Eagle County to consider effects of tax-cutting ballot measures, two development plans

Monday and Tuesday's Eagle County Commissioner meetings will include discussions on several topics of larger community interest. The board will hear a presentation on the potential budget impacts of three ballot initiatives Monday and will continue discussions on two planning files on Tuesday. All meetings will take place in the Eagle County Room, located at 500 Broadway in Eagle, and the public is encouraged to attend.

At 2 p.m. Monday, Eagle County Finance Director John Lewis will continue the county's budget presentations with an overview of implications of Amendments 60 and 61 and Proposition 101, should they pass on Nov. 2.

On Oct. 4, the commissioners reviewed the proposed 2011 budget, which reduces General Fund expenditures from $37.7 million in 2010 to $31.6 million in 2011, a 16 percent decrease. The proposed budget is available for review at www.eaglecounty.us/finance/budget and does not include potential impacts of the three ballot questions.

The commissioners will resume their hearing on an application for a variance submitted by Berlaimont Estates, LLC during its Tuesday meeting. The meeting begins at 9 a.m., with the item listed sixth on the agenda.

Berlaimont Estates owns a 680-acre in-holding within the White River National Forest near Edwards, which they are proposing to divide into 19, 35-acre residential lots. Each lot could be developed with a single-family home and an accessory dwelling unit. Eagle County Land Use Regulations require that access roads serving more than three residences meet applicable Eagle County road standards.

Berlaimont Estates is seeking several variances from these standards including dual access, emergency vehicle turnaround areas and others. The U.S. Forest Service will also review the proposal during the required process for an easement for the proposed access road.

Finally, the board will continue sketch plan review of the Eagle River Meadows development application at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday. The proposed 105-acre development is located on the former B&B gravel mine site just west of the Eagle River Preserve in Edwards and includes free market and deed restricted housing units, as well as medical, wellness, office and related commercial uses. In addition, the proposal includes open space, new public trails and public fishing access.

Next week's meetings will be aired live on ecotv18, as well as streamed live and archived at www.eaglecounty.us. Previous meetings can be viewed at www.ecotv18.com.