Focus Team Weekly Report – February 18th 2022
Review: Week of February 14 – 18, 2022
- Housing & Non-Residential Demand #1 – February 14, 2022
- Natural and Built Sustainability #3 – February 15, 2022
- Infrastructure #3 – February 16, 2022
- Urban Design #2 – February 16, 2022
- Stewardship & Project Economics #1 – February 16, 2022
Combined Focus Team Attendance Total: ~120
Top 10 things we heard
- Brown Ranch should provide a “mosaic of housing” (many different types of housing so there is opportunity for mobility from one housing type to another as personal circumstances change).
- This project should prioritize the “cliff effect” families and middle-income residents. The gap is only widening between low and high income, but Steamboat is losing working class employees because there is not a good solution for that middle ground – and the middle ground is disappearing.
- Deed Restrictions are a polarizing issue and must be explored in-depth as a long-term affordability (stewardship) mechanism.
- Homebuyer education will be an important part of implementing the vision at Brown Ranch.
- Density should be a guiding philosophy: concentrated density comes with more open space, shared and conserved resources, and opportunities to connect with neighbors.
- Design to conserve natural resources. For example, Brown Ranch should be a low flow development. To conserve energy, consider use of ground source heat pumps.
- Consider strategies to retain western heritage/character of the site. For example, consider preserving barn and horse stable and use for 4H or riding lessons, community farm, etc. Partner with CSU Extension. Community gardens could be great to build community. Also allows for higher density development where people can still have their own gardens.
- Design of Brown Ranch should incorporate and tie into the things we like about other parts of Steamboat Springs and Routt County. For example, people love the walkability and human, “pedestrian scale” of Old Town Steamboat, its neighborhood feel, and that it contains an eclectic diversity in architectural styles.
- Focus on strategies that reduce car traffic, and promote connectivity: Provide everyday amenities (childcare, grocery, medical, etc.) within the site; Make walking, biking, and transit the easiest option; prioritize safety for pedestrians and cyclists; provide a transit center within the site.
- Be sure that transportation corridors are connected to the rest of town. People who live at Brown Ranch should be able to safely access the rest of town.