HomeMy WebLinkAboutSt. Regis_Temporary Use Request_Memo
Page | 1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Torre and Aspen City Council
FROM: Kevin Rayes, Principal Planner
THRU: Phillip Supino, Community Development Director
MEETING DATE: October 30, 2023
RE: Temporary/Seasonal Use Request
The St. Regis (315 E. Dean St.) | Resolution #158, Series of 2023
NOTE: On October 30th, Council is reviewing two separate and distinct
requests relating to temporary/seasonal uses at the St. Regis. The requests
are separated because they trigger different sections of the Land Use Code
– one requires approval via ordinance and the other via resolution.
APPLICANT:
Aspen Owner, LLC c/o St. Regis Aspen
Resort
LOCATIONS:
The St. Regis Resort (315 E. Dean St.)
CURRENT ZONING:
Lodge (L) with a Planned development
Overlay (PD)
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
The Applicant requests
temporary/seasonal use approval to
erect two seasonal tents within the
Fountain Courtyard for forty days per
year from winter 2023-2024 – winter
2026 – 2027.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the proposed tents
subject to the conditions set forth in the resolution.
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
The Applicant requests the following land use approvals:
Temporary/Seasonal Use Review (Land Use Code Section 26.450.030)
The Applicant requests Temporary/Seasonal Use approval to erect two seasonal tents within
the Fountain Courtyard for 40 days per year through winter 2026 – 2027.
The Community Development Director may approve temporary structures that are erected for
14 days or less within a 12-month period. Alternatively, Council may approve temporary uses
for up to 180 days within a 12-month period, for up to ten years of annual recurrences. City
Council is the final review authority.
Commercial Design Review (Land Use Code Section 26.412)
Seasonal structures located within the Lodge (L) zone district are subject to Commercial Design
review. The standards are intended to ensure appropriate building mass and to foster well-
designed and meaningful open space that conveys human scale, provides relief from the built
environment, and preserves historic neighborhood context. City Council is the final review
authority.
Figure 1: The St. Regis (315 E. Dean St.)
Page | 2
Growth Management Review (Land Use Code Section 26.470)
Temporary and seasonal uses erected for longer than 14 days in a twelve-month period are
subject to affordable housing requirements. Mitigation is required only for the days in excess
of 14 in a 12-month period. Cash-in-lieu may be paid by-right. City Council is the final review
authority.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
The St. Regis resort is improved with 179 hotel rooms, 25 timeshare units and a variety of
accessory uses including conference/meeting space, ballrooms, a spa, multiple dining areas and
several retail spaces. The St. Regis has historically hosted events that require use of a temporary
tent. Such events have included conferences/seminars, weddings, Aspen Food and Wine and
corporate dinners.
In 2017, City Council adopted Resolution #158, Series of 2017 approving the installation of
various tents in the Fountain Courtyard, Mountain Plaza, Pool deck and Mill Street Courtyard for
five years (2017-2022).
In 2022, Council adopted Resolution
#128, Series of 2022, extending the
ability to erect the Special Events
Tent for an additional five years. As
described in the approval, the tent is
3,960 sq. ft. and can be erected for up
to 40 days per year between 2023 –
2027. In early 2023, the Applicant
applied for a building permit to erect
the tent. In addition to the Special
Events tent, the permit application
included two smaller tents in the
Fountain Courtyard that were not
represented when Council reviewed
the request. Staff issued the permit
for the events tent, but denied the
request for the two smaller tents,
which is the subject of this review.
The two tents proposed are each approximately 200 sq. ft. in area and are intended to supplement
operations of the special events tent. The first tent connects the special events tent to the hotel
lobby so that guests can walk from the lobby to the main tent under an enclosure. The second
tent connects the special events tent to the hotel’s supporting areas so employees can walk from
the main tent to the hotel’s back of house operations under an enclosure.
Accounting for the area associated with the special events tent (which is approved through winter
2027), and the two smaller tents, approximately 1,400 sq. ft. of tent area is proposed within the
Fountain Courtyard.
Fountain
Courtyard
Figure 2: Location of Fountain Courtyard
Page | 3
DISCUSSION & STAFF FINDINGS
Staff is generally supportive of the proposed tents for two reasons: (1) they are compatible with
uses allowed within the Lodge (L) zone district and will complement existing resort operations;
and (2) they are modest in size resulting in little to no visual impact on the surrounding
neighborhood.
As previously mentioned, Council approved the special events tent within the Fountain Courtyard
for 40 days per year through 2027. The tent is intended to accommodate one-off events that are
typically associated with a resort such as weddings, corporate retreats, etc. Because these types
of functions are integral to a resort operation, staff finds that impacts related to traffic congestion,
parking management and employee generation to be minimal.
Aspen’s 19th century historic context should be reinforced using appropriate building materials.
High quality materials that relate to the context of the neighborhood and building type are
important. Pursuant to Guideline 1.23, building materials should be non-reflective; shiny or glossy
materials are not appropriate. Materials should also have proven durability and weathering
characteristics within Aspen’s climate. The proposed tents are primarily made of plastic, canvas,
and cloth. These types of materials do not have the durability or weathering characteristics
typically seen in Aspen, nor do these types of materials relate to the 19th century context of town.
Staff would normally oppose installation of this type of material, however, it’s important to consider
the location of where these structures are contemplated. The Fountain Courtyard is surrounded
by prominent four-story walls of the hotel, shielding these structures from view from the adjacent
neighborhood and rights-of-way. The presence of the proposed structures will likely have little to
no impact on the character of the immediate vicinity.
Special Events Tent
Approved via Council
Resolution No. 128, Series
2022
Locations of two
proposed tents. Each
tent is approximately
200 sq. ft.
Figure 3: Fountain Courtyard Tent
Page | 4
Impact Fees and Affordable Housing Mitigation
The two tents will add 200 sq. ft. of Net Leasable Area for 40 days of the year. The Applicant will
be required to mitigate for these tents (in addition to the special events tent). Approximately
$1,466.54 worth of mitigation is required for the two tents. The Applicant is required to verify the
size of the tents at the time of Building Permit.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
One of Councils goals is to take meaningful action and provide leadership in reducing the Aspen
community’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing energy consumption and
carbon emissions in all inventories plays a big role in this endeavor. Minimizing impacts from the
built environment is particularly important as most of Aspen’s carbon emissions come from the
building sector alone. Although a separate review, the representations and conditions set forth in
Ordinance #18, Series of 2023 require the Applicant to install an array of renewable energy
equipment onsite to offset the increased energy load required to heat these structures. Staff is
supportive of this work and believes it is consistent with community expectations. As described in
Ordinance #18, Series of 2023, the Community Development Director may withhold issuance of
future tent/building permits for seasonal structures until the equipment is installed to the
satisfaction of the City.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff supports approval of the proposed tents. They are relatively modest in size (and won’t be
visible from the surrounding neighborhood) and are compatible with uses typically associated with
a lodge use.
Staff’s Recommendation:
• Staff recommends approval of the two smaller tents to supplement operations of the special
events tent, subject to the conditions set forth in Resolution #158.
PROPOSED MOTION:
If Council wishes to approve the applications, the following motions can be made:
1. “I move to approve Resolution #158, Series of 2023, allowing for the installation of
two tents within the Fountain Courtyard to support operations of the special events
tent.”
FINANCIAL IMPACTS: N/A
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: N/A
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
ATTACHMENTS:
Exhibit A.1 | Temporary Use Review | Staff Findings
Exhibit A.2 | Growth Management Review | Staff Findings
Exhibit A.3 | Commercial Design Review | Staff Findings
Exhibit B.1 | Application