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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.091615COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 1 Chairperson, Riley Tippet called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Commissioners in attendance were Don Sheeley, Terry Butler, Kiki Raj Bill Dinsmoor, Siam Castillo and Steve Fante. Fred Ayarza and Charles Cunniffe were absent. Staff: Kathy Strickland, Chief Deputy Dan Nelson, Parks Department Erik Klanderud, ACRA Minutes: Don moved to approve the minutes of September 2 nd; second by Bill. All in favor, motion carried. Dan said Wagner Park and the Rio Grande are ready for Ruggerfest. Ruggerfest put up a fence at the Rio Grande Park to keep things confined. The Rio Grande Park is getting a new irrigation system. The Ski Co. is doing “The meeting” in Wagner Park this year the first week of October. Kiki said all the flowers and hanging baskets on the malls look great. Parking & Transportation issues and questions for RFTA and the City. Terry said do to the parking crisis in Aspen what would it take to have a free bus system up and down the valley for Aspen workers. We are trying to solve the parking problem and that would free up a lot of parking spaces. A lot of workers park right in front of their business. Don said we need to have Durant going west one way and do angled parking. That would add 15 to 20 more parking spaces. The bus could stop by the gondola. We need someone to look into this. Bill said we need to have more enhanced employee access to RFTA. More affordable bus passes. Bill said perhaps an earlier bus in the morning and late at night might begin to address the parking issue. Bill said Mitch Osur, the new parking director will extend parking enforcement in the core next spring. Maybe the Galena Street shuttle should be used for a longer time frame. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 2 Kiki pointed out that other counties don’t have money to throw around for free bus passes and she feels it isn’t feasible. Erik said we need to get more businesses to join the ACRA to take part in the bus discount pass. Steve suggested Aspen Street and Monarch Street be made one way up one street and one way down the other. One way north one way south. Steve said he talked to employees who try and take the after-hours taxi. They said the taxi at night is not reliable. There are two taxi’s used or running at the same time. As a suggestion one taxi should run at one time and another at a different time.at one time and one at another time. Kiki said the Galena Street shuttle route and hours should be extended. Maybe the Galena Street shuttle can take over the Hunter Creek bus which is not full during the day. Eric said the Galena shuttle should run during the summer. People coming from sea level can’t walk up the stairs at the parking garage. Siam ask how long it took to get Galena Street one way? Don said it was a trial and worked and we gained more parking spaces. Erik said the service on off season is based on ridership numbers. All businesses and restaurants don’t want us to drive and then they eliminate the buses. Especially Sunday football. Bite the bullet and not reduce the hours on off season. I would prefer to take the bus specifically the local routes. There is no shoulder season for restaurants. When routes are cut out people drive their cars. This is a city decision. There are less people here in off season. Keep the bus at least throughout the fall. If you stop taking the bus it is difficult to get people to start taking it again. They need to go back and do what they did 5 years ago. Don said on restaurant row we should get rid of We cycle. It is a great program but there are too many. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 3 Eric said on big event days there is no way to get into town, run double buses the 4th of July and during concerts. Events are scheduled out a year in advanced. Riley said all these ideas are from ACRA members and local businesses and should be addressed. Newspaper Racks Riley said we need to identify the owners. Put signage on those that are a safety hazard and sign the boxes for the owners to contact the City. Encroachments for those boxes on the City right-of-way. Removal (30 days) Meeting with Aspen Time, Daily News, Snowmass Sun, Wall street journal, Denver post, Bill said he went to different departments about the umbrellas at Burnelleschis pizza and the fact that they are lower than 7 feet. Umbrellas and outside dining have to be safe. Bill said he couldn’t get anyone in the city to enforce. There is no enforcement in the City. Asie put a couch out on the sidewalk without a permit. MOTION: Don moved to adjourn; second by Kiki. All in favor motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk