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HomeMy WebLinkAboutresolution.apz.001-80 RESOLUTION OF THE ASPEN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION REGARDING THE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITY PROPOSAL Res61ution No. 80- ~ WHEREAS, Pitkin County formally requested that the City give consideration to the following alternatives regarding the proposed law enforcement facility: 1. Rezoning of a parcel of land (referred to as "Parcel A") in Block 86, City of Aspen, commonly known as the Oden parcel from "O-Office" to "Pub-Public"; 2. A proposed land trade involving a two acre parcel of riverfront property owned by the County and a 17,600 square foot parcel to the north of the Courthouse owned by the City (referred to as "Parcel B") and subsequent consideration of a development plan under Specially Planned Area requirements for Parcel B, or as an alternative, rezoning to Public; and WHEREAS, the County, by memorandum to the Planning Office dated December 17, 1979 asked that the rezoning request for Parcel A be dropped from considera- tion by the City for the following stated reasons: 1. Additional work by the architects in development of the square footage requirements of the facility has prompted reconsideration of the location of the site; 2. The County Finance Office has confirmed that in the absence of elimination or modification of other County programs, no funds presently exist to fund construction of the facility. Calling for an election on a G.O. bond and building a "bare-bones" law enforcement facility is unrealistic in light of the fact that the County has no alternate plans for Parcel A, which can be sold to finance construction of the law enforcement facility; and WHEREAS, the precise development plan required under the Specially Planned Area regulations for Parcel B must be filed by the owner of the property, which therefore requires that the City either complete the exchange of land with the County or act as applicant for the law enforcement facility; neither is the case at this time, and therefore it is premature for the Planning and Zoning Commission to formally take action on the proposal on site B at this time; and WHEREAS, the Zoning Code of the City of Aspen requires that for parcels zoned "Public" development will be permitted only in accordance with a plan of development for the entire site utilizing Specially Planned Area procedures; there would be no foreseeable benefit in processing a rezoning request from "SPA" to "Public". NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission makes the following recommendations to the City Council of the City of Aspen: 1. An S.P.A. masterplanning process should be undertaken as soon as possible to determine the best public uses for all of the publicly owned land in the Rio Grande area and the County should be urged to participate in that process. The planning process should include an evaluation of improvements necessary to improve circulation on Galena Street in the Courthouse area. The Rio Grande area is an extremely valuable public ownership and, as such, development of any portion of the property on a piecemeal basis absent the completion of the masterplanning process is inappropriate; 2. Because of the Institutional nature of the area in the vicinity of the Courthouse, the law enforcement facility may be appropriately located in the general area of Site B; there is insufficient information, however, to determine whether access and circulation problems, particularly for emergency vehicles, can be adequately addressed; 3. 'Parcel A is a crucial site in the Rio Grande area; it can serve as an entry or a significant barrier to the proper functioning of the balance of the site; the sale of that parcel could seriously impact the development of the Rio Grande for the public's benefit; 4. If the County proceeds with the sale of Parcel A, then the exchange of the City owned Parcel B for County riverfront property would severely limit, if not eliminate, the opportunity to pursue further some of the other uses proposed from time to time in the southern portion of the Rio Grande site, including a performing arts and/or conference facility or a major parking facility. In the event alternative financing mechanisms for the law enforcement facility are available to the County, such that Site A could be considered for public uses, the use of Site B for the facility would be much less preemptive of alternatives. Adopted by the Aspen Planning and Zoning Commission at its regular meeting held February 5, 1980. ATTEST: O~Hedstrom, C hal r~man '~