HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibit U_ Public commment entered at 2.13.17f ' \` lr 3
Jennifer Phelan ��
Subject: FW: Gorsuch Haus and public access / new lift 1
Begin forwarded message:
From: Rudd Knutzen <rudd.knutzen aC)gmail.com>
Subject: Gorsuch Haus and public access / new lift
Date: February 12, 2017 at 8:39:15 PM MST
To: Steve Skadron<steve.skadron(a.cityofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch
<adam.frisch(a)cityofaspen.com>, Ann Mullins<ann.mullins(a)cityofaspen.com>, Bert Myrin
<bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>, letters(caspendailynews.com, mailCcDaspentimes.com,
curtis(@aspendailvnews.com, rcarroll aspentimes.com
To the honorable mayor, Steve Skadron and members of the city council;
40 plus years ago, I was an Aspen resident, employed by the Aspen Ski Company. Skier's Chalet was one of
our preferred family restaurants for special occasion dinners and good times. Ruthie's and Norway were among
our most frequented ski runs. Although we no longer live in Aspen, it remains a favorite destination. Our love
of Aspen began several generations ago.
During the latter part of the 1800's, our great grandfather delivered supplies to Aspen from Salida and Buena
Vista over Independence Pass via mule train. Our grandfather and uncle were among the ski racers who
climbed Ajax to compete in the early ski racing years, I believe prior to the boat tow. Our mother competed in
Aspen during the 40's. My first chair lift ride was in the mid 50's on the single chair lift. It was quite a thrill
coming from a small town with a T-bar lift to ski on the world famous Aspen mountain, and to watch another
uncle participate in the international ski races and Ruch cup. In the 60's and 70's my brother and I were
privileged to compete in those same national and international events. In the 80's my first cousin competed in
Aspen and currently my second cousins are competing as Aspen Ski Team members. Aspen has always been
and continues to be such an amazing community... great skiing, wonderful friends and terrific memories...
This letter is written sincerely, in support of the proposed Gorsuch public access development and public
hotel. The facilities and access point will improve the quality of experience for local families and serve as a
gathering area for current and future visitors to Aspen including the World Cup ski racers from all nations.
I encourage those who are charged with the decision making to acknowledge and approve this high quality
project, not for just a few elites, but for the public, whether they be residents of Aspen, or residents of the
world. This is your opportunity to renew the Aspen skiing legacy.
Respectfully,
Rudd (Pyles) Knutzen
Jennifer Phelan
From:
Steve Skadron
Sent:
Monday, February 13, 2017 2:57 PM
To:
Jennifer Phelan
Subject:
Fwd: Gorsuch Haus
for PR:
..............................
Steven Skadron
Mayor, City of Aspen
steve.s kad ron(a.c itvofas p en.c om
Begin forwarded message:
From: jack & ysmine <hollandh(urof.net>
Subject: Gorsuch Haus
Date: February 13, 2017 at 12:50:05 PM MST
To: <Steve.Skadron(a)-cityofasPen. corn >,<ann.mullins(a).cityofaspen.com>, Bert Myrin
<bert.myrin cni.cityofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch <adam.frisch(d,)cityofaspen.com>
Dear Mayor and City Council:
I was planning to attend tonight meeting on the Gorsuch Hans, but I am under the weather and
don't want to contaminate my fellow Asperrites.
I would like to express a few ideas to you here about the redevelopment of this area as we are
going to be looking at this for the rest of our lives, so let's please get this right. The number one
driver should be the preservation and protection of the old lift 41 ski and view plane corridor.
Aspen is not Vail or Beaver Creek, our ski history should be a priority, with that said I would
like to see a change of site plan. The new ski lift should be moved one block to the east where
the World Cup ski races finish. There should be a community effort to revitalize, restore the old
number 1 ski lift bring it up to summer road,so you can ski back to the Gondi or down to the new
Lift One, as well as creating a ski corridor back down to that lift using some of the Dolinsek
park. ( skiing only) Gorsuch Haus should be broken up in mass to accommodate this new
opportunity. The ski company should be encouraged to run the little Nell lift so skiers can use
that lift and ski over to the new Lift One.
When I sat on the COWOP it was everyone's top priory to have a some kind of lift starting at
Dean Street why not use the one we have got? Yes there will be hoops to jump through Yes there
will be nay sayers but imagine the results! Let's do this right.
Please give this some thought, and thank you for your time and hard work.
Sincerely;
Yasmine de Pagter
Jennifer Phelan
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
for PR:
..............................
Steven Skadron
:.Mayor, City of Aspen
steve.s ka d ron(ac i tvofa s pen.c om
Steve Skadron
Monday, February 13, 2017 3:28 PM
Jennifer Phelan
Fwd: Gorsuch Haus
Begin forwarded message:
From: Brooke Peterson <brooke.peterson((Daiax-holdings.com>
Subject: Gorsuch Haus
Date: February 13, 2017 at 3:20:40 PM MST
To:"steve.skadron(a.cityofaspen.com" <steve.skadron a7cityofaspen.com>,
"adam.frisch cit ofas en.com"<adam.frisch(a)cityofaspen.com>,
"art.daily(cr)cityofaspen.com" <art.daily_@cityofaspen.com>,
"ann.mullins(cr�,cityofaspen.com"<ann.mullins(a)cityofaspen.com>,
"bert.myrin(ci cityofaspen.com" <bert.myrin a().cityofaspen.com>
Cc: "jessica.garrow(a)cityofaspen.com" <iessica.garrow(a)cityofaspen.com>
The Members of the Aspen City Council:
We at Ajax Holdings wish to express our support for the Gorsuch Haus application. We are of the firm
belief that the vitality of our town is being compromised by the lack of total hotel rooms for our visitors,
and that Gorsuch Haus will be a step in the right direction to addressing this problem.
Regards,
�t
MI
J t
51<1 Las( i lyinan Av':nuc
A,;peri, CO 8161 i
All Mail o: PO Box 4068, A ;wn, CO 0 l0 1
Jennifer Phelan
From: Conley, Renee <rconley@RiversideCompany.com>
Sent: Monday, February 6, 2017 1:49 PM
To: Steve Skadron; Adam Frisch; Art Daily; Ann Mullins; Bert Myrin
Cc: Jennifer Phelan; Jessica Garrow
Subject: Appeal to Mayor Skadron and Aspen City Council from resident Bill Seelbach
Dear Mayor Skadron and Aspen City Council members:
My family and I are Aspen property owners and we have been coming to Aspen for over 50 years. We love Aspen for its
unique feel and as such I am writing to urge you to reject the current Gorsuch House (GH) proposal.
The biggest problem with the current GH proposal is its huge size (height, mass and footprint). Rising more than 47 feet
(four stories) and encompassing some 70,000 square feet, this development would be a huge detriment to the lift 1A
side of the mountain. As proposed, it would take up a great portion of the currently open area and ski run at the base of
1A. The view up the mountain would be dominated by a gigantic and hulking building running way up the ski slope
(versus a pristine open area today) and the currently proposed project is totally out of scale and much, much larger than
the neighboring developments. This would ruin the appearance and feel of this side of the mountain.
In addition, as currently proposed, this project will not increase access to the west side of Aspen Mountain (one of the
town's long-time objectives). GH proposes to move lift 1A uphill, causing a longer walk to the lift from the top of S.
Aspen St., which makes lift 1A less convenient for Aspen residents and visitors. By not extending the lift down into
town, as has been the town's long-term objective, access will be further reduced by the planned elimination (post this
summer) of all on -street parking on S. Aspen St. Furthermore, GH's proposal of running a van up and down S. Aspen St.
will be a traffic and safety nightmare given the often slippery conditions in the winter and the extra visitor and service
traffic that will occur due to the two new developments already approved below GH.
The City Planning Department and the Planning & Zoning Commission thoroughly reviewed this project over several
months and several meetings and unanimously recommended that it be rejected due to its huge and inappropriate
scale, the very negative impact it would have on the current open ski slope and views up the mountain and the lack of
improved access to this side of the mountain for anyone other than GH guests. All of this for a reduced lift time of 2-3
minutes and some additional hotel rooms? We are not Vail and we should work hard to retain our special character and
ambiance. If you destroy this open area and current vistas, plus reduce access to the mountain, we have made Aspen
worse, not better.
Please follow the unanimous advice of City staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission and reject this proposal.
Sincerely,
Bill Seelbach
Aspen, Colorado and
Cleveland, Ohio
I remember the exact moment I fell in love with Aspen and its mountains; my family
had just arrived in our station wagon from the mid -west. Hungry, we ventured into
the Skiers Chalet (Skiers Cafe then) and through the windows the open slope rose
higher than any hill I had ever seen. I was mesmerized and terrified!! I knew one day
the mountains would be my home.
I urge the Council to reject the Gorsuch House proposal and take seriously the
diligent work of the Planning and Zoning members, the City Engineer, and the
Deputy Planning Director who unanimously rejected the Gorsuch House plan
because of its mass and scale. At over 47 feet tall the proposed Gorsuch House is out
of scale with the neighborhood and its mass at nearly 70,000 square feet is more
than twice the size of the Aspen Art Museum. As proposed, it will sit in the middle of
a ski run squeezing it and greatly obstructing the view of the open slope that has
welcomed generations of townspeople and visitors alike.
My hope is that the Aspen City Council will consider very carefully the future of the
historic west portal to Aspen Mountain.
Sincerely,
Shelley Emerick
Boulder
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Gorsuch house
From: Jessica Garrow
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 10:50 AM
To: Jennifer Phelan <jennifer.phelan@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: FW: Gorsuch house
Jessica Garrow, AICP
City of Aspen
Community Development Director
130 S Galena St
4spen, CO 81611
370.429.2780 (office)
370.319.9799 (cell)
,vww.aspenpitkin.com
Nww.aspencom m unityvoice.com
From: Steve Skadron
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 9:03 AM
To: Jessica Garrow<iessica.garrow@citvofaspen.com>
Subject: Fwd: Gorsuch house
for public record:
..............................
Steven Skadron
Mayor, City of Aspen
steve.skadron a(.citvofaspen.com
Begin forwarded message:
From: Balz Arrigoni <Balz(a)arrigoniwoods.com>
Subject: Gorsuch house
Date: February 6, 2017 at 10:17:51 PM MST
To:"Steve. Skad ron(Qcityofaspen. com" <Steve.Skadron(a)cityofasPen. com>
Dear Steve
Please allow me to send you my dearest support of the Gorsuch house.
Aspen and Aspen mountain are a great place on earth and with a project like the Gorsuch house, it
would really add an additional attraction to both and more so a message to the world of skiers and
current/future visitors of Aspen.
It is key to be innovative and creative as a team.
Sincerely
Balz Arrigoni
Jennifer Phelan
From: Trey <admin@manatee.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 2:28 PM
To: Jennifer Phelan
Subject: Gorsuch Haus applicaiton
Dear Jennifer,
I live at Shadow Mountain within 30 yards of the proposed Gorsuch Haus, am a Civil Engineer and have been
doing land development for the last 30 years. There are 3 items that are of concern regarding this project
1. As a minimum the front of the hotel needs space for an Ambulance, 6 vehicles for the hotel and 4 skier
drop-off parking spaces that is separated from the cul-de-sac by a 4 foot divider. This is at least 9 spaces plus
an ambulance. This area needs to be separated from the cul-de-sac by a 4' wide sidewalk to accommodate
opening of doors and luggage etc and needs a travel lane adjacent to the parking spaces separated from the cul-
de-sac. The cul-de-sac needs to be designed for the larger ladder trucks as this is the cul-de-sac that will last the
useful life of the project. Snow removal area is also needed to accommodate snow from the street. My concern
is that cars and other vehicles will back up into the only sheet (Aspen Street) that gets us into Shadow
Mountain.
2. South Aspen Street is important not to be vacated as it is needed for utilities as well as the Mud Flow study
that is being proposed. It is also used to hike up into the mountain as well. Mill Street is also needed for utilities
as well as a secondary means of access to the town by foot. It is a gentler slope and easier to walk on than South
Aspen Street and is used often by Shadow Mountain residents.
3. The Proposed developments has multifamily on both sides and open space up the mountain. In my
experience a project needs to conform to the surrounding environment. This project needs to look multifamily
or single family or the way it is which is mostly open.
I am sure there are other areas of concern but these are of special concern to the surrounding neighborhood.
Thank you,
Trey Desenberg
adminge manatee.com
fax 866-386-4472
phone 941-780-4000
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: In Support of Gorsuch Haus
From: Steve Skadron
Sent: Tuesday, February 7, 2017 9:47 AM
To: Jessica Garrow<iessica.garrow@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: Fwd: In Support of Gorsuch Haus
for public record:
..............................
Steven Skadron
Mayor, City of Aspen
>teve.s ka d ro n (a)c itvofas pen.c om
Begin forwarded message:
From: Sarah -Jane Johnson <sarahjane sarahianeiohnson.com>
Subject: FW: In Support of Gorsuch Haus
Date: February 7, 2017 at 9:28:02 AM MST
To: "Steve.Skadron(Ja)cityofaspen.com"<Steve. Skad ronC@cityofaspen. corn>
Dear Steve,
By way of Jeff Gorsuch, I am sending you an email addressed to you, written by FIS World
Champion and Olympian Mikaela Shiffrin (who is overseas right now), expressing her support
for the Gorsuch Haus development. May I ask you add this to the public record as you consider
this community -orientated project.
Please let me know if you have any questions or need any further information from Mikaela and
her team.
Best wishes,
Sarah -Jane Johnson
For Jeff Gorsuch, Gorsuch Haus
SARAH-JANE JOHNSON I SJPR
COMMUNICATIONS FOR LIFESTYLE BRANDS
direct: +310.854.2408
email: media a,slpr.net
The NEW SJPR Website is here!
Begin forwarded message:
From: TeamShiffrin <teamshiffrin(a�me.com>
Date: February 5, 2017 at 12:36:52 AM GMT+1
To: Jeff Gorsuch <jeftieyaorsuch8 cr gmail.com>
Cc: Eileen Shiffrin <eshiffrin ia,mac.com>, Albrecht Kilian
<kilian = albrechtsc.com>
Subject: In Support of Gorsuch Haus
Dear Mayor Skadron and the City Council of Aspen,
It's hard to imagine World Cup racing without Aspen, or Aspen without
WCs. I'm still a "kid" but Aspen brings such great memories and feelings of
nostalgia. Everything about the events, town, organizers, and especially the hill at
Aspen brings feelings of excitement and such wonderful memories. I'll never
forget seeing green light and -3.07 there last year. I sure hope the opportunity to
repeat continues for many years. I fully support the efforts by Jeff Gorsuch and
The Gorsuch Hans team to make sure Aspen remains a permanent stop on the
World Cup tour. Mikaela Shiffrin
. r • 1. • ..;:.
Dear City Council Members;
Late last year, the planning director for the City of Aspen spent a good deal of time
analyzing the proposed Gorsuch House development and recommended that Planning
and Zoning reject the proposed development. Planning and Zoning, after appropriate
analysis and consideration, came to the same conclusion and rejected the massive
proposed hotel. We hope that you will consider the historical precedent in this area and
also reject the Gorsuch House rezoning request.
The proposed hotel is massive in scale and is positioned in the middle of a public ski
run. For more than 100 years, the citizens of Aspen and its guests have enjoyed the
beautiful views and the exceptional ski experience of the Lift One area. At 5 stories,
70,000 sf and 77 feet in height, this development will tower over other buildings in the
area. The surrounding residential buildings are limited to 2 stories in height or about
28 feet, and Gorsuch House should be subject to the same rules as it neighbors
including the recently approved Lift One Lodge immediately north of this proposed
development.
The land under the proposed hotel has historically been and is currently still zoned
Conservation. Conservation land is set aside for the benefit of all Aspen citizens for
their quiet enjoyment of the space and the sheer beauty of the mountainside. The
Developer is requesting that the City of Aspen rezone this conservation land so that the
Developer can take this shared community benefit, for their own private use, and
derive personal profit from our conservation land, essentially forever. This is unfair to
the taxpayers and residents of Aspen and I urge you to reject Gorsuch House's
proposed rezoning of the land.
Sincerely,
Pat and Rania Dempsey
Aspen, Colorado
LurAs PECK
lucas@rh,Wa com
February 8, 2017
By Email
Ms. Jennifer Phelan
Planning Deputy Director
City of Aspen
Jeniiefei,.pbelan@czlyofaspeli.com
Re: Gorsuch Haus/South Aspen Street ROW
Dear Ms. Phelan:
As you may recall, we represent Shadow Mountain Townhomes Association (SMTA) and in
connection therewith have previously shared some concerns over the Gorsuch Haus
development proposal. Most of those concerns remain and we would like to further explain and
reiterate SNITA's position with regard to the changes and burdens to South Aspen Street and
Shadow Mountain contemplated by the Gorsuch Haus proposal.
SMTA is repeating its objection to the developer's proposal to vacate the South Aspen Street
right of way (ROW) adjacent to the Shadow Mountain Townhomes' property. The Gorsuch
Haus developers propose vacating just half of the ROW, which carries with it the troubling
implication that the ROW will still exist. The burden of the ROW will be compressed and
exaggerated onto the remaining half of the ROW that is adjacent to the Shadow Mountain
property. Similarly, if the ROW remains necessary after half is vacated, the vacation magnifies
any utility of the remaining width of ROW, thereby ensuring Shadow Mountain will never enjoy
the same benefits of obtaining the land adjacent to the Shadow Mountain property. This is not
fair.
If the ROW is not necessary, Shadow Mountain believes that the entire ROW should be vacated,
with half of the ROW going to each the Gorsuch Haus property and the Shadow Mountain
property, as required by law. If the ROW or some portion of it is necessary, but a partial
vacation is being considered, Shadow Mountain believes the only fair option is to vacate equal
shares of the vacated portion of the ROW along each side of the ROW so that Gorsuch Haus
and Shadow Mountain are treated equally.
The ROW vacation also assumes an impressive imposition of density onto the Shadow
Mountain project. The Gorsuch Haus proposal is unique as the tallest lodge development on
the west side of Ajax. The proposed height and mass of the project are grossly disproportionate
MICHAEL FEIGEv'BAUM LUCAS PECK HEATHER MANOLAKAS, Of Cotiasel PETER P. DELANY, Paralegal
MIDJAND MAIS,
132 Midland Avenue, Suite 4, Basalt Colorado N 1621
Tel 970.925i 5190 1 Fax 970.925.A559 I imv.rfelawxon)
to this sensitive location. As has been well -described by other opponents of the current
proposal, the design embraces the downtown core by aggressively excluding anything `behind' it,
which; in this case, is the Shadow Mountain project. This giant project should not be permitted
to back up against the Shadow Mountain project even farther by absorbing some of the ROW
separating the two properties, suffocating the Shadow Mountain project.
Finally, and again stemming in part from the shrinking and pushing of ROW traffic toward the
Shadow Mountain project, Shadow Mountain has serious concerns about the proposed traffic
impacts of the Gorsuch Haus proposal. One need only scan the proposal for the roundabout
that will supposedly serve simultaneously the Lift One Lodge and Gorsuch Haus projects to
envision an S-Cmve-esque backup leaving Shadow Mountain residents and guests as prisoners
in their own parking lot.
SMTA's concerns over traffic and South Aspen Street generally were raised in connection with
the Lift One Lodge application. The developer actively engaged with SMTA and eventually won
SIVITA's support of the project. However, at the time Lift One Lodge was considered the last
development possibility on the south end of South Aspen Street. SMTA is considering an
independent traffic study and expects to provide additional information and details to the City
upon completion. In the interim, however, SMTA asks that the City review Gorsuch Haus's
proposed traffic plan with a critical eye.
We appreciate the City's consideration of SMTA's concerns and ask that this letter be included
with the next Staff Report so that SMTA's interests are made known.
Sincerely,
Lucas Peck I Peck.Feigenbaump,
By-
Cc: Karen Hartman
Page 12
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: GORSUCH HAUS
From: Steve Skadron
Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 10:54 AM
To: Jessica Garrow <iessica.garrow citvofaspen.com>
Subject: Fwd: GORSUCH HAUS
for PR:
..............................
Steven Skadron
Mayor, City of Aspen
steve.skadronna citvofaspen.com
Begin forwarded message:
From: <rwg(a)gunnfinancial.com>
Subject: GORSUCH HAUS
Date: February 8, 2017 at 10:51:30 AM MST
To:<steve.skadron(a)cityofaspen.com>,<adam.frisch(a)cityofaspen.com>,
<bert.myrin(a)cityofaspen.com>,<ann.mullins(cr),cityofaspen.com>
Dear City Council Members:
I am a second home owner with a residence at the corner of West Hopkins and South Second Street. I have been
following the progress of the Gorsuch Haus application process and have been impressed with the developers
concept and approach to the various issues involved.
Their concept of public space and amenities at the Lift IA area, as well as the additional hotel beds, would be a
welcomed addition to my end of town. Having another up to date access to the mountain, especially from that side,
is something that has been severly lacking and certainly is needed. While not being able to solve all issues (Dean
Street lift extension as an example), the plan does bring a much needed quality development with public amenities to
that area.
I urge you to voice your approval to the development.
Thank you
Robert Gunn
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Letter 1A
On 2/7/17, 10:34 AM, "vanessa corona" <alloyluna@me.com> wrote:
Dear City Council,
Please work with the Gorsuch Haus team to get a hotel built at the base of Lift 1A.
I have lived in Aspen since 2007, own a condo here and have been skiing on Aspen Mountain since the 1980s. The
state of disrepair around Lift 1A is an embarrassment. It has become the Private Idaho of a handful of condominium
owners and another handful of locals who like to park there. The base area looks like it was built in 1972, which in fact it
was.
Gorsuch Haus is a chance to build a classy hotel with a restaurant and bar that will serve locals and visitors alike. A
hotel makes sense at the base of our ski area. And credit to the Gorsuch Haus team for pulling the building back from
Norway in their latest redesign and positioning the new lift so it can extend down the hill if Michael Brown, the owner of
the soon -to -be -built Lift One Lodge private condominium club, allows it to move further down.
Change is coming to the neighborhood. Every other alternative — monster mansions, a private condominium club, or
just more condos — serves only the people who own property there. Hotels like Gorsuch Haus serve the community in a
way that no other type of building does. Take for example the difference between the Dancing Bear, a private
condominium club, and the Limelight, a hotel. The Dancing Bear is a dark building where nobody goes. The Limelight is a
center of activity for visitors and locals alike. The same is true of the Sky, Hotel Jerome and Little Nell.
Let's make it a place we can all enjoy! Gorsuch Haus is the right project for Aspen's original base area.
Vanessa Corona
Aspen
8 February 2017
South Aspen Street
Aspen, Colorado
Dear Members of The City Council
It seems that the controversy over the Gorsuch Hans proposal is becoming
too abstract, as ,In escalating contest of philosophies: Growth or Tradition?;
Improvement or Preservation?; Private or Public Use? and the like,
These sorts of labels and concepts have their place in public discourse, but
they also make people - on both sides - mount their beautiful horses and look down
self-righteously on then- adversaries, even when those adversaries are their friends
and neighbors.
Rather than throw around labels, we might all be better served by focusing
upon the merits and demerits of this specific development. It seems tome that the
most telling facts are right therein front of us, if we will see thern. The project
seeks and depends upon a zoning change, from the present Conservation zoning, to
"SKI" riming. I a other words, tit) der the zoning rules now applicable to this land,
the project is far too massive and far too tall to be built. The developers seek to
apply a special designation, created for the Aspen Highlands project, to a property
bordering the core of Aspen; that is almost literally the definition of inappropriate.
They seek to place a massive building into an existing ski run_
That's a sufficient red flag in itself. Before even reaching considerations of
traffic congestion, reduced public access, placement of a new lift, and the sightlines
from downtown, etc,, this call for exemption (not merely variance) from the
applicable zoning should tell us how remarkably beyond standards this project
would be.
The city's own planning experts have called for substantial reductions in
height and mass of this proposed project. This really should not be a hair-splitting
call for the City Council, if you examine the specifics. Aspen, the city we all love, will
Flourish if each such decision is made with common sense and in good faith; the
philosophy will take care of itself.
Sincerely,
Arthur Washington
cc via email:
Mayor Steve Skadron
Planning & Zoning Comm, c/o Cindy Klob
Aspen Daily News
Aspen Times
Jennifer Phelan
From: dallasprunskis@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 8, 2017 6:07 PM
To: Steve Skadron; Adam Frisch; art.dily@cityofaspen.com; Ann Mullins; Bert Myrin; Jessica
Garrow; Jennifer Phelan; Cindy Klob
Subject: Gorsuch Haus Opposition
Dear Aspen City Council Members,
I am writing to oppose the development of Gorsuch Haus.
It will obstruct the mountain views, essentially close a ski run replacing it with a huge structure, compromise access to
emergency vehicles assisting in injured skier transport, and create a traffic mess on Aspen Street. The negatives far out
way any perceived positives.
Why were the project's story poles removed mere hours after they were put up? Obviously this slick move took place
because the developers want to conceal the mass and size of their project.
The property is zoned "Conservation". What about this proposed development is consistent with "Conservation"?
The City's Planning & Zoning Commission, whose expertise is supported by taxpayers, has voted unanimously to reject
the Gorsuch Haus application. The Aspen City Council should do the same.
Sincerely,
Terri Prunskis
Illinois
Jennifer Phelan
From: Megan Harvey <meglet0622@gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2017 10:02 AM
To: Jennifer Phelan; Steve Skadron; Ann Mullins; Adam Frisch; Bert Myrin; Art Daily
Subject: Letter in Support of Gorsuch Haus
I am writing to the people of Aspen and our City Council to ask you all to recognize that the Gorsuch
Plan is a necessary addition to our community and to our heritage as a town. And who better to make an
addition to a ski town than people like Jeff Gorsuch and his partner Bryan Peterson who both grew up in
ski communities? They understand our culture and our customs and both have raised their families here
and built businesses. They have a stake in our community.
For years we have all seen the empty lots on the hill leading up to the base of Lift IA. We all know that
something has to happen at the base of Lift 1A, and a hotel is the best and most public option. We need a
new lift. We need more hot beds in this town. Gorsuch Hans will add both. It's important to note that the
development that's been approved below, Lift One Lodge, is slated to become a private condominium
club. It will be no more public than the Dancing Bear or the Gant. Gorsuch Hans will be a real hotel like
the Limelight and Sky, and bring liveliness and vibrancy to the base of Aspen Mountain where it makes
complete sense.
We all survive on the success of this town. The Gorsuch plan is tasteful and complimentary to Aspen's
original base area, which once was home to the longest lift in the world and many lodges and some great
dining. Gorsuch Hans will bring lodging and a restaurant back to that side of the mountain, and the new
lift and base area that comes with it will only make the experience of skiing Aspen Mountain more
pleasurable.
My family moved to Aspen before the pedestrian malls were in place and when some streets were still
dirt, in the days of Tom's Market, The Wienerstube restaurant, Pinocchio's Pizzeria and Crossroad's
Drug. Some of the new buildings that have gone up in recent years in this town have been awful, and
their empty spaces makes me wonder if the builders care one iota about Aspen. But I also recognize that
change is inevitable, especially in the long -neglected area around Lift IA. I don't want someone coming in
from the outside to make a quick buck by developing condos or monster homes that have the lights
turned off 48 weeks every year.
I want someone who has grown up in this environment. Someone who has their children in school here
and is entrenched in our business community. Someone who wants our community and resort to thrive. I
support Jeff Gorsuch and Bryan Peterson and their vision to make Aspen a better and more inclusive
community.
Megan Harvey Bourke
Aspen, CO
Megan Harvey Bourke
970-618-4840
To the Aspen City Council and Mayor Steve Skadron I
I would am writing on behalf of the proposed Gorsuch Haus Hotel at the base of Aspen Mountain. I have lived here my
whole life and even though I love the secret stash of skiing on Lift IA, I know it will eventually need to change, not
just for the World Cup but for the resort, our community and the Aspen Skiing Co as well.
Primarily, I am concerned that there is a public entity at the bottom of Lift IA! I fear the direction of private clubs,
estates and fractional condominiums that has occurred in Aspen and at other resorts. The scale of the Gorsuch Aaus
may (or may not) need to be modified to work in an aesthetic way with the existing structures and character of the area,
but the concept of a public hotel with restaurant and facilities is a welcome idea for an area that sadly has become a
ghost town.
I would also like to share that the Gorsuch family is passionate about this community, the ski industry and the
legacy/history of skiing. Their connection to the industry and this wonderful place we all call home will instill a greater
sense of pride in the outcome of the project.
John McBride, Jr.
Old Snowmass
Alpine Director, Aspen Valley Ski Club
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: From Gunnar Sachs on Gorsuch Haus
From: Steve Skadron<steve.sl<adron@cityofaspen.com>
Date: February 10, 2017 at 11:58:02 AM MST
To: Jessica Garrow<lessica.garrow@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: Fwd: From Gunnar Sachs on Gorsuch Haus
For PR:
Steven Skadron
Mayor, City of Aspen
Begin forwarded message:
From: Gunnar Sachs <Gunnar@sachsaspen.com>
Date: February 10, 2017 at 8:50:03 AM MST
To:"steve.sl<adron@cityofaspen.com"<steve.skadron@cityofaspen.com>,
"ann.mullins@citVofaspen.com" <ann.mullins@cityofaspen.com>,
"bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com" <bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>,
"art.daly@citvofaspen.com" <art.daly cityofaspen.com>,
"adam.frisch@citvofaspen.com" <adam.frisch@citvofaspen.com>
Subject: From Gunnar Sachs on Gorsuch Haus
Dear Mayor Skadron,
Dear Aspen City Council,
Let me begin with introducing myself as a longtime Aspenite and advocate for
preserving our small-town character, while also supporting responsible development
that showcases our environmental and historical leadership. I am originally from
Switzerland, yet have been happily connected to Aspen for over 29 years. To say I love
this town is an understatement. I graduated from CRMS in 1990 and have since owned,
or partly owned, several businesses in town, been an Aspen homeowner for over 20
years and feel fortunate to have a connection with all echelons of the Aspen
community.
With this letter, I would like to voice my support for the Gorsuch Haus proposal, and
particularly the fact that Jeff Gorsuch is the driving force behind it. As I am sure you
know all too well, these types of projects live and die by the people behind them.
There are few mountain families that are exemplary when it comes to high end
American ski towns, I think it is fair to name the Gorsuch family as one of them. Their
retail stores, which in my opinion are unmatched, revolve around the sport of skiing,
mountain fashion and historic mountain living. For Aspen the Gorsuch family patron is
Jeff, whose love of, dedication to, and caring for the Aspen community is unparalleled.
So who better to take part in improving the Lift 1A side of Aspen Mountain?
Jeff's ski racing background, and huge support of AVSC are completely in alignment with
the ski racing heritage of the Lift 1A area. Jeff absolutely lights up when he speaks about
the history of Lift 1A, the lodges, the Skiers Chalet, the Steak House and the racing that
has occurred there. It is only that kind of energy,.vision and respect for the past, that
will be able to light up the shadow of Shadow Mountain. I am confident the hotel Jeff
and his partners plan to build, and that will bear his family's name, will be reflective of,
committed to and honor the deep skiing history of that neighborhood.
I feel strongly that Aspen's hosting of World Cup skiing events adds to Aspen's allure
and its international profile. However, currently Lift 1A and the base area on that side
of the mountain leaves a lot to be desired. The lift infrastructure is more than 40 years
old and is reflective of a very different era in Aspen. I appreciate its historic value, and
am certain that the Gorsuch Haus partners and the City Council will work together to
find a solution that will benefit locals and visitors alike, while providing the base area
with world class amenities that are in tune with its surroundings and history.
I personally think that Aspen is America's most international ski resort which gives it its
unique feel. It would be a shame if we lost the possibility of hosting future World Cup
events.that help show off this amazing ski area and our magnificent town on an
international stage. With the sad loss of Ruthie's, there is neither a restaurant nor
restroom on that side of the mountain including the base of Lift 1A. Jeff's vision of
Gorsuch Haus would more than fill this gap, incorporating a new lift and all the
amenities that can be expected on one of the world's most iconic ski mountains.
Gorsuch Haus will add light, vitality and I am sure tasteful beauty that we can all be
proud of, to this antiquated shadowy part of our ski town
I must say, I completely agree with Jeff and his partners that Aspen deserves a lodge
that is completely connected to Aspen Mountain and its history, in the place where
Aspen Mountain was first opened to the world. I hope you give Jeff and his partners the
opportunity to prove their worthiness of your trust to enhance this area in line with the
spirit of our wonderful Aspen.
Finally, as this is the only letter I have written to you as Mayor and the City Council I
would just like to add a line of thanks for your efforts in keeping Aspen as great as it is.
Sincerely,
Gunnar Sachs
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Todd Wilson FW: A Letter in Support of Gorsuch Haus
From: Todd Wilson <trwilsonl@gmail.com>
Date: Friday, February 10, 2017 at 8:51 PM
To: Steven Skadron<steve.skadron@citvofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch <adam.frisch@cityofaspen. com>, Ann
Mullins <Ann.Mullins@citvofaspen.com>, Cuthbert Myrin <hert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: A Letter in Support of Gorsuch Haus
Dear Mayor Steve Skadron and Aspen City Council Members,
I respectfully submit the below letter in support of the Gorsuch Haus project:
A straw man fallacy argument is when the viewpoints you are using to argue your conclusion are not actually
related to or controlled by the opposition. Much of the objection to Gorsuch Haus falls into this category. The
prime example is the extension of Lift 1 A down to Dean St. Notwithstanding the fact that SkiCo, not Gorsuch,
determines the lift location, this possibility disappeared with the City Councils previous approval of the Lift
One Lodge. The design of the Lodge buildings precludes installation of a conventional lift through or
overhead. And to the east, the donated Dolinsek Parcel, designated as public park, doesn't allow for a lift to
pass. The corridor between the Lodge buildings is too narrow for simultaneous platter lift operation and skiing
down to Dean St. There are also concerns about guaranteeing snow coverage any lower than SkiCo already
provides.
A Planning Commissioner said in reference to a shuttle that a rubber tired solution is not a solution. In fact, this
is the best solution. No only because a lift isn't possible, but also because the Lift One Lodge will encroach on
the existing parking along South Aspen St. With a shuttle provided by Gorsuch Haus running between Ruby
Park and the top of S. Aspen St with a stop at the corner of Dean, if anything this will make the new lift more
accessible to all. It may be 66 steps from the shuttle drop of to the lift, but if this is too many for you to handle,
then perhaps Buttermilk is more your speed.
I encourage you to embrace the premise that there should be a revitalized, redeveloped base, and that any new
lift will not extend any further down. Once you accept that, it is clear that this proposal is the best option and
opportunity to actually make it happen through collaboration with the town, SkiCo, and the Gorsuch Haus
Team. The devil is in the details, and anyone who reviews the plans can see that Jeff Gorsuch and partners have
gone to great lengths to pay attention to the details to get this right. After criticism of mass and scale, there
were significant changes made from the original plans to create a more open, welcoming approach and ensure
access for all to the lift. For those locals who love that side of the mountain, it means more vertical in a day and
a public changing area to leave your shoes. For the Ski Patrol it means a new facility worthy of their
contribution to our daily safety. For visitors and guests it means hot beds at a time when they are lacking. And
finally, commercial space that, unlike some new buildings in town, won't be vacant because there's already a
tenant planned.
The support is there, from some neighborhood residents, from life long locals, and even from patriarchal
figurehead Klaus Obermeyer. Now is the time to get it done and get it done right.
Respectfully,
Todd Wilson, 600 East Main St, 306, Aspen, CO
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Patrice Baker FW: Shadow Mountain Hotel
From: Patrice Becker <42patrice@gmail.com>
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 12:47 PM
To: Steven Skadron <steve.sl<adron@cityofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch <adam.frisch cityofaspen.com>, Art
Daily <art.daily@cityofaspen.com>, Ann Mullins <Ann.Mullins@cityofaspen.com>, Cuthbert Myrin
<bert.mvrin@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: Shadow Mountain Hotel
Hello Mayor and Council,
I urge you to deny GH Big Dumb Hotel at your next meeting
I grew up in Aspen in the 70's and Shadow Mountain is a favorite spot of mine. Many other Aspenites feel the
some way.
Developing that area as private is a disservice to our community.
Developer GH wants to make new rules different from The Mountain Base Charter Area of the Commercial
lodging History Guidelines.
1-Provide sense of human scale (25 ft.)
2-Reflect natural topography
Also, this development is not following 8040 Greenline Review Area protection.The city adopted standards to
lesson disturbance to the land as well as requiring that height and bulk be minimized.
This project is too big and does not belong in a residential neighborhood.
How can anyone argue that these rules should not be broken.
We need developers to understand the true nature of Aspen.
Please Save Shadow Mountain From Development.
Thank you for your time,
Patrice K. Becker
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Simon Pinniger FW: Support Gorsuch Haus
From: Simon Pinniger <simon@usagri.com>
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 5:47 PM
To: Steven Skadron<steve.skadron@citvofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch <adam.frisch@citvofaspen.com>, Art
Daily <art.daily@cityofaspen.com>, Ann. Mullins <Ann.Mullins cityofaspen.com>, Cuthbert Myrin
<bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: Support Gorsuch Haus
Dear City Council,
Aspen should already be enjoying the benefits of a totally revamped second portal onto Aspen Mountain,
already enjoying a five-star hotel at the top of Aspen Street, already enjoying a new high-speed quad up to
Ruthies and already celebrating a winning chance to host FIS races on a regular basis but because of the short-
sightedness of previous City Councils we continue to have a moribund, dilapidated part of town; and the current
construction of fourteen townhouses won't cure this problem.
Gorsuch Haus is our last chance to have a fully integrated re -development at the top of Aspen Sheet and one
which will serve our community for the rest of this century, so please use your authority to help move this
project forward.
The hotel will provide beds exactly where the city needs them most; slope -side. The hotel and the new chairlift
will help rebalance Aspen to where it was historically; before the gondola pulled the center of gravity east.
Will Gorsuch Hans be bigger than nearby residences? Sure! Is the Wheeler Opera House bigger than the old
Aspen Times building next door? Sure; but we love them both! After the protracted battles over the mass and
scale of the St Regis, does anyone even notice the St Regis today? No! And, it will be the same with Gorsuch
Haus.
This is a truly local project. Bryan Peterson and Jeff Gorsuch are Aspen. The Aspen City Council on behalf of
its citizens should support them wholeheartedly.
Sincerely,
Simon Pinniger
Aspen
PS: As for the new chairlift, we can rely on the Aspen Skiing Company to place it where it best
serves it's skiing patrons.
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Mizen Re: Gorsuch Haus proposal...
From: Adam Frisch
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2017 9:55 AM
To: Michael Mizen <m.mizen@mizen.com>
Cc: Jennifer Phelan <jennifer.phelan@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: Mizen Re: Gorsuch Haus proposal...
Michael -
Good morning to you.
Thank you for below.
See you and Peggi tonight.
Best-
-a
adam b. frisch
council member
the city of aspen
130 s. galena street
aspen, co 81611-1975
p.970.925.5199
C. 970.920.5119
edam frischLcib,oraspen com
From: Michael Mizen <m.mizen@mizen.com>
Date: Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 7:46 PM
To: Adam Frisch <adam.frisch@cityofaspen.com>
Cc: Steven Skadron <Steve.sl<adron@citvofaspen.com>, Ann Mullins <Ann.Mullins@cityofaspen.com>,
Cuthbert Myrin <bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>, Art Daily <art.daily@cityofaspen.com>, Jessica Garrow
<jessica.Rarrow@citvofaspen.com>, Jennifer Phelan<jennifer.phelan@citvofaspen.com>
Subject: Re: Gorsuch Haus proposal...
Councilman Frisch. Thank you for your comments and as a courtesy to the entire Council and P&Z staff I am
sending a copy of my response to your question.
1 have learned through Mayor Skadron and others that you have an obligation to review the Gorsuch Haus
proposal despite having a unanimous P&Z recommendation otherwise. It is, one issue to have a divided vote at
the P&Z level and thus your input to settle the decision. For Gorsuch Hans there was no divided vote.
Personally I am disappointed.
1
But this is your fiduciary duty and I thank you again for your time and effort.
I can see how you and other members of Council might interpret my earlier comment about 'being self serving'
as applying to the Aspen City Council itself. That was not my intention; instead, it is the promoters of Gorsuch
Haus that are being self serving.
While the GH group has done their best to cloak themselves in the gown of `town benefactors' Gorsuch Haus
stands to make a great deal of money by sticking a large hotel high on Aspen Mountain on land that has, for
over a quarter century, been zoned "Conservation."
As reported in many scenarios The Aspen Land Use Code, Conservation zoning's purpose is, "...To provide
areas of low density development to enhance public recreation, conserve natural resources, ...and to contain
urban development" (26.710.220).
Requesting a change in zoning so they can get their economically required massive hotel high on the hill is
nothing more than a scheme to make money at the expense of the public good/goodwill that has been promoted
so far by Gorsuch Hans. Again this seems to me incredibly self serving.
Building a project to make money is not a problem. In my opinion the methods employed by Gorsuch Hans to
get local concerns to endorse short term local concerns to mask long term consequences is a si ificant issue issue. Your decisions about Gorsuch Hans represents the long term consequences that are your
responsibilities in February 2017; in the era of email, social media, and other tactics I recognize this is a
difficult point of view. I offer no specific assistance. You are in "uncharted waters" when having to make this
determination.
Please know like the Gorsuch family we been here since 1972 and my wife's family (Seelbach) have being here
10 plus years before this time (1962) as property owners and taxpayers not property investors. We remain
passionate about how Aspen should evolve.
Again Councilman Frisch. Thank you for you comments.
Peggi Seelbach Mizen and I will be present February 13th. We look forward the experience.
Michael R. Mizen
Mizen & Associates, LLC
On Feb 9, 2017, at 1:48 PM, Adam Frisch madam frisch(c�cityofaspen com> wrote:
Michael -
Thank you for your email and sharing your thoughts.
While I am unable to comment outside of a public meeting on alive land use application's
specifics, I do want to acknowledge your letter.
Having said that, I would like to respectfully seek a bit of clarity on a few items you mentioned:
First, I am not sure how familiar you are with the Land Use Code process in Aspen, but the
applicant asked to move to the Council level; it was not Council who asked, thus `override'
anyone. Currently, it is the applicant's right to ask, even in the face of a 0-6 PNZ vote and
lacking Staff support, to have their case made in front of the Council.
We have only gone through a first reading, which is a very preliminary step for Council to ask
questions of Staff, to bring back for a second (but not necessarily last), reading, which includes
an applicant presentation (which we have not seen), as well as public comment.
Secondly, and more importantly, can you please clarify what about this project is `self-serving'
to me or any others at the Council table.
I hope you are enjoying the great snow we have in town.
-a
adam b. frisch
council member
the city of aspen
130 s. galena street
aspen, co 81611-1975
p.970.925.5199
f. 970.920.5119
adam.frisch cr cit,} ofaspen.com
On 2/5/17, 8:19 PM, "Michael Mizen" <m.mizen&rmzen.com> wrote:
Thank you for considering my point of view about this project.
It is disappointing that you have chosen to override the very sound recommendations of both the
City of Aspen's own professional, highly trained planners as well as those of the P&Z
Commissioners. Moreover I am not happy to hear that the City Council, in its wisdom, thinks
city planning somehow is better resolved by you rather than these committed individuals.
I urgently request you give extreme scrutiny to any modifications that will arise from these new
presentations in 2017. Problems remain in 2017 that were present when Gorsuch Hans was first
put forward by the developers in 2016 when they tried to cloak themselves in the mantle of
`town benefactors'.
In particular:
1-I do not believe that a hotel of any size — and certainly not the bloated proposed size of
Gorsuch Haus — located in the middle of a current ski area represents a value year around to the
city of Aspen, it's residents, and visitors. The significant mutilation of the view of this area of
Ajax from the perspective of Ruby Park, the Transportation Center or the Smugger Mountain
road just to mention a few of the vantage points —from anywhere in town cannot be
underestimated. Moreover, if you permit this project to be built, Aspen will be stuck with it for
time immemorial. This is not an exaggeration. Unlike the canvas tents/scaffolding the SkiCo
erects for temporary use from time to time(example XGames last week, mobile free champagne
carts on multiple mountains for the past several years), the Gorsuch's hotel high on the hill will
be around forever!
If, in the Council's wisdom, you are thinking of allowing this self-serving project to move
forward, it should be mandatory to have story poles erected, and left in place for at least a month.
No more of the developer's "instant story poles" of last fall, that disappeared almost before they
were erected! In addition, the developers should be required to provide 3D modeling to better
portray the potential obstruction of their project. Importantly I believe it is important to require
the developers to properly advertise the presence of both story poles and 3D modeling so Aspen
citizens can better inform themselves as to what may be in store for them.
Council members -If this is such a wonderful project for the residents of Aspen let yourselves and
citizen look at the story poles from Dean, Durant, or Cooper Street at multiple times of day
during both snow and non snow season and decide the choices you wish to live with going
forward.
2-If the merits of this project are to provide more Winter skier access then how will people be
effectively moved using 12 passenger vehicles from the Transportation Center or other locations
in the vicinity of the Silver Queen Gondola? Lines and waits for the "new lift I a transport" will
drive potential skiers to take the far easier route to the Silver Queen just a flat block away.
Thus your decision to proceed as requested will be to allow the new area becomes a
usable "feature" only for guests on South Aspen street. In passing know while these rubber tire
units might be successful moving people in town they will likely fail attempting to negotiate one
of the steepest city streets in Aspen that even cinder trucks with chains have challenges when
providing services to this part of our town after snow storms.
3-While the ski season is November to April it would be equally significant for the developers to
substantiate economic data supporting the merits of altering the west side of Ajax. Without the
skiing, who in the world would want to stay at a hotel on the far edge of town up on the
mountain in seasons other than ski? Note there are no renderings of any scenario other than
winter possibilities. ,
How do you say'White Elephant'?
Sincerely,
Michael Mizen
Lakewood Ohio/Aspen Colorado
Michael R. Mizen
Mizen & Associates, LLC
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Rudd Knutzen Re: Gorsuch Haus and public access / new lift
From: Rudd Knutzen <rudd.knutzen@gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 8:39 PM
To: Steven Skadron <steve.sl<adron@cityofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch <adam.frisch@cityofaspen.com>, Ann
Mullins <Ann.Mullins@cityofaspen.com>, Cuthbert Myrin <bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>,
"letters@aspendailynews.com" <letters@aspendailynews.com>, "mail@aspentimes.com"
<mail@aspentimes.com>, Curtis Wackerle <curtis@aspendailynews.com>, Rick Carroll
<rcarroll@aspentimes.com>
Subject: Gorsuch Haus and public access / new lift
To the honorable mayor, Steve Skadron and members of the city council;
40 plus years ago, I was an Aspen resident, employed by the Aspen Ski Company. Skier's Chalet was one of
our preferred family restaurants for special occasion dinners and good times. Ruthie's and Norway were among
our most frequented ski runs. Although we no longer live in Aspen, it remains a favorite destination. Our love
of Aspen began several generations ago.
During the latter part of the 1800's, our great grandfather delivered supplies to Aspen from Salida and Buena
Vista over Independence Pass via mule train. Our grandfather and uncle were among the ski racers who
climbed Ajax to compete in the early ski racing years, I believe prior to the boat tow. Our mother competed in
Aspen during the 40's. My first chair lift ride was in the mid 50's on the single chair lift. It was quite a thrill
coming from a small town with a T-bar lift to ski on the world famous Aspen mountain, and to watch another
uncle participate in the international ski races and Ruch cup. In the 60's and 70's my brother and I were
privileged to compete in those same national and international events. In the 80's my first cousin competed in
Aspen and currently my second cousins are competing as Aspen Ski Team members. Aspen has always been
and continues to be such an amazing community... great skiing, wonderful friends and terrific memories...
This letter is written sincerely, in support of the proposed Gorsuch public access development and public
hotel. The facilities and access point will improve the quality of experience for local families and serve as a
gathering area for current and future visitors to Aspen including the World Cup ski racers from all nations.
I encourage those who are charged with the decision making to acknowledge and approve this high quality
project, not for just a few elites, but for the public, whether they be residents of Aspen, or residents of the
world. This is your opportunity to renew the Aspen skiing legacy.
Respectfully,
Rudd (Pyles) Knutzen
Dear Council Members:
I'm a bit amazed by objections concerning the Gorsuch Haus. They baffle me. This is
the perfect project for taking what is now a dump and turning it to a real jewel on the
western slopes of Aspen Mountain. Aspen Mountain is really out of balance with its
own shape and history because it has such a nice entry portal on the eastern side, and
a really horrible entrance to the west (where the whole thing started!) Unless there is a
development on the west, that place will fall further into disrepair. Or, just as bad,
become a tasteless and empty development.
Certainly the project needs to be done properly. Therefore, it's gratifying that these guys have
their own interests carefully woven into the interests and needs of the resort. It fits Aspen--iV
present-day culture, its heritage as a top ski area, and its commitment to big ski races. And it is
a nice combination between hotel and public fun place. It reminds me of the Limelight and the
Little Nell. Cozy and inviting.
This project is probably the only viable possibility that will keep World Cup Skiing in Aspen.
Certainly it is the least impactful. In fact, it will be a really positive impact on an area that really
needs it.
And, finally, it's being presented by locals —Geoff Gorsuch and Bryan Peterson —folks we can
trust —who understand the need to develop carefully, and who have been really responsive to
suggestions about impacts on the terrain, access (both from uphill and downhill), size, location,
housing mitigation etc. This really is a project for all of us, and a great way to evolve the face of
the western portion of the mountain. Oh! Yeah, I forgot. Something about a new highspeed
quad. I mean, what a great project!
Please make it happen.
Weems Westfeldt
WARS CAMPBELL RIVERA
JOHNSON &.VELASQUEZa
February 9, 2017
Vie Em/t/
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
Deputy Director
Aspen Community Development Department
130 S. Galena Street, 3" Floor
Aspen, CO 81611
Re: Gorsuch I-Iaus Application
Dear City Council:
Bart Johnson
970.544,4602
johnson@wcriegal.com
Our firm represents Lift One Lodge Aspen I.LC, which is the owner of the Lift One
Lodge property located along South Aspen Street in the City of Aspen. As you know, Lift One
Lodge was approved as a subdivision/PUD pursuant to City Council Ordinance No. 28, Series of
2011, as recently amended by a minor amendment approved by Planning and Zoning
Commission Resolution No. 2, Series o1'201 6.
The approval of Lift One Lodge was the result of a long and collaborative process
between the original applicant, the project's neighbors, the City, and the Aspen community at -
large. The overall plan for the project --which is literally designed around two public parks --
reflects a strong community desire to maintain a close physical and visual connection between
the development along South Aspen Street and Aspen Mountain, all while remaining grounded
in Aspen's skiing history. Most every aspect of (lie Lift One Project is informed in some manner
by these overarching goals.
The pending Gorsuch Haus application thumbs its nose at all the community goals
embodied in the Lift One Lodge project and is incompatible with the Lift One Project and the
surrounding neighborhood in myriad ways.
While it may be true the west side of Aspen Mountain needs a new ski lit, it does not
necessarily follow and simply is not true that it also needs a lodge to go with that lift, The
proposed site of the Gorsuch Hans is currently zoned Conservation for a reason — it's a sensitive
site at the boundary of where the City transforms from urban to ski mountain, The Conservation
zone district is intended to "contain urban development," See LUC JS 26.710,220. It marks
where urban character is supposed to stop and the ski mountain is supposed to start. The
applicants want to change this fundamental demarcation —they Ivant to move the "beach" and
then build a big hotel right in the middle of it. There is no justification for such a dramatic
1350 SEVENTEENTH STREET SUITE 450 DENVER COLORADO 80202 rn 77.0-351 -4 700 P 720, 357 4745
,120 EAST MAIN STREET SUITE 210 ASPEN COLORADO 81611 470-544-7006 ' 1 666-492-0361 WCRLEGAL.COM
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 2
change to the existing land use pattern in this part of Aspen. Norway Island, LLC does not own
the property; it merely has it under contract based on the speculative notion that it can convince
the City to make a sea -change rezoning. There is no compelling reason for the City to do so.
Even if one assumes for the sake of argument that the far end of South Aspen Street on
the slopes of Aspen Mountain is appropriate for rezoning and large-scale development, then the
Gorsuch Haus application deserves rigorous scrutiny under the Aspen Land Use Code. The
proposal has been carefully crafted to sidestep and subvert various Land Use Code provisions
relating to fundamental development parameters such as building height, floor area ratio
affordable housing, density and the spirit of Referendum I approved by Aspen voters in 2015
(now Section 13.14 of the Aspen Home Rule Charter).
Ski Area Base Zoning Not Appropriate
The Gorsuch Hans property is currently located in the Conservation zone district. The
applicants propose to rezone the entire site to the Ski Area Base zone district. Their basic
argument for this rezoning is that it is "necessary to facilitate the redevelopment of Lift 1A"
because it will allow all the needed permitted uses and will accommodate the height of the
existing ski lift towers. These issues are red herrings. First, a new Lift I can be built without a
wholesale rezoning of the site and without building a new hotel to go with it. The Aspen Ski
Company has already received approval from the United States Forest Service to construct the
lift. And the height of the lift towers, if it's an issue at all, could be addressed by a variety of
land use tools short of a wholesale rezoning of the entire property. There is no reason this site
cannot and should not remain in the Conservation zone district and a new lift be built, leaving the
remainder of the site as ski area and open mountain just as it has been for decades.
If, for the sake of argument, one assumes that development of some type of new lodge
structure at the base of the new lift is warranted, then the project will need Planned Development
approval regardless of the underlying zone district, and all issues related to "allowed land uses,
layout, mass and scale, and dimensions of the project, including all deviations from zone district
allowances and limitations" can be established through the Planned Development process. See
LUC § 26,445.030, In other words, rezoning to the Ski Area Base zone district is not
"necessary" in any way for the Gorsuch Hans project.
Pursuant to Section 26.310.090.A of the Land Use Code, a rezoning is required to be
compatible with the surrounding zone districts. The Gorsuch Haus property is surrounded to the
east, west and north by Lodge zoning. If any rezoning is to occur to accommodate the Gorsuch
Haus plans, then the more appropriate and least disruptive approach to rezoning the property for
lodge uses would be to rezone the northern portion of the site where actual vertical development
will occur into the Lodge zone district, retain Conservation zoning for the larger portion to south
on the ski hill, and overlay the entire site with a Planned Development approval to address
necessary deviations to the allowed uses and dimensional requirements.
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 3
We submit that the real reasons the applicants want to rezone the property to Ski Area
Base zone district are: (a) the Ski Area Base zone district contains no dimensional limitations, as
repeated often in the Gorsuch Haus application; and (b) to avoid drawing attention to their
undermining of the spirit of Referendum 1 adopted by the City's voters just last year because
they are not applying for any variances. As you know, this Charter provision requires voter
authorization of certain land use approvals that, among other things, exceed zoning limitations
for allowable floor area or maximum height. This requirement applies to all of the non -
Conservation zone districts located in the downtown area of Aspen, and the clear, well -
publicized intent of this provisions is to ensure that future development in and around downtown
Aspen is not granted special variances without voter approval. But, importantly, the Ski Area
Base zone district is not included in the list of zone districts subject to potential voter referral.
Why? Because the Ski Area Base zoning has no dimensional limits at all and, plus, there is no
Ski Area Base zoning in the downtown area of Aspen. This zoning exists in only one place and
for one particular project.
The Ski Area Base zone district was created specifically and expressly for the Aspen
Highlands Village project, which the City annexed in 2000 as a fully entitled Planned Unit
Development originally approved by Pitkin County in 1998. The creation of the Ski Area Base
zone district occurred as part of the Aspen Highlands Village annexation in 2000. According to
the meeting minutes from the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting held on July 18, 2000,
the purpose of the Ski Area Base zone district was "to create a new zone district to apply to the
Aspen Highlands Village property.... a multi -use area with a complex of 8 buildings containing
ski -related uses." Likewise, the minutes from the City Council meeting of September 11, 2000
state that "to accommodate these uses [at the Highlands village area], staff proposed a code
amendment to create a new zone district." Finally, in its approval Ordinance from 2000, the City
Council recited, "the City of Aspen recently annexed property into its city boundaries which
needs an additional zoning district which shall be applied to the newly acquired properties."
South Aspen Street is not like Aspen Highlands Village, and we think most Aspenites
would agree that it should not aspire to be like Aspen Highlands Village. The Gorsuch Haus is
proposed as a single mixed -use lodge, not a "village" of 8 buildings spread across several acres.
The Ski Area Base zone district may be appropriate for a big new master planned base area, but
it is neither necessary nor appropriate for a single building on South Aspen Street. The fact that
the Ski Area Base zone district contains no dimensional limitations on building height, floor area
or setbacks makes it completely inappropriate for the Gorsuch Haus site.
If the City is inclined toward allowing a new lodge in what is currently a Conservation
area, then we suggest the City and the applicants look at the Gondola Plaza area at the base of
Aspen Mountain to get some guidance on a more appropriate approach to zoning the Gorsuch
Haus property. The plaza and gondola facilities adjacent to the Little Nell are zoned
Conservation with a PD overlay, while the surrounding development parcels are zoned with
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 4
more conventional downtown area zoning such as Lodge, Commercial Lodge, and Commercial
Core (with some PD overlay as appropriate). There is no good reason to depart from this basic
pattern. If any lodging development is to be approved, then most of the Gorsuch Haus property
should still remain in the Conservation zone district and the lower (northern) portion of the
property on which a lodge is planned to be built should be rezoned to the Lodge zone district, all
with a PD overlay.
Lodge District Analysis
Because the Lodge zone district is the most prevalent zoning in the area surrounding the
Gorsuch Haus proposal, it is appropriate to consider how Gorsuch Haus would fair if required to
comply with the Lodge zone district limitations.
Maximum Heieht: If in the Lodge zone district, the Gorsuch Haus would be
faced with a maximum building height of 28 feet. See LUC § 26.710.190.D.8.c.
The Gorsuch Hans application is asking for well in excess of this. The proposed
maximum height of the building is 49' feet and the average height is almost 35'.
Floor Area Ratio: The maximum.FAR ratio that would apply to Gorsuch Haus if
it were in the Lodge zone district would be 1:1. See LUC § 26.710.190.D11.b.
The Net Lot Area of proposed Lot 1 is 46,607 square feet, which under an FAR of
1:1 would result in a total permitted building floor area of 46,607 square feet.
The Gorsuch Haus proposal of 71,559 square feet exceeds this limit by over 50%.
Site Plan Incompatibility
Lift One Lodge is concerned, among other things, about accessibility to Lift IA, having
breathing room between the projects, maintaining return skier access to the Dean Street area, and
maintaining upslope views of the mountain. One item the Gorsuch Haus application never
mentions is the provision in the Lift One Lodge approvals for a surface/platter lift to move skiers
from Willoughby Park at the north end of the Lift One Lodge site to the bottom of Lift IA.
Most of the Lift One Lodge concerns have not been meaningfully addressed in the
pending Gorsuch Haus application. Below is a list of concerns Lift One Lodge has with the
proposed project:
Gorsuch Hans proposes to move the bottom of Lift IA approximately 70 feet
south up Aspen Mountain — farther away from town. The Gorsuch Haus team
claims in various parts of their application that the bottom of the lift will be as low
"as possible" on the mountain. What they mean is that it will be as low as
possible while still making room for oversized development on the site. Were it
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 5
not for the size and location of their building, the lift could easily be farther to the
north (i.e. closer to town).
• The distance to the new Lift IA, combined with the grade change, will require a
significant walk including two flights of stairs, in ski or snowboard boots, for
skiers/riders who are not Gorsuch Haus guests.
• The location, orientation and size of the proposed Gorsuch Haus building would
create a physical, visual and psychological barrier between Lift IA and the
community. The proposed building turns its back in the form of huge facades to
the town and creates a barrier screening the bottom of Lift I from the public
right-of-way. The Land Use Code requires that buildings in a Planned
Development be "oriented [and] sited to reflect the neighborhood context'. See
LUC § 26.445.050.C3. Gorsuch I-Iaus does not satisfy this standard.
• Though Gorsuch Haus is proposing to dedicate the new South Aspen Street cul-
de-sac as a public street, they are asking to privatize it in three significant ways.
First, they want to cantilever a large section of their building over the cul-de-sac.
Second, they will be using a significant portion of the cul-de-sac as a private pone
cochere entrance for their hotel, with passenger drop-off and pick-up and
presumably a valet parking operation using the public street for private purpose
and obstructing public use. Third, Gorsuch Haus wants to reserve private
ownership of what they call a "donut hole" in the middle of the cul-de-sac to
accommodate a structural column for their building. None of these uses is
appropriate for a public street.
• The easterly extension of the north end of the Gorsuch Haus building will limit
the view of Aspen Mountain from Willoughby Park, Lift One Park and the ski
corridor located on the Lift One Lodge site. The preservation of this view
corridor was fundamental to the Lift One Lodge approval process and site plan
design. The Land Use Code requires that a project preserve "structures or
features of the site that have historic, cultural, visual, or ecological importance or
contribute to the identity of the town." See LUC § 26.445.050.C2. Gorsuch
Haus does not satisfy this standard.
• The skier return corridor between the Gorsuch Haus and the Mountain Queen
Condominiums down toward the Lift One Lodge will be only 30 feet wide at its
narrowest point, will be shared with snow cats, and will be bounded by retaining
walls of undetermined size on the east, west and north. Skiers trying to find their
way back to the Lift One Lodge site and beyond will face a labyrinth -like
experience to get around the Gorsuch Haus project.
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 6
The Lift One Lodge approval contemplates the installation of a platter/surface lift
to move skiers from the Dean Street area, up through the public park areas of the
Lift One Lodge property to the bottom of Lift IA. Lift One Lodge is required to
place $600,000 in escrow for the benefit of the City to help fund the cost of
constructing this platter lift. This lift would provide a public transit alternative for
skier access to Lift IA. The Gorsuch Hans completely ignores the concept of
such a lift and would render it impossible to build. The Land Use Code requires
that a Planned Development improve transit facilities. See LUC § 26.445.050.F.
Gorsuch Haus does not satisfy this standard.
The location of the south end of the proposed hotel will dramatically affect the
Norway ski run, which is one of the gems of lower Aspen Mountain. Skiers who
ski the middle of Norway will need to traverse to their right to get around the
hotel before reaching the existing runout to make it back to the lift. Those who
choose to ski down the skier's left or all the way to the bottom of the middle of
the run will be forced to exit toward the South Aspen Street cul-de-sac between
Shadow Mountain Village and Gorsuch Haus and from there take off the skis or
board and then walk all the way back around to the bottom of Lift IA.
There is no accommodation for any public skier parking at the site, except for 4
parking spaces that were required to be in the cul-de-sac per the Lift One Lodge
approvals (and Gorsuch Haus wants to relocate these below grade in its garage).
By comparison, Lift One Lodge has agreed to provide 50 public parking spaces in
its parking garage (along with public ski lockers in its building). Lift One Lodge
should not bear the sole burden of accommodating public skier parking in this.
area.
The interface of the Gorsuch Haus development with the south end of the Lift
One Lodge is dominated by two proposed east -west retaining walls of uncertain
height, along with a proposed bus stop and trash receptacle immediately adjacent
to the outdoor patio area at the southwest corner of the Lift One Lodge building.
Not only are these uses and retaining walls incompatible with the Lift One Lodge
project, but the construction of the retaining walls would likely conflict with the
water and other utility lines that are and will be located in the Hill Street right-of-
way that forms the south boundary of the Lift One Lodge property.
• The proposed snow cat turnaround is just feet from the east building of the Lift
One Lodge project and will create unpleasant noise and diesel fume odors for Lift
One Lodge guests and the other neighbors,
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 7
• The summer access road for the mountain will run adjacent to the south boundary
of the Lift One Lodge project right in front outdoor patio and deck areas. The
noise, dust and fumes from maintenance trucks and equipment will not be
compatible with the Lift One Lodge uses.
• The proposed bus stop and ambulance parking area for Gorsuch Haus will be
located right on the South Aspen Street cul-de-sac immediately adjacent to the
outdoor restaurant space on the southwest side of Lift One Lodge.
• The entire South Aspen Street fagade of the Gorsuch Haus project does not relate
in any positive way to the open commercial fagade of the Lift One Lodge.
In summary, the Gorsuch Haus project has been designed almost as if the Lift One Lodge
project did not exist or at least does not merit any significant consideration in the design of
Gorsuch Haus.
Additional Considerations
8040 Greenling. Much of the proposed Gorsuch Haus project falls within the City's 8040
Greenline area. Approval of Gorsuch Haus as proposed would render the 8040 Greenline
regulations essentially meaningless. The Project falls well short of complying with a number of
the 8040 Greenline standards:
• Gorsuch Haus will have a significant adverse impact on the air quality of the City.
By ignoring the surface/platter lift that would take skiers from the Dean Street
area up to Lift IA, the project will significantly increase the number of skiers who
use wheeled transportation to get up South Aspen Street. Gorsuch Haus'
proposed "rubber tire" solution to accommodate these skiers is a non -solution.
One way or another —whether by buses, shuttles or cars making drop -offs —it
means significant vehicular traffic on South Aspen Street creating additional
pollution of Aspen's air.
• The Gorsuch Haus will not preserve open space or preserve the mountain as a
scenic resource. The Gorsuch Haus property is currently zoned Conservation and
provides a longstanding view corridor along the historic Lift I lift line up Aspen
Mountain —a view corridor that Lift One Lodge has been designed to preserve,
along with the historic lift itself. Gorsuch Haus will obstruct this view corridor
and will place a huge building in the middle of the 8040 Greenline zone.
• The building height and bulk are not minimized and Gorsuch Haus will not blend
into the open character of the mountain. Gorsuch Haus mocks the 8040 Greenline
objective of preserving the open character of the mountain. Its mass, height, and
Aspen City Council
c/o Jennifer Phelan
February 9, 2017
Page 8
location are all being maximized and are an affront to the character of the
mountain.
Not an "Exceptional Development" for Multi -Year Development Allotment. The GMQS
needs of Gorsuch Hans exceed the annual allocations that are available for lodging rooms. Thus,
the applicants argue that Gorsuch flaus should be considered an "exceptional development" that
qualifies for a multiyear allotment. Gorsuch Maus falls short of meeting the "exceptional"
standards of the Land Use Code in many respects, as discussed above. In addition, Gorsuch
Hates project will not exceed minimum affordable housing standards,
Failure to Satisfy.Mountain Base Character Area Standards. For many of the reasons
already detailed in this letter, the proposed Gorsuch Maus project does not meet the standards of
the City's Mountain Base Character Area. The standards it fails to satisfy include: (a)
maintaining views to the mountain and other natural features and respecting scenic vistas; (b)
maintaining an adequate balance between public and private spaces and avoiding excessive
privatization;, (c) providing a human scale and reducing the apparent scale of larger development;
and (d) maintaining a direct visual and physical connection between sites.
The proposed Gorsuch Hans creates what can only be perceived as a private lift area
environment with only a begrudging nod to the idea of public access to the ski lift and the slopes
beyond. The project completely ignores the substantial effort by both Lift One Lodge and the
City in the development of the Lift One Lodge site plan to preserve the historic ski corridor and
its relationship to Aspen Mountain. This is not consistent with the spirit of Aspen to which the
applicants repeatedly refer in their application and it is certainly not consistent with, or supported
by, the Aspen Land Use Code.
Sincerely,
Bart Johnson, Esq.
for
WAAS CAMPBELL RivERA
JOI [NSON & VELASQU.Ez LLP
cc: Lift One Lodge Aspen LLC
(A0073634 / 1 )
JIM MARKALUNAS
624 W. NORTH STREET
ASPEN, COLORADO 81611
(970)925-7071
February 9, 2017
Aspen City Council
130 S. Galena Street
Aspen, CO 81611
RE: Gorsuch Hans
I consider the Gorsuch Hans project, as proposed, to be too large and inappropriate for the South Aspen
Street site. Such a large facility belongs in Vail, not in Aspen 1
Sincerely,
Jim Markalunas
cc: Editor, The Aspen Times
Editor, The Aspen Daily News
V
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Gorsuch Haus--no on size ---
From: Gail Otte <gdotte@hotmail.com>
Date: Monday, February 13, 2017 at 1:35 PM
To: Steven Skadron<steve.sl<adron@citvofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch <adam.frisch@cityofaspen.com>, Ann
Mullins <Ann.Mullins@citvofaspen.com>, Art Daily <art.daily@citvofaspen.com>, Cuthbert Myrin
<bert myrin@cityofaspen.com>
Subject: Gorsuch Haus--no on size ---
Dear City Counci I,
Please do not approve the Gorsuch Haus at 70,000 square feet and 47 feet tall??.. I have lived in Aspen for over
30 years and I know that change is inevitable ---but we do not have to approve MORE large buildings. There is not a
need for more lodging ---town is full for the size of town -too much traffic and then our off seasons -we are not
busy year round and just do not need a property this large. Loss of character ---bigger is not better--- don't ruin
the views. Aspen is becoming more and more metropolitan ---and not unique. Think Carmel, California.
Why is it that things get passed through and don't have to follow the rules -building height/mass? All you have to
do is look at the Aspen Art Museum as an example of a MISTAKE ---too large and blocks views -street is icy in
winter.. .
Please keep Aspen's character.
LOW OCCUPANCY in Aspen ---you can also look at the destimetric lodging reports (see below). (or just walk around
town -it is not that busy and if we didn't have the Australians or International guests in town at the moment --
Town is stuffed full at peak times (Christmas/Food and Wine/4th of July/June 15-August 20th; Presidents
week/Spring break). We have more second owners coming and using the fractional condos so we do not need more
lodging and we have less and less parking -people do use their cars -you are not going to get rid of cars. I just can't
imagine adding yet more traffic/people to the "experience". Aspen is a one of kind place and I would hate for it to
continue to become full of large buildings not to the scale of the town and area.
Thank you for your time.
Gail Otte
January 11, 2017
ASAP. needs IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!!!
We are sending out our monthly Classic Pass and Mountain Collective lodging deals email to pass holders and we really want to do a
push for the first two weeks of February which are pretty low occupancies in both Aspen and Snowmass.
Thanks!
Aspen Skiing Company
Here are the latest executive occupancy summaries from Destimetrics with actual data through
December 31.
December Results: Aspen's overall paid occupancy for the month of 61.6% represents just a
slight increase of 1.8% over last year, and Snowmass' overall paid occupancy of 50.0%
represents just a 2.6% increase over last year, but the fact is that both statistically represent new
record overall paid occupancy levels for December over the past ten years. Interestingly, when
comp and owner usage was added in, total paid & unpaid occupancy were actually slightly down
from last year in both Aspen and Snowmass, suggesting a decrease in owner usage yet an
increase in paid stays. What's really interesting is the strong December ADR growth year -over -
year and how small single -digit increases in occupancy translated to staggering double-digit
increases in RevPAR. As predicted, December finished with a holiday stretch as strong as it
ever was with five consecutive days of —95%+ occupancy.
January on -the -books: Both Aspen and Snowmass are pacing ahead of last year, with Aspen
pacing 1.3% ahead, and Snowmass pacing 13.1%. January is also expected to finish strong
with a huge Winter X-Games weekend as usual Jan 26-28. But once those folks leave town
starting Sunday the 29th, we have a pretty deep trough shaping up between big waves of huge
occupancy that is expected to last until mid -February.
Looking Ahead: There's no denying that there has been a:slow-down in winter booking pace
during the month of December, a trend that was certainly realized at Stay Aspen Snowmass, as
well. But things have picked up since. And from mid -February through the end of March, things
all look really, really strong. But beyond Winter X-Games weekend, we truly don't have any
crazy peak periods that are approaching sell-outs at this point, just strong steady business right
through the end of March.
The combination of reasonably wide -spread lodging availability, abundant snow, and plentiful air
service represent the key ingredients for what ought to be a strong finish to this winter's booking
season!
Bill
Aspen —Aspen Executive Summary _2016-12-31 pdf
Snowmass—Snowmass Executive SummarV2016-12-31.pdf
Bill Tomcich
President, Stay Aspen Snowmass
2
Jennifer Phelan
From: Adam Frisch
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2017 3:54 PM
To: Robert Cook
Cc: Cook Marsha; Jennifer Phelan
Subject: Re: Gorsuch House
Bob & Marsha ---
Thank you for reaching out and sharing yourthoughts.
While I am unable to comment outside of a public meeting on a live land use application, I do want to acknowledge your
letter.
I am copying Jennifer to make sure your comments are part of the public record.
Keep up the fast skiing.....
Thanks
-a
adam b. frisch
council member
the city of aspen
130 s. galena street
aspen, co 81611-1975
p.970.925.5199
f. 970.920.5119
adam.frisch@cityofaspen.com
On 2/13/17, 3:24 PM, "Robert Cook" <b600k77@me.com> wrote:
Dear Adam,
Thank you so much for your service on council, we are most appreciative of your time and effort. We felt we could
always count on you for a level headed approach to city related issues.
Marsha and I would also like you to know that we fully support the Gorsuch project.
Thanks for your consideration,
Bob Cook
621 West Francis Street
Aspen, CO
Jennifer Phelan
Subject: FW: Gorsuch Hotel
From: "Stirling, Bill" <Bill.StirlingPelliman.com>
Date: Monday, February 13, 2017at 2:06 PM
To: Steven Skadron<steve.skadron@citvofaspen.com>, Art Daily <art dailV@citvofaspen.com>, Ann Mullins
,Ann Mullins@citvofaspen.com>, Cuthbert Myrin <bert.myrin@cityofaspen.com>, Adam Frisch
<ad a m.frischPcityofaspen.com>
Subject: Gorsuch Hotel
Dear all,
I am glad you are giving serious consideration to this application for a true hotel on the Lift One side of the Mountain.
It has been over 8 years since the COWOP (citizens panel/committee) recommended to the Council not to approve the
hotel proposal at that time. The Council put a lot of store in the COWOP recommendation at that time. The 800 pound
gorilla in the room at that time looming over the process was the existing approval for 14 luxury townhouses, running
the length of the west side of Aspen St. from the Lift One Complex to the Shadow Mt. Complex at the top. The
community needed 14 more luxury townhouses like we needed a hole in our head. These are lovely second homes,
which are fetching top dollar and will look fine, nicely lined up like sentinels. The developers are all doing well. The one
positive of that townhouse development for the community is the production of some affordable housing.
What we did not get was added life and vitality to this side of the Mountain. There is still no "center," no sense of
community and no new hot beds. The approved Brown Family's project above the South Point Complex and running up
the hill of Aspen St. on the east side is essentially an interval ownership project with some free market condos. Again it
offers no excitement and will not be a magnet to attract locals and visitors like the Little Nell, the Sky and its new
iteration, the Limelight, St. Regis, Viceroy, Westin, Inn at Aspen and other key hotels at the base of our ski
mountains. Who knows if this approved project on the east side of Aspen Stl will ever even be developed?
A commercial real estate developer from Brisbane, Australia, spoke strongly for more fun, exciting, gathering and public
places in Aspen, when he was participating at the Community Roundtable on January 19. The more the better, he said.
By virtue of previous approvals and City decisions, the Gorsuch Hotel proposal has to go this far up Aspen St. It is the
only place such a hotel could be built. I have walked the site, and looked down on it from the top of the Shadow Mt.
Condos. It will not block anyone's view of the Mountain. It will offer hot beds, great public gathering places, a new lift,
more affordable housing and a sensational framework for future World Cup races, NorAm races, and local Aspen Ski And
Boarding Club events. These are the phenomena that make us truly a Ski Town. A new hotel on this spot will enhance
and help promote all this alpine skiing and racing activity. By being a bit higher on the Mountain, it mimics the feeling of
some of the top Alpine ski resorts in Europe.
It is up to the Council to analyze, measure and tweak the proposal and work with the applicant to make it fit for the
Town and work for the developers. It is a great opportunity for the Council to engage the applicants and make their
proposal come to fruition and work for locals and visitors alike. This side of the Mountain has been moribund since I
arrived in 1972. Here is a great opportunity to energize and breathe new life into this side of the Mountain. Please do
not miss this great chance for the community. What it will do is define Lift one as a launching pad for the Mountain, just
as the Little Nell and Sky hotels do for the top of Hunter St. at the gondola.
Sincerely,
Bill Stirling
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Mayor Skadron and Aspen City Council:
I am write you as a former World Cup racer and a representative for 10 other World Cup and
Olympic champions who support of both World Cup racing in Aspen and Jeff Gorsuch's
proposal for a new hotel and lift at the base of Aspen Mountain. We have compiled our
comments in a document for you to consider as you review the Gorsuch Haus proposal.
Aspen has been a special stop for all of us who have raced on the World Cup tour since the
1970s. Lift land Lift 1A occupy a particularly important place in skiing history. It was the site
of the 1950 World Championships when Aspen Mountain was in its youth, the site of the
Winternational races in the 1980s, America's Downhill in the 80s and 90s and the women's
World Cup races of the 2000s and 2010s. There are not many ski areas in the world and none
in North America that can boast such a strong history with the World Cup.
The current state of Lift 1A and the base area makes it difficult to imagine this long and
important history continuing. This part of Aspen and Lift 1A are in desperate need of am
upgrade to 2017. The FIS nearly pulled the World Cup Finals from Aspen because of the sorry
state of the lift and finish area. And Killington, Vermont has become the new site of the early
season women's World Cup races, hosting them this year and next. Aspen is not on the 2017-
18 World Cup calendar. We who have raced here fear that this will become a permanent
change and Aspen will no longer be a regular stop.
The Gorsuch Haus proposal is an important part of what Aspen can do retain its place on the
World Cup. As you know, it will provide a hotel and restaurant at the base. It will result in a
new, modern lift that provides reliable and safe transport up the mountain for racers and
other skiers. It will create a base area that is competitive with the European and North
American resorts that also host World Cup races. Gorsuch Haus is as much about skiing as it is
about hospitality. That is what will make it a success, like the great base area hotels at the
great ski areas of the world.
Jeff Gorsuch has the full support, of many of the top echelon racers of the last 30 years with his
project. We all want Aspen to thrive as a ski resort and continue as one of our favorite stops
on the World Cup tour.
Please take a few minutes to read these comments and consider the opportunity that you have
for a new, modern and skiing oriented base at Lift 1A. You will see how important Aspen is for
the world's top racers and hopefully find a way to approve Gorsuch Hans and a new lift.
Aspen and the World Cup have grown up together. I hope they will continue this beautiful
relationship, -and Gorsuch gaus is an important way to make that happen.
Patrik Jaerbyn, Sweu'eii ---
World Championships super-G Silver Medal,1996
World Championships Downhill Bronze medalist 2007
Marc Girardelli, Austria
15 World Cup titles, including five as overall champion
Four -time World Champion
Two-time Olympic Sliver medalist,
Won 46 World Cup races, including Aspen in 1985
Jeff, Certainly I support your project at Chair 1. For years I was staying at Howard Awrey's Skiers Chalet
Lodge — old but comfortable. Now I wish you a good move into2017 and hope your plans and wishes
become true.
Mikaela Shiffrin, USA
Gold Medalist, Slalom, 2014 Winter Olympics
Two time World Champion, slalom, 2013, 2015
19 career World Cup slalom wins
Three time World Cup slalom title holder, 2013, 2014, 2015
"It's hard to imagine World Cup racing without Aspen, or Aspen without World Cups. I'm still a "kid" but
Aspen brings such great memories and feelings of nostalgia. Everything about the events, town, organizers,
and especially the hill at Aspen brings feelings of excitement and such wonderful memories. I'll never forget
seeing green light and -3.07 there last year. I sure hope the opportunity to repeat continues for many years. I
fully support the efforts by Jeff Gorsuch and organization to make sure Aspen remains a permanent stop on
the World Cup tour
Tom Stiansen, Norway
1997 World Champion, slalom
Five World Cup podium finishes
It would be amazing -good if the new Gorsuch Haus becomes reality. This is a part of Aspen with such a
strong history. This part of Aspen really deserves an upgrade.
Myself, I have great memories from both training and racing that ended up at the finish at IA. It is a part of
Aspen that represents Aspen's DNA. That lift is so old and desperately needs a facelift. A new lift will
increase traffic in this part of the ski area.
I cross my fingers so I can soon come over and test the new Gorsuch Hans Hotel and Lift IA.
Kjetil Andre Aamodt, Norway
Eight -time Olympic medalist, four Gold, two Silver, two Bronze
Five -time World Champion, slalom, giant slalom and combined
Nine World Cup titles, including the overall title in 1994
21 first place finishes in World Cup races, including Aspen, 1992 and 1993
Aspen Colorado was our favourite stop on the tour in the early 90s. The town, the slopes and the people
were just amazing! The attacking Vikings from Norway would love to see Aspen hosting World Cup or
the World Championships in the future.
I will bring my family to this wonderful place. After competing in eight World Championships, five
Olympic Games and 450 World Cup races worldwide, Aspen stands out as my favourite place —hue!
Maria Pietila Holmner, Sweden
Three World Cup first place finishes, including Aspen 2010
Silver and Bronze medalist 2007 and 2010 World Championships
Aspen is and will always be my absolute favourite stop on the World Cup tour! A nice demanding slope
with a lot of terrain makes every race interesting and challenging. I took my first World Carp victory in
Aspen, which makes it even more special to me.
For me skiing is something you can do your whole life — old and young, all together — and it so much
more than just about snow and slopes. Being able to combine good skiing with cozy accommodation, great
restaurants and city pulse makes a great ski area.
Aspen is really close to me and I hope it will continue to develop in a positive direction. And, I hope that
Aspen will continue to be an annual stop for World Cup because we love it so much!
Frida Hansdotter, Sweden
World Cup title (first place), slalom, 2016
Second place overall World Cup slalom standings, 2014 and 2015 Made podium twice in Aspen in 2015
I think of course that Aspen should have races. Aspen for me is tradition and an obvious stop for the World
Cup. Always great conditions and well organized competitions. Aspen is for me a crystal-clear stop on the
WC circuit.
Luc Alphand, France
Five World Cup titles, including 1997 overall champion
12 first place finishes in World Cup races
Aspen is a very special ski resort for me, having raced my first World Cup therein 1984. My dream about
racing with the Big Names in skiing was in Aspen. At that time everything looked great and new, my eyes
were wide open when I discovered the town and the USA.
I came back many times to Aspen for World Cup races and also on the DH Pro Tour. It was always a
pleasure because this place is something very different than other ski areas. I love the town and the
atmosphere.
But since the 1980s development in the ski industry has changed a lot and Aspen has to move forward to
stay at the top of the list. Investments are the key for a new lift, great slopes and racing communications.
Aspen must stay a place to race and continue to be a part of ski racing history. That is why I am writing
these words to help support a new project there.
My daughter is racing and has already raced in Aspen. I would love to see races there in the future and
return to ski and enjoy the new lift and new Aspen.
Lasse Kjus, Norrpay
Six time World Cup standings leader, including twice in overall standings
Three time winner of the World Championships, GS, Super G and Downhill
Five -time Olympic Medalist: Gold in 1994 combined, Silver in 1998 and 2002 downhill and
1998 combined, Bronze in the 2002 GS
Back in the 1990's Aspen was one of my favorite destinations. The mountains with the best snow and the
Town with the perfect atmosphere and the friendly people always made my shoulders drop and I enjoyed
the venue!
Of course I support Jeffrey Gorsuch, his hotel and Aspen on the work to be part of the World Cup annual
rotation! The World Carp deserves Aspen and Aspen deserves the World Cup.
And today's, challenges with global warming, with more distant white mountains and fewer snowy
winters, make it even more important to have a true winter destination such as Aspen as a window for
Alpine skiing.
The best snow in the world deserves the best skiers in the world!
Patrick Ortlieb, Aushia
_ Olympic Gold medalist, downhill 1992
World Champion, downhill, 1996
.. 20 World Cup podium finishes
940 Three time 3rd place finisher in World Cup downhill overall standings
Back in the 1990s, when I used to ski down the slopes of Aspen, especially Lift IA I remember the
amazing feeling I had and how much I enjoyed Aspen being on the World Cup tour. Every year we
would come back and race on.the same slope, such a great experience. Lift A 1 was always a highlight!
As everything around the world gets improved and rebuilt day-by-day, it's very important to follow up!
Renovating and renewing Lift IA would be a great chance to bring Aspen back into the spotlight of
skiing in the US! Skiing should be something fun. Enjoyable and modern chairlift as well as new
restaurants and accommodation options could improve Aspen as a number one skiing are a lot!
I{ilian Albrecht, Bulgaria
Two time Olympian, 2002 and 2014
Two time World Cup Finals slalom silver medalist, 2000
and 2002
As a former racer having raced in Aspen and now working in ski racing with some of the best athletes in
the world, I know how important it is for the sport of skiing to have venues like Aspen on the calendar. I
think its also very important for the ski resort Aspen.
Every ski racing fan in Europe knows about Aspen mostly due to the countless World Cup races that
were held in Aspen and broadcast on TV in Europe. I really hope that this will continue and therefor an
upgrade with the lifts is needed to keep up with the standards of the requirements for World Cup
organisers. Nobody can resist the charm your little city has!!!
Looking forward to many more World Cup races in Aspen. On of my favourite places in the World.