HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.council.20080623Regular Meeting Aspen City Council June 23, 2008
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION .......................................................................................... .... 2
COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS .............................................................................. .... 4
CONSENT CALENDAR ............................................................................................... .... 4
• Resolution #60, 2008 -Real Estate Broker Contract ......................................... .... 5
• Pitkin County Referral -Land Use Code Text Amendment .............................. .... 5
• Resolution #61, 2008- Contract -Active Network Inc. -Web Registration ..... .... 5
• Resolution #62, 2008 -Contract -Climate Mitigation Services -Greenhouse Gas
Inventory ..................................................................................................................... .... 5
TAPING WORK SESSIONS ......................................................................................... .... 5
ORDINANCE #18, SERIES OF 2008 -Code Amendment -Noise ............................. .... 5
ORDINANCE #1, SERIES OF 2008 - 434 East Cooper Subdivision (Bidwell) .......... .... 6
REQUEST FOR FUNDS - 4`h of July and Community Picnic ...................................... .... 6
1
Re¢ular Meetin¢ Aspen City Council June 23, 2008
Mayor Ireland called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m. with Councilmembers Johnson
and Skadron present.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
1. Toni Kronberg told Council public comment was not allowed at the last ARC
Advisory Board meeting. Ms. Kronberg presented the SPARC agreement which
guarantees public will be allowed to speak during the course of the meetings. Ms.
Kronberg said the majority of the ARC members aze non-swimmers and maybe there
should be a separate board for swimmer advisory. Mayor Ireland said he will have staff
check on the citizen comments to make sure the ARC committee accepts public
comments.
2. Junee Kirk asked if the owners of the Bidwell property will be able to demolish
the building and leave a hole for 3 years. Ms. Kirk said it is a disservice to the
community to reconsider this project. The applicants were aware of the pubic opinion
before the final vote. The public wants a pubic square as it currently exists and a building
of about the same size. Terry Butler suggested the applicants meet with neighbors &
public to go over the redrawn plans before they are presented to Council to get public
input. Jennifer Phelan, community development department, told Council the HPC
approval requires final approval for a replacement building before the applicants are
allowed to receive a demolition permit.
3. Penny Evans Carruth said this community is committed to affordable housing and
has created things like ADUs, cash-in-lieu, exactions from developers and projects like
Burlingame and North Forty. Ms. Carruth said affordable housing is always political.
Ms. Carruth said Council should lead the way to answers that have been raised about
Burlingame finances. Ms. Carruth said Council should take the long view with
allegiances to public trust. Ms. Carruth noted the public perception is that city
government has something to hide. Ms. Carruth suggested a Burlingame Review
Committee to participate in the process of reading, reviewing and publicizing the result of
the audits. This Committee could organize a public forum with question and answers
about Burlingame. Ms. Carruth said Marilyn Marks' intentions regazding Burlingame are
clear; Ms. Marks is passionate about this community and wants to work with staff and
with Council to understand the issues. Ms. Carruth said Ms. Marks believes the public is
entitled to information that affects the community. Ms. Carruth said Ms. Marks does not
deserve to be intimidated and the way she has been treated may cause people not to run
for elected office.
Mayor Ireland stated all facts and documents will be presented to the public. Mayor
Ireland said Council hopes to do that with the recommendations from the housing
subcommittee by the end of July. All the documents will be available for public review
so that the public knows what happened and the city can take steps so it will not happen
again. Councilman Johnson said he does not feel it is appropriate for any citizen to act in
such a way that unnecessarily politicizes things. Councilman Johnson noted people were
appointed to the Citizen Budget Task Force for their judgment and their expertise.
2
Regular Meeting Asaen City Council June 23.2008
Councilman Johnson said there have been a lot of opinions from a lot of people about a
meeting at which they were not present. Councilman Johnson noted a letter to the editor
said this Council is guilty of lack of transparency. Councilman Johnson said Council is
going to webcast all their meetings, has supported taping all Council meetings, has
formed a budget task force to get input from citizens, the Chambers have been redone for
better sound and visual; the AACP is being reviewed and updated. Ms. Cazruth said she
does not believe there is anything Ms. Marks has done that is not without transparency.
4. Mike Maple asked about an item on the consent calendaz, taping of work sessions,
and that staff recommends taping working sessions. Mayor Ireland said Council has
decided to tape all meetings, including work sessions, and also to do webcasting. Mayor
Ireland noted during the Council's first retreat in July 2007, he requested webcasting;
however, until the Council Chambers were renovated, webcasting was not possible.
Councilman Johnson stated he supports taping work sessions. Maple said by saying the
transparency of this govemment could be improved is not saying the government is not
transparent; there is always room for improvement.
5. Marilyn Mazks noted in the last 2 weeks there have been grievous false
accusations against her by members of Council, from ambush for the Grassroots meeting,
to plans she is involved in illegal campaign financing scheme, and to requesting
prosecution of individuals. Ms. Marks requested proof of these allegations or to remedy
the damage caused by these accusations. Ms. Marks stated she is not involved in any
political campaigns, or PAC activities. Ms. Marks said she is disappointed by the attempt
to discredit her. Ms. Marks said she, too, recognizes the need for housing solutions and
has become passionate about the city's needs for housing. Ms. Marks said although she
has no ambitions for political office, she encourages those who do, as a large and diverse
group of candidates is always needed to help the community decide on the priorities. Ms.
Marks said demeaning potential candidates is wrong headed and undemocratic. Ms.
Marks said the unexpected results of the work of the budget task force were embarrassing
to al] and damaged the public trust. Ms. Marks said attacking the messengers is to deflect
the issue and undercut the seriousness of the message, which is the need for fiscal
responsibility in affordable housing. Ms. Mazks said whenever information on
Burlingame was discovered, she contacted Council and offered to work on the data and
the questions the public might ask. Ms. Marks noted it has been 8 weeks since the
startling discrepancies were made public. Ms. Marks said the public has not had the
chance to review and to ask questions on Burlingame. Ms. Marks said the public wants
to support public housing; however, the program is being undercut each day when the
city's priorities are elsewhere. Ms. Marks noted there cannot be a meaningful housing
program without public support. Ms. Mazks said the city needs the maximum number of
affordable housing units that can be built at Burlingame; however, the current
Burlingame plan is cost inefficient and not easily advanced in its current form. Ms.
Marks stated a new plan for Burlingame 2 and 3 is needed as soon as possible and it
should be thoroughly reseazched and tested. This will take time and in the interim,
Council should consider incentive buy down plans and enhanced enforcement efforts in
the existing affordable housing. Ms. Marks said the community needs to see everyone
working together on affordable housing so that Burlingame can be built. Ms. Marks said
3
ReQUlar Meetine Aspen Citv Council June 23, 2008
there is a chance to avoid a full financial disaster if the city can adopt serious fiscal
discipline and financial reporting to the public. Councilman Johnson requested Ms.
Marks reconsider her resignation from the budget task force. Councilman Johnson said
anytime someone serves on a city task force they have to act in an appropriate Fashion.
6. Andrew Kole thanked Nancy Lesley who helped with a television show on tennis
and golf last weekend. Kole announced the Lift One task force is Thursday at 4 p.m.
where they will start to do bubble diagrams.
COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS
1. Councilman Skadron reported he attended the Colorado Municipal League
conference in Steamboat and the sessions were worthwhile.
2. Councilman Skadron said he lead the down valley ride for the opening of the Rio
Grande trail last weekend. Councilman Skadron thanked Lynn Rumbaugh and RFTA.
There was a ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of the trail from Aspen to Glenwood
Springs.
3. Mayor Ireland noted he has received noise complaints about Jazz Aspen. Mayor
Ireland said there is no upper noise limit on how loud something can go. Mayor Ireland
said this needs to be capped at a decibel level.
4. Mayor Ireland brought up the fence at Aspen Grove cemetery and requested staff
look into fixing it.
5. Mayor Ireland said he has received complaints about people not picking up after
their dogs on Smuggler. Mayor Ireland requested people be considerate of other trail
users and pick up after their dogs.
6. Mayor Ireland noted Councilman Romero had a death in his family and wished
him well.
7. Councilman Skadron announced at the next HP task force meeting, there will be 3
speakers on historic preservation. They will discuss the incentives used to promote
preservation in this community. The meeting after that will be to discuss the specifics of
the historic preservation policies.
8. Mayor Ireland said he attended the state advisory committee on transportation and
were told that unless the legislation changes current directives, there will be funds
available for maintenance only.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Ireland requested taping of work sessions be taken off the consent agenda.
Regular Meeting Aspen City Council June 23.2008
Councilman Johnson moved to approve the consent calendar as amended; seconded by
Councilman Skadron. The consent calendar is:
• Resolution #60, 2008 -Real Estate Broker Contract
• Pitkin County Referral -Land Use Code Text Amendment
• Resolution #61, 2008- Contract -Active Network Inc. -Web Registration
• Resolution #62, 2008 -Contract -Climate Mitigation Services -Greenhouse Gas
Inventory
Councilman Skadron said he previously indicated concern about the arrangement with
the real estate broker. Councilman Skadron said he met with Greg Hunter and discussed
those concerns. Councilman Skadron noted he is convinced this contract best serves the
interests of the city.
All in favor, motion carried.
TAPING WORK SESSIONS
Mayor Ireland asked if there is a more cost effective way than paying people to operate
the cameras. Councilman Johnson said using a camera operator and the 4 cameras in
Council Chambers will make the programs more watchable. Councilman Johnson stated
he does not feel taping work sessions will increase public participation. Councilman
Johnson said Councilman Romero suggested a procedure that if the topic were not of
large public interest, it could be webcasted only. Brad Manosevitz, Grassroots TV, said
they prefer knowing two weeks ahead in order to do a good job. Manosevitz pointed out
using one camera only will make the show almost unwatchable. Manosevitz said it will
cost $150 because they are using the city's camera equipment. Council asked if the work
sessions will be televised live. Manosevitz explained that the television is split between
Snowmass Village, Aspen and Pitkin County and it will depend on when other
jurisdictions are on the air for their regulaz meetings. Council agreed they would like
work sessions live, but not to interfere with other jurisdictions meetings.
Councilman Skadron moved to approve taping work sessions, starting June 24cn;
seconded by Councilman Johnson. All in favor, motion carried.
ORDINANCE #18, SERIES OF 2008 -Code Amendment -Noise
Councilman Johnson moved to read Ordinance #18, Series of 2008; seconded by Mayor
Ireland. All in favor, motion carried.
ORDINANCE NO 18
(Series 2008)
Regular Meeting Aspen Citv Council June 23, 2008
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 18.04, NOISE ABATEMENT, OF THE
MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF ASPEN, COLORADO
Councilman Johnson moved to adopt Ordinance #18, Series of 2008, on first reading;
seconded by Councilman Skadron. Roll call vote; Councilmembers Skadron, yes;
Johnson, yes; Mayor Ireland, yes. Motion carried.
ORDINANCE #I, SERIES OF 2008 - 434 East Cooper Subdivision (Bidwell)
Councilman Skadron moved to continue Ordinance #1, Series of 2008, to July 14;
seconded by Councilman Johnson. All in favor, motion tamed.
REQUEST FOR FUNDS - 4`h of July and Community Picnic
Nancy Lesley, special events, told Council this is a plan in case the fire works are not
allowed on Aspen Mountain. The plan is to move the fireworks to the golf course and
staff requests funding to facilitate this. Mayor Ireland said he does not want to spend
money to publicize the move at the last minute. Councilman Johnson asked if the city
should consider moving the fireworks to the golf course permanently. Councilman
Skadron asked if there were long term detriments to the golf course after the fireworks.
Ms. Lesley said there were not. Councilman Skadron asked about crowd and traffic
control. Don Davis, police department, said last year worked very well; there was no
congestion in the city. Councilman Skadron asked if people attending the fireworks came
into the city after the show. Davis said there were fewer people in town last year after the
fireworks at the golf course. Councilman Skadron said his reservation would be the lack
of opportunity for generating business in town with the fireworks out of town.
Councilman Johnson said moving the fireworks and the community picnic to the golf
course seem like a loss to the community. Daryl Grob, fire department, said the
fireworks are a community event and the community needs to make the decision about a
default venue. Grob said he has had the opportunity to confer with the Upper Colorado
River management group about the conditions of the fuels on Aspen Mountain. Grob
said he has confidence in staff and the fire department and his inclination is that the
fireworks will be on Aspen mountain without problem. Grob said because of the snow
pack, the moisture content is high. Grob said the final decision will be made June 27`"
after a site visit with fire and law enforcement personnel. Council agreed they preferred
the fireworks to beheld on the mountain with plan B ready to go. The final decision will
be made June 27`h upon the recommendation of the fire department and the sheriff and
communicated to the city manager. Mayor Ireland said he would like the written and
other distribution materials ready to go in case it is plan B.
Ms. Lesley said the recommendation is to move the community picnic from Paepcke Park
to the golf course on a Sunday in September. Ms. Lesley said this will embrace the
family aspect of the community picnic. The golf course will be closed and there will be
activities all over the course. Mayor Ireland said this will be an opportunity for people to
enjoy an open space that as non-golfers they may not have experienced. Jeff Woods,
6
Regular Meeting Aspen City Council June 23, 2008
parks department, said this will be a chance for the city to highlight the golf course and
the reclaimed water project. Council agreed with the change in the community picnic to
September 14`h at the golf course.
Councilman Johnson moved to adjourn at 7 p.m.; seconded by Councilman Skadron. All
in favor, motion carried. Council watched the historic preservation DVD and left
Chambers at 7:40 p.m.
FY
Ka S. Ko ,City Clerk