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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.20110920 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 Comments 2 Minutes 2 Conflicts of Interest 2 Aspen Core, 500 Block of East Hyman 2 1 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 Stan Gibbs opened the regular meeting September 20 2011 of the Planning & Zoning Commission in Sister Cities at 4:34. Commissioners present were: Cliff Weiss, Bert Myrin, Jim DeFrancia and Stan Gibbs. Commissioners excused were Michael Wampler, Jasmine Tygre and LJ Erspamer. Staff in attendance: Jim True, Special Counsel; Sara Adams and Jennifer Phelan, Community Development; Jackie Lothian, Deputy City Clerk. Comments: Bert Myrin asked about the MotherLode again. Jennifer Phelan said that staff was working on it. Bert asked if City Council was finding the things in the AACP and when do we need to begin working on that. Jennifer responded that you need to finish the AACP process first. Bert said the current AACP is regulatory and the new on is advisory so there will be a gap between the new and the current. Jennifer asked Bert to email his concerns. Sara Adams noted that Jessica Garrow cancelled the site visit for Theatre Aspen was cancelled on October 4 and a possible reschedule date on the 18 and she will send an email to everyone. Jim True stated that some of the commissioners term limits are up on September 30 and the attorneys are presenting a resolution to Council on Monday to reappoint everyone for 2 months. Minutes: MOTION: Jim DeFrancia moved to approve the minutes from September 6` seconded by Stan Gibbs. All in favor APPROVED. Conflicts of Interest: None stated. PUBLIC HEARING: Aspen Core, 500 Block of East Hyman Avenue Stan Gibbs opened the public hearing. Sara Adams stated that tonight the Planning & Zoning Commission is asked to provide referral comments to the Historic Preservation Commission regarding conceptual commercial design review for a project proposed at 517 and 521 East Hyman and the Parking Lot at the corner of Hunter and Hyman, it comprises 3 lots. HPC has purview over commercial design review because it is located in the Commercial Core Historic District; the Planning & Zoning Commission will review this project after HPC for Growth Management and recommendation of Subdivision to Council. 2 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 Sara Adams said that there were 2 buildings that exist on the sites right now are the old Benton Design Studio and the Little Annie's Eatery Building, neither buildings are historic landmarks but are located in the district. The proposal is to demolish those 2 buildings to merge all three lots into 1 single 15,000 square foot lot. Sara said the proposal include constructing a mixed use building on the lot; the basement is proposed to be garage and storage; the first floor is commercial and affordable housing; the second floor commercial and affordable housing; the third floor affordable housing and free market residential. There was a rooftop deck located on top of the free market residential portion of the building; Sara utilized power point to show the building. There is a total of 31,739 square feet of floor area proposed in this project. All of the dimensional requirements meet the requirement of the Commercial Core Historic Zone; there is an increase for height from 38 feet to 40 feet and that is reviewed through the HPC. Sara said on page 6 there were 3 points for P &Z to comment on: 1. Size and location of public amenity space. Is a reduction in public amenity appropriate? 2. Mass and Scale. 3. Height Increase from 38 feet to 40 feet. Sara said #1. The public amenity space was on Hyman Avenue and about 32 feet wide by 37 feet deep; it is less that the 1500 square foot requirement; the applicant proposes cash in lieu for the remaining difference. Staff has concerns about the north facing location sandwiched between 2 three story buildings, the depth of the public amenity and it facing some underutilized public amenities across the street and staff recommended the depth be reduced so it is not as deep and recommending a possible amenity on Hunter Street, facing east gaining solar and it would break up the facade. Sara said #2 in the points of discussion Mass and Scale shows the proposed heights and widths of the modules; the guidelines require 30 foot and 60 foot intervals and this project has 50, 37, 32 and 31 foot intervals on Hyman and 100 foot span on Hunter. Sara said regarding the height increase, the applicant is proposing 40 foot on a large portion of the building; the affordable housing is 38 feet high located on the far right of the building and then there is the one story element. Staff thinks a 3 story element on the corner defines the street well and on page 4 and 5 6.27 lists reasons why additional height may be permitted in this zone district but the bullet points have not been met. There is not enough height variation along Hunter to meet the guidelines. 3 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 Bert said the elevator shafts will be built to 50 feet and before it is built maybe there could be discussion on lowering the height. Sara responded that the elevator was providing rooftop access. Bert asked what is the historic district. Sara replied that it runs from Durant to Main Street and from Hunter to Monarch; the Commercial Core Historic District overlaps the Commercial Core. Sara said that there were concerns about the proposed windows heights and the horizontal band. Bert went through pages 21 to 26 and asked was the checklist for height on page 24. Sara replied that it was and the applicant would be able to answer the question with the sketch -up model Stan Clauson, representing the applicant, said that they object to the Resolution that was drafted. Stan Clauson said they believe that this project will bring significant benefit to the community; 3 story mixed use development in the commercial core historic district. Stan Clauson said there was demolition to non- contributing structures; the parking lot has been labeled as dysfunctional to the commercial core and hasn't had appropriate development on it. 100% of the affordable housing requirement is provided on site as part of this; 31,739 square feet of floor area involved for a 2.1 floor area ratio; the maximum floor area ration is 2.75 to 1 so this project as proposed is much less than the maximum. Stan Clauson said there is one section that is 14 feet; these are design guidelines and they represent a particular vision and they do not have the same force as the land use code. There are 3 parcels; a 9,000 square foot parcel and 2 3,000 square foot parcels; one containing the Benton Building and a one story building that was constructed as a jewelry store and then became Little Annie's. Stan Clauson utilized power point of the alley at Hunter to Hyman showing the parking lot area, cinderblock background of the Benton Building and Boogies; coming around he showed the facade of the Benton Building and Little Annie's. Stan Clauson said that the Benton Building was not included in the AspenModern Buildings, post World War II and is considered heavily altered; Little Annie's also is not included in AspenModern. Next to Little Annie's is the 2 story contemporary building that is an addition to the Ute City Banque. Stan Clauson said the reasons for demolishing these structures were that it allows a full sub - grade level that allows for parking and other utilities down below and they would have great difficulty making the parking requirements otherwise. Stan Clauson showed on power point the Affordable Housing, the setback Amenity space, a recessed entryway, retail along Hyman Avenue and Hunter Street and Free Market units. 4 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 Stan Clauson said that the buildings were not exactly 30 feet as in affordable housing building in order to accommodate the apartments and other spaces the building is 31 feet and the band on the other end of the Hyman property extends around to the Hunter Street side. Stan Clauson showed sketch up of the shading on the public amenity space on June 21 had full sun and on December 21 it is clearly shaded. The buildings are 14 feet floor to floor on the ground floor and 12 feet floor to floor on the 2" and 3` floors and 2 foot cornice area; they are within the design objectives and guidelines. Stan Clauson passed samples around for possible materials and utilized a sketch up to show the building from above and reflecting the 150 facade with a lot of variation and a lot of variation in respect to heights. Cliff Weiss asked where the penthouse was located and the roof top access for was for whom. Stan Clauson replied the third floor was residential and the roof top was for that free market residential. Sara Adams said there were 3 free market units. Cliff asked if restaurant seating was still considered public amenity space. Sara replied outside yes. Stan Gibbs asked what drives the 12 feet on the second and third floors. Stan Clauson replied that when you are at 12 feet floor to floor you have a 10 foot ceiling and you are allowing 2 feet for structure; they are providing that same ceiling height in the affordable housing. Stan Gibbs opened the hearing to public comment at this time. Public Comments: 1. Bill Weiner, public, distributed a book to the members. Bill questioned that this was a legal meeting because on the building it was posted that it would be heard at HPC tomorrow at 5 o'clock; so you can't make any decisions here; the posting was deceptive. Jim True said that HPC will meet tomorrow as posted and the Planning & Zoning is authorized to make referral comments for HPC; it was not required by our code to be posted because they were referral comments and was properly noticed. Bill Weiner said this building was not architecture it was a puzzle; he feels the Benton Building was an important building and was not put on the list because it was remodeled. Bill said the masses are confusing; it is not 5 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 distinctive like the code wants the articulation. Bill said to recycle the Benton Building. Jim True said that Mr. Weiner handed out books that have a monetary value and he has presented those books to some HPC members and the attorney's office has taken a position that the books become part of the record and become city property. Stan Gibbs closed the public comments section of the public hearing. Jim DeFrancia said that we are being asked to formulate recommendations pursuant to page 6 of the staff memo: size of the location; the applicant wants to provide cash in lieu for the difference and the staff is saying no reduction. Sara Adams responded that when the code asked to calculate public amenity space you take the entire size of the lot into account, which is a large lot in downtown at 15,000 square feet so staff thought it didn't seem to meet the guidelines and maybe the solution was to break up the public amenity; meet the required 1500 square feet with some on Hunter for some solar gain and reduce the depth on Hyman. Cliff Weiss said that he liked the public amenity as designed if it became restaurant seating because that provides vitality. Cliff agreed with Stan Gibbs about the parking lot being developed. Cliff was concerned about the design especially compared to the ionic Elks Building and he didn't see this building as iconic. Cliff said that Hunter Street was an important thoroughfare and needs to be broken up more and give it something of interest; it wasn't in keeping with Aspen; he found it very boxy. Cliff said that it was nice that the affordable housing had 10 foot ceilings but the roof top access he was not for and the height of the building would cause ice in the winter that never went away. Bert Myrin said that the public amenity space he leaned toward the staff recommendation not to reduce it. Sara Adams replied for this site the percentage was reduced from 25% to 10% because there was not a lot of public amenity space on the site now; the parking lot does not count as public amenity space but they are required to meet 10 %. MOTION: Jim DeFrancia moved to approve Resolution #18, 2011 with recommendations to HPC that Hunter Street should have some public amenity space, the horizontal band should not be continued to the west, and the proposed building shall not exceed 38 feet and P &Z is concerned for the roof top access and the need for elevator overruns and stairways that extend to 50 feet; seconded by 6 City Planning & Zoning Meeting — Minutes September 20, 2011 Bert Myrin. Roll call vote: Cliff Weiss, yes; Bert Myrin, yes; Jim DeFrancia, yes; Stan Gibbs, yes. All in favor. Discussion prior to vote: Bert Myrin said the public amenity space has been reduced to 10% because of existing conditions and do not recommend a further reduction. Stan Gibbs said that the Hunter Street side should have some public amenity space. Mass and scale: Both facades are important. Stan Gibbs said the irregularity on Hyman and the horizontal band that goes around should not be continue on and not be continued to the west. Jennifer Phelan said the Hunter Street facade is pretty monolithic and needs some study. Stan Clauson responded that he definitely got that and what concerns him is the concept that the Hunter Street Facade needs the same treatment as the Hyman Street facade that is modular. Stan Gibbs said that what we should say is that the Hunter Street facade needs more study. Adjourned at 7 pm. ckie Lothian, Deputy City Clerk 7