two and a half years ago, Wald told council, "from a medical point of view, both the emergency room and family practice have served the community well." The board is "taking some significant steps right now" Wald said, to address business challenges.

"We've had our ups and downs," Thompson allowed, but "we have come a long way."

">"We are somewhat at the mercy of the national health care system, whether we like it or not," she added.

Festival Hospitality Center Gets Town Nod

The Telluride Film Festival will once again erect a large tent adjacent to the Telluride gondola station to serve as the event's hospitality center, and a smaller tent for support space.

The Telluride Town Council on Tuesday approved the necessary temporary use permit. The festival has used a similar tent for the past two years. Permission from the Mountain Village Homeowners Assn., the owner of the property, is also necessary, and is likely forthcoming.

"It's been very successful," Telluride Film Festival director of operations Jim Bedford told council. "Literally thousands of people who attend the festival go there for information."

No Sign Needed

The Telluride Town Council responded this week to a query from the San Miguel County Commissioners by saying that the town sees no need for signs at Society Turn indicating that food and accommodations are available three miles away in the town of Telluride.

Tourists on Hwy. 145 should be able to deduce that such services are available in a town, Councilmember Mallory Dimmitt said. The rest of council agreed that they would prefer to resist the proliferation of signs.

The county dealt with the issue last week, when the commissioners denied an application from Jerry Greene of Baked In Telluride to permit "Tourist Oriented Directional" signs for his business. Greene said that the downtown economy would benefit from signage to draw business. While the commissioners denied the application for a sign specifying a particular business, the commissioners indicated they would support a more generic sign, if the town expressed interest.

Board Appointments

Sid Brotman was appointed by the Telluride Town Council to a seat on the Telluride Marshal's Citizen's Advisory Board on Tuesday. Ron Gilmer, who has been the chair of the Commission on Community Assistance, Arts and Special Events was reappointed to that board. Lynda Tueller was named the representative from the Telluride R-1 School District to CCAASE. Scott Elkins won an appointment to the Telluride Parks and Recreation Commission. And Richard Haggerty was reappointed to the Telluride Ethics Commission.