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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcoa.cclc.min.020112 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012 Chairperson, Andrew Kole called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Commissioners in attendance: Bill Dinsmoor, Riley Tippet, Fred Ayarza, Don Sheeley, Terry Butler and Kiki Raj. Excused was Siam Castillo. Eden Vardy, Eden explained that his non -profit is called Aspen T.R.E.E.S which is an educational non -profit focused on sustainability. We have a demonstration site at Cozy Ranch and have close to 100 animals in the summer. We offer two summer camps out of Cozy Point. Last year we were at the market every other week and this year we were hoping to expand at the market. We had the alpaca at Paradise corner. The alpacas would be the main animal. On occasion we might bring cashmere goats, chickens and rabbits. This is more of a demonstration and when the animals are in a good mood we can put the children in with them. Andrew asked about space. Eden said we would need 20 feet. Alpacas are cleanly animals. The only smell would be the straw. The animals would not be unattended. Terry said chickens have a smell. Eden said they are heirloom chickens that are adapted at high altitude. Eden said he wants to come every week. Bill suggested Conner Park for the animals. Bill asked what the connection is with the animals. Eden said he wants to impact at least five people a day and inform people of their food source. Eden also said they have angora rabbits. Riley said he had visions of numerous animals. I hadn't considered that it would be like a shelter. My big concern is that one week there would be a lot of interaction and the next week nothing. Eden said we will have a lot of interaction such as sustainable farm yard demonstrations. 1 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012 Don asked if they are charging a fee. Eden said they are a non - profit and we just ask for donations. Don said he would like to see different varieties of animals. Eden said we are talking about animals that can be raised at people's homes. Fred said he raised chicken. If we do this I would like to see it in the park. Andrew mentioned using a corner of the parking lot for the sustainable farm setting. Kiki said three that you mentioned are textile animals and do you make textiles from them? Eden said they are reaching out to local artists and we would like to get to the next level and sell items made from the animals. Bill said he is not fond of the notion on the street and I am in favor of the parking lot. The parking lot would remove the animals from the business of the market. The park would be a good idea. Andrew said if we were able to get the parking lot that would be a better location. Kathy said Eden has a spot at the corner of Hyman for his booth if the animals are not permitted. MOTION: Don made the motion to allow Eden into the market subject to the animals being approved by the Environmental Health Department; second by Riley. Motion carried 4 -3. Vote: Andrew, yes; Don, yes; Riley, yes; Kiki, yes. Fred, no; Bill, no; Terry, no. Don asked about new vendors in the market. Kathy said we have between 8 and 11 new vendors that we are placing. Lighting work session Don said council brought up the lighting and Kale from Lacrouxstreeb spoke. Bill said he spoke and basically we were talking to the Parks Department who has the funding. Bill talked to Adam Fiche and Don talked to Torre. Don said Torre said 2 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012 no problem with replacing existing lights. Don said Torre suggested doing a walking tour. Bill said Kale is installing globe balls next week. Kale has not worked up the numbers yet for the second phase. Galena community connection project • Tricia Aragon, Engineering Department Head Garret Sabourin, Engineer Tricia said the city is talking about repairing the parking garage and during the discussions Council said we are transforming the parking garage and lets make a connection between down town and the parking garage. We talked about sidewalks and parking on Galena. Lets talk about uses and destinations that we want to see for Galena Street. We need to look at the opportunities for Galena Street. What are some of the great spots on Galena. Tricia said Peaches corner, the hearth and Paradise Bakery and the information center are good spots. We also talked about what opportunities are on Galena. Can we improve on the Elks area. We also want to identify what are the worse parts of Galena. The gas station could be one of those. It is not that attractive and Main Street is one of the worse spots. The next step "Projects for public spaces" is a group that will work with the public and local designers in a work shop format that will occur this summer. Riley asked about the group and is it structured. Tricia said the company spoke to council and they liked what they had to say about public spaces. They are out of New York. Bill asked about the DEPP project. Tricia said DEPP did not look at Galena as opposed to the malls etc. Bill asked how they define what is bad and what is good like Peaches is good? Tricia said Peaches and paradise are places that people like to gather and mingle. Main Street is a barrier to cross from one side of the street to the other. It is a big highway that you are crossing. 3 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012 Terry said she has had a business on Galena for 26 years and the idea of taking away parking spots frightens me. Aspen Drug, Toms Market and the 37 year old jewelry store are now gone. When I opened I had two parking spaces and now I have had none for the last five years. We end up unloading luggage in the middle of the street. I remember the DEPP and they did widen the sidewalks. We never assessed it much. The bricks look great but they are hard to walk on. I direct people down Galena where the sidewalk is smooth. You can't ruin what is working about Galena Street and you need to set up a local group for discussions. Galena is the core of the town and very sensitive. Don asked about the parking spaces and how many you are losing. Tricia said we are baking out of that. We are looking at what we want to see. Don said he spearheaded the one way parking. Galena Street will not be happy if their parking is taking away. We need a parking garage under Wagner Park. Kiki asked about talking to businesses that are on Galena Street. Tricia said we need intensive public input on this. We will have workshops in the summer. We will do designs over the three day workshops. Kiki suggested the meetings should be over several months. Tricia said it is best to do the work shops when the streets and businesses are active. Andrew asked what the projective time frame is. Tricia said we will identify the destinations on Galena and there is no time frame at this point. Andrew asked why is the city getting involved in retail? Tricia said Galena St. is a public space and to make this a successful space you will need the dynamics from the businesses. Andrew said the newspaper racks are the worse esthetics in Aspen. Tricia said we have been contacting the new paper rack owner to get encroachments. Kiki said she assumes this is connected to the parking garage and if this isn't connected does that mean the parking garage won't happen? 4 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012 Tricia said the parking garage and Galena Street and two separate issues. The parking garage is fully funded. Terry said it will be an uphill battled to get the people on Galena Street to want this. Whose idea was this? Tricia said it was they mayors. Andrew said he asked people if they wanted wider sidewalks or parking and everyone said they wanted more parking. Terry suggested Tricia ask the public what they want. Don said you need to deal with the businesses and we deal with the businesses all the time and we know what they want. Andrew and Bill suggested Tricia talk to the people on the DEPP committee. Andrew said we should contact council and find a champion for other projects that are needed. Riley said the big visions are very important to our community and it always bothers me because information comes out and people get scared. You need to bring people together. Outdoor dining Kathy went over the outdoor dining approval process. Bill said he would like to have them come down here first if there are issues before a complaint form is issued. Terry said we can take leadership and fill in the space areas. It is better for us to review them before the complaint form is written. Motion: Andrew moved to adjourn second by Fred. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk 5