HomeMy WebLinkAboutCall Up Memo.121WBleeker.20210824 MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Torre and Aspen City Council
THROUGH: Amy Simon, Planning Director
FROM: Sarah Yoon, Historic Preservation Planner
MEETING DATE: August 24, 2021
RE: Call Up of HPC’s approval for 121 W. Bleeker – Conceptual Major Development,
Relocation, Setback Variations, and Floor Area Bonus, HPC Resolution #10, Series
of 2021
APPLICANT:
121 W Bleeker LLC
REPRESENTATIVE:
1 Friday Design
LOCATION:
Street Address:
121 W. Bleeker Street
Legal Description:
the East ½ of Lot C, all of Lot D,
and the West ½ of Lot E, Block
58, City and Townsite of Aspen,
Colorado
Parcel Identification:
PID# 2735-124-39-003
CURRENT ZONING & USE:
R-6 (Moderate-Density
Residential); Residential Use
PROPOSED USE:
No change
PROCESS SUMMARY: On July 13th staff provided City Council
with a Notice of Call up regarding HPC’s approval for Conceptual
Development approval affecting 121 W. Bleeker Street. Council
asked for additional explanation of the setback variations that were
granted, which will be provided at this meeting in the form of a
detailed presentation by the applicant.
Call Up is not a public hearing. After considering the additional
project description, Council may uphold HPC’s decision or may
remand it to require reconsideration of specific issues. HPC’s
decision on remand, which will be publicly noticed, shall be final.
BACKGROUND: 121 W. Bleeker contains a Victorian era home on
a 6,000 sf lot in the R-6 residential zone district. An existing addition
constructed at an unknown date sits substantially in the rear and
side setbacks (see diagram on the next page). The historic resource
appears to be in its original location but the alterations noted above
have resulted in the loss of historic building material at the rear of
the property.
The current proposal for Conceptual Major Development includes
removing these impactful additions, and the construction of a new
addition to the rear of the property. Relocation is triggered for the
purposes of excavating the subgrade space, but the historic home
will continue to occupy its historic position on site.
The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) conducted two
Conceptual Development reviews before the project was approved
on May 26th by a unanimous vote of 7-0. The board discussed
setback variation requests that were part of the application in detail,
and ultimately required restudy of a proposed setback
encroachment by an exterior staircase feature. The applicant
returned to HPC with a revised design and dropped the exterior stair.
Additionally, the building mass of the new addition was adjusted to
align directly behind the historic resource to maintain the Victorian
as the visual focal point of the property.
The restoration of historically significant architectural features will be guided by historic maps, photos
and physical evidence and the removal of past additions allows the historic footprint of the home to be
restored. The new addition is pushed to the rear of the property and designed to meet current Historic
Preservation Design Guidelines. HPC discussed the merits of the proposed restoration and awarded a
Floor Area Bonus of 205 s.f. to the project. Following the removal of the west yard setback variation
request, HPC agreed that all applicable criteria were met to grant a rear yard setback variation for the
deck space above the garage and an east side yard setback variation for the mechanical equipment.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the project and recommends that City
Council support HPC’s findings.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS: N/A
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: N/A
ALTERNATIVES: N/A
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
“I move to uphold HPC’s approval for 121 W. Bleeker – Conceptual Major Development, Relocation,
Setback Variations, and Floor Area Bonus.”
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________.
EXHIBITS:
A – HPC memo, May 26, 2021
B – HPC approved application
C – HPC meeting minutes, May 26, 2021
D – HPC Resolution #10, Series of 2021
Figure 1 – Existing Building Footprint
(non-historic addition in red) Figure 2 – Approved Building Footprint
(non-historic addition in blue)