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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.19860311 Continued Meetin9 Plannina and Zonin9 commission March 11.1986 Chairman Welton Anderson called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m. with Mari Peyton, David White, Roger Hunt, Al Blomquist, Jasmine Tygre, Ramona Markalunas and Jim Colombo present. MINUTES Ms. Tygre moved to approve the minutes of January 21, 19861 seconded by Blomquist. All in favor, motion carried. LITTLE NELL BASE REDEVELOPMENT PRECISE PLAN Chanae in Use for Emplovee Housina Alan Richman, planning office, stated the applicant I s housing proposal was specified in the growth management plan application and identified housing for 30 employees, which is 36 percent of the new employees generated by the project. The intent is to house these employees at the Holiday House, which is a change in use. This proposal has been accepted by the housing authority. Richman told P & Z there are 4 employees identified as part of the master plan to be housed when the base area lift is installed. These employees will also be housed at the Holiday House. Richman said he has no problem with the change in use concept for the Holiday House. Gideon Kaufman, representing the applicant, noted section 24-3.3 sets for criteria for change in use, and feel they have met this criteria. This proposal is taking free market units and making them employee units. There will be negligible impacts on the neighborhood. There will be no expansion nor additional rooms. Blomquist moved to approve the change in use from lodge to employee housing of the Holiday Housel seconded by Ms. Tygre. Ms. Tygre said this will effect the residential and lodging quotas. Richman said it is clear the credit and deduction from the quotas is automatic. All in favor, motion carried. 8040 Greenline Review Kaufman reminded the Board that 8040 greenline review deals with construction that takes place at 8040 line or wi thin 50 yards. Kaufman said the staff agrees this is not the type of development to be regulated by 8040. Kaufman said even if it was that type of development, they meet the criteria of 24-6.2 <b). Richman said the main issue of 8040 were issues that were addressed in the P & Z I S precise plan review. The items the city was concerned about were grading, site stability, and visual impacts. 1 # Continued Meetina Plannina and Zonina commission March 11.1986 This proposal is not for the placement of a house or lodge above the 8040 greenline review. Richman said the ski area improvements are consistent with the 8040 review criteria. The forest service will be working with the applicant to make sure the lift towers are properly painted. The technical concerns of 8040 have been properly addressed by P & Z at other meetings. Blomquist moved to approve 8040 greenline review as the applicant has met the criterial seconded by Ms. Tygre. All in favor, motion carried. Mountain View Plane Kaufman told the Commission the staff agrees that this applicant does not presently invade any area designated as an area necessary for preservation of the mountain view plane. Richman said this is similar to the review for the Aspen Mountain Lodge PUD where there is a building not in the foreground but is a back drop. Richman pointed out there are a number of foreground obstructions between the Wheeler view plane and this building which protrude into where this building would effect the view pI ane. The engineer ing department comments if all the obstructions were to be removed, this building would be a minor intrusion into the view plane. Richman reminded P & Z they have allowed an addition to a building which is much closer to the foreground. Richman said the intrusion of this building into the view plane impacts are so minor the staff is recommending approval only to comply with the technical aspects of the Code. Hans Gramiger asked how much taller the gondola building would be before it intruded into the view place. Peter Forsch, Aspen Skiing Company, said it would have to be 20 or 30 feet taller. Richman said the design parameter for the gondola building has been approved at 22 to 25 feet. Any substantial change might effect the view plane, and this would be returned to P & Z. Hunt moved to find that any intrusion into the view plane is either insignificant or negligible and the view plane review is approved 1 seconded by Ms. Tygre. All in favor, motion carried. Dean Street Riaht-of-way Richman said originally he would have the applicant apply for an encroachment request for Dean street. The city attorney is of the opinion that encroachment is the wrong term for the type of activities the applicant plans for Dean street, which are ticket kiosk, paving, landscaping, street furniture. The city attorney feels the best approach is to have a vendors agreement. This is a private business activity occurring in public space but the 2 Continued Meetina Plannina and Zonina commission March 11.1986 private activities has a public air about it. These are amenities and improvements occurring in a public space. City Attorney Taddune said the vendors agreement will be approved by Council. Richman said the applicants should be responsible for maintenance of this space and the city should be indemnified. There is no action required by P & Z. Richman said a vending agreement is the city giving away the least of its power as opposed to a vacation. Hans Gramiger asked if there is encroachment onto Durant street. Richman told the Board there is no encroachment into either Durant or Hunter streets. Bill Kane said the neckdown goes into the public right-of-way. Kane said the lodge improvement district is proposing neckdowns allover the district. Taddune said this protrusion will not be owned by the project but will be an improvement paid for by the applicant. Hunt asked what is happening to the power lines on the portion of Dean street west of the project towards the Tippler. Dave Ellis stated all the lines wi thin the SPA project boundary will be placed underground. Ellis said when the project is completed, Holy Cross will be in a position they could underground, but if the Continental has not been taken out of service or is not ready to convert to underground, the overhead lines will remain to service the Continental. Ellis showed the Commission where the overhead lines would remain. Holy Cross left overhead service to the Continental so that the Continental would not have to bear the costs of undergrounding, then immediately tear the improvements up. Hunt said it will not require tearing up the improvements on Dean street in order to underground. Ellis said it will not require tearing up Dean street from Galena east. Forsch asked if the lodge improvement district is proposing under grounding of utilities for the entire district. Jay Hammond. city engineer, told the Commission that has not been determined but is a possibility. Ellis told the Commission Holy Cross did a lot of preliminary undergrounding work in the summer of 1985. Ellis said when the hotel is completed, there will be no overhead on Dean street east of Galena. Blomquist moved that the P & Z recommend to Council and to the lodge improvement district that the lodge improvement district include undergrounding of all Holy Cross utilities within the lodge improvement district boundariesl seconded by White. Blomquist pointed out the city is currently undergrounding the ci ty I S electric system, and this is the perfect opportunity to get utilities at the base of the mountain undergrounded. Anderson requested this be addressed as a separate issue as it 3 Continued Meetina Plannina and Zonin9 commission March 11.1986 does not relate directly to this project. Anderson said this is a good idea but needs more discussion. Roll call votel Blomquist, yesl Ms. Tygre, nOl Hunt, nOl Ms. Markalunas, nOl White, yesl Ms. Peyton, nOl Anderson, no. Motion NOT carried. Anderson closed the continued public hearing on the 25 conditions. Conditional Use Kaufman said there are two requests for conditional use approvall one is a lodge in the CC zone, the other is ski lifts and ski area accessory in the conservation zone. Kaufman said the applicant meets the conditions outlined in 24.3-3 that the proposed use meets the requirements of the Codel that the proposes uses are consistent with the objectives and purposes of the Code, and the proposed use is designated to be compatible with other uses in the area. Kaufman said the hotel is compatible in the CC zone and that ski uses are compatible in the conservation zone. Richman said the CC zone is not essentially a principle location for accommodation uses. However, in this particular location the CC zone is almost out of the commercial core. The property is surrounded by CL and lodge zoning. Richman said he finds the hotel use to be consistent with the CC zone in this particular location. Anderson opened the public hearing on conditional uses. Hunt asked if some of the property is zoned for lodge use. Kaufman answered there is a small portion zoned CL. The hotel is sitting mainly on CC zone with some in conservation. Blomquist moved to find that ski lift and ski accessories are very desirable and appropriate in a conservation zone 1 seconded by Ms. Tygre. All in favor, motion carried. Blomquist said he has had problems with 92 units given the size of the Aspen Mountain Lodge, as well as borrowing future GMP quotas. However, Blomquist said he is convinced there has been a loss of beds over the past years. Richman answered he is not comfortable about the attrition issue. Richman told the Board there are a number of studies that have been done identifying a loss of beds, but these reports do not address the increase of single family residences as short term uses and the changing status of many condominiums. Richman said he has never had an accurate conclusion about the bed status. 4 ," Continued Meetina Plannin9 and Zonina commission March 11.1986 Richman told the Commission after 9 years of GMP experience, there have a total of 230 units to be awarded. The 4 projects that have been awarded a lodge GMP allocation, Aspen Inn, Lodge at Aspen, Carriage House, and Aspen Mountain Lodge, 165 units have been awarded but none of them have been built. 265 units would take the GMP process to the end of 1986. There are two other projects in the works yet to be deducted from the quota, Sardy House and Hotel Jerome, which would take the lodge GMP process to the year 1990 and with this project to 1992. Richman stated the one set of numbers that has not been included are the changes in use. There are 4 projects which are changes in use i the Holiday House of 17 units, the Cortina of II units and Copper Horse and Alpina Haus of 54 units. This is a total of 82 units which are changing in use from lodge to residential. The Holiday House and Cortina have 6 units each that could be changed in use for a total of 94 units. Richman pointed out the 94 units changing in use and the 92 units requested for this project offset each other. Richman said it is difficult to find that this request is not consistent with the growth management concept. Blomquist asked when the Aspen Mountain Lodge would lose their quota. Richman said they have two weeks to obtain a building permi t or to request an extension from Council. Gramiger said the P & Z should address conditional use specifically wi th the units proposed, the proposed footprint and height and setbacks. Gramiger said he is opposed to the Board approving a footprint that is disregarding the open space concept of the town. Sirous Saghatoslami said he is concerned that they are lowering his property as well as the heated space and keeping snow in his area. Kane said the applicants have a specific plan relating the grading of this area. Forsch said they are trying to create a very lively area and interaction between the Tippler and the new Little Nell deck and make the entire base area work. Kane told P & Z the reason for the difference of the roof to basement height of 12 feet is necessitated by the fact the gondola building is tied in with the ski administration building. The structural engineering, having looked at the loads required, have given the proposed roof structure taking the building from 31 to an elevation of 43 for the ski mazes. Kane said they are attempting to have the maze area for 4A and the gondola at a Common grade to be able to chose either lift. The 43 elevation is 5 feet higher than the Tippler deck. Kane disagreed with the contention that this area is undesirable. Kane said the applicant is proposing a stairway and two major lifts to serve as a conduit to after ski traffic to circulate directly onto the Tippler deck. Kane said they have an excellent drainage plan. 5 Continued Meetina Plannina and Zonin9 commission March 11.1986 Ms. Markalunas asked how high the gondola entrance is above the street level. Kane said street level is 7931, and the maze base is 7943. The height of the gondola building is not set because it is not designed. Kane said the equipment requirements will require the building be a minimum of 20 feet highl the building will be 32 feet from street level if it has a flat roof. Gramiger asked if a skier could ski down around the gondola building to the maze. Forsch said it has been designed that way. Drop off Area Hunt said he would like to discuss the parking and circulation and the drop off area. Kane reminded the Commission during the review process the applicant presented 5 drop off alternatives and one was selected. John Cottle presented the approved scheme and a blow up of that scheme. Cottle said after getting into greater detail, they applicants feel there are some problems with the approved scheme. Cottle pointed out the hotel drop off area and the skier drop off area in the alternative approved by P & Z at an earlier meeting. Cottle said there are problems and conflicts with pedestrians in the plan approved. Cottle presented concept A, the skier drop off is exactly the same, there is more room for cars at the hotel drop off. Blomquist said he feels concept A is a distinct improvement. Richman said this alternative is one that the staff feel more comfortable with than the one that was approved. Hunt said he prefers concept A but it looks like they have intruded into Durant avenue. Hunt said Durant avenue will become a high volume transit street, and the Board should keep as much flexibility here as possible. Kane pointed out there is no encroachment into the travel lane or parking of the public right-of-way. All of the alternatives presented to P & Z contained preservation of angle parking, preservation of the present curb line, and all the drop off 100 percent on private land. Kane said the applicants feel this is a better alternative. Blomquist said the positive about this plan are that there are two sidewalks, the intersection is far more clear, the drop offs are separated. Jerry Hewey, Aspen Alps, said they are in favor of any plan that will make this intersection safer. Hewey asked if there is sidewalk on the west side of Spring street. Cottle said there will be. Hewey said any design should make sure cars coming down Spring street and cars existing the hotel will be able to see each other. Hewey said they would like signs to identify the lodges up Spring street. White said he is concerned that one truck on Durant avenue would close off both drop offs. Blomquist said one solution is to eliminate the curb extension. Ms. Markalunas pointed out that the timing will be different for 6 Continued Meetina Plannina and Zonin9 commission March 11.1986 the skier drop off versus the hotel drop off. Hunt said plan A can be improved by removing the curb extension. Richman said the staff is concerned about the curb extension and would like to look into it more. Blomquist moved to reconsider that condition 7 and option 3 was approved and to approve concept Al seconded by Ms. Markalunas. Blomquist amended his motion to say any refinements be resolved between the applicant and the engineer 1 seconded by Ms. Markalunas. All in favor, with the exception of White and Hunt. Motion carried. Blomquist said he feels there is need for the public to receive more information regarding attrition, shifts in the market and a program should be developed to show the history of growth. Blomquist said the growth numbers seem to indicate this is an acceptable level of growth. Richman said he feels the program to deal with this is the land use element of the planning program, which deals with growth trends and development trends. Richman said they have met with Council and have suggested the community's growth policy is becoming outdated. Blomquist moved the Commission grant conditional use of a hotel as proper in the CC zone; seconded by Ms. Tygre. White agreed there has been an attrition of rooms. Replacing rooms that have been lost is different from building new rooms. Hunt said he does not feel the applicant has satisfactorily handled the issues of impacts. Ms. Tygre said she supports conditional use of a hotel on this site, it is a logical and appropriate site for a hotel. Ms. Tygre said she does not feel the hotel guests will impact this area as far as traffic goes. Ms. Tygre said she does not agree about the attr i tion of hotel roomSl there has always been a very flexible inventory of short term accommodations in the community. Ms. Tygre said she is concerned about what will happen if all the other approved projects are buil t at the same time. Blomquist said during the downtown plan, the Commission should come to grips with this problem. Gramiger said the question of conditional use cannot be separated from the issue of density. Gramiger said the Commission should discuss whether they are comfortable with the floor area ratio before they vote on conditional use. Richman said the Commission has discussed this and decided the floor area ratio would be based on the CC zone only and the FAR is 1.88:1, which is below that of many surrounding buildings. It is above the FAR allowed in the CC zone. Blomquist said the Commission should acknowledge this is not a typical project, that the full Little Nell open space area has been enhanced in terms of accessibility. with the 7 Continued-Meetina Plannina and Zonina commission March 11.1986 gondola, skiers will not have to wait in line as long as in the past. An entire summer experience has been opened up. Blomquist said the hotel will contribute to the conference business. Blomquist said there are number of important trade offs that effect the decisions concerning this project. Blomquist said the re has been a shift in quality in areas of the tourist industry as well as widening the choice of the guests. Richman said these reasons are why this has been treated in an SPA process. All in favor, with the exception of Hunt and Peyton 1 Motion carried. Variations in SPA Kaufman said he feels it is very positive the project only needs two variations of the SPA overlay. Kaufman said if they followed the Code, the service yard would be way out of proportion. They are requesting a service yard of 1600 square feet, which they feel is more than adequate. Kaufman pointed out it is the same. size as the service yard for the Aspen Mountain Lodge, which is a large r proj ect. Hunt moved to recommend that Council grant a variation of the service yard of 1600 square feet as proposed by the applicant; seconded by Ms. tygre. All in favor, motion carried. Kaufman told the Commission the second variation is the floor area ratio. Kaufman said the issue is building design and impact, which the Commission has discussed. If one looks at the entire SPA parcel, the building is under 1:1 FAR. If just the CC is counted, THE FAR is l. 88: 1 or 81,265 squa re feet. Ka ufman said they would like a flexibility of about 2,000 square feet so that when the building is being constructed, the applicant does not have to return to P & Z continually for determination on what counts and what doesn't. Richman recommended setting the FAR at 1.9:1 Kaufman said the reasons for this variation is that the building reads much smaller than it is. The FAR variation is justified within the intent of the SPA. Kaufman pointed out what they are asking for is less than the surrounding buildings. Gramiger stated this parcel is an SPA and should be considered separately from the neighborhood. There has been downzoning since the surrounding buildings were built. Ms. Tygre said the design features the applicant has incorporated has mitigated the size and bulk of the building. Ms. Tygre moved to recommend that Council grant a var iation in FAR of l.9:11 seconded Ms. Markalunas.All in favor, with the exception of Ms. Peyton. Motion carried. 8 Continued Meetina Plannin9 and Zonin9 commission March 11.1986 Use Issues Richman said the hotel protrudes in the conservation district in a minor partl therefore, there is a use variation required for the hotel in the conservation district. Richman said he feels the hotel should remain as a conditional usel the Commission can decide whether they want ski lifts as a conditional use. Richman said if the applicant wants to modify the hotel in the future, the conditional use is a public hearing and SPA amendment is not. Richman said each SPA is unto itself, there would be no precedent of allowing the hotel on the small portion of the conservation zone that the P & Z would have to allow it on any other SPA. Richman said the applicant is fitting the project to the site rather than redrawing the zone district. Ms. Tygre recommended Council grant a variation of the use list for the conservation zone to allow a hotel use as a conditional use and maintain the hotel in the CC zone as a conditional use 1 seconded by Ms. Markalunas. All in favor, motion carried. Construction Schedule Richman said it is imperative to know that the ski area can function while this project is under construction. Dave Ellis presented a schematic plan for phase 11 the west wing and the terminal building will be completed. The pump house and transformers will stay in place. The vehicular access will be the same. The entry to ski lifts will be temporary stairs. The maintenance building will remain but will not be used for maintenance. The Little Nell building will remain. The administration office and ski school will remain in use until the new space is reconstructed. Number 4 lift will be abandoned and dismantled. Ellis told the Commission the westerly portion of Dean street will remain as is until the lodge improvement district improves it, or when the hotel is finished it will be paved. Forsch said the site works quite well while the eastern portion, or the major part of the hotel, is under construction. Forsch said the applicant has agreed to comply wi th the standards of the forest service for the ski areal they do have a landscape plan but it is not finalized. Hammond asked where vehicular access and staging would occur. Ellis said they have not worked out the specifics with a contractor 1 there are 3 possible access sites. Forsch said there is a large area to the north of the shop to accommodate these activities. Hewey asked if there is a time table for excavation and recontouring. Ellis said they plan to start on the west wing 9 ". Continued Meetina Plannina and Zonina commission March 11.1986 and Hunter street in June and proceed up the mountain. The regrading should be completed in August. Forsch said some utility relocation will be started the day after the lifts close. Blomquist asked if the applicant will be sprinkling the exposed area so that it does not become a dust bowl. Richman told the Board this is a requirement of the environmental health department. Forsch said as soon as it is regraded, they will mulch and fertilize and seed the area. Gramiger asked if the P & Z could make a condition that this property can never be separated. Richman said this would be a subdivision and would require approval by P & Z and Council. Hunt asked the starting date for phase II. Forsch said the most optimistic is spring 1987 and could be as late as spring 1989. Richman pointed out the GMP allocation does have an expiration date. Hunt asked the construction time for phase II. Forsch said they feel it will take 18 months. Gramiger asked if the hotel is being financed by the industrial development bonds. Forsch said the hotel is not eligible for these bonds. Hunt asked the condition of the construction of phase II during the ski season. Cottle said the contractors hope to have the concrete work done and the steel frames in and covered. Hunt moved to accept that the applicant has addressed the construction impacts on a conceptual basis, and there are 7 items tha t should be the bas i s for condi ti ons for the construction schedulel seconded by Ms. Peyton. All in favor, motion carried. GMP Development Allotment Richman said this project entails demolition of retail and commercial space, and construction of new retail and commercial. The applicant will compete in the commercial GMP this summer. Richman said the area underneath the lift is administrative offices of the Ski Company. The staff has determined this is commercial space and subject to GMP allotment. The applicant will be constructing this space before the GMP competition. Richman recommended that space be designed and considered as accessory to the hotel. If the applicant does not get the allotment, they will not be able to occupy the space. Richman said that space has to be built if the lift is constructed. Richman said there is a category in the GMP called CL and other, which covers this space. P & Z requested a resolution of approval at their next meeting. Richman said the Board can make a recommendation to Council on the number of lodge units. Blomquist moved to adjourn at 7:25 p.m.l seconded by White. All in favor, motion carried. 10 ~~ ~4el~