The Eagle Town Council voted 4-2 on April 28 to adopt California’s Chapter 7A wildfire building standards into the town’s municipal code — a split decision that divided council members on the balance between fire safety and housing affordability — and unanimously appointed Melissa Daruna as town manager after she served in the interim role following her predecessor’s retirement.
Wildfire Building Code — Split Vote
Council approved Ordinance 6, Series 2026, on second reading, adopting Chapter 7A wildfire construction standards. Council Members Geoffrey Grimmer, Scott Schreiner, Jamie Woodworth Foral, and Andrew Atkins voted in favor. Mayor Bryan Woods and Council Member Casey Glowacki voted against. The ordinance takes effect July 1, 2026, ahead of the state’s July 31 deadline.
Planner Sydney Dynek presented updated mapping showing the code would affect far more of Eagle than previously understood — not only the Highlands neighborhood but areas including Chambers and Marmot Lane, East Eagle, Red Mountain Ranch, properties off Prince Alley, the medical center lot, and properties near the information center and Brooks Lane. Of eight properties in the Highlands she examined, three lack building permits; five are Class 2 and three are Class 1 under the state map.
The core debate turned on decking materials. Under the State Resilience Code’s Class 2 designation, decking must meet a flame spread index of 25, which prohibits standard wood. Under 7A, an index of 50 is permitted, opening more wood and composite options. Dynek said peer communities including Vail, Avon, Basalt, and Gypsum have adopted 7A, and that communities already petitioning the state under 7A have been allowed to use the broader State Fire Marshal materials list.
Council Member Grimmer described a personal experience with a house fire that displaced two families. He said that background, combined with the staff presentation, kept him in support of 7A.
Council Member Atkins argued that the State Resilience Code is actually more restrictive than 7A in Class 2 areas — the higher-risk zones at the town’s edges — and that a uniform 7A standard imposed additional costs on lower-risk properties in older parts of town. He said he wanted to incentivize homeowners to renovate rather than burden them with standards that would discourage investment.
Mayor Woods made a direct plea before the vote, saying every fire district in Eagle County unanimously supported 7A — a point reinforced by the testimony of Tim Lavin, Division Chief of Operations for the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District, at the prior meeting.
“I think it’s a tremendous error in judgment to think that any elected official has a better idea of how best to safeguard our residents than the very fire people that are here.”
Council Member Glowacki said the original concern about adopting the most restrictive standard had been centered on affordability, and questioned why the approach had shifted toward applying Class 2 standards broadly when the state map designated most of Eagle as Class 1.
Eddie Wilson, a building consultant for the town, participated online and helped clarify technical questions about material classifications during the discussion.
Town Manager Appointment
Council unanimously approved Resolution 28, Series 2026, appointing Melissa Daruna as town manager. The town posted the position internally, received a single applicant in Daruna, waited the required 14 days before any offer or negotiation, and finalized a contract that was included in the agenda packet.
“It’s an honor to serve you all. Let’s see where we can go.”
Wildfire Landscaping Code
Council unanimously approved Ordinance 7, Series 2026, repealing and replacing Chapter 11 of Title 4 of the municipal code to add defensible space and firewise landscaping standards. Senior Planner Jessica Lake presented the item, stressing that the code applies only to new development and substantial redevelopment — not existing properties — and that Zone 2 standards are applied selectively based on zoning context rather than across the entire town. Old Town Residential and CMU1 districts are exempted to preserve neighborhood character, tree canopy, and walkability. Staff’s recommended effective date is ten days after publication, meaning no later than May 9, 2026.
In response to a public comment made earlier about trees being removed from Broadway, Lake clarified that Broadway’s downtown district has no landscaping requirements and is unaffected.
Fee Schedule
Council unanimously approved Resolution 27, Series 2026, amending the town’s 2026 fee schedule. No new fees are introduced. The changes reflect an updated pass-through fee from the Greater Eagle Fire Protection District and a language cleanup for broadband fees.
Rodeo Rink — No Action Taken
Representatives of the Vail Mountaineer Hockey Club presented an impact report on the inaugural season at the Eagle County Fairgrounds rodeo rink and asked council for continued partnership to fund the 2026-2027 season. Slade Cogswell, a board member born and raised in Eagle County, and a fellow board member reported 2,720 unique users, 20,224 total attendees, and approximately 40,000 visitor days over the season, averaging roughly 1,500 users per week with 76 percent arriving from outside the valley.
The club said reopening for next season requires approximately $200,000 to cover fire suppression upgrades and short-term code requirements. Mountain Recreation has agreed to serve as operator, absorbing roughly $200,000 in operating costs. Eagle County is continuing to provide land and in-kind support. The Vail Mountaineer Hockey Club has contributed more than $100,000 from reserves and guaranteed a $300,000 repayable grant from the Town of Vail that helped make the inaugural season possible.
Council members questioned whether a second contribution was appropriate given that last year’s $50,000 grant from the Sales Tax Capital Improvements Fund had been understood as a contribution toward a multi-year permanent facility, not an annual operating subsidy. One council member noted that at Eagle’s half-percent sales tax rate, the town would need to see approximately $10 million in taxable spending within Eagle to recoup a $50,000 contribution — a figure he said the data does not yet demonstrate. Town Manager Daruna noted a discrepancy between the club’s registration-based figures and the town’s Placer AI mobility data, attributing it to differing methodologies.
The rodeo must be vacated by June to allow the summer rodeo season to proceed. Council took no action; the funding request will be considered in future budget discussions.
Wayfinding Study Approved
Council unanimously approved Resolution 29, Series 2026, accepting the Wayfinding Study and Implementation Plan and authorizing staff to begin phased implementation. Economic Development and Housing Specialist Nikki Davis introduced the item. Kristin Cypher of Michael Baker International presented the plan, developed with a $20,000 Colorado Tourism Office grant and a local match for a total planning budget of $25,000.
The plan establishes a sign family covering gateway markers, vehicular directionals, pedestrian kiosks, and trail signs. The first phase focuses on replacing blade inserts on existing directional sign poles — a lower-cost approach that tests messaging and color before committing to new permanent infrastructure. Community engagement included advisory committee meetings, dot voting on two design options, and outreach at events including Wassailfest and Christmas on Broadway. Option 1 was preferred by 63 percent of participants.
The town has $90,000 in resources to begin: $70,000 from the Capital Improvements Fund, including $15,000 from the Open Space Fund for trail signage, and a second $20,000 Colorado Tourism Office grant. Staff will pursue additional grants for later phases.
CC4CA Presentation — No Action
Jacob Smith, executive director of Colorado Communities for Climate Action, presented an overview of CC4CA, a 48-member coalition of Colorado counties and municipalities that advocates on climate policy at the state level. Smith, a former mayor of Golden, described the coalition as a resource amplifier for smaller communities — particularly on legislative and regulatory matters — and said membership for Eagle would be $5,150 annually at the base level.
Staff identified membership benefits including policy briefings, trainings, rural representation at the state, and access to grant programs such as the Natural Disaster Mitigation Enterprise, which has funded wildfire mitigation and water security grants for communities including Snowmass Village, Carbondale, and Glenwood Springs. Council members expressed interest; staff will prepare membership materials for a future agenda. No action was taken.
Eagle River Park Coalition Presentation
A board member of the Eagle River Park Coalition provided an update on the organization’s recent activities and progress toward improving the whitewater park on the Eagle River. The coalition held a public stakeholder meeting in March at a local restaurant, drawing approximately 50 participants over two hours. Attendees provided feedback on safety, wildlife considerations, maintenance, shade, and desired features. A fundraiser is scheduled for June 19 at the river park, with a silent auction, raffles, and a movie night.
The coalition is pursuing a Great Outdoors Colorado grant, which would require the town to serve as fiscal agent. Council directed town staff to assess the staff time and scheduling implications of supporting the grant application before committing. Lachie Thomson, president of the Eagle River Park Coalition, participated in the discussion. No formal action was taken.
Consent Agenda
Council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included meeting minutes; the bill schedule; the 2026 Arbor Day Proclamation; a joint resolution with the Eagle County Board of Commissioners proclaiming May 2026 as Wildfire Preparedness Month; and Resolution 24, Series 2026, approving a professional services agreement with Stolfus & Associates for engineering services.
Town Manager Update
Town Manager Daruna reported that the town has hired a new Community Development Director and a new Chief Building Official, both starting in May, which will fully staff the Community Development Department. She also reported a spring compensation review is underway, broadband billing was brought in-house from Aspen Wireless as of April 1, and she attended the Colorado City and County Managers Association conference April 16-17 where she spoke on a panel of female government leaders.
Q1 2026 Financial Report
Finance Director Rachel Tand presented the first quarter 2026 report. General Fund sales tax is up 14 percent — approximately $283,000 — compared to the same period last year, driven by year-round resident spending. The flavored tobacco ban effective January 1, 2026, drove a 51 percent drop in marijuana and tobacco tax revenue. Building permit revenue is down 23 percent year over year, reflecting eight fewer permits in the first quarter. The General Fund currently shows revenues exceeding expenditures by $436,572, though the town has budgeted for a year-end operating deficit of approximately $210,000 to be drawn from fund balance.
The townwide COLOTRUST balance stood at approximately $64.1 million at the end of Q1 2026, up from $53.4 million at the same point in 2025, though interest rates have declined from 4.4 to 3.8 percent over the same period. Tand clarified that the Q1 sales tax figure reflects December 2025 through February 2026 collections, due to the two-month delay in state remittances.
Public Comment
Debbie Murphy, 90 Palmer Loop, addressed council on two topics. She asked how many parking spaces would be provided for the proposed 36-unit mixed-use building at Fifth and Broadway, noting that 36 units could generate 36 to 72 cars plus commercial parking demand. She also asked whether traffic and water studies have been completed and whether results are being acted upon. She objected to removing trees and grass from Broadway, saying the street would become sterile without shade and would deter visitors. No other public comments were received on non-agenda items.
Council Discussion
Council Member Atkins asked colleagues to direct staff to bring amendments to the variance criteria in Development Code Section 4.17.080, specifically subsection F-3, through the Planning and Zoning Commission. He said requiring applicants to meet all seven criteria is more onerous than standards used by comparable Colorado communities and limits Planning and Zoning Commission discretion. Council expressed consensus support and directed staff to survey peer communities and return with options at their convenience, without treating it as a priority item.
A council member raised concern about confusing public communication around the annual trail opening. Residents were unsure whether trails open on April 15 or April 16 because town materials inconsistently use ‘to April 15’ and ‘through April 15.’ Staff acknowledged the inconsistency. Open Space and Trails Manager Alex Smiley noted that opening all gates takes a full day and cannot happen at midnight on the 15th. Council requested clearer social media communication beginning two weeks before trail opening in future years.
A council member asked staff to begin loading upcoming work session topics further in advance to allow council members time to prepare. Staff noted the next two work sessions are scheduled for capital project prioritization in May and long-range planning in June.
Executive Session
Council voted unanimously to enter executive session for legal advice regarding the installation of a stream gauge in the Brush Creek Valley Ranch Open Space under C.R.S. Section 24-6-402(4)(b). Council Member Schreiner, who disclosed a perceived conflict of interest at the meeting’s opening, recused himself. No direction was given in open session following the executive session.
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 