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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcoa.lu.rz.Aspen Ice Garden.1977 ,.~ GRANGER COSTIRYA~N*~ ~„ .~ ~ ' _ 243 ABRAHAM'S LAN>+'"""°,:`~: ' ~' ~.- VILLANOVA, PA. 1998~Aic R~i~l_:'L.; ~~~'i ~. October 17, 1977 - ---- Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission Aspen/Pitkin Planning Office 130 South Galena Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 Gentlemen: I have just received today notice of the public hearing which was scheduled for tomorrow with respect to the rezoning request made by the Aspen Ice Garden. As an owner of Condominium 3B in the Cottonwoods Condominiums, I hope it is not too late to record with you my strong hope that the application to permit the Garden to be used as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts will be denied. Grant- ing of the petition would seem to me to radically change the neighborhood area, creating, as it were, an island of noise unbecoming to the present community. Yours very truly, J,~,,, .w ~o~~ ,. Grang~ Costikyai~ GC/def Received after Public Hearing - October 20, 1977 .. M E M O R A N D U M TO: Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission FROM: Planning Staff, Bill Kane RE: Conduct of Concerts at the Aspen Ice Rink and Alternative Ways Dealing with the Proposal via the Zoning Code DATE: October 24, 1977 At your meeting of October 18, 1977, by motion you denied the rezoning request of the Aspen Ice Garden to go from R-15 to C-1 Commercial for the purpose of conducting eight rock concerts per year. The motion had attached to it the directions to the Planning Staff to come back with more information on alternative ways that such concerts for community benefit could be accommodated in the Zoning Code, short of totally rezoning the property to a commercial zone thereby making the concert hall a use permitted by right. There are three general ways in which the Code could be amended to allow the envisioned concerts to take place in the R-15 district. These are: 1) the addition of assembly halls as a conditional use in the R-15 and R-6 zones; 2) the determination by the Board that this use is consistent with residential areas and was somehow intended to be allowed at the time of the drafting of this ordinance and could be justified within the existing language; and 3) to amend the Code and make assembly halls a use by right within the R-15 and R-6 zones. Needless to say, each of these alternatives carry with them different levels of impact and different levels of control by the Board. Each is discussed below with our recommendations obviously being for the conditional use approach. Conditional Use Under the conditional use approach, basically two steps would be involved. First would be to amend the R-15 zone, listing assembly halls as a conditional use. This amendment would require a recom- mendation from the Planning and Zoning Commission and then a public hearing and Ordinance by the City Council which would require two readings. The Code amendment process would probably take 30 to 40 days. Having established assembly halls as a conditional use in this district, then you could entertain a specific conditional use application with specific details on the timing and nature of the events envisioned in the facility. Through such a process you could require more detailed information on the timing of the events, the total seating capacity and attendance envisioned at the events, detailed proposals and commitments to transportation to and from the Ice Garden, security measures, and timing for the completion of the events in the evening. In addition, you may want'.to require a commitment to an annual calendar, that if amended, would require review once again before your Board. While this may appear to be a somewhat lengthy process, we recommend this approach given the acceptability of the concept to the Planning and Zoning Commission. It gives you a maximum degree of review and control over the events without rezoning and drastically altering a land use characteristics of the area. If your determination as to the acceptability of these concerts is grounded in your belief that the activities are for community groups and community benefit, you may want to go so far as to require some financial statement and commitment as to the percentages that would be distributed among the various parties involved. ~ ~~~ ,,,. ,, Memorandum Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission October 24, 1977 Page Two Use Determination Under this approach, you would be required to make a finding that the concerts proposed represent a reasonable continuation of activities that are currently carried out at the Ice Garden. That is, that the concerts proposed do not constitute an expansion of a non-conforming use. Needless to say, we find this approach to be hard to justify in that the concert activities call for a six-fold increase of people at one time in using the facility. This approach would leave you with a minimum of control in that by making such a finding, the concerts could be carried out with no conditions. It would not be logically consistent to attach conditions to a use determination. You must make a finding as to whether it logically has existed there in the past or has not and to attach conditions to the determination as to whether it is legal and non-conforming, really would not work. We discourage this approach. Permitted Use By Right Under this approach, you would simply amend the zoning code to allow assembly halls as a use by right in residential districts. This would require a hearing before the Planning and Zoning Com- mission and City Council with two readings of an ordinance by Council. This approach would provide the least in the way of control or review of activities at the Ice Garden and again is an approach we do not recommend. Conclusion We recommend that the conditional use approach be taken with respect to conducting concerts at the Ice Garden in that the conditional use hearing gives you the authority to require information and impose conditions and basically provide the wherewithal to carry out these concerts in a manner that would be most consistent with the residential setting within which the Ice Garden is situated. We will discuss the merits of each of these in more detail with you at your meeting on Wovember 2. However, should you wish to come in prior to that and discuss it somemore, we would be happy to do that. It is our understanding that some discussion may take place between the Ice Garden owners and City Administration regarding possible involvement of the City in some of the programs which may reduce the requirement for the number of concerts and so the nature of the application may even be amended prior to your next meeting. We will try to keep you informed as events take place. lmk cc: Aspen City Council John McBride Dave Baxter Bill Tharp Ralph Brendes /"\ PUBLIC NOTICE RE: Rezoning Code Change NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a public hearing will be held on December 6, 1977, at a meeting held at 5:00 p,m. in the City Council Chambers, Aspen, before the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission to amend the R-15 and R-6 zones to include assembly halls as a conditional use. A copy of the rezoning proposal may be examined by the public in the office of the City/County Planner, City Hall, during regular business hours. Published in the Aspen Times, Thursday, November 17, 1977. /s/ Kathryn S. Hauter City Clerk Received after public hearir!'~` October 20, 1977~y~ ~' L1 `~~~,,~~~~ `~ , f l i ". ti~ lLC /~IK~N ~/~rNn~~ l/. ~j'C.P v`.. /30 S~'~-l~ CiCa~t°vta~.~T~.e2 RGUTE ____ _~_-_.._.-._ ~ 4~1~d ~(. ~~, t[% ~ ~~~ ~~ ' ~ ~ i ~u ~$ ~~~~ ~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~4/ ~i't" /~ C ,~ Ci[i1, ~1~~ ,l ~ti.[CC ~~~ ~~~(~2f2 ~,v[l~ '7//[// c v 4 /~/ly/lam/ ,7 ~~ ~~L ,~ f/ ~ !~ lti / /v c Lt ~ ~~_ L~ ~~ ~.tJ~~ ~ J~~ ~ t ,h2N ~n ~~~ 6C'L`u°~~ p „ ,/~ ~~~~ , 1, a- ~~~C / ~ /~,~/ (.1C (~C ~ ~ ~~,~1 ~L c ~i~C~'~lcr~ ~7 ti // Ocf i~ /~ JYI~s. Chanle5 ~GUeiSenthal "`~ 1030 Cast Couat~and ~ ace ~i~wau~Cee, ~isconsin 53211 peace S<JLJ: l ~# 2ecei.vec{ uniac/ ~ha~ ~vu aae having, a pu~llc mee~.lnrZ vn Oct. /8#li cvnce~uuncZ chon~.in~ ~vn.cn~ Mara f2-/5 ~o C-/ w~u.ch uavu.lc( perm/.t mr~.atca.L mne~ a~~ the Aspen Tce ~a~ea. I vma a cyrtdvminran - Cv~tvraa~vc(.~ 1-A u~h~ acnv~ the .~.~ee# anc' I can vet much aclain.~~ ~,i.~. A., I con nv~ able #v 6e ~heae I hvpe #lai.~ le#ea +ui.LL Heave ~v e~i,ve rtv~i.ce .~lfat ure aice aAcuw+~~ .uU~J c/zan,~e. Hine ciux~r/.~ .such a.~ a cr»ace~r~ mvecLcl a~iuract ~ me,LL a.~ the nvi~e it uroulcl mahe uk~u.lc( Ge vet uia(etinaG.Le ~ a ov~nen. 7fE.anh r~u veiny much. Sincerce.Cr~ ~ ~- ~~ ~ ~ Dom, ark n1~. ~'e,iaentha,L Submitted October 19, 1977 -after public hearing FIDELITY " AMERICAN BANKx. HIGH AND CRAWFORD STREETS • PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA 23705.804/393-9661 TIDEWATER October 14, 1977 Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission 130 South Galena Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 Dear Commissioners: I understand that a public hearing will be held on October 18th, on a request for rezoning made by the Aspen Ice Garden, Inc., to change the classification from R-15 to C-1. I, as the owner of Apartment 2-C, in the Cottonwoods Condomin- ium, located diagonally across the intersection from the "Ice Palace," strongly object to favorable consideration being given their request for a zoning change. At times the noise and traffic congestion by past users of that facility have been annoying and bothersome to me, as, I am sure, they have been to other residents of that part of town. I do not object to the continued use of the "Ice Palace" in the manner in which it has been used historically, and is being used currently. I strongly resist any expanded use as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts or other public gatherings of that type. I urge you to deny the rezoning request. Respectfully Monte M. Miller President MMM:dkl i Received October 19, 1977 - After public hearing .~, ~'. _~~_~~,,,-yra, 4 w/ u ., MEMORANDUM T0: Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission FROM: Bill Kane, Planning Director RE: Rezoning Request for Aspen Ice Garden to go from R-15, existing, to C-1, proposed DATE: October 13, 1977 This is a request for the rezoning of the Aspen Ice Garden to go to C-1 from R-15 for the express purpose of conducting, on the order, of eight musical concerts per year. Prior to this application for rezoning, a request was made before the Aspen City Council for determination as to the propriety of conducting these events in this facility. Upon advice from the Planning Staff and the City Attorney, the Council directed the applicant to proceed with the rezoning request, should he want to pursue this. This action by the Council should not be construed as either an endorsement or support of the proposal, but merely was a technical finding that they could not, in any capacity, rule on conducting concerts in the Ice Garden inasmuch as that request constituted an illegal non-conforming use. I think the Council found in their decision that the only way to achieve this from the applicant's point of view would be to request and receive a rezoning. We are including, in the packet, a memo which was directed from the Planning Staff, Bill Kane, to the Aspen City Council regarding concerts in the Aspen Ice Garden and this will serve as some background on the Planning Staff's position regarding the propriety of this use in that area. We have reviewed the application for rezoning and find it to be complete, with proper notification having been made of all the surrounding property owners. In order to give you some feel for the response in the neigh- borhood regarding this matter, we are including copies of letters received to date regarding their request. Our response to this request is a brief one. We feel that a rezoning to C-1 of this area would constitute a serious threat and erosion of the basis for residential zoning that was strenously fought for in April of 1975. Although the applicant intends the zoning change only to accom- modate rock concerts at the facility, once given a rezoning, there would be little to prohibit more intensive use of the facilities. The area was zoned R-6 in 1975 and subsequently rezoned "R-15" in 1976. It was the clear intention of the Aspen Land Use Plan of 1973, and all subsequent zoning actions, to reserve this area and this neighborhood for residential development. Even the lodges in this area are non-conforming in and that the area has been zoned "Residential" and "Commercial Lodges", at this point, are also non-conforming. It is a basic tenant of zoning that in a district in which many uses are found to be non-conforming that any improvement to any use should be done so in a fashion to bring the area more into conformance with the zoning district. That is, the zoning ordinance presumes that should a lodge be removed, then at some point in the future, it would be replaced with single-family residential development. In accordance with this zoning direction, many homes have received sub- stantial improvement and investment in the area and their owners have put this time and energy investmehtintoproperties in reliance of single- family low density residential development that has been assured them by the City of Aspen. To go back on that proposition and agreement now, ,~~ Aspen Planning and Zoning Aspen Ice Garden Page Two October 13, 1977 would represent a serious detriment to established residential values in the area. Aside from these considerations, the site is limited by several real constraints. Number one, most obvious, is parking. What is being envisioned here is a facility to handle 2,000 people at one time with virtually no off-street parking facilities. Even if rezoned, it is highly unlikely that the building inspector could determine that the full requirements of the zoning code have been met to accommodate the use envisioned. Secondly, the land use pattern in the area is such that the residences, having received investment and improvement in the area, are those most closely affected being directly across the street. And a thirdly, the change to a concert facility, in our view, represents a substantial change to the uses now being conducted and must be viewed as a substantial expansion of a non-conforming use, should the zoning not be granted. That is, you may hear the argument that a concert facility is not dramatically different than the skating facility which is presently conducted and constitutes a 1'egal non-conforming use. The simple facts are that skating at its peak times will probably only accommodate 300 people, to include spectators and skaters. With a facility proposed here, 2,000 people could be accommodated at the Aspen Ice Garden at one time, representing at least a six-fold increase. There are collateral issues to be considered with this project which go beyond the immediate site impacts. Arguments could be offered on both sides regarding the growth implications of creating a facility capable of handling 2,000 people at one time. This argument relating to the quality of entertainment that could be produced and the possible draw upon surrounding areas for rock concert facility. Conclusion and Recommendation In our view, the application before you should be denied, and recommended for denial before the City Council for the following reasons: 1. The area involved is residential and can be proved to be residential as evidenced by investment in the surrounding area in reliance of single-family residential zoning; and as such, is inappropriate for a spot of C-1 Commercial zoning. 2. The facility in question would be totally inadequate to meet the zoning guidelines of the C-1 district for the uses that are intended in this application. 3. A rezoning cannot be viewed only within the narrow limits of the uses that are proposed by the applicant for this facility, but must be viewed realistically within the context of all those uses that are permitted in C-1. And it is clear upon a cursory review that the majority of uses permitted in C-1 would be incompatible with the quiet residential area presently existing. 4. A rezoning to C-1 of this block would constitute a serious detriment threat for at least substantial erosion of the land use planning concepts emboded in the 1973 Aspen Land Use Plan and the City of Aspen Zoning Ordinance and Map; and, as such, constitutes a proposal which flies in the face of the cumulative affect of some five years of planning. lmk enc. ~, MEMORANDUM TO: Aspen City Council FROM: Planning Office, Bill Kane RE: Request for Rock Concerts at the Aspen Ice Garden DATE: August 4, 1977 ' It is our understanding that a reo,uest will be made for a schedule of rock concerts to be conducted at the Aspen Ice Garden on a regular basis; for basic commercial reasons, that is, not for Community benefit. We strongly recommend against this in that the proposed use is not allowed in the R-6 .residential district within which the Ice Garden is located. The proposal constitutes a blatent expansion of a non- conforming use which is clearly prohibited by the City Code Section 24-12.2, 24-12.4. Aside from the obvious prohibitions found in the Code, common sense dictates that the noise and congestion attendant to such functions is not compatable with existing land use and zoning, which is in turn, a reflection of the. land use trend which the City seeks to encourage in the area. There is an additional issue which summons the parable of the "camel and the tent" and that is simply one of where does the line get drawn. You would expose yourself to similar requests for additional. concerts in this area and similar requests from other areas of the City. We strongly recommend against the request. lmk ~...,. 1 qr~ ~" ~- M E M O R A N D U M "~A - i<%^.v'w~"y i TO: Ralph Brendes, Esquire ''`` \ ~ ~,~ FROM: The Research Group, Inc. // RE: Colorado/Local Government/Zoning $f ~VV``- FILE: W1217C YI/ "` STATEMENT OF FACTS: ~~ Client is the owner of an ice rink whic can be suitabl ~ used for concerts. This use of the rink, however, is now prohibited by a residential zoning classification. Client would like to have the classification changed to commercial so that concerts can be ~.. a held in the rink, but the city planning department has so far opposed his efforts. The City Charter of Aspen provides for the use of the initiative to propose and enact new ordinances subject only to certain restrictions not material here. Client feels that if the initiative is conducted, the zoning change that he proposes will prevail. He therefore wishes to investigate the possibility of using the initiative process to effect the proposed reclassification. QUESTION PRESENTED: PAay the initiative process provided for in the Aspen City THE A£SEAAGH CROVP 1\COAPOMTED Charter be used to enact a change in the city zoning ordinance? Conclusion: A reading of Colorado and California cases suggests strongly that the initiative may properly be used to effect zoning changes ,,,~,,, under the provisions of the Aspen City Charter. A series of California cases holds that the provisions of a charter are controlling over provisions of state zoning statutes specifying zoning procedures. They also hold that procedural due process considerations do not impede this use of the initiative. Colo- rado courts have not dealt with the initiative in the context of zoning changes, but they have construed referendum provisions in city charters to permit the use of the referendum to effect zoning reclassifications. The reasoning of these cases suggests that they would treat the Aspen initiative provision similarly. DISCUSSION OF AUTHORITY: Although the question of whether the initiative may be used to enact a proposed new or amended zoning ordinance has not come before the Colorado courts, a number of other juris- dictions have dealt with the issue. Due to the complexity of both the factual settings and the legal issues of the cases, the results have not been uniform. However, analysis of several closely analogous California cases and of the treatment Colorado courts have given a very similar device, the referendum, dis- closes a strong probability that under Colorado law, the initiative is available as a means of effecting change in a municipal zoning ordinance. In determining the applicability of initiative provisions ~'tle found in state constitutions and statutes and municipal charters RESEAACN CROUP 1\CORPOMTED to zoning ordinances, the courts have had to consider a number of factors. Of greatest significance in the courts' thinking has been that any use of the initiative to effect change in _2_ .-~-~, -- . \/. zoning schemes may be in conflict with the zoning statutes enacted by the legislatures of all the states. These statutes typically vest in municipal legislative bodies the authority to adopt zoning measures and specify in some detail the procedures that are to be followed. These procedures are intended to satisfy the due process notions that property owners are to be notified of proposed changes in the zoning law which may have an impact on their property and that such affected parties must be given the opportunity to be heard on the matter. Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann., Title 31, Art. 23, is such a statute. In addition, a deter- mination of the issue has sometimes required the courts to balance the value of•direct citizen participation in the legislative process against the need for comprehensive planning by professionals. Some courts have been unwilling to permit a "piecemeal attack" by initiative or referendum upon a comprehensive zoning scheme. Finally, and often overriding the other issues, the courts have been called upon to construe the specific language of the zoning statutes and provisions reserving the initiative power to the electors. These issues have been faced in a line of California cases beginning with Hurst v. Burlingame, 207 Cal. 134, 277 P. 308 (1929) (Appendix A). There, the plaintiff attacked a zoning plan which had been adopted under initiative provisions of the California Constitution and statutes. He maintained that the plan was in- THE RESEARCH cnoDP valid because it had not been enacted in accord with the California IVEOEPOMTED zoning statute then in effect. The city of Burlingame was or- ganized under California's General Municipal Corporations Act -3- ~. and did not have its own charter Ncting first that "an ordinance adopted by a city organized under general law is subject to and controlled by general law", the state Supreme Court, following the rule of serveral other jurisdictions, held that: . The initiative law and the zoning law are hopelessly inconsistent and in conflict as to the manner of the prep- aration and adoption of a zoning ordi- nance. The Zoning Act is a special statute dealing with a particular sub- ject and must be deemed to be control- ling over the initiative, which is general in its scope. Id., 277 P, at 311. Judgment was affirmed for the plaintiff. Several subsequent cases involving municipalities organized under the general state law followed the Hurst decision in holding the initiative not applicable to zoning ordinances. Then in 1962, a case arose in which the plaintiffs proposed to enact a zoning ordinance under the provisions of the Palo Alto City Charter specifying procedures for use of the initiative. Fletcher v. THE AESEAACN GROUP I\GORPOAATED Porter, 203 Cal. App. 2d 313, 21 Cal. Rptr. 452 (1962) (Appendix B). The court there held that because Palo Alto was a charter city, the state legislature could not interfere in the regulation of its purely internal affairs. Since the initiative procedure there was brought under charter provisions rather than state statute, the holding in the Hurst case was not applicable and the initiative on the zoning ordinance was proper. Bayless v. Limber, 23 Cal. App. 3d 463, 102 Cal. Rptr. 647 (1972) (Appendix C) reached a similar result. There, the plaintiffs sought a writ of mandate directing the city government to process -4- . ,.,~ . 'a..s an initiative petition on a proposed change in the city zoning ordinance. The petition was brought under the provisions of the city charter. Holding that the initiative was proper under the charter, the court went on to observe: Respondent City Council and respondent City Clerk contend that this holding is contrary to those of Hurst v. City of Burlingame, 207 Cal. 134, 277 P. 308, and Laguna Beach Taxpayers' Assn. v. City Council, 187 Ca1.App.2d 412, 9 Cal.Rptr. 775. In making this contention respondents overlook the decisive fact that these cases involved general law cities while this case is concerned with a chartered city. In those cases it was held that zoning may not be done by initiative because the procedure leading to the enactment of an initia- tive ordinance is incompatible with that prescribed by statute for the enactment of zoning ordinances by a city council...But the manner of enact- ing municipal ordinances is a municipal affair and, as previously indicated, the charter of a chartered city, rather that state statutes, govern municipal affairs within such a city. Id., 102 Ca1.Rptr. at 650. See also Duran v. Cassidy, 28 Cal. App. 3d 574, 104 Ca1.Rptr. 793 (1972) (Appendix D). ,IAE More recently, in the case of San Diego Building Contractors AESEAAOA GAOVP I~ICOAPOMTED ssociation v. City Council of San Diego, 13 Cal. 3d 205, 529 P.2d 70, 118 Ca1.Rptr. 146 (1974) (Appendix E), the California Supreme affirmed the holding of the Fletcher and Bayless cases, -5- ~.~ supra, that "a charter's broad grant of the initiative and referendum powers clearly applies to zoning measures." Then, in an important holding, the court went on to address itself to the objection that adoption of a zoning ordinance by ini- tiative denies procedural due process to the property holders affected. Noting that the San Diego ordinance before the Court, which had been adopted by an initiative, was clearly a legislative act, and quoting Justice Holmes from the case of Bi-Metallic Co. v. State Board of Equalization of Colorado, 239 U.S. 441, 36 S.Ct. 141 (1915), the court concluded that: . .due process requires "notice and hearing" only in quasi-judicial or ad- judicatory settings and not with res- pect to the adoption of general legis- lation. Since the enactment of the instant general zoning ordinance through the initiative process was unquestionably a legislative, as dis- tinguished from adjudicative act, the constitutional requirements. of "notice" and "hearing" do not apply. nrP PESEAPCH GROVP INOOPPORATED Id., 118 Cal. Rptr. at 149. It also denied that the impact which zoning legislation has upon property values in any way brings it within an exception to the rule that legislative acts do not require notice and hearing. The United States Supreme Court dismissed plaintiff's appeal, 407 U.S. 901, 96 S.Ct. 3184 (1976). See also the companion case of Builders Association of Santa Clara-Santa Cruz Counties v. Superior Court of Santa Clara County, 13 Cal. 3d 225, 529 P.2d 582, 118 Cal.Rptr. 158 (1974) (Appendix F), and Associated Home Builders of Greater Eastbay, Inc. v. City of Livermore, 18 Ca1.3d 582, 557 P.2d 473, 135 Ca1.Rptr. 41 (1976) (Appendix G), which severly criticizes the Hurst decision. _r._ ,,,,, ~ „ ~..~ These California cases are of course not binding on the Colorado courts. They do suggest strongly, however, that where the language of a municipal charter permits the adoption of a zoning ordinance by initiative, the zoning procedures prescribed in the state zoning ordinance need not be deemed to pre-empt the charter provision, and the procedural due process guarantees that would be required in a judicial proceeding, are inapplicable. Although, as noted earlier, no Colorado court has held on the use of the initiative to enact a zoning ordinance, it is likely that the Colorado courts would find the reasoning of the cases cited here strongly persuasive. In two recent cases, Colorado judges have taken a liberal view of the use of the referendum, a device closely related to the initiative, in zoning changes. There is little reason why the reasoning of these cases, considered in the light of the California cases, would not lead to a similar liberal view of the use of the initiative. In City of Fort Collins v. Dooney, 178 Col. 25, 496 P.2d 316 (1972), the City Council of Fort Collins, according to pre- scribed procedures, enacted a zoning ordinance. Plaintiffs filed a petition with the Council seeking a referendum on the ordinance under a provision of the city's charter. The Council rejected the petition on grounds that the referendum provision was not applicable to a zoning ordinance and then sought a declaratory judgment to that effect. On appeal, the Colorado Supreme Court THE AESEA AGH CAOVA examined the referendum provision at length, noting that it HvconvoAnTeo explicitly reached all ordinances with only three exceptions. It then cited an earlier holding that a referendum provision, being a reservation of power to the people, should not be narrowly -7- . ~ construed, and held that "When the charter provides that the referendum shall apply to all ordinances, except three types, none of which encompasses zoning, we cannot read into the pro- vision an exception which is not there." 496 P.2d at It is clear that where statutory and charter language permit the Colorado courts to uphold the maximum participation of the electors in the legislative process, they will do so, declining to restrict the referendum power pursuant to a supposed need to protect a comprehensive plan, as a few courts have done. The court also found specifically that due process requirements were met in the referendum procedure by "the election campaign, the debate and airing of opposing opinions." The use of the referendum was found to be proper in the context of zoning or- dinances. Several months later, a factually similar case, Witkin Homes, Inc. v. City and County of Denver, 31 Col. r~pp. 410, 504 P.2d 1121 (1972), came before the Colorado Court of Appeals. There, the plaintiff had sought to prohibit the city from sub- mitting to referendum a zoning ordinance it had already passed. The court held that "In construing a home rule charter, broad effect is given to the power granted a city council to submit a matter to a vote of the people, and any limitation on that power will be narrowly construed." Zoning ordinances were within the scope of the referendum power. THE AESEAACH cEOOr In light of the refusal of these two courts to read ex- INCOPPoRATED eptions to the referendum power into the referendum provisions f the two city charters, it is most unlikely that a court give a narrow reading to the initiative provision of the -8- r~"O .-` ~.. J Aspen charter. The provision is very similar to the Fort Collins referendum provision, reserving the initiative power to the electorate except in clearly specified circumstances, none of which relate to zoning ordinances. .The words "any ordinance" in the provision must therefore be taken to include proposed zoning ordinances. It is the clearly expressed policy of Colorado courts to reserve as much power to the electorate as the language of the referendum and initiative provisions permits, and there are no policy reasons for a restrictive reading of these provisions which have not been convincingly countered by Colorado and California courts. In a recent law review note, the author made a detailed analysis of the cases dealing with the use of the initiative and referendum to effect zoning changes. His conclusion is worth noting: The use of the initiative and referen- dum in zoning appears compatible with constitutional, statutory, and common law limitations on their scope. The appropriate judicial course would thus be to uphold the use of these devices while subjecting all zoning measures to the same judicial scrutiny of sub- stance whether passed by initiative or referendum or by conventional processes. Experience may show that the initiative and referendum do indeed hamper the rxR RESEARGR cROUr process of land use planning. An ade- INCOPPoMTRD quate opportunity will then be available to limit these devices. Oren, "The Initiative and Referendum's Use in Zoning", 64 Cal. L.R. 74 at 106 (Jan. 1976). _q_ ~.. . ' Regular.Meeting _„___.--._-T_ - Aspen City Council _ __ _ Au ust 8 1977 9_... _. !_. __._ Councilman Behrendt moved to approve the transfer; seconded by Councilman Parry. All in II favor, motion carried. ;~ - USE OF ASPEN ICE GARDEN FOR CONCERTS •~ Mayor Standley said this issue should not be heard at the Council level. It is a rezoning request and has to go through P & Z. It is on the Council agenda because if Council is Use of Aspen not in favor of the project, the applicants will not waste time going to P 5 2. This is Icy ~~~ a presentation alimut the management and conceptual idea for the ice garden. for concerts Ralph Brendes said after he had put on Snowshow, which was a one time shot, he discovered' concerts at the ice garden were workable and this was a good facility. Brendes stated 'i ~,g{t. v--~.~ a"`" the impact on the noise in the neighborhood was minimal. Brendes said he represented Aspen Production Company and these concerts will provide substantial funds for charities.. Brendes stated he intended to go through the bureaucratic shuffle, but does not want to go through it until he finds out what kind of support there is. Brendes showed Council slides of the last performance, how it was set up and arranged and taken down. Brendes told Council that they would obtain a portable stage if they were to do this permanently, and also get a precut floor. Brendes stated the acoustics are excellent and there are no beams or posts to obstruct views. Brendes pointed out one of the concerns of the planning office is noise pollution. A decibel count report on the last concert was submitted. The loudest noise was a diesel engine idling outside. Antoher concern is the nature of the neighborhood and the parking problem. Brendes stated he would be willing to do whatever is necessary in that area. Brendes said at the last concert there was no major impact on the neighborhood; there was no big traffic congestion. There were no complaints. Brendes submitted a map of the neighborhood and pointed out there are only five houses. Brendes stated there is no place in Aspen to put on concerts. Each concert they-will put on will have a charity sponsored. They get proceeds from the gate, beer, patron seats, etc. Viable charities can earn up to $7500 from these concerts. Brendes said he felt that one of the allowable uses of an ice rink facility is to be converted into an auditorium. An ice rink should be a conditional use in this residential neighborhood. This would be an alternative to changing the zoning. Brendes stated this is a perfect use for the facility; why not have a facility that can seat 2,000 to put on benefits and to bring in good shows. Bill Tharp told Council they are not asking for a revolutionary change in the use of the rink. Not too long ago this would have been permissable. When the area was down zoned, the ice rink became a non-conforming use. Tharp said it would be logical to at least pursue the idea of a private facility being offered in a manner that costs t h'e public no money and is for public functions. Councilman Van Ness said he would be interested in going through the P & Z with this idea, but would make no guarantees. Councilman Van Ness said this is worth looking into; it is an opportunity to get some high quality music into town. Councilwoman Johnston said she was not a bit interested in having such a facility in Aspen. Snowmass is doing a performing arts center and that will take care of concerts. Councilman Behrendt said this neighborhood has had no physical change in three years. The neigh- borhood has been downzoned specifically. There is substantial noise impact; some of the decibel readings are as high as 99 with only a temporary PA system. Councilman 6ehrendt said he did not complain during the Snowshow because that was a one time benefit concert. The ice palace already impacts the neighborhood as far as traffic. Councilman Behrendt stated this use seems inappropriate. Councilman 13ershey stated he was not interested. Councilman Parry said he felt this i_s someChing that should be tried. Councilman Parry said he attended the Snowshow and walked around and there was no noise impact in the neighborhood. Mayor Standley said he would be interested if the whole thing could be managed properly. tle would have a n e~ntive position unless there is strong management. ADMINISTRATIVE' DELAY - Bell Mountain Sports Chuck Vidal told Council that the present lessee of Bell Mountain Sports has closed down for the summer and has created an opportunity for the building owner to expand on the Relief from second floor. Vidal said the owner is trying to react to this opportunity and to add on pdministrativ a s<•cond floor of approximately 2,000 square feet. This would be office space primarily Delay - Le11 [or Che Conant and the owner. Mt. Sports Mayor :, C:andley asked if the Council had the right to grant administrative relief. City Attorney Vuctall stated the Council did have some disgression there. The Council does have a proc~edent for giving relief. Planner Kane stated the planning office would not recommend doing this. This is an area the GMP is directed towards. This addition would be 2,000 square feet. If the Council opens vp relief to everyone, they will scrap the whole plan. Kane stated that unless the Council Found a unique set of circumstances that apply to this applicant they should not grant relief. Councilman Parry pointed out that the growth manayement plan was supposed to be done early .n the spring. someone has come in with a nice plan to do a good building. The Council has a chance to change a building that already exists. Mayor Standley pointed out the bui 7.d ings that got Ordinance #].9 exceptions. Mayor Standley stated the Council doe::n'c have a yood track record on try inq to be sympathetic to developers. Councilman Bchrendl said it appeared that the applicant is attempting to Como in before controls are oxurtcd on the rest of the conununity. This would be adding 2,000 square feet before controls are put on. Council wn man Johnston moved to deny this application; seconded by Councilman 6ehrend t. Count il.members Parry, ^erhscy, Van Ness opposed Councilmembers Johnston, 6ehrend t, and Mayor SCa nd ley in favor. Mo ti.on NO'C carried. CUSTOMER CITY OF ASPENS ~# ,z s~` FINANCE DEPARTMENT V" ~' CASHIER'S RECEIPT ~I " ~ ~04~ I1-111 LICENSES & PERMITS 01-111 FINES 8 FORFEITS 511 ^ BUSINESS LICENSES 561 ^ COURT FINES 512 ^ SALES TAX LICENSES 562 ^ COURT BONDS -FORFEIT 513 ^ BEER -WINE -LIQUOR LICENSES 563-O1 ^ TOWING FINES -IMPOUND 514 ^ CONTRACTOR'S LICENSES 553-02 ^ TOWING FINES -NOT IMPOUND 516 ^ LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATION 564 ^ TRAFFIC FINES 517 ^ DOG LICENSE 566 ^ FALSE ALARM FINES 518 ^ CENTRAL ALARM LICENSE 568 ^ DOG IMPOUND FINES 519 ^ BICYCLE LICENSES 569 ^ OTHER FINES & FORFEITS 520 ^ EXCAVATION PERMITS 521 ^ CONSTRUCTION PERMITS 01-111 O THER MISC. REVENUES 522 ^ ELECTRICAL PERMITS 579 ^ MAPS, CODES, ZONING REGS. 523 ^ PLUMBING PERMITS 589 ^ OTHERS (DESCRIBE) 524 ^ HEATING PERMITS 525 ^ SEPTIC TANK PERMITS ~ 01-988-632-03 ^ XEROXING (DESCRIBE) ' " ~ [~ OTHER -ACCT. NOr'-_ i , ~ - I ~ ~ -° ~ ~'- -~ -" _~ t f Y ~ --~ _, l ~-; IPTION: (NAME, NUMBER, ETC.): ~ ~ ~s.~~ I ~ -~~ 1-' F'• l~~ ~~Cl f 1 r'~ Y I I i CASHIER VALIDATION RECEIVED FROM f ,~ ^~ '• a' y' -~`- --r ,--,-~ Aspen/Pi1 130 s aspet ng Office reet 1611 October 3, 1977 TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS: Please take notice that the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on October 18, 1977, at a meeting starting at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Aspen City Nall, on the rezoning request made by the Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. (the northern half of Block 54, Lots A through i). The Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. has made application for rezoning the area from its present classification of R-15 to C-1 which would permit the use of the Aspen Ice Garden as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts. Section 24-11.5 of the Municipal Code requires that all private applications for rezoning may be considered only in October of each year. A copy of the rezoning application may be reviewed by the public in the City/County Planning Office, 130 South Galena, Aspen City Hall, Aspen, and inquiries may be made to Karen Smith, Assistant Planner, 925-2020, ext. 224, during regular business hours. Aspen/Pig 130 s aspen ng Office reet 1611 October 3, 1977 TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS: Please take notice that the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on October 18, 1977, at a meeting starting at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, .4spen City Hall, on the rezoning request made by the Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. (the northern half of Block 54, Lots A through I). The Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. has made application for rezoning the area from its present classification of R-15 to C-1 which would permit the use of the Aspen Ice Garden as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts. Section 24-11.5 of the Municipal Code requires that all private applications for rezoning may be considered only in October of each year. A copy of the rezoning application may be reviewed by the public in the City/County Planning Office, 130 South Galena, Aspen City Hall, Aspen, and inquiries may be made to Karen Smith, Assistant Planner, 925-2020, ext. 224, during regular business hours. RETURNED FROM ON OCTOBER 12, 1977: John S. Poppell P.O. Box 3463 Aspen, Colorado 81611 Aspen/Pig 130 s aspen ng Office reet 1611 October 3, 1977 TO ADJACENT PROPERTY OWNERS: Please take notice that the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on October 18, 1977, at a meeting starting at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Aspen City Hall, on the rezoning request made by the Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. (the northern half of Block 54, Lots A through I). The Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. has made application for rezoning the area from its present classification of R-15 to C-1 which would permit the use of the Aspen Ice Garden as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts. Section 24-11.5 of the Municipal Code requires that all private applications for rezoning may be considered only in October of each year. A copy of the rezoning application may be reviewed by the public in the City/County Planning Office, 130 South Galena, Aspen City Hall, Aspen, and inquiries may be made to Karen Smith, Assistant Planner, 925-2020, ext. 224, during regular business hours. RETURNED FRO'•i OfJ OCTOBER 12, 1977: Kathleen f9ortimer P.O. Box 2431 Aspen, Colorado S1611 L' '1 9 ,Sn 4 / PUBLIC NOTICE Re: Rezoning of the Aspen Ice Garden Please take notice that the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on October 18, 1977, at a meeting starting at 5:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, Aspen City Hall, on the rezoning request made by the Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. (the northern half of Block 54, Lots A through I). The Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. has made application for rezoning the area from its present classification of R-15 to C-1 which would permit the use of the Aspen Ice Garden as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts. Section 24-11.5 of the Municipal Code requires that all private applications for rezoning may be considered only in October of each year. A copy of the rezoning application may be reviewed by the public in the City/County Planning Office, 130 South Galena, Aspen .City Hall, Aspen, and inquiries may be made to Karen Smith, Assistant Planner, 925-2020, ext. 224, during regular business hours. /s/ Kathryn S. Hauter City Clerk Published in the Aspen Times, Thursday, September 29, 1977. Planning & Zoning Commission City of Aspen City Hall,' Aspen, Colorado 81611 Ammar Sirs This letter will serve as the formal application by the Aspen Ice Garden, Inc. for a rezoning under Section 24-11.5 of the Municipal Code of the City of Aspen from its present classification (R-15) to that of zoning category "C-1" so to permit the use of the Aspen Ice Garden as an assembly hall in which to hold musical concerts. Enclosed you will find a survey map of the property '; for which rezoning is r uested (the northern half of Block 54, Lots A thr ~~ w 11 as a list of all property owners w ~q~~the property for which E rezoning is requ ~ ~ m the Aspen Ice Garden in the a t o t ~pver the application fees and publigB on ~yo seed any other informa- tion or data, ~ 1 fr. I understa~ that' ng a d3Zoning Commission will be having a h ng ing f$quest in October; please notify as act ~ date has been determined, so that we can ~r e en_t ~n accordingly. If you have application, plea ~ attorney at law. WT:ml Enclosures r er que -~r~iYs about this rezoning ~' of Yall me or Ralph C. Brendes, ~' L L 918 /Ver/'y,'t'ruly y_oursR,~ ~ (~ ( j "~ - William E. Tharp, Manager r ___.__ _ i ___.. r .~, ~..~ ~..~ BLOCK 46 Lot - A & B - Thomas R. and Janice Finley - 333 W. Hopkins C & D - Barbara Lynn and Thomas Campion - P.O. Box 528, Ketchum, Idaho 83340 E, F. & I. - Merrill Ford, 360 Mary Street, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 48236 K - M - Michael & Susan Behrendt - Box 46, 334 W. Hyman N & 0 - H. Michael Behrendt - Box 46, 3.34 W. Hyman P & Q - Genevieve Birlauf (Mrs. Joseph Leininger) 963 Wing Avenue, Palo Alto, Calif. 94303 R ~ S - W. M. Properties, Ltd., William and Pamela Smith Box 2765, Aspen, Colorado. BLOCK 47 (Does not exist as lots) Part F &.i - Fred 0. Lane, P. 0. Box 597, Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 53 Lot - A - C - James E. Moore - Box 707, Aspen, Colorado D & E - Robert F. Robert J. Appleton - Box 712, Aspen, Colo. F ~ G - Howard A. Vaughn, Jr. - Box 367, Hebron, I11. 60034 H & I - Mary Emma Dean, 343 Dexter St., Denver, Co. 80220 K - N - John ~ Wilhemina Eymere - 232 W. Hyman, Aspen 0 ~ P - Ruth Humphreys Brown - Box A, Carbondale, Colo. 81623 Q - Phillipe and Susan Menu - Box 2239, Aspen, Colorado ~ BLOCK 54 (Ice Garden) Lot - K - 0 - Carol F. Stevens - Box 1147, Aspen, Colorado P & Q - Margaret Stevens - Box 1147, Aspen, Colorado R 6 S - Jayne W. Smith - Box 2176, Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 60 Lot - A & Bw - Margaret Bonar Day - Box 923, Aspen, Colorado Be - G - Holiday House of Aspen, c/o Aspen Holiday, Inc., Box 634, Aspen, Colorado H - N. A. and Lena Prechtl - Box 593, Aspen, Colorado I - N - Cottonwood Condominiums, c/o Edwin Baker 3202 South Magnolia, Denver, Colo. 80222 0 - S ~ Aspen Townhouses Association (see page 2) BLOCK 61 Lot - A & B - Mary C. Johnston, Box 926, Aspen, Colorado C - G - Wm. D. & Margaret Snare, 300 Clermont St., Denver 80220 H - I - Inez Marshall Zordel, Box 74, Aspen, Colorado K - 0 - Peter Mocklin, Box 807, Aspen, Colorado P - Peter Mocklin - Box 807, Aspen, Colorado Q - S - Aspen West Condominium Association (see page 2) BLOCK 45 tot - K & L - Ted V. & Silvia H. Brown, 230 Bunker Hill Rd. Houston, Texas 77024 M - 0 - Shadow View Condominium Association (see page 2) P - S - Aspen A Condominiums Association (see page 2) ~..,~ ~. ' t Page 2 BLOCK 52 Lot - K - M - Beuttas, Diana & Smith, Christopher - 1540 No. State Parkway, Chicago, I11. 60022 N - 0 - Robert W. Chatmast ~ Wayne J. Harris, Jr. 215 So. Monarch #100, Aspen, Colorado P 6 Q - Beattie, Robert P. - Box 4580, Aspen, Colorado R 6 S - Holahan, Wylie - Box 436 - Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 59 Lot - K ~ L - Anna L. Anderson- Box ,101, Aspen, Colorado M & N - Sebastian J. Brunga - Sox 966, New Castle, Co. 81647 0 = Q - David and Judith Jones, 12 0 W. Hopkins Ave., Aspen, Co R & S - Sebastian J. •Brunga - Box 966, New Castle, Co. 81647 BLOCK 60 Lota 0-S (Aspen Townhouses Association) 1 - John K. & Nancy T. Tipton-6477 E. Manor Dr., Englewood, Colo. 80110 ~2 - Mary P. Pullen-Lieutenant River, Old Lyme, Ct. 06371 3 - W. Charles & Radine E. Simpson-108 W. Hyman, ~~3, Aspen 4 - Roberta R. Lewis - 167 Bellaire St., Denver, Colo. 80220 6 - Kenneth F. Cross & Kathleen Mortimer- Box 2431, Aspen 8 - George R. & Louise'~Krieger - 33 Frederick Lane, Glendale, Missouri 63122 9 - Virginia Kraut (Robert Lewis) - 101 West Mall Plaza, Carnegie, Pa. 15106 BLOCK 61, Lots Q-S (Aspen~West Condominium Association) 1 - Thomas & Carolee Dickerson - Box 11784, Aspen, Colo. 81611 lA--Linda Dimit (Dickersons) - Box 11784, Aspen, Colo. 81611 2 - Avis Badami (Trustee) - Box B-231, Tahoe City, Calif. 95730 3 - F. Michael Clement - Box 2960, Aspen, Colo. -81611 4 - Anna Cooke - Box 9431, Aspen, Colo. 81611 5 - Anita L. Colony - Box 3174, Aspen, Colo. 81611 BLOCK 45, Lts. M - 0 (Shadow View Condominium Association). A - Sue Mitchell Crowley-409 S. Greenwood Avenue, Columbia, Missouri 65201 B - John Stoddard -,Box 2408, Aspen, Colorado 81611 C - Priscilla C. Harper - Box 10906, Aspen, Colorado 81611 D - John S. Poppell (Wick, Dorothy).- Box 3463, Aspen, Colo. 81611 BLOCK 45, Lots P-S (Aspen "A" Condominiums) 1 - Richard D. Osur - 199 Palmerston Road, Rochester, New York 14618 2 - Phyllis Bergen - Box 2409, Aspen, Colorado 81611 ~. .-~, \,/ 4,.f BLOCK 46 Lot - A & B - Thomas R. and Janice Finley - 333 W. Hopkins C & D - Barbara Lynn and Thomas Campion - P.O. Box 528, Ketchum, Idaho 83340 E, F. & I. - Merrill Ford, 360 Mary Street, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 48236 K - M - Michael & Susan Behrendt - Box 46, 334 W. Hyman N & 0 - H. Michael Behrendt - Box 46, 334 W. Hyman P & Q - Genevieve Birlauf (Mrs. Joseph Leininger) 963 Wing Avenue, Palo Alto, Calif. 94303 R & S - W. M. Properties, Ltd., William and Pamela Smith Box 2765, Aspen, Colorado. BLOCK 47 (Does not exist as lots) Part F & I - Fred 0. Lane, P. 0. Box 597, Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 53 Lot - A - C - James E. Moore - Box 707, Aspen, Colorado D & E - Robert F. Robert J. Appleton - Box 712, Aspen, Colo. F & G - Howard A. Vaughn, Jr. - Box 367, Hebron, I11. 60034 H & I - Mary Emma Dean, 343 Dexter St., Denver, Co. 80220 K - N - John & Wilhemina Eymere - 232 W. Hyman, Aspen 0 & P - Ruth Humphreys Brown - Box A, Carbondale, Colo. 81623 Q - Phillipe and Susan Menu - Box 2239, Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 54 (Ice Garden) Lot - K - 0 - Carol F. Stevens - Box 1147, Aspen, Colorado P & Q - Margaret Stevens - Box 1147, Aspen, Colorado R & S - Jayne W. Smith - Box 2176, Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 60 Lot - A & Bw - Margaret Bonar Day - Box 923, Aspen, Colorado Be - G - Holiday House of Aspen, c/o Aspen Holiday, Inc., Box 634, Aspen, Colorado H - N. A. and Lena Prechtl - Box 593, Aspen, Colorado I - N - Cottonwood Condominiums, c/o Edwin Baker 3202 South Magnolia, Denver, Colo. 80222 0 - S _ Aspen Townhouses Association BLOCK 61 Lot - A & B - Mary C. Johnston, Box 926, Aspen, Colorado C - G - Wm. D. & Margaret Snare, 300 Clermont St., Denver 80220 H - I - Inez Marshall Zordel, Box 74, Aspen, Colorado K - 0 - Peter Mocklin, Box 807, Aspen, Colorado P - Peter Mocklin - Box 807, Aspen, Colorado Q - S - Aspen West Condominium Association BLOCK 45 Lot - K & L - Ted V. & Silvia H. Brown, 230 Bunker Hill Rd. Houston, Texas 77024 L & N - Shadow View Condominium Association 0 - S - Aspen A Condominiums Association ,.~, -~. w,.s .... BLOCK 52 Lot - K - M - Beuttas, Diana & Smith, Christopher - 1540 No. State Parkway, Chicago, I11. 60022 N - 0 - Robert W. Chatmast & Wayne J. Harris, Jr. 215 So. Monarch ~p100, Aspen, Colorado P & Q - Bealtie, Robert P. - Box 4580, Aspen, Colorado R & S - Holahan, Wylie - Box 436 - Aspen, Colorado BLOCK 59 Lot - K & L - Anna L. Anderson- Box 101, Aspen, Colorado M & N - Sebastian J. Brungs - Box 966, New Castle, Co. 81647 0 - Q - David and Judith Jones, 120 W. Hopkins Ave., Aspen, Co. R & S - Sebastian J. Brungs - Box 966, New Castle, Co. 81647 .. ~/~, ~ ~ /c~ ~.<Cc,~, `- ~ ~ i~ ~ ~~~ . f 1~~~ ~ .~ ~~ Gum ~~. (~ S December 6, 1977 To: Sheryl Simmen From: Phyllis Kenny Mary McCarten telephoned today. She is an owner of the Coachliqht across the street from the Ice Palace. She stated that she supports and stands behind the rink and also stated she thought a plan should be incorporated for a recreation program at the rink. Vim" / ~~~' ,.~ i.r WEST SIDE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION 701 North Third Street Aspen, Colorado, 81611 ~-•~, .~~ December 1, 1977 To: The Chairman for the Record Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission City of Aspen Aspen, Colorado 81611 The West Side Improvement Association, which includes property owners in R-15 and R-6 zones, .some of whom live in the immediate vicinity of the Aspen Ice Garden, opposes the proposed inclusion of assembly halls as a conditional. use in R-15 and R-6 residential neighborhoods. ;, First, while we are sympathetic to the need for a large .auditorium in Aspen for benefits, rock concerts and the like, we feel such an auditorium 'in an otherwise quiet residential zone is entirely inappropriate on even a temporary basis. We support the.citv's ongoing effort to develop a performing arts center in an appropriate location but cannot support this makeshift and unsatis- factory_compromise. Second,, concerts and benefits would bring•an intolerable quantity of cars and people into~an area the city itself has designated a quiet residential neighborhood and an area that.is in no way equipped to deal with such crowds. Third, making assembly halls a conditional use in R-15 and R-6 would weaken the zoning code as a whole, make the code vulnerable to further assaults, set a very dangerous precedent, and contradict .the intent of R-15 and R-6 zoning which is to reserve certain areas of the city for residential. use and prevent commercial incursions. For these reasons, we request that the Planning and Zoning Commission reject this proposal. Respectfully, Board of Directors, West Side Improvement Association ,xrs s t M E M O R A N D U M T0: Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission FROM: Bill Kane, Planning Office RE: Public Hearing of December 6, 1977 to Consider the Amendment of the R-15 and R-6 Zoning Districts to Include Assembly Halls as Conditional Use DATE: December 1, 1977 At your November 1, 1977 meeting, the Board decided to recommend to City Council that the zoning code be amended to allow assembly halls as Conditional Uses in the R-6 and R-15 zoning districts in the City. This was a follow-up in response to a former request fora rezoning of the Aspen Ice Garden to go from R-15 to C-1 Commercial for the purpose of allowing eight (8) rock concerts per year. At that meeting, you were presented with many citizens supporting the application because of community benefits accruing to the community school and other voluntary organizations who would be able to participate in the returns from the conduct of such activities. Also, evidence was presented by the owners of the Ice Garden suggesting that with current economic conditions, the facility was losing money and it did not have a bright outlook for its continued operation. Taking much of this information into consideration, you decided to: 1) deny the zoning application; but 2) ask the planning staff to present alternative ways within which the zoning code could be amended to consider the rock concerts at that facility. As you know, we have recommended against these activities at that site for some time; but given the board's clear desire to accommodate the request, we pointed out the three options of: 1) conditional use; 2) use determination; and 3) permitted use by right as alternative ways to accommodate the request. At the Novmeber 1st meeting, the Board determined to amend the Code to allow assembly halls as conditional uses and then conduct a specific conditional use hearing on the rock concert request and in that setting you would be able to set certain requirements to include: parking, hours of operation, maintenance, police protection, etc. etc. Upon a close examination of the Zoning Code, it has been made clear to us that the request envisioned, does require a public hearing before the P&Z before such a recommendation can be made. Under Article 10 of the City Zoning Code, hearing requirements are clearly spelled out; and the specific requirement for your hearing is set forth in Section 24-11.3 c. In accordance with that Section, your meeting of December 6th has been set aside as an official hearing date to consider public input and make a recommendation to Council on the proposed amendment. To refresh your memories and bring you totally up-to-date on the application, I am including three key memos that relate the history of -the request: one of August 4, 1977 to the Aspen City Council; one of October 13, 1977 to the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission; and the most recent one of October 24, 1977 to the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission. I think in these memos, you will find the thread of history which relates the original request made to Council on through the various meetings before P&Z. In making a recommendation on this amendment to the Code, we would recommend that the Planning and Zoning Commission be somewhat specific with the applicants and indicate, in general, how many concerts per/year and what hours of operation you would anticipate approving in a conditional use hearing. I think a flat amendment to the Code without specific Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission Page Two December 1, 1977 indication of concern for the concerts envisioned would be something we could not support and we would recommend the amendment subject to specific conditions on number per/year and specific limitations on hours of operation. It is our general conclusion, that eight (8) concerts per/ year evenly distributed throughout the year represents a very intensive use of this site and we recommend against such a heavy use. In addition, the application is worsened substantially by the fact that the applicant intends to cluster most of these concerts during the winter months creating a situation whereby you may actually be entertaining as many as two con- certs per/month in that area. It is our opinion, that if concerts are conducted on an infrequent basis, and are clearly conducted for community benefit and for the perpetuation of the Ice Garden, then there is some basis for them taking place; if on an irregular and unscheduled basis and again on an infrequent basis. We recommend against a committment to eight (8) per/year and sugges± that the applicants come back with some clear reasoning as to what number of concerts would be necessary to support the financial viability of the Ice Garden and provide reasonable on-going support to community organizations. In general, we do not believe it's a reasonable alternative to support community volunteer organizations with a compromise to land-use regulations and planning goals. lmk enc. cc: City Council .y~. 3 ~- ~- n{~ J N 1 ~m l _~o n ,n ~ rK ~'~ 1 1 ~~" I I 1~ '~ ,~ / LJ K ~ VI ~^ ~ YT ' til ~ ~-,-.,-. CS la ~1S q 2! 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