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In Brief: Aspen to say goodbye to police chief with classics

Staff Report

Aspen to say goodbye to police chief with coffee, doughnuts

The Aspen Police Department will host “Coffee and Donuts with the Chief” on Wednesday, Dec. 14, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. to celebrate Chief Richard Pryor’s retirement and nearly 29 years of service with the department.

The public is invited to join the chief as he thanks the Aspen community for its support throughout his career. 

“Coffee and Donuts with the Chief” will take place in front of the Aspen Police Station (540 East Main St., Aspen). Aspen Mini Donuts will be on-site distributing free doughnuts and coffee.



For more information: aspen.gov/404/Police.

Eagle County has Roaring Fork board openings

Eagle County is seeking several appointments in the Roaring Fork Valley.




There are openings for alternates on the Roaring Fork Valley Regional Planning Commission. The commission makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding land use within the Roaring Fork Valley, Missouri Heights and Frying Pan Road areas of unincorporated Eagle County. The commission meets on the first and third Thursday of every month at 2:30 p.m. Applications are available online at https://www.eaglecounty.us/planning/planningcommissions. Applications are due no later than Dec. 31 and can be submitted via email to jill.ragaller@eaglecounty.us.

Zoning Board of Adjustment members help review zoning variance requests to the Eagle County Land Use Regulations Zone District Dimensional Limitations requirements. The board meets the first and third Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. as needed. Typically, the board only meets a few times annually as the number of variance requests are limited. Applications are available online at https://www.eaglecounty.us/planning/planningcommissions. Applications are due Dec. 31 and can be submitted via email to jill.ragaller@eaglecounty.us.

The Building Board of Appeals meets as needed to hear appeals of decisions or determinations made by the building official relative to the application and interpretation of Eagle County’s building codes. Applications are available online at https://www.eaglecounty.us/building/boardofappeals Applications are due no later than December 31 and can be submitted via email to jill.ragaller@eaglecounty.us.

For more information or to obtain a hard copy of the application, contact Jill Ragaller at 970-328-8751.

Virtual discussion on knee arthritis Wednesday

On Wednesday at 6 p.m., ValleyOrtho will present “Knee Arthritis,” a virtual discussion via Zoom with Dr. Daniel O’Connor, orthopedic joint revision surgeon at ValleyOrtho. The presentation is part of Valley View University, a series of free educational webinars hosted by Valley View.

In this 20-minute webinar, followed by a Q&A, Dr. O’Connor will explain causes of this degenerative joint disease, as well as non-surgical and surgical treatments available to keep living an active life. 

To register for the free event, visit https://www.vvh.org/event/knee-arthritis/.

Vail considers sustainability goals

On Tuesday, the Vail Town Council will get its first look at the Steward Vail plan, a 10-year destination stewardship plan intended to advance the town’s sustainability goals in step with local priorities while building its tourism economy.

The process to develop the plan began in March and has progressed from research to building a framework to engaging stakeholders as well as community members and leaders. The council will discuss it over the next several months.

According to a memo, over 1,500 people participated in public sessions, meetings, focus groups and in-depth interviews.

The council Tuesday will hear a report on the first two strategic pillars of the plan: “Be better together,” and “Enhance Vail’s world-class experience.”

Avalanche danger rises along Gore, Front ranges

Dense slabs of recently fallen snow are resting “precariously” on top of weak layers near the ground in Summit County, according to a warning issued for the Gore and Front ranges by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. 

Observers for the center reported dozens of avalanches for the region encompassing Summit County north of Breckenridge. At least two people were caught in the slides near Berthoud Pass but survived without injuries. 

Conditions are expected to grow more dangerous Tuesday with more snow and strong winds in the forecast. Monday and Tuesday ranked Level 4 out of a five-point scale. 

Backcountry travelers can expect to trigger a “large” and “dangerous” avalanche on, near or below steep northerly and easterly facing slopes at all elevations, which means areas below, near and above the tree line in the mountains. The danger is the same at all elevations. 

“We recommend that you do not travel in or near avalanche terrain,” the Colorado Avalanche Center advised. 

Hayden goes big with affordable housing site

The Hayden Town Council has approved the rezoning of a 23-acre parcel, paving the way for a 180-unit affordable housing development along U.S. Highway 40 on the west side of town.

Developer Gorman and Co., which built the Yampa Valley Housing Authority’s Sunlight Crossing project in Steamboat Springs, plans to partner with Hayden’s new housing authority for the mixed-use development, which is still in the early planning stages.

“We envision a mixed-income spectrum of affordable housing that’s all deed-restricted,” said Kimball Crangle, Gorman’s Colorado market president. “From the date that we get a funding award, it takes us about three years to open doors. It’s unfortunately not as fast as we wish we could move, but that’s a very typical timeline.”

Yampa airport aims to expand terminal as use soars

When built in 1966, the Yampa Valley Regional Airport terminal was just 6,000 square feet. Numerous additions since, the last completed in 2020, now have the building’s footprint at 72,000 square feet.

Airport Director Kevin Booth says it’s already starting to feel small.

“We’re really congested,” Booth said during a joint meeting with Hayden Town Council and Routt County commissioners last week. “That’s why we’re looking at the terminal and figuring out how to expand it.”

The airport in Hayden is seeing 50% more passengers than it did a decade ago, partially fueled by travelers’ desire for destinations like Steamboat Springs as air travel has ramped back up following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year saw more than 200,000 enplanements, which is a measure of how many people get on a plane in Hayden. Roughly twice that number of people used the airport last year.