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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.031622 1 REGULAR MEETING COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MARCH 16, 2022 Chairperson Jeb Ball called the meeting to order at 8:40 am. Commissioners in attendance: Jeb Ball, Angi Wang, Bill Dinsmoor, Amanda Tanaka, Terry Butler and Charles Cunniffe. Absent was Kiki Raj. Staff present: Nicole Henning, City Clerk Mike Sear, Deputy City Clerk Other attendees: Councilor Ward Hauenstein and Mackenzie Sexton of ACRA Commissioner Comments: Mr. Cunniffe motioned to approve the minutes of February 16th and Mr. Dinsmoor seconded. All in favor, motion carried. Public Comment: Lana Trettin: Ms. Trettin said she came because she did not get into the market this year. She says she wasn’t aware that presentation of the application wasn’t important. Her husband just passed away and she’s 81 so this might be her last year to be in the market. She brought some examples to show and is devastated that she didn’t get in. Based on her performance and what she does, she thought if she brought her stuff, the board might give her a second chance. Mr. Ball told her the preparation of the application is an important part and that the board has been doing the grading as such for the past four years. Ms. Trettin said she wasn’t in the market four years ago. Mr. Dinsmoor explained that everyone reapplies every year and it’s a competition with jewelry being the most competitive and we grade everyone with a scoring system. We sum up the scores and those that have the highest score, gets in. He informed her that she just didn’t score well enough. Mr. Ball said they will discuss, and Kathy Strickland will get back to her. He thanked her for making the trek up here. Ms. Trettin exited the meeting. Mr. Ball suggested they put her on the reserve list. Or join the chamber, or both. Ms. Butler said it’s the loving thing to do. Mr. Ball mentioned Adam from Pappardelli’s in Denver and said to say he’s disappointed is an understatement. I don’t think his application was bad, but there’s another pasta person who is local in the valley, so if we didn’t have this local pasta person, he’d be in. ACRA presentation with Mackenzie Sexton: Ms. Sexton presented the Destination Management Plan for 2022. She said this plan stemmed from visitor pressure, enhancing the Aspen experience and character. She referenced the chain store ordinance and suggested further regulations should be put in effect against how many chain stores 2 REGULAR MEETING COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MARCH 16, 2022 come to town. She said Ojai has a chain law in effect right now. Mr. Cunniffe said he believes Telluride has one too. Councilor Hauenstein said we do have a retail chain law already in effect. Ms. Wang said it’s never been policed since it was passed. Councilor Hauenstein asked Ms. Henning to send the ordinance to everyone and that he thought it was passed in 2015 or 16. Ms. Tanaka said it would be good to bring it back bigger and stronger. Mr. Cunniffe said if chain stores can’t afford the rent, it would bring the rents down. Ms. Sexton said would be more of an advocating role from CCLC to support this. Councilor Hauenstein asked if they have a plan for this, and she said not yet as the information was just released to the public this week. She said they will also limit promoting the off season and will be doing a lot less marketing internationally and nationally during those seasons. She said she will send out a link to this but it’s also on their website so everyone can read about it. She clarified that Labor Day to Thanksgiving time would be considered fall, but it’s gotten very blurry in recent years. Ms. Tanaka said September and October have been huge months for her store unlike in years past. Councilor Hauenstein asked if this was the final or draft and Ms. Sexton said final. Mr. Ball said CCLC should get behind both topics. Mr. Ball asked Ms. Wang if she had any knowledge of how the chain law is working in Telluride or Ojai. Ms. Wang said there are no spaces available in Telluride currently. They’ve done a good job at keeping formula retail out of town, but she doesn’t think they have a rule. It’s just something they’ve implemented on their own. Ms. Tanaka said there are locals here who will sell the whole town down the river. People just don’t care. Councilor Hauenstein said this council is all about preserving any kind of character we can preserve. We are interested in looking at Telluride and other towns as to how they have been able to do that. If you focus on the negative effects that formula retail, it’s a good place to start. Ms. Wang said the rule is already in place, the city just needs to police it. Restoration Hardware is an example of that, and it should have triggered the ordinance. Mr. Cunniffe said Carmel is a great example and they have been able to keep it small and local. Mr. Ball asked Ms. Wang if she would like to help work on a project regarding this and she said she will. Mr. Dinsmoor said there was an effort in the late 60s and 70s to keep retail out. Ms. Tanaka said she appreciates this, and the direction ACRA is going with this. Mr. Dinsmoor asked if ACRA has the wherewithal to pursue background info on this topic and Ms. Sexton said she doesn’t think so. Ms. Tanaka said they seem to have a good strategic plan. Ms. Tanaka and Ms. Terry both told stories of how bad tourists have been this season. The winter was extremely rough for people dealing with guests. Councilor Hauenstein said everyone should go to the gondola plaza today to celebrate the Aspen Skiers basketball team at 1:00 p.m. 3 REGULAR MEETING COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MARCH 16, 2022 Mr. Ball said he had a conversation with Nancy Lesley a couple of weeks ago and she wanted to know if CCLC would be interested in the 4th of July proposal. Councilor Hauenstein said 18 months ago the committee started talking about the 4th and many stake holders met and want it to be family and local centric. Last year we had a stationary parade. It was well received, but the stake holders want a parade. Special events heard that, and they want to have a parade and have it be family centric. The committee is asking CCLC to help with who will be in the parade and judge it. Mr. Dinsmoor asked if ACRA is out of the parade business and Mr. Ball said yes; the contract is no longer. Ms. Sexton said it was contract consolidation. Mr. Ball said he would reach out to Ms. Lesley to come give us an overview of what CCLC would be signing up for. Councilor Hauenstein said people want the calliope again as long as we don’t have a fire hazard, so we are planning to bring this back this year and there is a different parade route being discussed for this year. Mr. Dinsmoor said CCLC used to get a budget from council, and they would fund an art project every year. He said they funded the street sign project. It was a fun thing and people got interested in doing something like that with public funds responsibly. It might be an element of intrigue for people to get involved, so we should revisit this. Councilor Hauenstein said there is an appetite for al fresco or public art. John Doyle is a sculptor and Skippy has been talking about art in public places. Ward said we can have muffins at our meetings if we have a budget. Mr. Dinsmoor said it just gave CCLC a little more cache. Mr. Ball said in regard to CCLC’s goals, dealing with the chain law and 4th of July coming up should be top priority. Mr. Dinsmoor agreed and said that’s a heavy load. Ms. Sexton announced that this is her last week with ACRA, but said she is staying on the grants committee. She is giving herself an off season and will circle back. Ms. Henning informed Mr. Dinsmoor, Ms. Wang, and Ms. Tanaka that they will be reappointed at next Tuesdays council meeting. Ms. Wang motioned to adjourn; Mr. Dinsmoor seconded. All in favor, motion carried. _________________________ Nicole Henning, City Clerk