Facing two state mandates they said they had no power to refuse, the Lake City Board of Trustees introduced a wildfire resiliency code over unanimous objection and approved Stage 1 voluntary water restrictions over a dissenting vote at their May 20, 2026, meeting. The board also appointed a new trustee, reached tentative agreement on a long-disputed right-of-way lease, and advanced a draft accessory dwelling unit ordinance. Trustee Kaylin Trivisonno was absent.
State Mandates Draw Fire
Trustees introduced Ordinance 2026-05, adopting by reference the 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code — and every trustee present said they oppose it. “I absolutely disagree with it,” one said; others called it an unfunded mandate that will drive up construction costs. Town Attorney Dan Krob told them compliance is not optional: the Legislature passed the code as a matter of statewide concern, and rejecting it would cost the town state grant eligibility.
The board voted to introduce the ordinance on first reading; a final vote comes at the June 3rd meeting. The code contains a historic preservation exemption at Section 102.9.1 that the town can use to establish local variance procedures for historic structures.
The board held a public hearing on the wildfire code before the vote. No members of the public offered comment.
A second ordinance, Ordinance 2026-06, updating the town’s fire restrictions code was pulled before any action. Krob said he was premature — Hinsdale County is still revising its own fire restrictions, and the town’s version needs to align with the final county language. It will return at a future meeting.
Water Restrictions Pass — Woods Votes No
The board approved Resolution 2026-04, declaring Stage 1 voluntary water restrictions. Trustee Henry Woods voted no. He argued conservation could work against the town in ongoing Colorado River negotiations, where downstream states are pushing the Bureau of Reclamation to claim Colorado’s unused water allotments. Every gallon conserved, he said, strengthens that case.
Other trustees disagreed. “We’re in a drought,” one said. “All the other communities around us are doing this.” Town Manager Alexander Mulhall said the system is keeping up with demand for now, but the town needs to get ahead of peak tourist season use.
The water system’s leak problem ran through the debate. The town loses millions of gallons monthly — enough, by one trustee’s estimate, to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every week over the winter. Mulhall said the pumping rate has already dropped from 1,000 gallons per minute a decade ago to around 400 through repair work, and the town is pursuing grant funding for an advanced metering system to locate remaining leaks.
New Trustee Appointed
The board voted unanimously to appoint Jodi Linsey to the vacant trustee seat, effective through the next municipal election in 2028. Linsey had submitted a letter of interest noting she had previously run for mayor and still wanted to serve. No discussion preceded the vote.
Right-of-Way Lease Moves to Ordinance
The board reached informal consensus on lease terms for James Benefield of Lake City Auto & Sports Center, who has used a section of the 8th Street right-of-way to display vehicles for sale. A formal ordinance — required by state statute for any lease longer than one year — will come back as an action item at the June 3rd meeting.
Krob said he was initially skeptical of leasing public right-of-way but is now comfortable with the terms. The town has not signed a long-term right-of-way lease since 1996, and Mulhall noted that some earlier leases were never collected on. Key protections in the current draft include no construction without town approval, a 60-day cure period for maintenance violations, and termination rights if the property becomes untidy. Mayor Dave Roberts said residents had raised concerns about the appearance of the site but that Benefield is known for clean operations and is currently remodeling the storefront.
The board settled on $600 per year as the lease fee. The deal would also secure public fishing access along the river through the property, connecting the Lake Fork Conservancy parcel to town-owned land upstream.
Boardwalks: Ownership, Responsibility, and a History of Shortcuts
The workshop took up a request from Trustee Trivisonno — submitted by email since she was absent — to explore making Lake City more pedestrian-friendly. The conversation quickly shifted to the town’s historic boardwalks on Silver Street.
Trustees debated who is responsible for boardwalk maintenance — adjacent business owners, by ordinance — and whether owners could remove boardwalks that sit in the town’s right-of-way. One trustee said some deteriorating sections near the south end of Silver Street were built improperly because a prior board waived construction specifications to cut costs. “They said it was too expensive to do it according to code,” the trustee said. The board agreed to bring the item back when Trivisonno is present and to explore grant funding.
ADU Ordinance: Size Fight
The board workshopped a draft accessory dwelling unit ordinance and rejected the Planning and Zoning Commission’s recommended minimum of 200 square feet outright. “Two hundred square feet — I went, no,” one trustee said. Another noted modern jail cells are slightly under 200 square feet. The board settled tentatively on 300 square feet as a minimum.
The ordinance bars short-term rentals and limits ADUs to workforce housing and seniors — a direct response to the town’s comprehensive housing plan. Mulhall said qualifying as an ADU Supportive Jurisdiction under state law would unlock additional funding and pre-engineered design drawings. The board voted to schedule a public hearing on the draft ordinance for June 17th.
Dust and Roads
Trustee Woods raised the town’s use of magnesium chloride for dust suppression during trustee reports, citing a State Forest Service study he said found every dollar spent on it causes $21 in damage to infrastructure, vehicles, and trees. He called for a return to using a water truck on dry days.
Mulhall said the town’s previous supplier stopped returning calls this year. Staff is seeking quotes for a custom environmentally-friendlier blend — at roughly twice the cost — and noted that delivering gravel to Lake City costs as much in freight as the material itself. No action was taken.
Other Business
The board gave informal approval for Hinsdale County Search and Rescue to reserve parking on Silver Street and 3rd Street on September 16th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Colorado Grand Annual Classic Car Charity Tour. The event draws roughly 95 vehicles and benefits HCSAR. Staff will notify affected businesses; the item returns for formal action June 3rd.
No members of the public offered comment during the citizen comments period.
The board approved the April 22nd regular meeting minutes and paid bills totaling $50,993.
Town Engineer Megan Fagan reported two crews are working on the wastewater treatment plant renovation, with completion now targeted for mid-August — ahead of the original October schedule — pending equipment delivery. A generator is due in July.
Town Manager Mulhall reported the 2025 audit is expected to be complete by end of the week and will be on the June 3rd agenda. Staff is preparing roughly 35 junk violation notices covering properties south of Peaks Lake and west of the Lake Fork, with community cleanup events set for June 13-14 and August 29-30.
Trustee Diane Bruce reported DIRT received national accreditation again and that the Town Park playground grant is nearly closed out, with $4,743 remaining. Vacation guides for 2026 are available at the Chamber; Wednesday farmers markets begin June 3rd.
Trustee Woods reported Lake San Cristobal is at 94 percent capacity but state releases are expected as drought conditions tighten. The Gunnison Basin Roundtable is tracking critically low conditions at Blue Mesa Reservoir, where Arizona interests are pushing to take water below the reservoir’s power generation level.
Mulhall reported that Planning and Zoning has a conditional use public hearing scheduled this month and is reviewing a conditional use application from Alpine Outpost.
The board received a thank-you letter from resident Mary Nettleton, expressing gratitude to Mayor Roberts in connection with a Silver World article written about her and noting her role in the town’s new accessible playground sidewalk.
Committee assignments were finalized: Kaylin Trivisonno will represent the town on the Chamber of Commerce; Nathan Wuest takes Region 10; Diane Bruce continues on the Marketing Committee and DIRT; Henry Woods continues on the Lake San Cristobal Water Activity Enterprise and Gunnison Basin Roundtable. The MAC Committee seat — which covers multi-agency emergency coordination — was left open for a future trustee after the current representative said his schedule makes attendance impossible for the next year.
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