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HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.council.037-89 RESOLUTION OF THE ASPEN CITY COUNCIL IN SUPPORT OF THE RECLAMATION AND REVEGETATION OF THE HIGHWAY 82 RIGHT-OF-WAY ON INDEPENDENCE PASS Resolution # 37 WHEREAS; Colorado State Highway 82 over Independence Pass is one of the most scenic and popular mountain highways in the State of Colorado, and WHEREAS: Colorado State Highway 82 over Independence Pass is one of the most popular and heavily used tourist access points into the Roaring Fork Valley during the summer months, and WHEREAS: Independence Pass is also the site of the headwaters of the Roaring Fork River, extensive aspen forests, spruce-fir forests, alpine tundra, important wildlife habitat, and other important environmental and ecological resources, and WHEREAS: the road cuts adjacent to Highway 82 on Independence Pass between the City of Aspen and the continental Divide are eroding due to poor construction techniques, improper or inadequate reclamation and the natural forces of wind, water and gravity, and WHEREAS: that deterioration and erOSlon are causing the destruction of environmental, scenic and vegetative resources as well as creating a safety hazard to travelers due to rockfall and potential rockfall, and: WHEREAS: The Environmental Research Group has been a leader in bringing this issue to the attention of the public and in carrying out efforts to reverse the deterioration of the Independence Pass road cuts and in eliciting commitment from other parties to assist in those efforts: THEREFORE LET IT BE HEREBY RESOLVED: That Independence Pass is a valuable asset to the people of the Roaring Fork Valley and an important environmental resource to the ecology of the Roaring Fork Valley. That the deterioration and erosion of the road cuts adjacent to Highway 82 are likely to continue and worsen without immediate and ongoing remedial measures being taken. That it is the responsibility of the State of Colorado, the u.S. Forest Service, Pitkin County, the City of Aspen, and all of the government jurisdictions and residents of the Roaring Fork Valley to recognize this problem and to commit themselves to make whatever efforts are necessary to accomplish the goal of stabilizing, revegetating and reclaiming the road cuts on Independence Pass so that they add to, rather than detracting from, a sustainable and healthy environment. That the City of Aspen in concert with pitkin County will, to the extent possible wi thin the constraints of budget and competing priori ties, promote, participate in and support the efforts of the Environmental Research Group to accomplish this goal as soon as possible. Dated ~ /0 , 1989. --f~- /,//~~" ~A william L. stirling, Mayor I, Kathryn s. Koch, duly appointed and acting City Clerk do certify that the foregoing is a true and accurate copy of that resolution adopted by the city council of the city of Aspen, Colorado, at a meeting held ~ 9 , 1989. klmjdgjwpjindp.reso.10.9