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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-17-1999 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING SISTER CITY ROOM - CITY HALL March 17, 1999 8:30 I. Roll call and Commissioner Comments Approval of Feb. 17th minutes 9:00 II. Bob Nevins - DEPP/Affordable Housing update 9:45 III. Ordinance #3, 1998 - Depositing of garbage and trash update IV. Ped-a-cart parked by the horse drawn carriage 10:00 V. Adjourn ~__..'_. 1...- COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 Chairman Jon Busch called the meeting to order at 8:45 a.m. Members in attendance were Terry Butler, John Starr, and Bill Dinsmoor. Don Swales was excused. Comments: Possibly the CCLC should look into property ownership to increase the in- fill in the commercial core. At the last meeting it was mentioned that affordable housing is not viable in the core. Jon indicated the area of concern regarding affordable housing is interim housing for the work force of the City. John felt that no momentum is being done about in-fill downtown and short term housing. He felt that the housing authority is not focused on downtown in-fill. Bill said the perception for elected officials and appointed officials and those in-between is that they are building toward the point of least resistance and maximum density and that is not downtown. The entire board feels that in-fill should occur downtown first. The implication with transportation issues, schools, roads, sewers etc. and the impacts on the community are being ignored. Members suggested that they could be reaching out to the ownership of the core to see what would work for downtown in-fill. The Planning & Zoning Board supports downtown in-fill. Terry supports in-fill. People living downtown improves the quality of the town. People are more aware of what is going on and get involved. Jon informed the board that regarding the meeting on Bass Park the majority feel it should be a park and affordable housing. The pit is historical on Bass Park and the original proposal was for 18 units and that was half the lot and the rest park. The private sector does not want to come in and build interim housing. 1 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 Members felt that the consensus of the Housing Dept. and Housing Authority is directed to sell housing and families to stay here that can afford $200,000 to buy a place. It is not directed to rental or for workers. Another concern to qualify to buy the units you need to be a "local employee" and the next day you could work anyplace you want, even in Vail. There are problems tying the units to employment but CCLC feels it is open ended. There is no housing enforcement and clearly there are units that are being sublet. Another core problem is how do you support the employer with the employment situation. The stability of having your own employee housing with your access is essential in this town for businesses to survive. Public/private incentives are political. DEPP UPDATE - presented by Bob Nevins First project. Mill and Main around the Wheeler to Monarch. The in-fill structures are to be put in this spring. The final surface treatment is this fall. April 5th 4:30 to 6:30 open house at the Wheeler. Ed Saddler is the asset manager and Bob is assisting with him from a design aspect. Bob suggested that the tree locations be done at the site in order to coordinate trenches, doors etc. Damaged curbs and water runoff issues will be upgraded. One area of concern is the Prospector Lodge. Any parking lost will be reconfigured over at Bass Park so that there will be no net loss in customer parking in the downtown core. The Committee will work with all the shop owners and alert them of the construction. The goal is to get in and out as quick as possible. There is existing snowmelt in the proposed area and businesses will be contacted to see if they are interested in installing it. Jon said the Wheeler staff has been interested in snowmelt for some time for convenience and safety. The Board felt that conduit for fiber optics should be incorporated for future use. 2 I . ~ COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 Bob suggested that the CCLC look at the newsrack design which will be incorporated in the first project. Jon requested a copy of the drawings to review for street light placements, trees etc. In the past the CCLC has always reviewed streetscape designs. The Board feels that the downtown needs to be a more active urban environment day and night. It was recommended that businesses and property owners downtown get together or recommend that council pull a committee together to discuss the downtown issues regarding viability and in-fill issue. The committee needs to determine what incentives do property owners and businesses need in order to make the downtown viable. Bob said HPC recommended light and dense design of the newsracks. AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATE Presented by Bob Nevins The downtown in-fill housing is part ofthe Aspen Area Community Plan. This proposal has not been submitted to council. Under existing zoning and available FAR and height restrictions etc. the City potentially has 62 AH units with 27 free markets attached. Any available FAR was assumed that the owner would use it as free market housing. A bonus is given if 60% of that is used for AH. He used the bonus with the free market to come up with the figures. If the city wants additional housing possibly a code amendment for affordable housing that would allow for less lot area requirement. Currently 1000 square feet of lot area equals one bedroom. The most number of bedrooms the "GAP property" could accommodate is nine presently and you assume a free market unit will have three bedrooms and that leaves you with six bedrooms of affordable. As the process occurs we can modify some of our code requirements to get additional housing (more units but the same amout ofF AR and the same amount of height and bulk. It is that they get a little more compact. There is no move to amend the height restrictions etc. Bob's first step was totab the sites. A working committee needs formed with the financiers, property owners etc. to figure out what the next step would be and how to make it work. 3 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 John stated that the survey pin points the barriers for growth. A recommendation needs to be made to council to address the downtown in- Jill in the core. Bob felt that the project could be long term residence, short term and seasonal residents. He feels it is enough of the work force that needs to be housed in the right location. It solves transportation issues and it doesn't increase the footprint of the city. One idea that is being looked at is transferring FAR and density off historic properties or properties that the city would like to see as a one story. They should have the ability to move that unused resource to a better location. This concept depletes the idea of four story density. This would be similar to an urban TDR. Right now there is no incentive to redevelop. The concept of introducing carriage houses along the alleys is also an idea that provides for additional employee housing without creating a humpback to historic houses. Jon stated that cars need to be addressed during the process. Bob said the theory is to provide or create off-site parking for the units that are in the core. Robotic parking was brought up that might work in some areas. You pull in your car and it is lowered like an elevator. You turn off the car so that there is no H factor. There is no excess mechanical system to make it work. It could work on existing surface lots and still allow people to park discretely underneath the building. Jon said the next step is to identify the barriers. The capable numbers need identified and what are the administrative barriers that could be changed. Then the economic issues can be discussed. Density and what kind of density is available. A subsidy formula needs to be addressed. Housing and businesses could be combined. John recommended a committee of volunteers P&Z, HPC, CCLC come together as a unit and discuss the in-fill/housing issues. Bob conveyed that to create four one bedroom units out of town will take up half an acre of land which is 20,000 square feet. That can be accomplished downtown with 6,000 square feet. From an environmental standpoint you 4 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 would get support for the in-fill downtown. There is a need for downtown housing but it does not address everything. A map has been created to identify the potential areas for redevelopment and what would work on each site. Vacant parcels have between ten and 66 units. Ten if you have a free market and 66 is AH. COMPACTORS Brian Flynn, Environmental Health Officer presented the trash ordinance to council and a code amendment for businesses to show proof of trash service was added. Revocation of encroachment licenses was also added to the ordinance. This enforcement allows an enforcement method for individuals who are not keeping the dumpsters clean or compactors working in the public right-of-way. Recycling was brought up by council and the directive was to have Environmental Health address the issue. Jack Lewis and Pat McGrann from Waste Management relayed that they are changing the compactor in the red Onion alley to a thinner compactor with a larger opening in the chamber. A touch pad will be added and the compactor area will be cleaned once a month with a power sprayer. Herman, is the manager for this are and he and Brian will address how to handle the cardboard and a study is being done by Waste Management. They will review what kind of container will be necessary to handle the recycled cardboard. A pilot program is being conducted with compactors and recycled bins behind city hall and out at the golf course. This program will either prove that recycling works or doesn't work. Numerous businesses support compactors but they don't know the procedure of how to put them in. Brian will meet with those who want to purchase compactors and work with the supplier to advise them of the pros and cons. John relayed that CCLC's ultimate goal is to have clean alleys and unobstructed alleys and get delivery vehicles off the streets and back into 5 ._.. ... ... I ...____ COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 the alleys. Another goal is to reduce the truck runs. His feeling is that recycling is a separate issue. It is not tied with the alleys and trash and truck deliveries. Council needs to look at the issue of not linking recycling to trash and compactors. In terms of what can we need to accomplish downtown recycling does not fit no matter what the economics. Waste Management: From a business aspect you can reduce the amount of times that a trash container gets emptied or the times that a compactor gets emptied but you take up more space by the containers that you use to hold the recyclable. The plants that actually get the materials from the Pitkin landfill are the only ones making money. Glass is a commodity that is worth nothing. Coors only accepts brown and they have enough glass sitting there for the next three to four years. Plastics is down but number one and two still has some little value. Cardboard is the only commodity that is worth $55 a ton which is 2,000 pounds to get $55. Newspaper is at a limited value, $25 a ton bail. Waxed cardboard that is used to transport vegetables and food to our local restaurants cannot be recycled. Computer boxes that are waxed are not recyclable. Individuals are willing to pay for recycling even ifit is not cost effective. You can't make a logical argument when it is a illogical issue. John and Terry brought up the energy costs to get the recyclable materials to the landfill and then to the different plant locations. Thoughts to be forwarded to council in a memo form: There is not a place for recycling. Recycling does not tie in with elimination of truck flow in the alleys. If council wishes to pursue recycling find another committee to take it on. It is not cost effective. Cost of truck runs to and back from the landfill has impacts on the highways due to the truck runs increasing. The vehicle has to be a separate vehicle carrying recyclable products. Increased impediments will occur in the alleys. Increase messiness around the site. Designated sites need identified in the alleys. The waxed cardboard boxes containing vegetables, meats are not recyclable. Presently only cardboard has a market right now. As we remove dumpsters the areas that were used can be used for recycling off the 6 I..... COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 right-of-way. Recycling has to be fenced for safety issues and misuse. Noise issues and excess truck runs all deal with recycling. Waste Management relayed that the new compactor would be installed within two months. Boogies, Aspen Sports, Mountain Management support the compactor and are environmentally concerned with the community. Thank you notes were sent by Brian Flynn for their support. PED-A-BIKE Derrek informed the board that he is interested in purchasing one bike and is seeking permission to park on the mall by the horse drawn carriage in order to pick up riders. A business license would be purchased. The bike has a number of safety features and Derrek met with the Police Dept. regarding parking and safety. Lights and hydraulic brakes are included with the system. Jon said the horse carriage waits for individuals on the mall. Derrek said he would not be on the mall at a lengthy time as he will be driving around town and he can also wait in a parking space at no fee. John thought it was a good service around town. The Board said this service was tried before in town and was not successful. Jon stated that he would approve the bike on the mall only at the location of the Independence Building area where the horse carriage parks. It was suggested that Staff consult with Risk Management regarding liability if an individual gets injured on city property. John stated that this should be done on a year to year basis. The Board unanimously approved the ped-a-bike. 7 ~......... I COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF March 17.1999 MOTION: Bill moved to adjourn; second by Jon. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy City Clerk 8