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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLand Use Case.CR.Buttermilk Mtn.A039-03 "', ~t . ."m CASE NUMBER PARCEL ID # CASE NAME PROJECT ADDRESS PLANNER CASE TYPE OWNER/APPLICANT REPRESENTATIVE DATE OF FINAL ACTION NONE A039-03 2735-101-00 BUTTERMILK MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT-TERRAIN P BUTTERMILK MOUNTAIN SCOTT WOODFORD COUNTY REFERRAL ASPEN SKIING CO CITY COUNCIL ACTION PZ ACTION ADMIN ACTION BOA ACTION DATE CLOSED BY 10/10/03 ODRISCOLL ~ I, , I ~ MEMORANDUM TO: THRU: FROM: RE: Buttermilk Mountain Master Plan Amendment DATE: August 4, 2003 The City of Aspen Community Development Department has reviewed the referral case on. the proposed Buttermilk Master Plan Amendment for Terrain Park Features Earthwork and has no comments or objections, assuming it is done'iIl accordance with the proposal to the Pitkin County Community Development Department dated July I 7, 2003. C~'-~-r\~N~~ , C t~~V<''U; , ~ PITKIN COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 130 South Galena Street Aspen, Colorado 81611 Phone (970) 920-5526 FAX (970) 920-5439 MEMORANDUM TO: WEST BUTTERMILK METRO DISTRICT INN AT ASPEN CITY OF ASPEN FROM: Suzanne Wolff, Community Development Department RE: BUTTERMILK MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT - TERRAIN pARK (PID# 2735-101-00 CASE#P085-03) DATE: July 22, 2003 Attached for your review and comments are materials for an application submitted by the Aspen Skiing Company. The Board of County Commissioners will review the application on Wednesday, August 27,2003. Please return your comments to me by Friday, August 8, 2003. PLEASE RETURN APPLICATION MATERIALS TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IF YOU HAVE NO FURTHER NEED OF THEM. Thank you. ~ ~ J~ .~ July 17,2003 Lance Clark Suzanne Wolff Pitkin County Community Development 130 S. Galena Aspen, CO 81611 ASPEN SKIING COMPANY Re: Buttermilk Mountain Master Plan Minor Amendment Dear Lance and Suzanne, This letter describes a Minor Master Plan Amendment application submission to the Buttermilk Mountain Master Plan (BMMP) for the Terrain Park Features Earthwork. The current BMMP allows for earthwork for general trail/terrain improvements. With this Minor Master Plan Amendment, Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) hopes to include earthwork for terrain park features as a Permitted Use within the BMMP. Terrain Parks, which include half pipes, various sized "hits", railrides and table tops, have become critical elements of any mountain resort and is currently a very popular aspect of Buttermilk Mountain. During the past 5 years, the Crazy Train Park at Buttermilk Mountain has grown in size and popularity. The park is now renowned for being one of the only top-to-bottom parks in the country and is nearly 2 miles long. The Terrain Park currently follows Teaser Trail from the summit, to Uncle Chuck's Glade, to Jacob's Ladder and finishes on Government and Spruce Trails. The quality of Buttermilk Mountain's terrain park caused ESPN's Winter X-Games organizers to initially consider Aspen as a host for the popular event which benefits the community financially and creates unprecedented exposure. ESPN has shown interest to enter into a multi-year contract with Aspen. Creating these features with earthwork, especially the half pipe, will be a critical issue in their decision. Currently all the terrain park features at Buttermilk Mountain are formed primarily with manmade snow. The amount of manmade snow required is substantial and in the case of the half pipe is estimated to require between 8 million and 12 million gallons of water. In addition to the water required, the energy consumed to run water pumps and air compressors is also significant. ASC estimates the half pipe construction costs between $80,000 and $l 00,000 anJ.?ually - of which nearly half that amount are direct energy costs. If the rough form of such terrain park features were created with earthwork, the amount of man made snow required to complete the features, and therefore the associated energy and water requirement, could be reduced by as much as 50% annually. In the case of the Half Pipe, the earthwork will resemble two berms in the fall line at the base of Buttermilk Mountain (see the attached mountain mapping). The berms will be approximately 400 feet long and approximately 10-12 feet high. The amount of actual earthmoving is approximately 6,000 cubic yards of cut and fill. The total area of disturbance will be approximately 2 acres. The half pipe will appear as a large gully near the base of the mountain. Its contours will be blended naturally into the existing terrain and all manmade slopes will be revegetated upon completion in accordance with ASC Revegetation Plan. Post Qffice Box 1248 . Aspen, CO 81612 970.925.1220 (9 Printed on Recycled Paper www.aspe17snowmass.com I""'\, Similarly, the large hits in the terrain park would be formed with earthwork to reduce the amount of snow required to create them. ASC anticipates that each year, for the next three years, several of the key terrain features would be constructed until the work is completed. It should noted that the possibility exists for terrain parks and half pipes, sometime in the future, to be no longer be popular with young people, resort guests and the media. In that case, ASC fully intends to reclaim these earthwork features to their original and natural contours. Returning the earthwork back to its natural condition would be a relatively simple process. Following is a response to the criteria outlined in Pitkin County Land Use Code Section 3-200-080, Minor Amendment to a Development Permit: A. This amendment can be considered a clarification and/or a technical correction to the approved Buttermilk Mountain Master Plan. B. This amendment does not change the proposed development use between residential, commercial or tourist accommodation uses. C. This amendment is consistent with the action taken during the original development review and does not constitute any new land development activity. D. The proposed activity does not: I. change the basic character or operation of the originally approved Land Use and only slightly changes the basic visual appearance; 2. increase off-site impacts in the surrounding neighborhoods, 3. endanger public health, safety or welfare; 4. violate any Land Use Code Standard; 5. affect affordable housing generation; 6. increase floor area or decrease open space. In summary, ASC requests approval for this Minor Master Plan Amendment for the following reasons: 1) The Terrain Park Earthwork features result in water and energy savings, 2) All earthwork will be graded into the existing contours as naturally as possible and revegetated upon completion, 3) All earthwork terrain features will be returned natural contours if for any reason use of such features is no longer necessary. 4) Providing such earthwork will be attractive to ESPN to enter into a longer term contract for future X-Games benefiting the community with increased exposure and sales revenues. Based on this information, ASC is requesting the County supports the Minor Amendment to the Buttermilk Mountain Master Plan that will be presented before the Pitkin County BOCC on Wednesday, August 27, 2003. Sincerely, U~~ Victor Gerdin Mountain Planner Cc: Hans Hohl, Bill Kane, Mike Kaplan ~ 1~ l Ii ASPEN SKIING COMPANY July 21, 2003 Lance Clark Suzanne Wolff Pitkin County Community Development 130 S. Galena Aspen, CO 81611 Re: Application for Minor Master Plan Amendment - Buttermilk Mountain Master Plan Dear Mr. Clark and Ms. Wolff: I am an officer and authorized representative of Aspen Skiing Company. I am also an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado. Aspen Skiing Company is the owner of all of the real property which is the subject of the above-referenced application. That property is specifically described on the attached legal description. A title commitment further evidencing ASC's ownership ofthe referenced property is available for inspection in my office. There are no mortgages, deeds of trust or other pledges encumbering the subject property. Aspen Skiing Company, L.L.C., consents to the filing of the referenced administrative modification application. Aspen Skiing Company authorizes me to act on its behalf in the processing of the application. Sincerely, David E. Bellack Senior Vice President/General Counsel \ \Sml \ *\My Documents\Letters\pitkin. co.1tr.doc Post Qfftce Box 1248. Aspen, CO 81612 970.925.1220 1:3 P;lnted on Recycled Paper II 'lilt//, aSpellS110!lll11aSs.com Ii ~l Colorado .----------- ~-- .------- ------ White River National Forest Buttermilk Ski Area ?"j7 ~. y e~/ ..~/ \ \ \ ,~"~ if '1! \~ \.~ \ 1 I~ Figure 1. General Vicinity Map ....... (!) +- ~ c at oX 0 E L 0 -0 0 (") C ~ ~ " at .s: = E t t:j ~ -q: ti3 ~ (!) c ~ m tJ at c 0 a:: L 0 (f) L ~ a: ~ ~ tJ at at :;::: '" IL +- &j 0 ij) ~ oX L t:: L 0 0 a.. ~ (") C C f,} 0 :E 0 c:J ~ N L a.. L OJ ~ at ~ ~ J- >, m :J "' .,..~ (..:1'''"' ", ......f f/" l."J :;;'1' .,;;'(/ ,,"~&1Y /;/~/ /' A--::::::--- /f' //1' /' ' / -::/i ,/ < soJ /:~,~;>60.. .... ".,/,' ,/ ,l' " ,/ ,<0&' " " " .:3 ~1l1 =~ , /'." .,II ) to ".... 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