Review: Week of March 4 – 11, 2022  

• Demand/Project Economics #4 – March 7, 2022
• Urban Design #4 – March 9, 2022

Combined Focus Team Attendance Total: 60

Top 10 things we heard 

• If we want to support less traffic, convenience should be prioritized, which means finding a way  to locate a small grocer at or near Brown Ranch in phase 1.
• Regarding integrating commercial uses and housing, community seemed split. Some want commercial and housing integrated, and others want a commercial center on Highway 40. Either  way, make sure commercial and civic spaces are walkable/bikeable to/from housing.
• Other non-residential uses we’d like to see at Brown Ranch: Parks/open space, a place to  socialize that doesn’t revolve around drinking, childcare center, sports barn, sports bar, rec  center facility (satellite to OTHS) & gym, laundromat.
• A spectrum of housing is needed across a spectrum of AMI levels: make sure the workforce on  lower end of AMI spectrum isn’t overlooked, but also make sure 2 professional people can live  together and not be eliminated from getting a house in the community.
• Don’t let financial side of the equation make us lose sight of how we develop sense of  community. Where do we find the middle ground of housing on larger scale, ownership  opportunities, and making the project a reality?
• Regarding open space, trails, and habitat disturbance: Be intentional about where we do and do  not want people. In winter, places that get the most use are core trail, buchterknife, blackmer …  they are trail corridors … places people move through. Define the corridors that allow people to  exercise in winter, walk dogs, etc. and direct them where there aren’t habitat concerns. If we’re  trying to preserve habitat, don’t direct people there.
• We are compressing wildlife corridors. Need to develop as close to areas that are already  disturbed. Also, community is supportive of seasonal wildlife closures on trails and open space  areas at Brown Ranch and understands the importance of enforcement and accountability  measures.
• Carefully design stormwater retention and conveyance system as opportunity to enhance  existing drainages. to funnel water into existing creeks/drainages. Also, stormwater retention  areas are going to be dry all summer long because it doesn’t frequently rain… can they be  multipurpose?
• In general, community wants lots of different types of parks/open space at Brown Ranch:  trails/corridors, community & neighborhood parks, special use parks, and recreational facilities.  • We should determine if trails will be for fitness, leisure, transportation, etc. or a variety of uses?  Let’s intentionally identify primary use of the trails and design for that primary use. Hopefully  we can have lots of different kinds of trails!

Top things we learned  

• Grocery-anchored “town center” can provide Brown Ranch households and other West  Steamboat households with local goods and services.
• There is support for a mid-sized grocer at the site between 2026-2030; grocery development  before this would likely require a subsidy.
• Urban Design is important – long-term vision of town center is needed to incorporate  walkability and strong “sense of place” for community.
• Phase I should be large (several hundred units) to spread infrastructure costs and support  commercial development.
• Idea of 15-16 units/per acre works well with stewardship models, increases financial feasibility.