Eagle County commissioners have more questions for developers of big, complicated West End project
Next hearing is Sept. 9. Will there be a decision then?
The proposed West End workforce housing project in Edwards is big and complicated, and the Eagle County Board of Commissioners is taking its time in making a decision.
The board has held three hearings so far, each lasting roughly three hours, to discuss the project. The next hearing, set for Sept. 9, will likely start the board’s deliberations on the project. After the Aug. 5 hearing, which focused on public comment, the commissioners asked representatives of East West Partners, the project’s developer, to come back with answers to several questions.
- Location: Edwards, between the Gas House restaurant and the Eagle River Preserve open space
- Proposed units: 275 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments
- Price-capped units: 28, aimed at those earning between 80 and 100% of the Area Median Income
- Developer: East West Partners
Commissioner Jeanne McQueeney said she wants more information on the traffic studies East West is using for the 275-unit project. In its Aug. 1 presentation, East West representatives used data from the Colorado Department of Transportation’s studies from the construction of the roundabout at the intersection of the roundabout at the intersection of the Edwards spur road and U.S., Highway 6. Under an older approved plan, the state used assumptions based on a project that would add 200 residential units, 100,000 square feet of commercial space and no redevelopment of the Gas House restaurant parcel.
That plan resulted in assumptions that the roundabout would see 5,600 daily vehicle trips.
But several project opponents said those state numbers are outdated.
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Resident Joanna Kerwin noted that traffic counts done in March of 2020 — just as a virtual economic shutdown from the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold — are now long outdated.
Other opponents shared their concerns about current traffic delays at the roundabout, and worried about how pedestrian traffic from the West End would make those delays even worse.
McQueeney added that she’d also like to understand the justification for the number of variances from county standards being sought for the project, and would like to know how residents at the West End will get their mail, given there are only a limited number of postal boxes available in the community.
Commissioner Matt Scherr said he wants to see more information and a visual representation of what the north end of the property might look like where it abuts the Eagle River Preserve. The building is expected to reach its full height of 65 feet on that part of the 4.5-acre property.
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Scherr also said he wants better data about parking. The proposed parking falls short of current county standards.
Some project opponents expressed worry about the proposed unit sizes, which are projected to be smaller than standard units, and Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry said she wants more information about that.
The commissioners haven’t yet set a time for the Sept. 9 hearing, but public comment has been closed. We may see a decision at the end of that hearing.