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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.19850806 REGULAR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING AND"Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 Chairman Welton Anderson called the meeting to order at 5:02 p.m. with Commissioners' David White, Mari Peyton, Al Blomquist, Roger Hunt, Jim Colombo, Ramona Markalunas and Jasmine Tygre (arrived late) present. COMMISSIONERS' COMIIEN'l'S Alan Richman, planning director, responded to a question regarding the Chart House roof ducts raised at an earlier meeting by Peyton. Richman said they had found there had been no representations about architecture on the project. It is a case where the Commission did not ask for as much as they should have in the approval process. The ducts have been covered to some degree. White asked when the Transportation element was going to be studied. Richman said the planning office has started on 2 items at this time. The downtown plan will go before Council on August 26, 1985. Richman said this will probably require the Commi ssion to hold a special work session prior to the date to discuss what will be shown to Council and to get ideas. Richman suggested a lunch session on August 23, 1985. Hunt said the Mill Street Station still did not have a service elevator and asked what the status was. MINUTES Hunt moved to approve the minutes of June 18, 1985 and those of June 25, 1985; White seconded. All in favor motion carried. PUBLIC BEARING MUNICIPAL CODE AllBRDMEN'l': PUBLIC BEARING RO'l'IFICATION REOUIREMEN'l'S Steve Burstein, planner, said over the last year several issues with regard to public hearings and public hearing requirements had been raised. Burstein reviewed the issues raised and the planning office memorandum regarding them, dated August 6, 1985. Anderson opened the public hearing. There were no comments, therefore, the public hearing was closed. Hunt said he did not agree with issue #2 regarding changing the public hearing notification requirements as applied to condominium owners. Part .of the rationale for allowing condominiumization 1 REGULAR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUS'l' 6. 1985 was that there was no additional burden to the City. With this requirement there will be much more work placed on the City. It will be very difficult to determine how many owners there are as well as keeping track of them. He felt the responsibility should remain with the associations of the properties. White agreed with Hunt on issue #2. When we get in to timeshare there a 15 owners of 1 unit. This could also be an expense to the City. Part of the responsibility for a condominium or timeshare should be their managements, to get information to their people. The entire condominium only has one vote, like any owner of a property does, even though there may be 35 people in the building. Blomquist commented often the managers let things ride. It was the individual owners that expressed concern. It has been a long tradition of the management companies to not feel strongly one way or another since they are not owners. The purpose of public notice is to notice the owners. White agreed with Blomquist on his standpoint but felt it is the condominium associations responsibility to handle those things. If the owners disagree with that then they can go to their association and change the bylaws to be sure their desires are adhered to. It is not the City's responsibility. Hunt said according to the planing office memorandum it states the City Attorney said this was "probable". Hunt said he would 1 ike an actual reading of exactly where we stand legally. Hunt felt the law was being accommodated legally by notifying the legal representative of the owner. Barry Edwards, city attorney, disagreed saying when you talk about due process in giving people notice you have to be careful to try and give the most effective notice. Edwards added that White and Hunt assume that in every case the condominium unit owners have designated a manager or association as their agent and this is not always the case. You can not assume the manager or the association has been given the responsibility, or required to act in the way they are assuming. Anderson said he had been through the process before and it is not that difficult to go to the County Assessors office and get the names from the tax records. He added he did not feel this was as much of a burd~n on the City as the applicant. He said he thought the requirement of providing the names on already addressed envelopes was to save the planing office work. If the person is paying a fee for the application he thought it should cover some serv ices. 2 REGm.AR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 White asked what the position on time sharing in this issue would be, if passed. The general reply was that each person would be considered an owner. Motion: Peyton moved to recommend that City Council amend the Municipal Code in the first sentence of Section 20-10 (d) to read: "within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Planning Commission recommendation and at a public hearing noticed according to the standards of Section 20-13, the City Council shall approve, conceptual presentation." and further to recommend that City Council amend the first sentence of Section 24-8.8 to read as follows: "Section 24-8.8 Conceptual presentation -- City Council public hearing" Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the planning commission recommendation and at a public hearing noticed according to the standards of Section 24-8.10, the city council shall approve, di sapprove, or approve wi th modifications the conceptual presentation" Blomquist seconded. All in favor; motion carried. Motion-=- Blomquist moved to recommend to City Council to change the public hearing application requirement, as they apply to condominium unit owners, such that instead of noticing given to the condominium managers it would be given directly to the owners; Peyton seconded. Five in favor, White and Hunt opposed; motion carried. Motion: Blomq ui st moved to recommend to City Council that appl icants for land use reviews be required to supply the planing office with the names of property owners and supply pre-addressed envelopes; Peyton seconded. Anderson opposed, all others in favor; motion carried. Anderson commented that sometimes the 15 day notice requirement works against an applicant because notice is not published and the schedul ing doesn I t work out right. Sometimes instead of 15 days it becomes 5 weeks. Anderson asked that the planning office 3 REGULAR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 investigate whether this could be shortened. Richman responded that a State statute requires the 15 days. NEW BUSINESS LITTLE NRT.J. CONCEPTUAL SPA Richman said this was the first time a Conceptual SPA has come before the Commission and told the Commissioners there were two things he would like to see answered at this meeting; III has anything been deferred at the precise plan stage of the review that the Commission thinks should be reviewed at the conceptual stage, and 112 are there any technical issues that have been missed which should be studied by the applicant towards their precise plan stage of review. He also commented that he would prefer not to deal with the growth policy question at this meeting, the subj ect is big enough to have its own focus. He would prefer to handle it at the second review with the SPA boundary, both being policy review questions. Peter Forsch, applicant for the Aspen Skiing Corporation, explained their proposal. Mr. Forsch said the SPA Ordinance finally allows them to come forward with this submission. He expressed there was a time concern on their part in order to coincide this project with the Aspen Mountain Master plan project. Some of the requirements of our bond issue requires specific dates. Mr. Forsch reiterated Richman's statement of the conceptual nature of this, being an SPA submission with an extra layer of review. He explained this proposal is actually the bottom half of the Aspen Mountain Master plan, which this Commission has reviewed. Mr. Forsch said they had approached the whole issue as a benef i t to the community and the neighborhood. He added that all of the surrounding neighbors are in support of the project, with the exception of the Aspen Square who is taking a neutral posi tion. Mr. Forsch said they were disappointed with Richman's recommenda- tion, to deny the hotel portion of the project. Our intentions are to continue to pursue the project and to try to explain to the Commission our reasons for not agreeing with that recommendation. The renovation of the base area is one of the foremost concerns. The area is deteriorating and not a very good entrance to guests. We recognize and share Richman's concern about the GMP quota allocation question and agree it is probably the overriding issue and threshold question and an issue that needs 4 REGULAR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 to be answered. Our first thought was not to waste the Commis- sions time and go directly to City Council and ask them for a recommendation on the whole area of future growth and allocation. After talking with Richman he suggested that we proceed with this Commission through the process and try to get it to City Council as quickly as possible for them to make the decision. As a part of that Mr. Forsch asked the Commission to stick to the time table and schedule that the Planning Office has allocated to this process, two meetings. Mr. Forsch gave a slide presentation outlining the proposed project. Mr. Forsch said they would like to begin construction of the project in 1987. Bill Kane, applicant, reviewed drawings of the proposed project. He said the neighborhood is predominately short-term lodging oriented with the key buildings being the Tipple Inn, North of Nell, Woodstone, Aspen Square, and the Aspen Alps. The zone for the site, which is slightly over 43,000 sq.ft., is CC SPA. There is a larger tract of land proposed to expand the site to 88,000 sq. ft., to include C SPA on a portion of the site. Kane said the proposal, from a zoning land use standpoint, is to confine the vast majority of the proposed lodging and commercial activities in the CC SPA zone. The land that is zoned C SPA is proposed for ski area administrative functions, office, ticketing and accounting, and the food service depot. The application proposes extension of the SPA boundary line to incorporate sufficient land for, new lift terminals, the hotel structure, and expanded ski administration functions. Kane outlined a drawing illustrating the transportation context of the site. The pedestrian access corridors, as they exist now, were also reviewed. A drawing outlining the utility configuration was explained. Kane said they uncovered a utility constraint, to be dealt with in the design of the project, being the pump house off of Durant St. The pump house pulls water off of a 6 inch water line on Durant and ground water to recharge the Aspen Mountain tanks. It is an important source of water for the City to recharge tanks to interact with snow making. The facility will have to be incorpo- rated in our design. We have talked with Jim Markalunas, water department, and are currently operating on 2 or 3 conceptual alternatives for dealing with putting that pumping function underground. There are numerous other util i ties that cross the site, however, at this point there are no insurmountable problems 5 REGULAR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 dealing with those utilities. Kane added that there was also an irrigation easement on the site. Kane said the proposal also proposes the development of pedestrian malls (outlined on drawings) which would become pedestrian access ways to the mountain. One of the key features of the site plan is to try to create a base area for a new proposed maj or 1 ift on Aspen Mountain. By doing this it creates an opportunity for building space underneath the mountain grade. The idea being the building underneath could be Aspen Ski Company, food service operations, and retail space with people entering at the 0 grade. Other areas of the site plan were reviewed. Larry Yaw, applicant's architect, reviewed the architectural drawings and explained he thought the most important aspect of the architecture was the site planning. The proposed building responds to important site criteria in its architecture. We feel the building needs a street presence in order to carry out the theme of downtown Aspen, we have, therefore, let the building come out to the street at points. The building begins to turn away from the street to give a visual message to the skier mall. Mr. Yaw added that an important social element of the design is the ski deck. White asked how many lodge units, since 1980, that were allocated by Council, have not been used. Richman replied none, all lodge units that have been within the quota system have been allocated. Richman added there had been commercial and residential units dropped, but not lodge units. There are projects who still have allocations which are as yet unbuil t. White asked what the County had done on the parking situation for this project. Mr. Forsch said they asked the applicant to develop or participate in the development of 46 parking spaces. Richman added that this requirement was not limited to the site, or a time frame placed on it. White questioned whether the City owned Dean St. Richman said it is not vacated and the applicant has indicated they have easements over it. White then asked how far it went in toward Nell. Mr. Forsch outlined the area on the plans, stating Dean st. ended at the corner of the North of Nell building. Markalunas asked about the park parcel located between the Aspen Alps and this proposed project. Kane outlined the area on the map. Hunt commented that it appears the corner of the proposed 6 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS REGULAR MEETING PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 building almost touches the park parcel. Gideon Kaufman, applicants attorney, said the history of the park parcel site was to preserve the view plane of the Aspen Alps. Mr. Forsch added that they had talked with the management of the Aspen Alps and they are familiar with the project. In addition, Mr. Forsch said there was no encroachment in to the park parcel. Markal unas asked if the Hunter St. Plaza would be designated public. Mr. Forsch replied that it was their intention to have it as public plaza, highly landscaped, etc. for public circulation. Hunt asked how a semi-truck could get out of the proposed receiving dock. Mr. Yaw repl ied a st udy had been done in great detail at this level and should be ready for review at the next submission. Hunt said he had basically the same question regarding the receiving dock for restaurants on Dean St. Mr. Forsch said that whole area is a concern for them also but there is no other place at the base of Aspen Mountain where they can except del iveries. Mr. Forsch added they hope to have those details before they get to the precise stage of this process. Richman asked if any members of the Commission wanted to question the concept of 2 service entrances. Hunt said he understood the reasoning for separating them, having alot to do with circulation on the mountain. Blomquist said he liked the 2 service entrances because there has been a problem with the North of Nell building unloading on to Durant St. Peyton commented it appeared there were not going to be any more off-street skier drop-off areas. Mr. Forsch said it was not shown but certainly contemplated on the Durant St. frontage with more space than is currently available in the parking area. Peyton commented that would still be using the city street and that didn't seem an adequate solution. Kaufman asked if Ms. peyton had a conceptual problem with people being dropped off on Durant St. Peyton replied it was a time consuming operation for people to be dropped off and get all of their things out of the car and it seems if there is more than one car doing it at a time they will be standing out in the middle of Durant St. Mr. Forsch said they would anticipate and look to eliminating parking during the morning hours so it could be used as a skier drop-off area. Richman pointed out that in the Aspen Mountain Master Plan approval process one of the commitments the applicant made was to continue to have that drop-off area and he would not consider it to be a drop-off area on the street. 7 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS REGULAR MEETING PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 White voiced 2 problems; receiving and Dean St.. He liked the idea of separating the receiving for the hotel on one side, and the mountain receiving on Dean St. If there is any way to separate the people and the cars it would be better. Having trucks and people both on Dean St. bothered him. Colombo asked how big the internal area of the hotel was going to be. Mr. Yaw replied 95 feet across and 165 feet deep. Colombo commented that without moving the building forward the same number of rooms could be accommodated by recessing it and giving up some of the internal space and getting an on property breeze way drop off that is separated from the street by some sort of parkway. Kane outlined 14 angle parking spaces and suggested taking some of those spaces out and using the street surface for a drop-off area. Blomquist said there could be a problem with that and snow shedding off of the roof of the building on to pedestrians. Kane responded that they intend to manage the snow on the roof. Peyton said she thought the drop-off area should be handled on the applicants property rather than on the public right of way. Mr. Kaufman said the public right of way is currently being used throughout town to help people. Lodges in town park on the public right of way, and a lot of people use the public right of way, it is there to service these kind of things. What we are suggesting is not going to impede people from traveling on the street, it is just another form of transportation. Tygre asked about pedestrian access from Ute Ave., or other properties, to the east. Kane outlined an area on the plans stating it was supposed to be at the same elevation, allowing access. Markal unas was curious about the shade factor on Durant St. and the icy conditions that traditionally exist in the winter. Mr. Yaw said that it would remain as it is now. Markalunas asked if the sidewalk would be heated. Mr. Forsch said it probably would not be heated but would certainly be maintained. Mr. Forsch said the way the building cuts back at the corners addresses that problem, and the sloped roof should allow the building to get more sun to the street. Anderson suggested the applicant might do a shadow study. White commented that Aspen Mountain's capacity will be around 4500 with the Aspen Mountain Master Plan. Mr. Forsch said it is rated now at about 3000 and the increased capacity will bring it up to approximately 4500. White said that means there will be approximately 3200 skiers going up the new lift right in the hotel 8 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS REGULAR MEE'l'ING PLARII1ING ANn 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 area. That is alot of people having to be dropped-off to ski in the area. Mr. Forsch said the lift is designed to handle that amount of traffic and will be able to move those numbers of people out of the area much quicker. White said his concern was that there will be that many people in the area being dropped off, trying to get their equipment out of the car, and how many people will be impacted coming in to there between the hours of 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. Mr. Forsch said the significant impact would come from the Aspen Mountain Lodge and should not be driving, therefore, he did not anticipate any significant drop-off increase over what is al ready happening. The improvements are to accommodate what is already existing. Fritz Benedict, concerned citizen, asked where the bike path was going to be located in relation to the proposed project. Mr. Kane outlined the area on the plans. Mr. Kane added that the city still has a right of way on the Ute Ave. section of the trail. Hunt asked where the snowmobiles that are required to be at the bottom of the hill would be parked. Mr. Forsch said they hope to 1 imi t the number of snowmobil es that have to be at the bottom of the hill, making the maintenance facility a hub for those activi- ties. Blomquist said he realized Richman had no choice, given the rules and regulations, in coming to the recommendation of the planning office. Blomquist said there are many houses managed by management companies that are not part of the formula leading to the quota. In addition there are a number of condos that have gone out of the short term market which are also not in the quota calculations. Going to the question of the basis of quota, are there any findings that would alter the facts upon which Richman based his decision. Anderson said the quota questions were to be answered at an individual meeting, this meeting was for SPA questions. Blomquist said he believed the quota system was deficient in that the calculations are not based on the concept of balance, as written in the original GMP goals. What is the balance between hotel rooms, apartments, condominiums, houses, etc. that constitutes a viable market response on the part of Aspen. Blomquist said he assumed the major negative impact of skiing was the excellent performance of winter and the poor performance of summer, in economic terms. Blomquist asked if there was a way this project could be converted to positively erase some of that despairity in the economy by positively effecting the summer 9 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS REGULAR MEETING PLARII1ING AND 'Z ONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 economy. Blomquist felt the applicants should address the major negative impacts as well as their desires. Mr. Kaufman asked if the Commission was generally comfortable, at the conceptual stage, with what was being proposed. Richman said he felt some of the most difficult issues had not been dealt with at this point. Richman added he would like to know from this meeting which areas the Commission wants more information on at the conceptual 1 evel. Anderson expressed concern with whether the FAR is 1.8 to 1 or .87 to 1, depending on what land area is used to calculate; the maximum height; the open space; and parking circulation. Anderson commented the critical issue about this SPA is that this is the porthole to the mountain and entire community. White said his concerns were open space, parking, and circulation and thought more precise detail was needed in these areas. Colombo said he thought conceptually this was an acceptable project and could be viable to the community. His concerns were skier drop-off, circulation of traffic in the area and interfe- rence with Mill and Durant traffic, and pedestrian access to the mountain through the Hunter Mall. He did not see any probl ems that could not be overcome at the precise stage. White agreed. Hunt agreed and added that he was hoping this plan would also take care of some of the Aspen Mountain Master Plan parking deficiency. Markalunas said she would like to see a commitment, on the part of the appl icant, to a parking structure. She did not feel the 77 spaces proposed were sufficient for a 96 unit hotel. Tygre agreed with the concerns relating to open space, parking, and circulation so much so that she felt they were essential to the concept of the proj ect, the whol e idea of which is to improve the skiers experience at the base of Little Nell. She fel t if there was not a good sol ution to the skier drop-off problem then the concept of the project was not being fulfilled. Blomquist said he thought the proj ect should continue to be the gateway to the mountain in the summer also. He thought conceptually it should be proposed that the new lift would be opened to the top of the mountain for summer use. In addition this would interconnect the loop trail system at the town level with a high trail system on Richman Hill. Anderson said he concurred with the others and saw no problems that could not be resolved. His concern was that the gateway was not as significant as it should be, the space should be grand. 10 REGULAR MEETING RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS PLARII1ING ANn 'ZONING COMMISSION AUGUST 6. 1985 Mr. Forsch asked what issues would be addressed at the next meeting. Richman replied that it would be a public hearing and the boundary change, the Growth Management question, and a list of the concerns and conditions outlined in tonights meeting would be addressed. Kaufman said their hope would be to have a resolution at that point so that they can go on to City Council. Anderson adjourned the meeting at 7:19 p.m. ~~(A)~Jr Kim Wilhoit, Deputy City Clerk II