HomeMy WebLinkAboutBukk G. Carleton 2Dear Mayor Torre,
You are being asked to review the findings of the HPC’s decision on 1020 E Cooper and I would encourage you not to overrule this decision.
First, because the HPC should not be weakened by being overturned by the Council, as its decisions and analysis were undertaken with much more intensity and in-depth review than the
Council, in fairness, can be expected to undertake. However, even more importantly in this case, the applicant has failed to meet major guidelines of the HPC:
- The applicant failed to meet the requirement of providing a structure that is of mass and scale appropriate for the small lot. In fact, with some bravado or “I don’t care mentality”
the applicant, after being denied a single-family design as being too large as to mass and scale, is now back with a new design double the size of the former application and four times
the size of the allowed guidelines of the HPC.
- The applicant thought by adding “affordable housing” they could have both the Council and the HPC ignore the fundamental requirements for use of this property.
- The developer also failed to meet the major guidelines of the HPC by not retaining a proper front yard setback; and
- proposing a rear detached building double the height of the existing building which is far outside HPC guidelines.
- Failing to meet the requirements of historic properties in the neighborhood.
Thus, the applicant is not- as they claim- compliant in their submission. Having not met the major HPC requirements, they are not coming under HPC. They then need to look to Zoning
as their proper vehicle under which to submit. However, under Zoning, the applicant’s design is inappropriate for a multiunit design because the lot is non-conforming as it is too
narrow for the 60’ width requirement nor does it meet the minimum 6,000SF requirement. The applicant’s design is without a venue under which to apply.
I am hopeful the Council will not be coerced into a decision that is harmful not only to the City, the neighbors but even for the proposed inhabitants of this design that would be squeezed
into an unacceptable lifestyle.
As mentioned, the words “affordable housing” mask the fact that unlivable housing is being provided. In the same way, “Multifamily” masks the fact that the proposed structure is multi-unit.
The multi units would be utilized by short term renters and would be overcrowded, have massively inadequate parking, foreshortened living space, no outdoor space, views blocked by neighboring
buildings 7’ away, fail to meet fire department codes, the list goes on- hardly the lifestyle anyone should endure in a place like Aspen.
Respectfully, Bukk Carleton
1012 E Cooper