HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.20101019 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
Comments 2
Minutes 2
Corflicts of Interest 2
700 Ute Ave — PUD Amendment 2
Aspen Modern Ordinance — historic preservation code amendments 5
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
Stan Gibbs called the regular meeting Tuesday, October 19, 2010 to order at
4:30pm in Sister Cities Meeting Room. Commissioners present were Cliff Weiss,
Jim DeFrancia, Bert Myrin, LJ Erspamer and Stan Gibbs. Mike Wampler and
Jasmine Tygre were excused. Staff in attendance were Jim True, Special Counsel;
Jennifer Phelan, Deputy Community Development Director; Amy Guthrie, Aspen
Historic Preservationist; Jackie Lothian, Deputy City Clerk.
Comments
Jennifer Phelan said the first meeting in December was the 7 and the long range
planners need it for potentially AACP issues. Phelan said that 12/21 was typically
your second regular meeting and she wanted to see if you were planning on having
that or if you want it to be cancelled since it's so close to holidays. Phelan
suggested having the meeting on the 14 rather than the 21 Phelan said there
were some applications in so there were some things to go over.
Minutes
MOTION: Cliff Weiss moved to approve the minutes from October 5 seconded
by Jim DeFrancia. All in favor.
Conflicts of Interest
None stated.
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING:
700 Ute Ave — PUD Amendment
Stan Gibbs opened the continued public hearing. Jennifer Phelan stated this was a
continued public hearing from the 5 of October; the request is for unit 701 and
unit 711 to be combined at the Aspen Alps and they need a PUD Amendment to
have the maximum unit size amended to allow this to happen; at the last meeting
there were potential ways for that to happen. Staff still recommended denial of the
request however if you do want to permit this unit to be able to combine with
another and the increased unit size would be almost 2900 square feet. The current
cap size with a TDR is 2000 square feet. You have a couple of options to amend
the PUD and allow this one unit to go to about 2900 square feet or you could allow
it to go to that with a Transferable Development Right. Phelan said that the TDR
is codified in our code as a way to increase the size of a unit so it really is the most
rational nexuses to acquire that if you do allow the applicant to increase the unit
size. Staff doesn't recommend approval of it but the resolution is stated with
approval with a TDR landed.
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
LJ Erspamer said they were talking about community benefit and it was always
troublesome. Erspamer asked Jennifer if she spoke to our counsel on community
benefit. Phelan responded that she emailed it to John Worchester and basically he
felt that we really should stick to the code or you are starting to do a bargaining
approval. Jim True said from their standpoint as John said you are going into this
bargaining routine and you have the nexuses problem; we do have justification
over the code to require the TDR purchase. True said there was consistency with
the code language and goal you are trying to get to allow that TDR. Erspamer
asked Jennifer when you extinguish a TDR the code requires a TDR to extinguish
500 square feet up to 2500 square feet or was it 2000. Phelan replied the unit size
is 1500 cap with the purchase of a TDR to go up to 2000.
Alan Richman said that he has had a chance to speak with Mr. Seidman since your
last meeting and he is please that we were working on our way towards a
resolution and you seem to be prepared to support combining Space A with unit
701. Richman said we totally agree if you are going to condition this on anything
from our perspective a TDR certainly makes the most sense. Richman said that
Mr. Seidman would ask you to at least reconsider the condition that you are
applying where you are requiring the purchase and retire a historic TDR. Richman
saidbasically for him to combine Space A with unit 701 he first has to purchase
the Borenfeld's interest in Space A and he also has to purchase the homeowners
association's interest in Space A and then he is going to remodel the unit and he
was walking Alan through some of that remodel. Richman said that none of the
commissioners have been in the unit but apparently the floor is not even so there's
work that needs to happen on the floor, there's work that needs to happen on the
walls and the egress issue needs to be addressed so this is going to be more than a
cosmetic remodel. Richman said that he was prepared to make those purchases but
what you are looking at is a sub -grade space and those 3 things together, the
purchasing the 2 interests and remodeling really amounts to a very expensive sub -
grade space. Richman said when you add the cost of the TDR to the purchase
price it really kind of takes it up and he made contact with at least one property
owner who has multiple TDRs to sell and they are aware of recent sales. The TDR
market prices have fallen along with the rest of the market but he thought it would
be at least $150,000.00 to $200,000.00 to purchase a TDR. Richman said that the
Borenfeld's and The Alps are going to have to change the price for this to work.
Richman said that they would love to hear of other ideas other than the TDR.
Richman said that Mr. Seidman would not only modernize Space A but make sure
that it complies with all the building and safety codes that would be required in the
application.
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
Bert Myrin said that Alan and Jennifer spoke about a closer relationship to solving
the problem. Phelan said that when you fall back on what does the code require; it
doesn't leave those kind of options either. Phelan said that the Historic
Transferable Development Right is a mechanism for units in this district to go to a
larger size. Myrin asked Jennifer if she was comfortable with this being
reasonable but not reasonable enough for a recommendation from staff. Phelan
answered that it was a condition of the approval to have that condition. Phelan was
still not recommending approval of the units being combined in going over the
square foot cap in the underlying zoning.
No public comments.
Commissioner Comments:
Jim DeFrancia said that staff's primary reason for recommending against it is
because it would exceed the maximum unit size in the lodge district and I just think
if we are going to do something that allows that as an exception to the code then
there has to be a clear public benefit. DeFrancia said the costs issues weren't of
concern to this commission and he thought landing a TDR was a public benefit so
he would support the project.
Erspamer said that he liked to be consistent in his decision making and he always
looks at criteria and when staff recommends something I want to look at criteria to
oppose them and that justifies it and something that he can disclose. Erspamer said
he did not see that a TDR was transferrable. Erspamer said that he would like to
see more concrete evidence in the code to see the applicant and he doesn't support
it.
Cliff Weiss said that he has been rustling with this since a couple of weeks ago and
he agrees with Jim completely, there has to be something and the cost of this is not
relevant. Weiss said they were already in excess of code, code was written well
after all this was established. Weiss said 2 weeks ago he was okay with this and
now I'm much Less okay with it now and the only way that he could make any
sense was with a TDR and if that wasn't feasible to the Seidman's it was up to
them to make it feasible with the homeowners association.
Erspamer said the neighbor has one but that was a previous code, so that is
troubling of what we go through all the time and to me if he could find some
criteria to support this but he doesn't see it. Erspamer said they need to be
consistent in enforcing this code.
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
Weiss asked Erspamer why a TDR was not code enough for him. Erspamer
replied that it has gone over the limit. Weiss said it was already over the limit so
now they want to go further over the limit and so far the only reasonable solution is
TDR. Weiss said that a TDR was a public benefit. Erspamer said that their
financial situation was not P &Z's concern.
Myrin said that paragraph A at the bottom of the resolution this may be permitted
by the purchase and extinguishment of one Historic Transferable Development
Right Certificate. Myrin asked Jim True if he was okay with that. True replied
that he was okay and it was justifiable.
Weiss said this was just this unit. Gibbs stated that the commission came to that
conclusion. Erspamer said it was written in the resolution that way.
MOTION: Cliff Weiss moved to approve Resolution #018 -10 with section lA
revised text. Jim DeFrancia seconded. Roll call: Erspamer, no; Myrin, no;
DeFrancia, yes; Weiss, yes; Gibbs, no. DENIED 3 -2.
Phelan asked if they needed another resolution. True said he didn't think that it
was needed because there was a resolution and it was denied. Richman said this
was fine.
Discussion of the motion prior to the vote:
Gibbs said that he didn't think that a TDR was appropriate here and in some ways
the code makes provision for the use of TDRs however he still doesn't support the
application because he didn't think that making a non - conformity bigger is a good
policy in general. Gibbs said he didn't see the benefit to do that so he will not be
able to support this particular resolution.
Weiss said the intent of that code change with the base of Aspen Mountain was
having large homes. Phelan said that the code has changed over time and single
family homes are not a permitted use in that zone district with the intent of having
lodges in the lodge zone district.
PUBLIC HEARING:
Aspen Modern Ordinance — historic preservation code amendments
Stan Gibbs opened the Aspen Modern — historic preservation code amendments.
Jim True had to excuse himself prior to 6 pm. LJ Erspamer asked if there were 2
hearings on this or was it just a recommendation. Jennifer Phelan replied that it
was a recommendation.
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
Amy Guthrie said that P &Z was not involved in the creation and adoption of
Ordinance 48 and has not been involved in any reviews of properties to be
designated; P &Z is not normally part of the process for designations. Aspen has
had a preservation program since the early 70s so the program itself is almost 40
years old and one of the first properties designed in 1974 was Lift One. Guthrie
said there were approximately 280 designated properties and about 260 of those
are Victorians. Guthrie said that in 2000 community development identified a
much larger group than had ever been discussed before; there has never been a
minimum age requirement in the preservation ordinance but since 2000 there has
been a lot of struggling on how to handle this group of properties. Property values
have risen and there were so many more review processes and there was a lot more
anxiety about the additional kinds of protections and laws in place. In 2007
Council adopted Ordinance 48 and that created a list of 52 specific properties in
the core of town that were post war era and would be subject to some sort of
protection, basically a demolition system. Anyone who has a property on that list
is able to go forward with whatever plans they have for that site but they have to be
delayed for approximately 90 days to discuss preservation options, negotiate for
incentives that might be appropriate to their property. That's what they have been
working with for 3 years. There has been a task force in place for some time that
attempted to come up with alternatives and some solutions in maybe a different
decision. Guthrie said that LJ sat on that for 19 months; there were 21 people in
that group and they concluded about a year ago. Since their conclusion they have
been meeting regularly with City Council and will move forward with some of
their specific recommendations and one of the things that they did was
commissioned some of the new research papers and these are available on line.
The 4 research papers document pan abodes, chalets, rustic style and modernism;
this was a pretty significant amount of research. Most communities discussing this
kind of issue didn't have this level of documentation in place.
Guthrie said the proposal before P &Z was for some amendments to the
preservation ordinance, a good deal of it has been left untouched but the
designation process is being rewritten.
Guthrie said that the most important discussion with Council in the last year was
what the task force struggled with the most was the question if designation should
be voluntary or involuntary. And for the 260 or so Victorians designated; they
have never required owner's consent; there were some controversy about a specific
designation and Council did not require their consent. The task force was split
right down the middle on which way to move forward and Council had even given
some direction where they wanted to land on that. Council came down clearly to
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staff that this is to be a voluntary program and we were to bring forward an
ordinance by the end of the year.
Guthrie said staff's vision of how this process will work is not totally different than
Ordinance 48; there will be a delay and negotiation period. In the voluntary
system we could say that anyone who has a building that is the kind of building
discussed in these history papers come on in and talk to us. They are proposing
having a map that identifies properties that are subject to this program but they are
suggesting that there is this identified group that is still part of the program; there is
a process for people to appeal to be removed from the map but it is a voluntary
program but there will be some properties that will be brought in and identified
right away. Cliff Weiss said that the original list had 52; he asked how many are
going to be on the map. Guthrie replied that is the question for Council; one of the
books was before Ordinance 48 was adopted. Guthrie said that staff was asked to
provide information about the post war era properties in town that might have
some significance so at the point they provided Council with a list of 87
properties. Guthrie said when Ordinance 48 adopted there was a discussion that
Council decided to remove all multi - family properties and all properties beyond
the river to mountain boundaries so that struck 30 some properties off the initial
research to create Ordinance 48. The idea of the map is to identify properties that
are worth discussion. Guthrie said they wanted P &Z input of what should be put
on the map or if the map should even exist; if there is no map then there is no
ongoing monitoring and some of the ideas are in here to try have a conversation
and achieve some protection for properties over time.
Guthrie said starting on page 6 the title of the Historic Preservation is rather
lengthy and they are changing it to Historic Preservation; page 7 doesn't mean
everything is to be preserved. Erspamer asked Amy to explain what was meant
"by alterations to such buildings "; how do you designate something historic
without the alterations that dismisses that building. Guthrie replied this paragraph
came out of the task force and there are some improvements to the writing in
general that can be less confusing for the code. Guthrie said page 8 added a
definition to the historic content page; these were things to add to the
understanding of historic significance. Guthrie said the next definition was
mapped properties. Guthrie said on page 9 the task force recommended that
nothing be changed to the way we treat the Victorian era, the 19 Century
properties. Erspamer asked who is going to create the surveys and ask the
questions. Guthrie replied the community development department; there was a
section in the code where every 5 years we surveyed all of town and there was not
a specific time right now but it's important from time to time to re- examine the
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community and identify which buildings have been demolished or what areas have
been annexed; there isn't a specific time frame for when these maps would be
created but further on in the document you will see that nothing about the
regulations is intended to change for 10 years. Jennifer Phelan said that a lot of
communities will hire an outside expert to do those surveys.
Weiss said what survey defined what properties specifically and build that list
again. Guthrie reiterated that the City has been surveying every 5 years or so since
1980 to just continually understand the community and the condition of buildings
in town. Weiss said he thought there was something that fit not only here but with
the national standard. Guthrie said she thought there were standardized definitions
for architectural styles; the Colorado Historical Society has different descriptions
of styles that are common throughout Colorado. Weiss voiced concern for what he
thinks is historic and what someone else thinks is historic; there may be two very
different things. Guthrie said that was the criteria that she was just about to talk
about.
Guthrie said they have developed a concept of separating into the 20` Century
properties into what we are calling Aspen Modern and separating them for the
purpose of distinguishing how they are identified and protected. This is where we
start to talk about the concept of a map; the idea that designations will be
voluntary, the idea that it's expected that the map and these regulations will be in
place for 10 years just to give the community some sense that we are not going to
announce that Quonset Huts are being added to the map. Guthrie said there has
been a lot of discussion around this certainty issue and there are some members of
the public that would like some other form of promise that these regulation will be
in place for 10 years; that isn't easy to provide because no council can bind the
decision of future councils. Guthrie said they were going to try to put as much
language as possible for council and for future councils to respect this for the
community.
Guthrie said they would like to have a relationship with these property owners; if
they plan certain kinds of changes they would like to have this possible negotiation
period to talk about other ideas; they would also like to offer some benefits and this
is a new concept. Right now you don't get any benefits unless you are actually a
landmark. With properties that are on the Aspen Modern map and are willing to
designate they could sell TDRs and they could be eligible for expedited permit
review.
Weiss said that Phoenix has monetary incentives to preserve and renovate; they not
only give tax benefits but they give you funds for redevelopment for the
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renovation. Erspamer asked how that was financed. Weiss replied with taxes on
the citizens of Phoenix. Guthrie said that Aspen's program has more benefits than
most; the Phoenix program is a great comparison because they were a post war era
town and it was a thriving program. Guthrie said that Aspen's incentives have
always been development orientated and that was a criticism in the task force by
giving incentives that we are trying to achieve. Guthrie said that they need to
make preservation possible for people; that it is something people are willing to get
involved in by providing benefits. Guthrie said there was not a funding source for
actual cash benefits; the things that they give are an FAR bonus which certainly
has value but not money out of the city pocket or the community's pocket. Weiss
asked about the FAR incentives. Weiss said that things that create density may
have more negative impact on the community and certainly on neighborhoods; in
the mid 80s he said he was unhappy with what happened to many of the best
Victorians in Aspen, with a monster attached to them. Guthrie replied that there
were better policies for that now than in the 80s, not to say that there are some
additions that raise an eyebrow. Guthrie said the TDR is an interesting benefit
because it allows the property owner to capture some cash to fund the restoration
or whatever it is and at least relocates the development pressure off the property
that is the most sensitive. Weiss asked about how many square feet, you talked
about an FAR addition, granting extra FAR and to what end does that have a cap.
Guthrie replied that they can only give up to 500 square feet and there are criteria
for granting it, it is not a given and it's really helpful.
Gibbs asked what benefits, the language section part of C that says "mapped
property shall be subject to" and the last part says "mapped properties may be
awarded preservation incentives above and beyond those identified in ". Guthrie
replied yes. Gibbs said that he wanted to be clear that the mapped properties have
even more options in terms of benefits and asked what was meant by properties
that voluntary comply. Gibbs asked if they comply or get listed do their options go
up or down or any change or does a property that's an Aspen Modern Property
always have more than a Victorian. Guthrie responded there's this Aspen Modern
map and someone's property is on the map and they don't want to designate but
they are willing to work together and they have some interest in preserving it but
they don't want to go all the way; what's trying to be conveyed here is that they are
eligible for 2 kinds of benefits they can sell TDRs, which means it will be gone
forever and recorded and they are eligible for quicker and perhaps cheaper permits
if they are willing to go to HPC Review for their proposed work.
Guthrie said properties on the Aspen Modern map that are actually willing to
designate will be eligible for the incentives that we already have for Victorians and
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case by case negotiation. Myrin asked if someone was building something from
scratch and wanted to be on this list today. Guthrie asked if they wanted to be on
the Aspen Modern map. Myrin replied yes. Guthrie said that they won't meet the
criteria; they are trying to limit the population that can be in the program for
everyone's sake so that someone who has a house built in 1984 knows that they are
really not on the table for discussion and also to have some reasonableness to the
program. Guthrie said they are defining this group of what is historically
significant from the mid 40s to the mid 70s and have provided research papers and
discussed specific styles and events in town and if a property is not discussed in
there we don't have anything to talk about right now; even if they want to
volunteer. Guthrie said that if someone has a 1972 Quonset Hut they are not going
to be eligible for designation because we have simply not included them and are
not willing to talk about extending additional negotiations for these properties.
Myrin asked if this has been discussed. Guthrie replied that was one of the things
that is up for discussion right now; that was the proposal for the group that's
involved. Myrin said if someone is building something today why are we always
addressing the problem after it becomes historic as opposed to someone who is
willing to do this today. Guthrie asked Bert how would you decide what being
built right now is historic or not, we need some perspective. Myrin responded that
the perspective is time, anything that is a Victorian is protected so at 100% of
something over a period of time is protected but if it's brand new it will at some
point be historic by definition. Guthrie it will but there is a national standard that if
you want to list a property on the national register it should be 50 years old and it
hasn't been included in the ordinance but the reason it was created was having a
generation or 2 pass so that you have some ability to assess whether the building
had meaning for the future. Guthrie said that they couldn't involve properties that
are under construction today even if we recognize them as something as a great
architectural achievement. Myrin said something built today in 2010 or 2011
could be dealt with today, upfront, and it just seems like another opportunity to
include without resistance. Guthrie said for the integrity of the program they want
to limit this population and we don't need to make it any more complicated or
controversial than it needs to be; she believed that they have research to show why
these properties have historic significance and not prepared to address a more
recent period. Gibbs asked if Amy was comfortable with becoming an ordinance
with those properties that become historic 60 years from now and you are
comfortable with that process that going forward in some point that somebody will
recognize that a property is historic and presumably a context paper and that
conclusion therefore it would be included and move forward as a designated.
Guthrie said that this is going to continue to evolve every 10 years, the context
papers will be revisited in 2020.
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LJ Erspamer asked who coined the phrase Aspen Modern. Guthrie replied it came
out of the national trust visit with us in July; the national trust for historical
preservation which is a national advocacy group has a department that is dedicated
to modernism in the recent past as it a national issue and they have been working
around the country visiting different cities having forums and discussions about
each community's specific collection of buildings. Guthrie said that they picked
Aspen as one of only 4 cities that they have worked with directly and presented the
program with a certain kind of graphics and color schemes are really reflective of
the 50s and 60s. Guthrie said that Aspen Modern was featured in Aspen Magazine
for the fall. Erspamer asked if Amy found it confusing with the new architecture
modern and contemporary. Guthrie responded that it maybe was confusing
because it makes it sound like you are talking about high style architecture, she
thought Aspen Modern was the period, the late 20 century. Erspamer said that
Aspen Modern was designated to include several types of architectural styles
advised by the City Council to separate out pan abodes, I didn't know the whole
conversation; did they want to separate them out of Aspen Modern. Guthrie
replied no, Council asked for an updated context paper to be written, the modern
period of Aspen's history from 1945 to 1975; not referring to Aspen Modern as
only high style architect designed buildings. Guthrie said the category includes
chalet, rustic modern, and so on. Gibbs said section c page 9 defines it right there
"properties associated with Aspen's 20` century history shall be called Aspen
Modern ". Erspamer asked if Amy had considered the matrix the task force put
together as criteria for judgment of historic properties. Guthrie replied yes. Gibbs
asked to clarify the language on who is on the map and who is voluntary; it will
make it clear to what you get.
Guthrie said on page 10 when ordinance 48 was adopted we invented this
negotiation process that has not existed before and isproposed to remain.
Ordinance 48 designations are voluntary and future designations are voluntary and
in order to incentivize those designations the premise being we have great
incentives but they may not be enough. Some people have pointed out that some
post war properties have unique situations that the Victorians may not and so we
might need more creative ways to secure designations where they are appropriate.
Guthrie explained that property on the Aspen Modern map and if the owners are
willing to discuss land marking they will come to HPC then Council and have to
meet the criteria for designation and identify any special benefits that they are
looking for as part of the process. This will be a onetime thing, once the property
is designated they can't keep coming back and asking for some other kind of
unique benefit; they will be only allowed to have the ones that are listed in the
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incentive section. Guthrie said right now property owners who come forward in
the negotiation really could ask for anything; there weren't any particular criteria
to figure out if those benefits should be awarded. Guthrie said on page 10 criteria
b; we have tried to add language so that determination of these extra case by case
benefits will be based on how well the designation and any proposed work at that
time complies with the purpose and intent of this section. Guthrie said that they
want the incentives to work for preservation not undermine preservation. Weiss
said that was pretty wide open. Guthrie agreed and it is by design and staff has had
some discussions. Guthrie said the review process remains the same.
Gibbs said that if they become designated whether it be through voluntary or the
map and negations can they ever be removed from the map. Guthrie replied yes
even a Victorian has a resending process they can come in and say they don't meet
the criteria anymore because maybe the city changed the criteria or something bad
happened to the building. Gibbs said what he was worried about was that it gets
crafted carefully if someone is given a significant benefit like selling a TDR and
then somehow they do a terrible job on their renovation and the building is clearly
not resembling anything historical so now they say it's not on the map anymore
and they get to tear it down and completely build something new and meanwhile
they have taken those benefits; he was concerned in how that would work.
Guthrie said at the bottom of page 11 there is a process that property owners who
have been included on the Aspen Modern map and have asked to be removed from
it there is a process generated by staff research and there may be properties that we
propose for the map that is they were presented to us at commission to meet the
criteria. Right now with Ordinance 48 there was no way to get off of this list and
now we are proposing the Aspen Modern map and there was a way to appeal.
Weiss asked what staff. Guthrie replied the Historic Preservation staff; they are
the ones who worked with consultants over time and do the research to identify
these potential historic resources.
Erspamer asked about e the last sentence "City Council, at its sole discretion, may
choose to terminate negotiations at any time" and asked for explanation on that.
Guthrie said if you have a property on the Aspen Modern map and you want to do
an addition or demolish, you are subject to this 90 day period, you come before
HPC and City Council and at certain point say at day 60 everyone recognizes that
there is no incentive in the world that you are willing to take for designation and
we are just going to call it quits. Erspamer asked if at any time the applicant could
withdraw. Guthrie replied that you could withdraw your permit and you won't
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receive it but assuming you still want that project you are going to have to wait the
90 days; this says Council can say forget it.
Guthrie said on page 12 said the penalties exist now in Ordinance 48. Myrin said
the "alter" word was something to think about.
Guthrie said that on page 17 nothing was changing for the Victorian designation at
100 years old. Page 18 the criteria for Aspen Modern; the task force broke into
several sub - committees and there was one committee called criteria and the
proposal is essentially what they had written. The important things to look at are
for an Aspen Modern property must be addressed in a context paper that's been
approved by Council. It has to meet 2 of the criteria a through e and currently the
designated property was only required to meet one. Guthrie said the matrix
doesn't exist anymore in this proposal. Erspamer asked about the public score
sheets and asked if they were creating an Ordinance without a definition of those
score sheets later and who is going to approve that. Guthrie responded the score
sheets that they have been using since 2002 are very punishing to a property that's
had some maintenance and repairs made that could make something ineligible.
Guthrie said the scoring sheets would not be adopted into the code, they are
referenced in the code and adopted by Council; it's a free standing document that
is used for reference when the boards make findings about these criteria. Erspamer
asked if a property was designated are they required to up keep that property.
Erspamer asked if there was ongoing dialogue with the task force member.
Guthrie replied that plenty of emails have been distributed to the task force.
Weiss said that he was hung up on the process and on page 10; there was a
negotiation with the community development director and historic preservation
commission then city council. Weiss said going to page 18 we get this criteria
from which Id with a lot of different boards and commissions all contributing to
something that he thinks should be one board and you negotiate with that board
and determine whether or not your property belongs on the map that they generate.
Weiss said that P &Z and Council have plenty to do and who is really an expert on
Council to determine the nature of something being historic. Weiss said he was
worried about the subjective nature; to him what you want is a panel or
commission that separately adjudicates case by case; if he were a homeowner that
had to deal with all these different players especially with politics. Erspamer noted
that was discussed at length on the task force. Weiss said HPC as a commission of
people appointed for expertise in various fields and that board might do this and he
didn't like every little thing going back to Council. Weiss said that they were way
over involved in way too much micro managing.
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Myrin said the criteria section was all voluntary with the 90 day or 120 day max
period it does end. Weiss said he was concerned with a subjective decision and a
lot of things were left up in the air that you are negotiating. Gibbs said there were
two processes here: the 90 day process where someone is on the map and wants to
make a change to their property and go for a permit seems to him has to happen at
Council. Gibbs said Council has to deny or grant a permit based on the fact that
they haven't been able to reach some kind of negotiated settlement with these
people and in 120 days they will be able to level the property. Gibbs said that if I
were trying to judge criteria I would probably be going to HPC; so it would be
HPC that would say yes you can be designated. So then HPC signs the forms and
designate the property; at that point they don't really have to get benefits until they
want to make a change, do they. Guthrie replied the reason to go to HPC and
Council was that the boards have different expertise's; HPC needs to weigh in on
how important is the property, does it met these designation criteria and how well.
Guthrie said that Council relies on HPC's recommendation; Council has the
authority to address some of these unique negotiated benefits. Gibbs asked if
Council had to weigh in on a designation. Guthrie answered that Council needs to
because designation burdens property and it's passed by an ordinance that only
Council can do. Guthrie said that special benefits, negotiated benefits have to be
part of the designated conversation and once they are dedicated they are only
eligible for what every other landmark has. Gibbs said it still has to go to Council.
Weiss asked how many review processes do we have that don't go to Council; we
get them all the time. Weiss said it was clear to him now from page 10; some
unknown group has decided my property is historic and I don't like that; who do I
negotiate with. Weiss said it starts with a, the community development director, b
is community development HPC, c is the community development director again, d
is Council. Weiss thought that if there was just one board with representatives of
the different players and they generate the map, they negotiate the deal. Gibbs said
that you need Council for certain things so then it all has to be at Council. Weiss
said that Council might just bless it at the end but the board or this commission
might do all the leg work. Weiss said the criteria itself was subjective and because
it was subjective, he wanted the politics out of it and he wants it as clean a
negotiation and discussion; both how he gets on the map and the benefits. Weiss
said HPC makes perfect sense to him with their backgrounds; they are adjudicating
weighing against the criteria, very subjective; so how do you do that and bring it to
staff, 3 different commissions and then a governmental body. Phelan said just to
put staff in perspective that we talked about the process and she saw staff just a
liaison with the applicant to field or shepherd them through this process; the permit
triggers this 90 day process whether we have a voluntary person looking at
designation; they have met with staff to do site visits, talk about their options,
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
schedule them with HPC and HPC made a recommendation to Council. Guthrie
said that Cliff's idea was interesting and will look at some way to make it work.
Guthrie said that page 38 and 19 cleaned up the historic preservation chapter.
Public Comments:
1. Jim Curtis stated that he was at P &Z on behalf of the Aspen Institute; the
Institute has always had communications with the Music Associates and the
Aspen Center for Physics. Curtis said when this proposal goes before City
Council the Institute, MAA and Aspen Center for Physics will continue to
make the argument in writing that they see Ordinance 48 as simply an
additional layer of governmental rules and regs on top of the 1992 SPA plan.
It basically achieves some of the same things that Ordinance 48 does. The 3
non - profits would be requesting exemption from Ordinance 48. Curtis said
the 1992 SPA plan says in order to change it you have to go through an
amendment process and that amendment process has to come through a city
review procedure. Curtis said his own home was designed historical. Curtis
said he personally understands what this document says and he has had to
deal with it from his personal situation and from the Institute's; the concern
he hears if there is a change over in City Council that would change many
property owners to tear their homes down.
2. Jack Wilke said the reason he was here was like Jim who owned a
designated historical property and he didn't know what this revision does
yet.
Stan Gibbs closed the public comment section of the hearing.
Weiss said that is he went through historic designation a future Council could not
rescind that designation. Guthrie said what people are worried about was what was
presented was a purely voluntary program and could it become involuntary.
Guthrie said after working with numerous Councils over the last 10 years none of
them have been willing to go that far.
Erspamer said that he was on the task force a long time and there were some angry
people there and the problem was if it wasn't chaired right it evolved into personal
attacks. Erspamer said people have no trust in our government. Erspamer said
there was mention of a conservation easement and asked if the IRS fought those.
Guthrie responded this was in the Ordinance for 10 years and no one has ever
offered one. Erspamer asked if it was the International Building Code or was it
residential now. Phelan responded that there was IRC and IBC; there were two
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City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes — October 19, 2010
categories depending upon what category the development was. Erspamer asked
about historic markers for the property; does it apply to the sign code. Guthrie
replied no, there is a limit to the size.
MOTION: Bert Myrin moved to approve Resolution #19, series of 2010 after
reviewing the content of Section 2, seconded by Jim DeFrancia. We recommend
the following 1. Clarification of the difference between a mapped and a designated
property and which benefits exactly go with; 2. Explore SPA be considered in
exception to this with some clarity; 3. Consistency with negotiations with one
property to another; 4. Limiting the amount of boards because of complexity and
to simplify that; 5. Care with the language in the penalty section especially
referring to the work alter; 6. Explore the complete voluntary designation and
consider immediate designation. Roll call: Erspamer, no; Weiss, yes; DeFrancia,
yes; Myrin, yes; Gibbs, yes; APPROVED 4 -1.
Bert Myrin asked members of the commission to ask people to attend the AACP
Meetings and remind them of due process.
Adjourned at 7:05 pm.
ackie Lothian, Deputy City Clerk
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