HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.council.20220809
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REGULAR MEETING ASPEN CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 9, 2022
At 5:00 p.m. Mayor Torre called the regular meeting to order with Councilors Doyle, and Richards
present. Councilors Hauenstein and Mesirow joined via Zoom.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Pat Degelo – Ms. Degelo said she is here again because of the living lab. She said there are new green
and white cones added and they are a big hazard. Visually it’s getting worse. This is not what the citizens
want. You say you listen to us, but she doesn’t think so. Please stop it early. She hears from people on a
daily basis and said it looks like a gone bad go cart course.
Seth Turok – Mr. Turok said he does not own a business in town, but he’s lived here for 30 years. He said
this group doesn’t get it. He can’t think of a single person who has welcomed the living lab warmly. He
would love to know the comparables used to come up with this and he would love to see this data.
Mayor Torre said if he leaves his email address, he will be happy to give him all the information he
wants. Mr. Turok said the communication from certain members of city staff needs to be improved. He
mentioned calling the city managers office and not receiving a call back.
Sarah Pletts – Ms. Pletts said her comments are in regard to the John Denver Sanctuary. She’s asking for
this to be put into a perpetual trust. She began to sing a rendition of “Annie’s Song”. She said she lives in
a small art studio on the side of the park. She loves theater. She’s wary of keeping development out of
the John Denver Sanctuary. Please let us to continue to use this park as it is. She wished for people to
come back in person to council chambers to speak their minds. Let’s fill it up with “us” again please.
Tara Nelson – Ms. Nelson said she is here to speak about traffic and the speedway on Cemetery Lane.
Her children shared two stories with her recently. She spoke about e-bike usage. Her son shared a story
with her about an e-bike crash with a regular bike in front of their house. She then told a story of her
daughter who could not use the crosswalk to cross the street because traffic wouldn’t stop for her.
Kenny & Robin Smith – Mr. Smith said they are residents and own Meridian Jewelers. He is here to
speak about the living lab. It’s still just not working. We have many ideas we would like to share, such as,
adding stop signs, reducing the speed limit in the core, etc. We still feel as though city council isn’t
listening to us. If we are moving in the direction of being like Vail, what is the solution for those who
must drive? He is submitting another petition that has been signed by many people and locals again. He
suggested ending the lab sooner than later because of the resoundingly negative feedback. Let’s work
together to come up with a better solution. Ms. Smith said if this was to theoretically work, it would only
be for part of the day because in the evening, the people coming out to go to dinner, are not riding
bikes.
Mayor Torre said there are elements of the lab that are to be removed sometime in September.
John Spiess and Brian Long of the Parks Department gave three updates on projects that are ongoing.
Mr. Spiess spoke about the cottonwoods in town being defoliated, and the Douglas Fir beetle treatment.
Mr. Long spoke about a project on the ABC Trail and said they will be working on the bridge portion of
that trail to install an epoxy overlay.
COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS:
Councilor Hauenstein thanked everyone speaking on the living lab. If there is a balance between car
usage and bicyclers, it’s elusive. It takes a long time for people to change their social behaviors. He
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REGULAR MEETING ASPEN CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 9, 2022
commented on his comments last Tuesday. He made some comments that were out of line and hurtful.
He said Councilor Richards has dedicated her life to Aspen public service and we have to allow each
other to be themselves. He apologizes to her and to the public for trying to limit her comments.
Councilor Doyle said 50% of the US is experiencing a drought. He spoke about Salt Lake’s dwindling
water supply. There is an extreme drought in Mexico. He spoke about Kentucky and St. Louis being hit
by flooding. We’re not moving fast enough to avert these disasters.
Mayor Torre said he wants people to know we are opening the RFP process for the Rio Grande
restaurant space via Bidnet.com. They will be taking these up until Friday the 16th. There will be an open
house on this property on the 23rd.
AGENDA AMENDMENTS: None.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
City Manager, Sara Ott, said she spent time out with Chief Ballentine on the living lab. She said police
and staff is out there observing the area as well. From 7 am to 7 pm there will be nightwork next week
for a stormwater line across Main Street. She said she does have Mr. Turok’s information and she last
spoke with him on June 3rd regarding his complaint about a staff member. This is the first she has heard
from him about the living lab. She’s happy to share his contact information with the mayor.
BOARD REPORTS:
Councilor Doyle said he had a CORE meeting, and the methane project is moving forward.
Councilor Richards is leaving tomorrow for Rangely for a Club 20 policy meeting where public lands and
energy are topics on the agenda.
Councilor Mesirow had APCHA which continues to work on rightsizing standards for sellers. We had our
4th HomeTrek presentation at this meeting.
CONSENT CALENDAR:
Mayor Torre pulled Resolution #095 and #097.
Resolution #095/#097, Series of 2022 – Old Powerhouse Preservation Design Services Change Order
and Construction Manager as Advisor Add Service – Evan Pletcher, Asset Department
Mayor Torre asked about the renovation of the Powerhouse and whether that would bring all city
employees into the area and if we would continue to have leased space.
Ms. Ott said that is the intention. We will continue the consolidation of staff and the Powerhouse is the
closest to the new campus.
Councilor Richards motioned to approve the consent calendar; Councilor Doyle seconded.
Roll call vote: Doyle, yes; Hauenstein, yes; Mesirow, yes; Richards, yes; Torre, yes. 5-0, motion carried.
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REGULAR MEETING ASPEN CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 9, 2022
PUBLIC HEARINGS
ORDINANCE #15, SERIES OF 2022 – 470 Rio Grande Place, Theater Aspen, Minor Amendment to a
Planned Development Project Review Approval – Amy Simon, Planning Director & Alan Richman of Alan
Richman Planning Services, Inc. Jeff Bernstein of Theater Aspen was also present.
Ms. Simon said this is a request to allow the roof membrane to stay up year-round. They have provided
additional information that was requested regarding the trailers and structures behind the tent and
added some figures into the memo which were requested regarding how much it costs the theater to
put up and take down the structure every year.
Mayor Torre opened public comment.
Sarah Pletts – Ms. Pletts said there are real concerns about being at the top of the watershed. She has
serious concerns about the environmental impacts. Councilor Richards clarified that this is only for
leaving the tent up. Ms. Pletts said she’s commenting on both items. She spoke about balancing all of
nature and not harming animals.
Mayor Torre closed the public hearing.
Councilor Richards said it makes more sense to her to leave up the structure during the winter. It looks
like a lot of work, time, and expense to take the roof on and off. She really thinks it looks ugly in the
winter.
Councilor Richards motioned to approve Ordinance #15, Series of 2022; Councilor Doyle seconded.
Mayor Torre said he doesn’t see this as any different than the framework staying up, which he had
voted against in the past. He is interested in seeing this stay up for the next year and seeing the impacts.
He asked City Attorney, James R. True, if an amendment could be made to revisit this after a year.
Mr. True said they can certainly amend the ordinance and bring it back. He recommended a condition in
the ordinance.
Mayor Torre said he doesn’t foresee any issues and doesn’t think it will have negative impacts, but he
doesn’t know that for sure.
Councilor Richards said she’s fine with the ordinance as it came to them. She amended the motion she
made to include a two-year review necessary for this ordinance to continue in effect for the length of
the lease.
Mr. True asked for a few minutes to work on the language.
Councilor Richards withdrew her amendment and original motion.
Ms. Simon said she has something written up on the screen that they can help with.
Mr. Bernstein said they should clarify on what terms is this being reviewed. This feels like a fairly benign
matter.
Phillip Supino, Community Development Director, said this is within council’s purview to review this at a
later date and can be written into the approval pretty easily.
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REGULAR MEETING ASPEN CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 9, 2022
Councilor Doyle said it does trouble him to be heating an unused space. That said, he will go along with
the rest of council.
Mayor Torre said all he’s really looking for is a check in at two years if it’s necessary.
Ms. Simon read the condition that was added to the ordinance.
Councilor Richards motioned to approve Ordinance #15; Series of 2022 as amended with the addition of
condition #6; Councilor Doyle seconded.
Roll call vote: Doyle, yes; Hauenstein, yes; Mesirow, yes; Richards, yes; Torre, yes. 5-0, motion carried.
ACTION ITEM:
Resolution #096, Series of 2022 – 516 E. Hyman Avenue – Growth Management Review – Phillip
Supino, Community Development Director and Garret Larimer, City Planner
Mr. Supino said we’re talking about mixed-use space. The proposal is to move the affordable housing
unit into a two-bedroom free market condo and concurrently deed restrict and create affordable
housing credits from the seven other units in the free-market condo building. The applicants are Mark
Hunt and the Aspen Public School District. Staff is recommending approval.
Councilor Mesirow thanked staff for bringing this forward and said it’s a win win project.
Councilor Hauenstein agreed and said he would not like to see these leave the availability pool for
schools and teachers.
Councilor Doyle said he thinks this is a slam dunk. This is a great deal for our community.
Councilor Doyle motioned to approve Resolution #096, Series of 2022; Councilor Richards seconded.
Councilor Richards said she thinks it’s a great project.
Roll call vote: Doyle, yes; Hauenstein, yes; Mesirow, yes; Richards, yes; Torre, yes. 5-0, motion carried.
City Attorney, James R. True, introduced the Executive Session.
Councilor Richards motioned to move into Executive Session; Councilor Doyle seconded.
Roll call vote: Doyle, yes; Hauenstein, yes; Mesirow, yes; Richards, yes; Torre, yes. 5-0, motion carried.
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Nicole Henning, City Clerk