Timnath Town Council Meeting 9/9/25
by Linda Burrous
This meeting is available on the Town's YouTube channel:
PRESENT: Robert Axmacher, Mayor; Luke Wagner, Mayor Pro Tem; Councilmember Bill Jenkins, Councilmember Jeramie Holt
KEY POINTS
- The Old Town Transportation Plan project will begin evaluating Main Street, 2nd and 4th Avenues (between Cornhusk Ave. and Timnath Elementary) in September
- The Annexation of Timnath Shores was approved with revisions
- The Zoning was changed on Timnath Shores to allow development
PUBLIC COMMENT
There were no public comments except those under Public Hearings
CONSENT AGENDA
Town Council Meeting Minutes of August 26 were approved (4-0)
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
- Councilmember Holt reminded everyone that the Timnath Fall Festival will be this weekend.
- Mayor Axmacher notified the group that the Citizens’ Academy began last week. He also wanted to remind everyone that the Timnath vs. Wellington football game will be at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins on September 26th and that “we will win.”
REGULAR BUSINESS
A resolution to approve a Work Order with Wilson & Co. Inc., Engineers & Architects for the Old Town Transportation Plan, was approved (4-0).
Kim Koivuniemi, Senior Civil Engineer for the Town, presented the parameters of the Old Town Transportation Plan, which includes preliminary traffic studies, data collection, and soliciting input from residents, as well as synthesizing information gathered to recommend short- and long-term planning alternatives. Based on traffic density “triggers,” the project should provide different scenarios as growth continues. The goal is to improve safety for all modes of transportation, including pedestrian and bicycle traffic, enhance intersection functionality, and help guide future infrastructure planning. The project was competitively bid among contractors with current Engineering Master Service Agreements with the Town. The $149,720 cost of the project is covered in the Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) budget.
Beginning September 2025, the project will evaluate Main Street, 2nd, and 4th Avenues (between Cornhusk Ave. and Timnath Elementary). Work is expected to conclude in February 2026. Minor corrections such as signage and striping are expected to be completed this year.
Discussion:
Q. Councilmember Jenkins asked if the new Recreation Center would figure into this project as far as traffic studies go, should it pass in this fall’s election.
A. No. A specific traffic study would need to be completed. In general, the method of using future scenarios due to increased traffic would apply, but wouldn’t be specific enough for such a large project.
Q. Councilmember Wagner asked how long the project would last and when it would start.
A. Traffic studies will be conducted over the next 3 weeks and the project is expected to end February 2026.
Q. Councilmember Holt asked about land use; for example, whether the Recreation Center might require more road access, if approved.
A. The contractor will be looking specifically at 2nd and 4th Avenues for future growth scenarios.
Q. Councilmember Wagner asked how the contractor would be reaching out to the Old Town community.
A. A series of meetings will be held to include the Main Street Committee, the elementary school, local residents, and town staff.
Q. Mayor Axmacher asked if this study will include accessibility of the Poudre Trail.
A. The Poudre Trail would not be included, as the focus is on Old Town.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
An ordinance approving the annexation of Timnath Shores was approved with revisions.
Annexation to the Town was requested by sole owners of the property, Cottonwood Development Partners, LLC, on July 8, 2025, for the purpose of development. The site is located at the southeast corner of County Roads 3E and 42E and is bordered by Timnath Reservoir to the east and CR 3E to the west. The inclusion of the full length of CR 42E and a portion of CR 3E brings the total acreage to 81.
The property complies with all Colorado Statutes,Town of Timnath requirements for voluntary annexation, and also aligns with the policies outlined in the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between Larimer County and the Town of Timnath, which governs the Town’s Growth Management Area (GMA).
A zoning change for the development of property proposed for annexation was also taken up at this Council meeting. The requested change would convert the property from low-density rural county property to 24.6 acres of Estate Residential (R-E) and 51.4 acres to Single Family Residential (R-2).
Public Comment:
Ryan Fertig and Dan Griffith, who each own large, low-density properties directly west of the proposed development, expressed their concerns with the proposed zoning of the development and a lack of response from the developer and engineering firm (Cottonwood Development Partners and JR Engineering, respectively). Fertig also questioned whether the Town’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment, approved on August 20, 2024, was in keeping with the Town’s requirements. Fertig’s letter to the Council can be found here.
Both Fertig and Griffith agreed that development is inevitable and expected, characterizing this property as the crown jewel of the area. But they claimed the nature of the proposed development was now much different from the initial plan. They said they were first assured the land would be divided into executive lots of approximately 1 acre each (R-E zoning) in a plan that would accommodate 120-170 homes. The developer now plans to offer the R-E zoned homes on 24 acres along the reservoir (east side of development), while proposing 51 acres zoned R2 (single-family residential with approximately four homes per acre) on the west side of the development, adjacent to farmland to the west. The developer expects to build 229 homes in order to make the development financially viable.
Council Discussion:
Councilmember Holt mentioned that on-water developments like this can be done really well, or can be disastrous. What kind of buffers are planned? What is the overall vision? Cost of water?
- The project engineer replied that a 50-foot open space is planned between the lake and property lines. He assured the council that they’ve obtained “will-sell” letters from both Elco Water District and Boxelder Sanitation although Elco cannot give levels of availability until the Master Plan is completed.
Councilmember Jenkins was concerned about road access. With CR 42E and a portion of CR 3E undeveloped and neither maintained nor annexed, there is only one access route for emergency equipment. Citing recent experience with Costco, he noted that having only one way in and out has proven not to work out well. He suggested that CR 42E needs to be made available for emergency access.
- According to JR Engineering, a 30-foot span of the portion of CR 42E that intersects with the southern portion of 3E, is not included in the right-of-way (ROW) and the landowner does not wish to grant it. The developer stated that the southern end of 3E ends at a rickety bridge, however, the engineer stated their intention to replace the culvert under the bridge on CR 3E, which may strengthen the bridge enough to allow for emergency equipment.
Mayor Axmacher emphasized that not annexing the property would take land that is contiguous to the Town out of the control of the town. He asked for a revision to the ordinance to include stipulations that CR 42E must be upgraded to Town standards and CR 40 and CR 3E must be upgraded to meet emergency equipment requirements. The Council agreed to approve the ordinance, provided these transportation issues can be resolved.
An Ordinance approving a zoning map amendment for the Timnath Shores property was approved (4-0).
Public Comment:
Dan Griffith spoke to the R-2 properties abutting his home and property, creating an incongruity of land use. The developer has told him to wait to air his concerns until a later date, specifically the Sketch Plan stage, but Griffith worries that it will be too late. He’s concerned that if he chooses to develop his own property, he will be forced to build for R-2 zoning only. .
Council Discussion:
Councilmember Wagner asked what amenities come with R-2 zoning.
- Twenty percent of development is designated open space. Pocket parks are placed for every developed ½ acre until a density triggers a Community Park. The density trigger number was not known off-hand.
Mayor Axemacher stated that while he cannot force it, he would highly encourage discussion between developers and current landowners to come in the earlier stages of planning.
All supporting documentation, reports, maps and agreements can be found at: https://timnath.org/agendas-minutes/
The next Town Council Meeting is scheduled for September 23, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
From the website: Timnath is a home-rule municipality and a Council/Town Manager form of government. The Town Council sets the policy and the Town Manager directs the daily operations of the Town. Timnath’s Town Council consists of five members – four Council members that are all at-large, that is they are not elected based on council districts. In addition, the Mayor is also elected at-large. Council terms are four years and staggered.
*Citizen Observers further the commitment of the League of Women Voters to its principle of Citizens Right to Know, however, we are not acting as journalists. Omissions and errors are possible. It is assumed that users of this information are responsible for their own fact-checking. This could include contacting a government clerk, conversing with an elected official or staff, and/or asking us to speak to the Observer who attended.