Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutdraft findings_meeting summaryHello Lift 1 team, Thank you again for meeting last week to review potential relocation options for Lift 1. Below are the notes from the City, which we have shared with Chris from SE group to understand if there are any scope or cost changes. We will keep you posted as we hear back from his. In the meantime, please take a look at the summary below and let me know if you have any questions or changes. As we mentioned at the meeting last week, the work is city work product, and therefore the discussions in the meeting and the materials presented should remain only within the project teams for now. There will be some sort of public outreach and unveiling of the final report or final options, but the work up until then should be held in confidence. I also want to reiterate that all of the parties agreed to work together on this endeavor. 5/23/2017 Lift 1 Stakeholder Meeting Attendees • SE Group: Chris Cusching • City of Aspen: Jessica Garrow, Jennifer Phelan, Justin Barker • ASC: David Corbin, Rana Dershowitz • Lift One Lodge: Michael Brown, Bart Johnson • Gorsuch Haus: Bryan Peterson, Jim DeFrancia, Richard Shaw Mapping Updates • The group discussed general data updates to the base map. The following is a list of updates and the group who indicated they could provide the data o Add all Lift One Lodge buildings, including the affordable housing and the ski museum buildings – LOL o Check all right of way vacations – COA o Add in the vertical slope – COA (Skico requested additional information on slope) o Check the property boundaries – COA, LOL, GH o Historic lift towers – COA Historic Lift One • The group discussed the need to show not only the original Lift structure, but also the original towers that remain. COA will provide the data for the towers. • Additionally, there was discussion about the possibility of removing or relocating some or all of the historic Lift structures / towers. Any location change will require a board review (HPC). The lift is on the national register, and was one of the first sites designated in the City of Aspen, so there may be some difficulty in relocating everything. Lift Options • The group discussed a number of lift options as well as the general terminal length required to accommodate them. The group is interested in the final report or boards to show these options so the community and council understand the differences. • In general, the group is interested in seeing what the three lift options would look like in the scenarios, with a general preference to a traditional chair or a chondola. o Chair lift – approx. 65 foot terminal length, can hold 4 people o Chondola – approx. 75 foot terminal length, can hold 6 people o Gondola – up to 90 foot terminal length, can hold 8 people • There are 2 different standards for right-of-way required for lifts, which should be detailed in the final report. o National ANSI B77 standard for an aerial ropeway requires a 5 foot clearance from the edge of chair to a building, equaling 32 feet. This standard cannot be varied o Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board (CPTSB) requires a 35 foot offset from each rope to a building, equaling 86 feet. This standard can be varied. • Less than 40’ for a ski-way is not recommended due to snowmaking and grooming capabilities and limitations. Four Presented Scenarios • Scenario 1 – The lift is moved down to just south of the Dolensik property and would be located in place of or on top of the eastern Lift One Lodge building. A skier walkway (likely stairs) is proposed from the transit drop off at Dean and Aspen to the lift platform. SE group indicated this option was about 460 feet in length with a 10% grade. • Scenario 2 – The lift is moved generally down the length of the skiers easement just south of the Historic Lift 1 structure. The lift would be adjacent to the skier drop off area. While not shown on the basemap, this option appears to require relocation of the Lift One Lodge affordable housing building in order to accommodate skier return. The historic lift towers would likely need to be relocated as well. The ANSI standard appears to accommodate the Lift One Lodge Buildings, but a variance from the Colorado Tramway standard would be needed, or the buildings would need to be reduced in size. • Scenario 3 – The lift is in the same location as Scenario 1, but instead of stairs linking the transit drop off to the lift there is a surface funicular style lift that carries skiers up and down. No skier access is available north of the lift, as there is not enough space to accommodate safe skier return and the uphill surface lift. o The group discussed potential opportunities to have a 1 way magic carpet style uphill lift and skier access and is interested in understanding from SE group if that would work and what clearance would be required. • Scenario 4 – The lift is generally in the location proposed by Gorsuch Haus with the two-way funicular using the skiers easement. Downhill skiing would not be accommodated within the proposed right of way for the surface funicular style lift. o As with Scenario 3, the group is interested in understanding the space needs for a 1 way magic carpet with skier return. There was some discussion in this option about the need for snow cat and vehicle access in the summer and winter, which might impact the ability to add a skier return area down to dean. Additional Scenarios • The group discussed interest in seeing the following additional scenarios. o A lift going over buildings. This could be done with Scenarios 1, 2, and 3. The group is interested in understanding the heights required or enabled by going over the proposed Lift One Lodge buildings, rather than requiring their removal. o Flipping the Lift and Gorsuch Haus building in Scenario 4. The city in particular is interested in seeing this option and understanding what this means for the lift alignment higher up the mountain. A variation on this option could be extending the lift along the western-most alignment to Dean. o Placing the lift over the S. Aspen Street Right-of-Way. This is another option the city is interested in understanding. Similar to above, what would this mean for the lift alignment higher up the mountain. o Going over the Dolensik property. The group was interested in understanding what this alignment would look like so there can be a discussion about if the cost-benefit is worth it to examine ways to change the property’s covenants. Staff did check with the City Attorney and a skier return is possible on the property and, potentially, queuing. o Rubber tire solution. The Gorsuch Haus team requested that the rubber tire solution be added to the final report. While it is an option, City Council was clear in their direction and approval of the contract that the report is intended to examine lift-based solutions. It is the City’s position that while the report may reference that a rubber tire solution could be pursued, it cannot be included in detail in the report. o Lift One Lodge approved solution. The Lift One Lodge team requested that the surface lift with skier return in the ski easement be included as an option. Because this was approved as part of the project’s land use entitlements, it is the City’s position that is can be included in the report. General comments on the final report • The group agreed the following items should be included in the report: o Basic pros and cons for the various solutions. o Pictures and basic definitions of the different Chair/Chondola/Gondola options so the public can understand them. o General definition of the ANSI and CO Tramway Board requirements and limitations.