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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.20051004ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 COMMENTS ............................................................................................................ 2 DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ............................................... 2 RESIDENCES AT THE ASPEN CLUB & SPA, CONCEPTUAL PUD ................ 2 HOLIDAY HOUSE CONCEPTUAL PUD .............................................................. 5 ASPEN MEADOWS HEALTH CENTER, SPA AMENDMENT AND GMQS REVIEW ................................................................................................................. 12 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 Jasmine Tygre opened the regular meeting of the Aspen Planning & Zoning Meeting at 4:30 p.m. Commission members Brian Speck, John Rowland, Dylan Johns, Ruth Kruger and Jasmine Tygre were present. Steve Skadron and Brandon Marion were excused. Staff in attendance were Chris Bendon, James Lindt, Jennifer Phelan, Community Development; Jackie Lothian, Deputy City Clerk. COMMENTS Chris Bendon distributed 2 long range planning updates on the impacts fees and the Civic Master Plan to be discussed on October 18th. Bendon mentioned there was a request for a P&Z travel budget. DECLARATION OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST None stated. CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: RESIDENCES AT THE ASPEN CLUB & SPA~ CONCEPTUAL PUD Jasmine Tygre opened the continued public hearing for the Residences at the Aspen Club & Spa conceptual PUD. James Lindt explained this was a continued hearing for the Aspen Club's request to construct 19 timeshare lodge units and 8 affordable housing units on their property plus an interior remodel. The proposed resolution was included in the packet; Lindt asked the commission to pay special attention to Section 20, which requires the applicant to provide a traffic plan with traffic calming measures on Ute Avenue as part of the final application. Lindt said that Section 21 required the applicant to try to obtain a pedestrian access easement on the Benedict Office parcel in order to extend the sidewalk along Ute Avenue. Lindt stated that the commission must find that the project provides a great public benefit to designate it as an SPA. Sunny Vann stated there were no objections to the conceptual review conditions as drafted. Dylan Johns asked about the looping of lines. James Lindt responded that the water department recommended the applicant loop into the line in Crystal Lake Road. Johns asked about crossing the river. Lindt replied it would require that a line be trenched under the river; they will need to get permits from the state and federal governments to be located in the 100 year flood plane. Vann stated it was 2 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 subject to a 404 Nationwide Permit because the amount of disturbance was limited. Vann stated there was a water line on the bridge but the water department abandoned that line. Public Comments: 1. Janet Garwood stated that she was a responsible citizen and the area was mixed use and this project will improve the viability of the Club and benefit town. 2. Nikie Siebineller said that she works at the Aspen Club and has grown into managing position. Siebinellar said this was a great opportunity for the community and supports this plan. 3. Neil Furman stated that he was the Spa director at the Aspen Club and spoke about the change in environment for spas for a rounded wellness approach. Furman said after attending the International Spa Association Conference it was important to add rooms; it was difficult to exist as a day spa in a resort destination environment. Furman said the majority of employees were not seasonal because the club was open 365 days a year. 4. Kur Kenderberger stated that the Aspen Club offered the opportunity to socialize with friends and use the facilities, which just were not limited to members like the Carmichael Training Center, a physical therapy set up and Komen Foundation. Kenderberger said that the Aspen Club offers an alternative to people who don't ski. 5. Jesse Boyce said that he worked in the Benedict Building next door and stated concern for the mass of the project especially on the open space and trail, which gives the country feel. Boyce strongly encouraged keeping that open space feel and character. 6. Kathy Crum said that she and her family loved and appreciated the club since the beginning; the club never really gets crowded. Crum said that at the last hearings they said that the safety of Ute Avenue would be of utmost concern and they have tried to do that but since that time their dog got hit by a car. Crum said Ute Avenue was considered a fast street because there were no cross streets. 7. Cynthia DeFrancia stated that she lived on Ute Place and has been a member of the Aspen Club but stated concern for the traffic on Ute Avenue and increased commercial use in this sector of the city that is residential. 3 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04, 2005 8. Michael Hoffman said that his clients Rhodes Hart and Stewart Lasher felt the architecture imposed unnecessarily on their privacy and will deal with positions upon final approval. 9. Susan Welsh said she lived on Ute Avenue and has been a member of the Aspen Club for years but doesn't feel this nightly rental of units was necessary with the addition of cars and traffic. 10. Mike Otte reaffirmed that this was appropriate for the character of the neighborhood. 11. Kathleen said she worked for Komen and asked how a neighborhood was defined with the existing 22 condos across the river. Kathleen said the Aspen Club had a right to exist and grow with the timeshares and spa just as the other timeshares have been allowed at the Aspen Highlands and others. MOTION: Ruth Kruger moved to approve Resolution #30, series 2005, recommending City Council approve with conditions, the Residences at the Aspen Club and Spa Conceptual PUD, Conceptual SPA and Conceptual Timeshare reviews to construct 19 lodge units and 8 affordable housing units on the Aspen Club property Lot 15 of Callahan Subdivision, City and Townsite of Aspen. dohn Rowland seconded. Roll call vote: Speck, yes; Rowland, yes; dohns, yes; Kruger, yes; Tygre, no. APPROVED 4-1. Discussion of motion: Kruger said the biggest issues were the parking and use in the neighborhood. Kruger found the Aspen Club and Spa was a great public benefit to the community with 1800 members and programs for non-members with 120 employees. Kruger did not think that the open space was affected by the project and supported the parking. Rowland echoed Ruth's comments about public amenities and benefits that out-weighed the issues that would be addressed in the final hearing. Speck supported the project and admired the Aspen Club. Speck echoed the comments on the public benefit. Speck said Ute Avenue should be treated sensitively and hoped they would retain the trees at the river. Johns stated that his sentiments have been made by the other commissioners. Tygre said that she was the dissenting member of the commission and spoke of the confusion with the Aspen Club and the hotel that would be placed in a location where it was not a public benefit. Tygre said that because it was the Aspen Club with a Spa the hotel sounded more attractive then just a hotel in this location. Tygre did not feel this was an appropriate location for a hotel. 4 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING: HOLIDAY HOUSE CONCEPTUAL PUD Jasmine Tygre opened the continued public hearing from September 20th for the Holiday House Conceptual PUD. Jennifer Phelan provided a brief summary of changes in the application and staff recommendations with a reduction in the proposed number of units from 33 to 31 as of today; now there were 78 bedrooms (from 84 originally proposed). The height floor to floor was reduced and complied with the 32 foot height limit. FAR was reduced by 500 square feet but the project still exceeded the FAR allowance by 5,896 square feet and density included in the reduction of bedrooms. Staff recommended an additional reduction in the FAR and massing required. Phelan said the parking issue was resolved and exceeded the parking requirement by 3 spaces. Phelan said the purpose of the design standards was to enhance the streetscape, pedestrian attraction, incorporate design elements important to neighborhood and due consideration should be given to these basic character elements. The garage access issue on West Hopkins could negatively impact pedestrians and cyclists and staff feels at this conceptual level alley access can be accommodated. There was a memo from the Community Development Engineer that states alley access would be possible but may necessitate design changes to the project. The requirement was 8 entries and the applicant provided 3; staff felt that additional entries could help break up of the facade. The front half of the facade adjacent to the historic building to the west was reduced by one story so there was a two to two and half story building in the front and a three story building in the back in an attempt to be more considerate to the existing historic structure. Staff feels that this is a good project with transportation available to the site but staff feels with additional reduction in the FAR and massing and explore the alley access for the garage and incorporate more residential design features into the project. Phillip Ring and David Corbin represented the Aspen Skiing Company. Ring stated that this location was ideal for employee housing and especially this density. Ring said this existing site has been employee housing for over 20 years; the Holiday House itself has been deed restricted for seasonal or low income 5 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 employees. The 9 one-bedrooms were managerial level. The Holiday House has been unoccupied for the last year because it was substandard and general maintenance could no longer keep the building hospitable. The employees that lived in the Holiday House were just blocks from their employment and the Skiing Company felt it important to provide housing for seasonal employees. Ring said the goal was to house more employees and provide a new building for these seasonal and managerial level employees. Ring said that they have met with neighbors since the last meeting. Ring said there were 34 off-street parking spaces and 21 spaces in the garage; there were 78 bedrooms (9 one-bedrooms, 9 two-bedrooms, 1 three-bedroom, 12 four- bedrooms). Ring noted they comply with the height restriction and the FAR was now at 1 to 1.87. Ring explained the one story element was for a pedestrian feel and look; the parking access was still in the front because of physical constraints. One unit remained in the lower floor with an exterior access. The first and second floors were generally 4-bedrooms, where the seasonal employees will be and the top floor will be 1 and 2 bedroom units for managerial type employees. Ring said that they felt pretty strongly that they met all 13 criteria. The architect and builder for the project specialize in high quality residential design. Ring said the employees were really important to the company and community. David Corbin stated that he replaced Bill Kane at the Aspen Skiing Company. Corbin said the applicant was ready, willing and able to contribute to the community providing employee housing in a mixed use neighborhood. Corbin said there was something to be weighed here in balance and he hoped and suggested the commission take into account the slight variation from the technical/precise FAR requirements would be weighed against and off-set by the public policy need to meet this kind of residential use. Corbin questioned the alley access because of the logistics of dropping a driveway at a reasonable functional grade down into a narrow footprint of a building, in spite of the engineer's letter, to ramp down into this garage space taking head lights into consideration. Corbin asked with the limited number of parking spaces in this building and the availability of public transportation how many instances of real conflict between cars entering a garage off the street and the pedestrian and bicycle usage on that road will really be encountered by approving the project as drawn. 6 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 Corbin reiterated that they have met with the neighborhood and tried within the physical and economical viability of that project to make changes in the exterior faqade so that the residential character was enhanced. Corbin said it was difficult to show, look and appear like single family residences. Corbin noted there was a double loaded corridor, which was a sensible plan to get people in and out of this building and doesn't make practical sense to add many more exterior entrance so that it would look, feel or show that they were individual residences in this mass and form in part because it would disrupt the interior units use and function. Ruth Kruger asked about studies for the amount of parking the staff members may require. Ring replied that staffwas provided with comparable parking at those locations. Pam Willis responded that there was a memo (dated September 8th) outlining the ratio of beds and units to cars, which was basically a 1 to 1 ratio. Kruger asked if the foreign employees usually bring cars that were seasonal. Willis replied very few bring cars. Kruger stated that she was pretty much in support of the project and asked why they have been unresponsive to the staff request for a reduction in density and size. Ring responded that they were in disagreement with staff and said that staff did not look at the FAR to hold more density on this site and read fi.om the code to exceed the underlying FAR through a PUD. Kruger asked the applicant to make a strong case to her to go against the staff recommendation. David Corbin responded that it was crucial for the Ski Company and the community at large to invest in this kind of housing asset; land was scarce and this was their plan to optimize the site's potential and this was the best use. Kruger asked what was done with the units in the summer and off season. Corbin responded they had to try to find ways to fill them through summer employees or make them available to other parties and would not want to see the units not utilized. Kruger asked the rental rates of the units. Ring replied they were regulated by the Housing Authority. Willis stated that in other project they make available to the community any excess beds they have between Snowmass and Aspen. John Rowland asked if any parking requirements have been waived in the past. Phelan replied that the parking ratios were 1 to 1 and some were .8 to 1. Ring answered there were a few projects like Marolt and Burlingame based on seasonal housing that were designed with fewer parking spaces. Lindt responded that the location of the property was important and other means of transportation; other AH projects with lower parking standards were Little Ajax, 7th and Main and Draco. Rowland asked if there was a study on the number of houses or multifamily units that accessed the street with a curb cut. Phelan replied that on the Holiday House side of Hopkins there were no curb cuts on that block and there might be one 7 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 across the street. Ring said the Townh0uses West (behind the Holiday House) have curb cuts on Aspen Street and Hyman; the Cottonwood provides 12 spots on the alley. Rowland asked if there was a minimum standard for the livable area in these units. Phelan replied the standard was with the Housing Authority for the Category of the units; due to the small size of some of the units they would be counted at studio units on the 3rd floor with different deed-restrictions. Dylan Johns asked if the land carded a deed-restriction. Ring responded the Holiday House building and annex have gone through a series of deed-restrictions over the past 20 years to meet the employee mitigation for the Little Nell and Aspen Mountain. Corbin stated if the deed-restriction was not on the land they would be willing to burden the land with a deed-restriction. Johns asked if the driving force for the housing was credits or bed count. Ring replied bodies. Jasmine Tygre asked what was meant by managerial type of employee. Ring answered there were 9 units in the current annex occupied by the director of PR; one of the X-Games coordinator; another Events Department and others who work out at the corporate office at the AABC. Tygre asked what other housing was used for full time workers. Willis replied there were 2 buildings, the Club Commons at Snowmass for winter seasonal with an option for summer leases. Ring said that the employee housing was for seasonal employees rather than full time employees. Tygre asked how many of those units were for other Ski Co mitigation. Phelan replied that she was not provided information on the deed-restrictions; she said they were interested in a credit for units they were creating for this project. Tygre asked what project were these units being used to mitigate. Tygre said that there were instances in the past where units were supposed to be used for mitigation and have been used over and over again for mitigation; she felt this was relevant to this application as well. Tygre asked the percentage of full time year round "local- type" employees in general. Willis responded about 800 including both lodging properties. Tygre asked if there was a comparison of the density of this project to other multifamily projects on the lot area. Phelan answered staff could bring back some figures. Bendon replied that the 7th and Main project was about one unit per 750 square feet of lot area; the free market multi-residential units were about 1,000 square feet of lot area. 8 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 Public Comments: Phelan noted correspondences on the Holiday House from Dennis Seider, Phyllis Bronson, Joanna Schafner, Lyrm Wong, R. Hart Beaver, Jane Erb, Judy Pool, Rhonda Bazil, David Coles, Ray Koenig and Sue and Don Crowley. Marilyn Harper, Cottonwoods resident, stated concem for the density and parking. Sasha Haas stated that she believed this community needed housing and welcomed this addition to the community; she purchased a car when she moved down valley. Haas said this was a unique thing to offer employees a place to live in the city without the need to have a car. Tom Pool said that he lived across the alley on Hyman in Townhouses West and voiced concern over the density without making this housing available for anyone other than Ski Co employees and not the community at large. Pool hoped the commission would deny the increase in FAR. Pool spoke of private business having the ability to build structures and exceed the FAR. Rhonda Bazil stated that she was an attorney for Jesse Boyce and Phyllis Bronson who saw problems with the existing density and the increase in density was of great concern. Bazil said that she reviewed the deed restrictions and they were in place for 49 people for low and moderate income. Bazil said the density issue drove the parking issue and voiced concern about the parking garage access from the pedestrian corridor and requested a condition of approval be that no resident parking passes (for on-street parking) be issued for this project. Bazil stated they would like to see more permanent residents placed in these units. Phyllis Bronson said that she contacted Pat O'Donnell from the Ski Company and he met with her. Bronson said that she was all for quality employee housing but not at the expense of professionals and other types of workers who have paid enormous amounts of money and time and professional expertise to this community to buy homes; they have worked hard to be in this community and she felt steamrolled by the Ski Company. Jesse Boyce thanked the Ski Co for meeting with them but they don't feel that they have come very far with them. Boyce said the Holiday House was over-crowded already; the density needed to be decreased. 9 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 Martha Madsen stated that she has lived in the neighborhood for over 46 years. Madsen stated the numbers of pedesthans that use Hopkins in the summer becomes greater every year and becomes more dangerous with cars coming and going. Judy Pool lived at 108 West Hyman across the alley from the Holiday House stated that she agreed with a lot of what has already been said and she felt the FAR should not exceed the code. Pool said the building was too massive and the design should better fit into Aspen. Barat Seert lived at the Cottonwoods said that density was the problem and everything follows from there. Dan Lacarty lived on Hopkins stated it would be disastrous to bring an entrance onto Hopkins Street from this project. Lacarty said this was not the place for the Ski Co employee mitigation. Tita Kaspar lived on Hopkins agreed with the density being too high; the entrance onto the pedestrian way disturbed her. Kaspar said that the Ski Co has not been a good neighbor because the property has not been taken care of. Kaspar said the project was not appropriate for the site. Brian Merkle said the deed restrictions need to be reviewed. MOTION: Dylan dohns moved to extend to the meeting to 7:15 p.m. Seconded by Brian Speck. All in favor, motion approved. Johns said that he still had an issue with entering on Hopkins; this building had concentrated car traffic and wanted to see more study on the entrance on the alley. Johns said this site met the criteria for affordable housing but he questioned how this project fit into the neighborhood. Rowland said that in concept he supported the project; he was pleased with the height reduction but the FAR and density will overwhelm the block, which was not responsible for the city or Ski Co to do that. Rowland said that he could not rally behind this project the way it was currently designed. Speck said he would not be able to support the project especially after hearing from the neighbors on the entrance onto Hopkins and the FAR; if there were 10 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 adjustments on those issues he said that he could support the project because he liked to see employees housed downtown and support the Ski Co in their efforts. Kruger said that she was in support of the project even though the rest of the neighborhood wasn't like this, it was affordable housing and should remain affordable housing and she wanted to see the Ski Co develop this project. Kruger said that the applicant needed to be a little more sensitive to the neighbors and encouraged the applicant to meet with the neighbors and work out some of their issues. Tygre agreed with the commissioners about the size and density of the project; this was difficult for her because she believed in employee housing in town, near transit fulfilling the goals of the Aspen Area Community Plan and keeping this a community where people who work can live and be part of the community. Tygre said this was an ideal place for employee housing but what troubled her was that projects like this make people not want to have employee housing in their neighborhoods. Tygre said it was too big and too dense; the density was more than doubled and exceeded the underlying zone district requirements. Tygre said that the desire to get as many people as possible housed was commendable but the site was overloaded so it would not be a pleasant place for people to live there let alone what was being done to the neighborhood. Tygre said that she was excited and horrified at the same time about this project. Tygre requested that staff check into the previous deed-restrictions as mitigation for other projects. David Corbin said they would try to figure out how to amend the application and revisit the project; he said he did not know how to address the garage entrance with the site constraints. Corbin said they would revisit the density question and mn the concepts by the neighborhood before coming back to this body. The commission requested the results of the Little Ajax parking mitigation; surrounding multifamily properties FAR and density and look at the seasonal versus year round employees. MOTION: Ruth Kruger moved to continue the public hearing on the Holiday House Conceptual PUD to November ]_st,. seconded by Brian Speck. All in favor motion approved 5-0. 11 ASPEN PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING Minutes October 04~ 2005 PUBLIC HEARING: ASPEN MEADOWS HEALTH CENTER~ SPA AMENDMENT AND GMQS REVIEW Jasmine Tygre opened the public hearing for the Aspen Meadows. James Lindt provided the notice. MOTION: Ruth Kruger moved to continue the public hearing for the Aspen · rl th Meadows Health Center SPA Amendment and GMQS Revtew to Octobe 8; seconded by Dylan Johns. All in favor, motion approved 5-0. Meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m. J~k~e Lothian, ~)eputy City Clerk 12