HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.19950321
RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS
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PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
MARCH 21. 1995
Chairman Bruce Kerr called meeting to order at 4:30 P.M.
Answering roll call were Robert Blaich, Sara Garton, Roger Hunt
Jasmine Tygre and Bruce Kerr. Tim Mooney, Marta Chaikovska and
Steven Buettow were excused.
COMMISSIONER COMMENTS
Jasmine: Regarding buydown, I don't know the exact proposal itself
but it seemed that Council was really wrestling with the idea of
the buydown concept to begin with. They didn't think this was such
a good thing and they were uncomfortable about spending Housing
Authority money when it wasn't actually going to produce housing.
People in the community think the most important thing is to
preserve the housing that is already here even if it takes deed
restricting or whatever. A lot of the property that is affordable
but not officially in the affordable housing pool is property that
should be saved because it really does have minimal impact. Even
though you are not creating additional growth you are enabling
locals to stay here rather than making them move down valley and
then building publicly "funded employee housing" and then having
them move back. This is not what people had in mind. I think that
there are other reasons that the buydown concept won favor with the
Commission and I am kind of upset because I think most people think
that the last thing government should be doing is building more
housing. They would much rather see the private sector do it or
see something like buydowns.
Sara: I think Council is slowing down because they don't have the
guarantees from the owner and they do want to buy down. They are
very interested in this. The Housing Authority has recommended it
and they are all for it. They are not getting the guarantees from
the owner that they want.
Bruce: Philosophically there is much more resistance at the County
Commissioner level to the buydown concept than there is with City
Council.
STAFF COMMENTS
May 9th meeting we are trying to let P&Z act on what will come
about from the latest floor area discussion in Ord. 35 which is our
floor area overlay interim process which is due to expire the end
of May.
As a follow-up on the west end traffic review or wrap up we have
since included Stan Clauson and Bob Gish and representatives from
the Police Dept to try to come to some kind of resolution. Stan
feels that he would like to come to some kind of review the more
recent documentation and information that Bob Gish has put
together. One idea he has is to change the bus routing and not
wait until the next bi-annual review.
Sara: I would like him to meet with Dan Blankenship before he
comes to us.
Bruce: If it shows up on our agenda again before the next bi-
annual review I will ask for someone to make a motion saying that
we find that the SPA is in substantial compliance and we will not
look at the issue again until the next bi-annual review. I just
am not going to continue to have this on our agenda and have
arguments between citizens and the agencies involved.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
No public comments.
MINUTES
FEBRUARY 7. 1995
MOTION: Roger moved to adopt the minutes of February 7, 1995;
second by Jasmine. All in favor, motion carries.
ASPEN CENTER FOR PHYSICS
MOTION: Roger moved to continue this public hearing and table
action on the Aspen Center for Physics, Meadows SPA Amendment,
Final SPA, GMQS Exemption and Special Review to date certain of
April 4, 1995; second by Bob. All in favor, motion carries.
BARBETTE TEXT AMENDMENT
AND CONDITIONAL USE REVIEW
Kim: Made presentation as attached in records.
Roger: I don't have a particular problem with this application.
I do have a problem with your rationale saying office space is
always available. It is very easy to say there is office
available. That is due to the fact that the price is so high no
one can afford it. So sure there is going to be open office space.
That, to me, is not a rationale for this.
Bruce opened the public hearing.
closed.
No comments.
Public Hearing
Kim presented affidavits of mailing.
(attached in record)
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MOTION: Bob moved to recommend to Council approval of an amendment
to the Aspen Land Use Regulations to allow health and fitness
facilities as conditional uses in the 0 Office zone districts;
second by Sara. Motion carries 4-1. Jasmine opposed.
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Jasmine: For the record the reason I am voting no is because I do
not feel that the conditional use review criteria are adequate.
Roger: Even though I voted in favor of this, I agree with Jasmine.
MOTION: Sara moved to approve the Barbette conditional use for a
health and fitness facility in the Aspen Athletic Club Building
with the three conditions stated in the Planning Office memo dated
March 21, 1995 and that it meets the review criteria for
conditional use in the Office zone; second by Bob.
DISCUSSION
Jasmine: I think it will be helpful to have site specific
information included as part of the motion because future people
who may be looking back on it will say "OK, I understand that"
because they have got an example of why we came to this decision
in regard to this particular conditional use.
Bruce: By its very nature a conditional use review and approval
is not precedent setting. It is very site specific and use
specific. So the fact that we approve a health and fitness
facility in this location and somebody comes to us next month with
an application for a health and fitness facility in the 0 zone
district we look at it fresh and we make independent decisions
based on these review criteria.
VOTE: All in favor, motion carries.
HPC CODE AMENDMENTS
Bruce opened the public hearing.
Bruce: On page 8--A
plan and survey I am
expense and burden
necessary.
(2) where you are now going to require a site
wondering whether that creates an additional
on the applicant that mayor may not be
Amy: The survey is required by the Building Dept. for the kind of
project that would be reviewed by HPC. A site plan is what I
consider basic information in order for us to review.
Sara:
within
buying
The Building Dept. accepts a survey that has been done
a year. They usually have to do this anyway when they are
it.
/.~.;.",.
Amy:
And for the smaller projects I said site plan or survey to
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be determined at pre-ap.
change in a window.
I don't want to ask for a survey for a
,
Bruce: I don't have a problem with #6 as long as it is made clear.
Roger: Maybe you want to add on the end "As appropriate". What
might be appropriate for one development isn't at all appropriate
for the other.
Bruce: If you put in something like "A visual description of the
neighborhood context through at least one of the following:
diagrams, maps, photographs, models or streetscape elevations.
And then put in the language similar to what you had on page 6--
"To be determined at the pre-ap conference so that they know ahead
of time. If it is a problematic site then you are going to be able
to tell them that a model will be needed.
Amy: The problem is if I decide at pre-ap that a model is not
required and then there is a whole lot of public comment during the
review I do not want to go back and request a model. You could add
something about excessive costs to the applicant.
Bruce:
I think that would be great.
Bob: On the other hand the more information they provide up front
the better chance they have of going through without a lot of
delays. On the Overlay Board we get stuff in there that they have
done a lot of work on but they didn't give the right information.
Then we ask them to go back and that is costly. I think a
judgement call should be made by staff on that. If they feel a
model is required then they should be very explicit about that.
Several projects we have reviewed would have been very difficult
without models.
No public comment.
Bruce closed the public hearing.
MOTION: Roger moved to adopt Resolution 95-6 of the Aspen Planning
& Zoning Commission recommending the Aspen City Council amendments
to the Aspen Municipal Code regarding the following Sections. All
of them Section 24-7-601, 602, 603, 604, 606, 703, 704, 706, 709,
second by Jasmine.
DISCUSSION
Bruce: There is a text amendment review criteria and we have taken
those into account and consideration in reviewing these proposed
text amendments.
Roger:
I will include that in my motion.
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AMENDED MOTION: Roger amended his motion to state that there is
a text amendment review criteria and the commission has taken those
into account and consideration in reviewing these proposed text
amendments, second by Jasmine. All in favor of motion and amended
motion, motion carries.
LAND USE CODE AMENDMENTS
Bruce opened the public hearing.
Kim made presentation as attached in record.
Bruce: What we did with the HPC code amendments was to just ask
questions and make the changes.
Sara: On page 2 7-584 add is supplied or
stream margin review I am wondering
inspection written into the code.
are submitted. Regarding
if we can add on-site
Kim: All of our approvals require a certain amount of checking.
Sara: There is nothing about enforcement.
Kim: If you write in something about "this project's conditions
shall be enforced" does it imply another process and another
approval may be a different level of enforcement.
Bruce:
Explicit that the code will be enforced.
Bruce: On page 3 what does it take to be a qualified wildlife
vegetation consultant.
Kim: In terms of real bodies I believe we were referring to Mike
Claffey, Core of Engineers or Alen Zenquish or his counter part or
the Division of wildlife.
Sara: Are they licensed?
Kim: I do not think so.
Bruce: It needs to be clear if it is a government agency or what?
Jasmine: Part of stream margin review is not just the physical
maintenance of traditional or historic stream flows but also visual
impact. The point of the visual impact does not seem to come
through to the applicant. Part of the value to the community is
aesthetics. A river should look like a river.
Kim: I hope my mandatory setback and #4 which is no removal or
damage to vegetation outside your envelope will keep a handle on
it.
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Robert: What if someone decides to put river stone on the
embankment, I assume that is protected under this.
Kim: That is prohibited with #4 and #9.
Sara: People were re-Iandscaping thinking it was nice.
Bruce: Do you have the top of slope defined.
Kim: It ended up being a new definition.
Roger: I have a general problem with this entire section and after
reading it is confusing. In the first paragraph no development
shall be permitted unless the commission makes the determination
as set forth below but then you put the statement about the review
after wetlands, riparian zone. In order for it to make sense
unless has to be inserted to make sense of it.
Kim: You are saying no development shall be permitted on the
Roaring Fork unless the commission makes the determination.
You have to comply to keep in compliance.
Bruce: Sara raised question in terms of requests from applicants
and what we can request.
Kim: I asked the attorneys if there was language that would work
to get at these short of being sued. He said probably not but if
we codify it one would have to sue against the code. The attorney
has read #2 and will defend it.
Bruce: On green line are there any comments?
Sara: I thought we were concerned about height in the 8040
greenline.
Kim: Most of the discussions were related to floor area and
heights and percentage of slopes as to whether you should build on
it or not. We still in the future have to work on growth
management and can discuss 8040 at that time regarding height.
Bruce: Section 5-511 follows under supplemental regulations.
Kim: That relates to lighting, out of ground fuel storage tanks.
Bruce: How long are we going to be landscape maintenance police?
Kim: In reality it would only happen it something widespread
occurred.
Bruce: I think we are addressing new projects; the landscape is
important to the overall approval of that project. I feel we need
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to state a certain period of time but I do not want to pick that
number.
Kim: It does limit it to landscaping shown on any approved site
development plan.
Bruce: The landscape plan is indicated and two years down the row
a tree dies and then another approval is done and the next person
does not have to comply. Is it fair to make the one guy buy a new
tree because a tree dies. I am concerned about that.
Kim: Maybe we should go retroactive. For instance the east cooper
project as that site has caused more concern in the last two years
than any others. People called me and I said I couldn't do
anything.
Bruce: That brings up Ruby Park also. The other concern is
enforceability. If you choose 5 years that project is long gone
and sold. It seems to me that we are making the property owner a
grantor of the landscaping of his property.
Kim: That is important and at the time of approval it
the site will have including parking and trees.
communities have something similar to this.
states what
Most other
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Jasmine: A similar situation happened with Syzygy and the
developer was to put in a elevator and didn't and then we told the
guy who runs the restaurant that he needed to put in the elevator.
What happens with a lot of projects is that the original developer
makes promises and sells off part of the project to someone else
who are left holding the bag as it were for things that were
promised but which were part of the approval process. Vegetation
is similar but can die. The accountability is transferred in a lot
of things that we do.
Bruce: With changing conditions
is an over burden regulation.
requirement.
in landscaping it seems like this
I could live with a two year
Robert Blaich: You also have to consider natural causes.
Kim: I think this gives an out if something happens beyond
control.
Bruce: For example my lodge has plantings over 20 years old and
they need replaced and I would have to go to the Parks Dept. to get
a permit to cut down a tree. This is the same kind of thing we are
going to place on somebody and may be onerous. Certain trees get
in water lines etc. There is landscaping that is initially done
that fits in and later it gets over required.
Robert Blaich:
Good landscape architects will not over plant in
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the beginning but most people go to the local nursery and pack
trees and bushes in.
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Jasmine:
looks.
Initially the more you put plantings in the better it
Roger: We need to look at the immediate landscape plan and which
trees do you expect to last 20 years and within the 20 years which
trees do you expect to take out. We need to identify the trees
that would be taken out.
Jasmine: Maybe we state that the replacement trees and shrubs
should say "appropriate " plant material instead of saying equal
size and variety.
Bruce: Down at the south end of Wagner Park to be would be a clear
violation of the electrical code and if that extension cord comes
down and electrocutes somebody we got a real serious problem and
we are not enforcing those kinds of things which are allover the
town, bldg. violations. I cannot support someone in staff being
a landscape policeman.
Sara:
I do not see how this will be tracked either.
Kim: I did this in my other job before I came here and it ended
up that every stick was critical to greenery and I was designated
to do a comprehensive landscape check and this in my mind is more
of the ability of staff to respond to citizen complaints.
Roger: If a building is in danger it certainly is more important
than a tree.
Kim:
I am hearing that we should attach a time limit to this.
Robert Blaich: We are talking about quality within a whole area.
Sara: Possibly a staggered landscape plan.
Kim: Developers do not think along those lines they want to get
it done immediately.
Robert Blaich: They want to sell the house and they put a lot of
stuff around it to make it appealing for a buyer.
Jasmine: Possibly give applicants options on dying vegetation.
I feel if something dies should not have to replace it with the
same thing.
Kim: How about three years from the date of occupancy. What about
keeping shall submit a revised landscape period and eliminate the
rest.
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Roger: What about satellite dishes which are 18 inches or smaller.
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Kim: It would be a planning director sign off and it would cost
$225.
Roger: What it up put it somewhere and concealed it and could
eliminate the $225. process.
Robert Blaich: Do you mean review of any satellite dish.
Sara: It states that the review occurs only if it is 2.5 and
above.
Roger: 2.5 and below is the Planning Director with a $225.
process.
Robert Blaich:
I feel that is a burden.
Sara: I missed that you meant every size dish.
Roger: I wouldn't mind it if it were a $50. fee.
Kim: Anything under two feet doesn't have to be reviewed pending
Building Codes.
Bruce: Anything above two feet would go to Planning Director sign
off and if he has a problem then he can come to us.
Roger: I would make the crossover two feet and have CD review it.
Kim: Ok 24 inches and under no review and 25 inches and greater
CD sign off.
Kim: Vested rights is still in the discussion stages.
Bruce: I would propose a resolution that would include stream
margin and 8040 greenline as amended. I would not be in favor of
landscape maintenance and approve satellite dish as amended.
Roger: I would be in favor of Bruce's suggestion including 5-511
landscape maintenance as amended.
Bruce: The vote would be 5-0 on everything but landscape
maintenance.
Kim: I will try and reiterate: Scratch equal size and variety and
replace with similar quality. Sub 2 submit for approval revised
landscape plan. Explanation of revised plan shall accompany the
submission.
Roger: I would add that we supported the three year minimum and
would like to include that in the approval.
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MOTION: Roger moved to include Kim's reiteration of landscape
maintenance and amended it to include at least a three year
minimum; second by Jasmine. All in favor, motion carries.
Bruce: We have left to review bIg. envelope; affordable housing
and vested rights.
MOTION: Roger moved to approve the rest of the landuse code
amendments to April 4, 1995 and continue the public hearing until
that date also; second by Jasmine. All in favor, motion carries.
MOTION: Sara made the motion to adjourn; second by Robert. All
in favor, motion carries.
Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk
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