HomeMy WebLinkAbout314_W_Main_Memo_2021_02_24
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130 South Galena Street Aspen, CO 81611-1975 | P: 970.920.5197 | cityofaspen.com
Memorandum
TO: Aspen Historic Preservation Commission
FROM: Sarah Yoon, Historic Preservation Planner
THROUGH: Amy Simon, Planning Director
MEETING DATE: February 24, 2021
RE: 314 W. Main - REFERRAL COMMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL:
Establishment of Transferable Development Rights (TDR)
APPLICANT /OWNER:
314 West Main LLC, Wendi
Sturgis, Manager
REPRESENTATIVE:
BendonAdams LLC
LOCATION:
Street Address:
314 W. Main Street
Legal Description:
Lot B, Historic Landmark Lot
Split at 320 W. Main Street,
According to the Final Plat
Recorded September 3, 2003
in Plat Book 66 at Page 32,
City and Townsite of Aspen,
Colorado
Parcel Identification Number:
PID# 2735-124-41-011
CURRENT ZONING & USE
MU (Mixed Use); Residential
Use
PROPOSED ZONING & USE:
No change
SUMMARY:
The owners of 314 W. Main Street propose to convert unused
floor area into three Transferable Development Rights
(TDRs).
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff supports the application to remove developable floor
area from the historic lot containing the carriage house and
recommends HPC approve the request as a recommending
body to Aspen City Council.
Site Locator Map – 314 W. Main
314
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130 South Galena Street Aspen, CO 81611-1975 | P: 970.920.5197 | cityofaspen.com
BACKGROUND:
314 West Main Street is a 4,500 sf lot that was created through a Historic Landmark Lot Split via
Ordinance #14, Series of 2002. This lot split approval included a 500 sf floor area bonus for the
sole purpose of allowing the existing historic structures to remain in place. No additional floor area
bonus is available to the property unless provided through a future amendment to the land use
code. 314 W. Main Street contains the historic carriage house that is associated with the Smith-
Elisha House on the adjacent lot addressed 320 W. Main Street. An application for a change in
use to single-family residential was granted in 2019. The historic carriage house is located
towards the alley in its historic location and the open green space faces Main Street.
Figure 1 – Sanborn Map, 1904 Figure 2 – 320 & 314 W. Main, 1991
REQUEST OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION (HPC)
The Applicant is requesting the following recommendation:
• Transferable Development Rights (Section 26.535) for the establishment of three TDRs
from the historic property containing the historic carriage house.
The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is a recommending body and Aspen City Council is
the final review authority.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
314 W. Main Street is a historically designed landmarked property that qualifies for the
preservation benefit to sever unused development rights from the parcel by establishing TDRs in
increments of 250 sf (section 26.415.110.K). The historic carriage house is a single-family home
with a floor area of approximately 1,725 sf. The applicant proposes to remove 750 sf of
developable floor area from the property which would effectively sterilize the lot of future
development.
STAFF COMMENTS:
Although this is a 4,500 sf lot, due to the slopes on this property the net lot area is 3,431.24 sf.
For the purposes of creating TDRs, the maximum floor area for constructing a single-family
dwelling on this lot is approximately 2,520 sf. According to the as-built survey provided in the
application, the floor area calculations are as follows:
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130 South Galena Street Aspen, CO 81611-1975 | P: 970.920.5197 | cityofaspen.com
• Allowable Floor Area = 2,520.4 square feet
• Existing floor area = 1,725.24 square feet
• Total floor area remaining = 795.16 square feet
The applicant requests approval to establish up to three TDRs, which will consume all but 45.16
sf of allowed development rights on the site.
Staff finds that the property demonstrates the existence of unused development rights and the
severing of development rights will not create or increase any non-conformities on the site. Once
the TDRs are created the applicant plans to comply with the required steps of executing and
delivering a deed restriction. A draft deed restriction was submitted with the application. In
addition, the applicant agrees to disclose information related to the sale, assignment, conveyance
or other transfer/change of ownership of the TDRs to the City of Aspen Community Development
Department within five (5) days. Staff finds the criteria for establishing TDRs are met.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) support the request to establish
up to three TDRs from the historic property.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution # __, Series of 2021
Exhibit A – Transferable Development Rights (TDR) / Staff Findings
Exhibit B – Application