TOWN OF ERIE  
645 Holbrook Street  
Erie, CO 80516  
Meeting Minutes  
Wednesday, June 18, 2025  
6:30 PM  
In Person Meeting  
To View Meeting Virtually on Zoom: https://bit.ly/18June25PCMtg  
Council Chambers  
To Sign Up for Public Comment: www.erieco.gov/PublicComment  
Planning Commission  
I. CALL TO ORDER & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO FLAG  
Chair Burns called June 18, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting to order at 6:31  
p.m.  
II. ROLL CALL  
Roll Call:  
Commissioner Booth - present  
Commissioner Sawusch - present  
Commissioner Dreckman – absent excused  
Commissioner Braudes - present  
Commissioner Baham - present  
Vice Chair Hemphill - present  
Chair Burns - present  
A quorum was present.  
III. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA  
Commissioner Braudes moved to approve the agenda of the June 18, 2025  
Planning Commission Meeting. The motion, seconded by Commissioner Booth,  
carried with the following roll call vote:  
Commissioner Booth - yes  
Commissioner Sawusch - yes  
Commissioner Braudes - yes  
Commissioner Baham - yes  
Vice Chair Hemphill - yes  
Chair Burns - yes  
Motion passes unanimously.  
IV. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
25-387 Approval of the June 4, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes  
Attachments: June 4, 2025 PlanningCommission Meeting Minutes  
Commissioner Booth moved to approve the minutes of the June 4, 2025 Planning  
Commission Meeting. The motion, seconded by Commissioner Braudes, carried  
with the following roll call vote:  
Commissioner Booth - yes  
Commissioner Sawusch - yes  
Commissioner Braudes - yes  
Commissioner Baham - yes  
Vice Chair Hemphill - yes  
Chair Burns - yes  
Motion passes unanimously.  
V. PUBLIC COMMENTS  
Public comment was taken from the following:  
Krista Points, Town of Erie resident, gave comment on the following:  
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In support of the Affordable Housing program and its Expedited Review,  
especially as a way to help families experiencing Divorce and Single Parent  
Households having Single Incomes.  
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Affordable Housing as a way to help people who serve the Community who  
have occupations like Educators, live in and be a part of the Erie Community.  
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Affordable Housing creates Community Cohesion  
Current Housing Stock does not support the need for Affordable Housing in  
Erie, and its effect being displaced Families from the Community and family  
instability.  
VI. GENERAL BUSINESS  
25-353  
Discussion of rescission of 017-2023 Expedited Review for Affordable  
Housing  
Chair Burns announced Agenda Item 25-353: Discussion of rescission of 017-2023  
Expedited Review for Affordable Housing.  
Chair Burns gave a brief overview and background and shared some thoughts for  
Item 25-215: A Resolution of the Planning Commission of the Town of Erie  
Recommending that the Town Council Adopt an Ordinance Amending Chapters 6  
and 7 of Title 10 of the Erie Municipal Code Removing Alternative Standards for  
Affordable Housing Projects. The overview and background included the  
direction given by the Town Council, the Planning Commission’s lack of context  
when considering this item, and communication(s) with the Mayor. It also  
included the Council’s expression of its hope to revise the Affordable Housing  
Ordinance language in order to be in compliance with the requirements of State  
Proposition 123 by the deadline in the year 2026. Chair Burns stated that the  
primary components of Ordinance 017-2023 are as follows:  
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Definition of Alternative Standards such as an increase of up to 25% in  
maximum Residential Density, No Minimum Lot Sizes, up to a 25% reduction in  
required setbacks and lot widths, and the Potential for Alternative Equivalent  
Compliance requests.  
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An allowance for an Expedited Review Process to include Administrative Site  
Plan Review.  
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Definition of Affordable Housing projects and Area Median Income under the  
UDC.  
Chair Burns then detailed his communication with the Mayor to include the  
expression of Town Council’s concerns over the current Affordable Housing  
Program process and the Mayor’s interest in the Town Survey regarding  
Affordable Housing. Chair Burns said that he expressed his concerns that  
included Rescission verses Revision.  
Chair Burns brought it to the Commission for any questions/comments of staff.  
Some questions/comments included the following:  
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Income appropriate housing. Current housing costs and the salaries for  
certain occupations.  
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Affordable Housing creates Community Cohesion.  
Commuters to work. Quality of Life and Community Safety.  
Meaning behind Town Surveys.  
Affordable Housing Program as its own process.  
Purpose of the Town’s original Affordable Housing Ordinance.  
Area Median Income.  
Determining Complete Applications for Affordable Housing projects.  
UDC Amendments and the Planning Commission’s authority.  
Trust in Staff performing Administrative Reviews.  
Frequency that Developers pursue Affordable Housing Projects within the  
Town. Quantity of Affordable Housing Applications.  
Taxes attained from Multi-use projects versus Single-Family projects.  
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Possible flaws in the process of the Town’s current Affordable Housing  
Program and any legal implications.  
Proposition 123 funding requirements and expected state guidance as it  
relates to the Town’s process.  
90-day review for approval process for applications filed having Affordable  
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Housing. Current time-frame to complete Land Use Applications. Implications of  
the 90-day review period for projects having concurrent applications.  
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Recommending the removal of Alternate Standards & Expedited Review  
Process for Affordable Housing Projects and its possible impact to meeting  
Affordable Housing goals and participation in Proposition 123. Recommending  
the removal of all the Alternative Standards versus removal of just the Expedited  
Review Process portion. Recommending full Removal versus Revision. Other  
Alternative/Replacement incentives compliant with Proposition 123.  
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Administrative Reviews and any restrictions based on the size of  
developments.  
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Expedited reviews saving time and money, helping the developer to  
successfully complete Affordable Housing Projects.  
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Alternative Equivalent Compliance and its Authorization.  
Process to appeal decisions.  
Town’s Affordable Housing program related to Metro District point system  
requirements.  
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Possible scenarios for consideration of the Agenda Item 25-215 to include the  
potential for Conditions for recommending Approval.  
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When, during the Towns Land Use Application process, that a Project could  
potentially be allowed to follow the Town’s Affordable Housing Program process.  
Authority of the Director when considering a request for a Project to be allowed  
to follow the process of the Town’s Affordable Housing program.  
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Discussion expressing concern that the expedited permitting process could  
be used for any size development.  
Very large development could move forward all the way to TC meeting  
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where final plat and easements would need to be accepted without earlier  
review by that body.  
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If the development already has an affordability requirement due to the Metro  
District, can they use the expedited permitting process?  
The Commission thanked staff its participation in the discussion.  
VII. STAFF REPORTS  
Chris LaRue, Principal Planner, reported on the following:  
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Planning Commission Advanced Agenda template for review.  
Agenda for the next regularly scheduled Planning Commission meeting on  
July 2, 2025.  
VIII. COMMISSIONER REPORTS AND DISCUSSION ITEMS  
Chair Burns reported on the following:  
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Voting for Chair and Vice Chair at the July 2, 2025 Planning Commission  
Meeting  
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Kelly Driscoll, Planning Manager, is expected back by the July 2, 2025  
Planning Commission Meeting.  
Commissioner Braudes reported on the following:  
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He will be away for the Planning Commission meetings scheduled for August  
20, 2025 and September 3, 2025.  
IX. ADJOURNMENT  
Commissioner Booth moved to adjourn the June 18, 2025 Planning Commission  
Meeting. The motion, seconded by Commissioner Baham, carried with all voting  
in favor thereof.  
Chair Burns adjourned the June 18, 2025 Planning Commission Meeting at 8:50  
p.m.