City of Cripple Creek is seeking Disadvantaged Community status to offset device fee losses
CRIPPLE CREEK • City Administrator Frank Salvato spoke to Cripple Creek City Council at its Oct. 19 meeting about a recent prequalification meeting between city officials and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs.
“If we qualify as a disadvantaged community, we will receive more grants and lower interest loans,” he said.
City Finance Director Paul Harris said city casinos have lost a few more devices. Much of the city’s budget is based on device fees.
Council approved two $8,000 water/sewer tap fee waivers for single family homes. The first was requested by JR Gatlin and Janet Edwards for a home under construction on Hayden Street between Golden and Galena avenues. The second was requested by James Kroll, owner of Serenity Home Creation LLC, for a home at 219 Bennett Ave.
City Council is authorized to waive certain fees and provide other in-kind and financial relief to developers under the city’s Housing Development Incentive Program.
Council approved a conditional use permit amendment requested by Clayton Homes of Pueblo for a home under construction at 535 E. Carr Ave. Council was required to consider the original conditional use permit request for six homes on these lots because city development codes have no dimensional standards for homes in the BB mixed use zone.
Considering an amendment to previously approved dimensional standards is also the council’s responsibility. City Building Official Ken Hartsfield said the amendments are reasonable and council agreed unanimously.
Council approved an ordinance on initial posting that, if approved on second reading and public hearing, would vacate a portion of the island in front of the Wildwood Casino where Colorado 67 turns into Carbonate Street. The future Wildwood Casino owners, the Golden Nugget, asked the current owner to request the vacation so they can landscape it and use it for signage.
At least one utility line will have to be relocated at the developer’s expense.
Public Works Director Steve DiCamillo explained that the property owner owns the land to the middle of the street and when a city right of way is vacated, the land reverts to the owner.
“This is an island we’re not using,” he said. “We will sign a utility relocation agreement with the developer.”
Additionally, the council approved an ordinance on initial posting that would add “dirty windows” to the list of nuisances for vacant commercial buildings.
The ordinance reasons that “vacant buildings are easily identified due to lack of maintenance, including dirty windows” and that amending the nuisance code is necessary to “provide for the safety, preserve the health, promote the prosperity, and improve the morals, order, comfort, and convenience of the city.”
The future owners of the Wildwood Casino in Cripple Creek, the Golden Nugget, have requested that the current owners seek to have an island in the street in front of the casino vacated.