HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.20061003
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
SKY HOTEL REDEVELOPMENT .........................................................................2
COMMENTS ............................................................................................................ 2
MINUTES ................................................................................................................. 2
DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST............................................. 2
HOTEL JEROME GROWTH MANAGEMENT PUD ........................................... 3
WEINERSTUBE REDEVELOPMENT ................................................................... 7
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
Jasmine Tygre opened the regular Planning & Zoning Meeting in the Sister Cities
Meeting Room at 4:50 pm. Commissioners Ruth Kruger, John Rowland, Brian
Speck, Steve Skadron and Jasmine Tygre were present. Dylan Johns was excused
and recused from two of the agenda items. Staff in attendance were Joyce
Allgaier, Ben Gagnon, James Lindt, Community Development; Jackie Lothian,
Deputy City Clerk.
PUBLIC HEARING:
SKY HOTEL REDEVELOPMENT
Jasmine opened the public hearing. Sunny Vann stated that he would bring the
notice to the clerk's office, which he did on the following day.
MOTION: Ruth Kruger moved to continue the Sky Hotel Redevelopment to
October 17'\' seconded by John Rowland. All in favor, APPROVED.
COMMENTS
Jasmine Tygre mentioned the lights on the school ball fields were out of the City of
Aspen's jurisdiction but the fields were being used for non-school functions. Joyce
Allgaier said the concerns, comments or complaints could be relayed but there was
no jurisdiction over their property. Brian Speck said the lights were terrible and
said that in other cities the lights can go up and down. Tygre stated that from all of
the hours spent on the City's Lighting Ordinance it was disrespectful to the
community. Four of the five commissioners present would support a letter stating
their concerns. Allgaier said that she would address the concerns in a letter.
Chris Bendon distributed a land use code interpretation, which deals with the
meaning of a failed motion.
Joyce Allgaier stated that she was meeting with the Conner Cabins Developers and
would report back to P&Z.
MINUTES
The minutes were continued to the next meeting.
DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Dylan Johns was conflicted on the Hotel Jerome and the Weinerstube
Redevelopment.
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING (09/19/06):
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
HOTEL JEROME GROWTH MANAGEMENT PUD
Jasmine Tygre opened the continued public hearing on the Hotel Jerome. Sunny
Vann supplied an additional proof of notice for the Hotel Jerome.
Ben Gagnon explained there were three review procedures; the HPC background;
and the recent application amendment. Gagnon said there was a Growth
Management Review for the enlargement of a historic landmark for commercial
lodge and mixed use development to determinate sufficient growth allotments and
the required housing mitigation for this project; a Commercial Design Review but
the standards don't apply to the changes being made as reviewed in the memo and
exhibits; a PUD Amendment as a recommendation to Council. Gagnon stated that
HPC approved 3-0 a conceptual approval of the proposal, which would be the
addition op top of the west side of the annex building. Gagnon said that the
applicant reduced the height on the proposed addition and instead of one large suite
there would be three and a slight reduction in commercial space that was originally
requested. Gagnon distributed a revised resolution.
Sunny Vann introduced the team: Steve Bartolin, the CEO of the Broadmoor
Hotel in Colorado Springs; Bill Poss, project architect; Tag Galyean, architect;
Tony DiLucia, the manager of the Hotel Jerome. Vann provided the background
of the applicant acquiring the Hotel Jerome and suggested a new baseline for the
hotel with a new PUD, Subdivision Agreement to memorialize any relevant
conditions from the past as well as any new conditions established in connection
with this review. Vann said that the applicant purchased the property for the long
term and it was not their intent to fix up the hotel and sell it as a condominium or
fractional ownership. Vann stated as the project progresses it became apparent for
a more extensive renovation would be required if the owner was going to operate
the hotel as a quality property for the long haul. Vann said there were 3 high end
hotels in Aspen and to maintain the Hotel Jerome's competitiveness and offset
some of the cost of the project they began to look at the hotel's expansion
potential. Vann said the hotel has a sufficient number of standard rooms but it
lacked an adequate presidential suite; an amenity that both the Little Nell and the
St. Regis currently provide.
Vann spoke about the free market residential component as part of the infill
regulations prior to the moratorium or changes to the regulations and one of the
permitted uses for historic properties were free market residential components.
Vann said that they amended their application for the free market unit to a lodge
unit as opposed to a residential suite. HPC had already approved the project as
originally designed. The applicant lowered the height of the addition and
reconfigured as 3 separate lodge suites as opposed to 1; each suite has 2 bedrooms
and a common living/parlor area. Vann said in addition the applicant proposed to
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
reconfigure a portion of the hotel to include a small spa; and propose to eliminate a
condition with the hotel's on-site parking for employees, which over time has
diminished substantially. The original hotel proposal contained no parking and
there was a request to partner with the City in the construction of the municipal
parking garage and since then the City has built the parking garage and utilized
paid parking in the downtown area; the City eliminated the parking regulation for
hotel in the CC Zone District and imposed no parking requirement for employees
of such projects.
Vann stated that when the applicant purchased the Jerome they acquired the
Cortina Lodge; the Cortina was tied to the Jerome as the affordable housing
mitigation for the original renovation of the Hotel Jerome. The Cortina was
previously approved for use as affordable housing and was required to house a
total of20 employees. Vann noted the Cortina was in an unacceptable condition
today and the first proposal was to demolish the Cortina Lodge and replace it with
sufficient housing for the hotel's affordable housing mitigation requirement. Vann
said the Historic Preservation Officer implored the applicant to keep the lodge
because it was one of the last motor courts that was constructed in town; they were
asked to retain those structures and reconfigure them in such a way to meet the
affordable housing requirement. Vann said the renovated Cortina Lodge will
house 20 employees that were required in the original approval plus the one
additional employee pursuant to this application. In addition to renovating the
Cortina Lodge the applicant will historically designate the property, which will
provide the HPC with on going oversight over the renovation and future
maintenance and any further renovation that might occur.
Vann said the proposed additions to the hotel will trigger a demand for 2 additional
employees, I will be housed in the Cortina and I mitigated with cash-in-lieu
payment. Vann stated the resolution as drafted was acceptable.
Steve Bartolin hoped that the project would be embraced by the community, the
City officials and administration. Bartolin provided his background with the
Broadmoor and explained that the company that owned the Broadmoor and Hotel
Jerome was Oklahoma Publishing Company, which a private family owned
business based out of Oklahoma City. Bartolin said from day one their intentions
were to preserve the Hotel Jerome as a hotel with long term interests. Bartolin
stated that Tag Galyean has worked with him for 20 years and serves as the master
designer overseeing the architectural, landscaping, interior design and historical
part of the project. Bartolin researched the history of the Hotel Jerome and
explained the different times the hotel encountered over the years; it was a
testament to the community and hotel itself that it still stands today. Bartolin said
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
they were very profitable with the Broadmoor has not taken any money out of that
property but reinvested the money every year.
Tag Galyean stated that he has been blessed working with wonderful clients that
were long term. Galyean said every historic property was unique and their mission
was to discover, embellish and respect that uniqueness throughout the process.
Galyean has been coming to Aspen since the 1960s and always appreciated the
Jerome; he felt a connection to the Jerome. Galyean said the Jerome never got
finished and that was what they were here to accomplish. Galyean said that he was
privileged to be in this position with the Jerome.
Bill Poss, architect, stated that half of the room was their team including Richard
DeCampo and Monique Agnew were the project architects and the rest of the staff
from Poss Architecture. Poss stated that they were replacing all the windows, new
mechanical brought up to today's environmental standards with air conditioning
systems; all the rooms will be gutted and re-dry walled and will be able to last.
Poss said that they will re-point all the brick work to HPC standards. Poss utilized
several photos ofthe transformation of the Jerome over the years showing the hotel
prior to completion and before the Courthouse was built. Poss stated the bar will
be kept and restored. The ceilings in the ballroom will be re-insulated from sound.
Poss stated the outside dining experience would be enhanced with several decks of
dining both in a garden and on a deck; pulling back the windows and there would
be an outdoor steam room, which would be glass enclosed by the hot tub and a
water feature enhancing this great landscape experience of the courtyards. Poss
said the small neglected courtyard between ballroom and the dining room, which
would be redesigned and rebuilt with an outdoor fireplace, planting, a wall and a
water feature.
Poss stated that the parking garage was being cleared up with 47 spaces; the lower
level was about the same with the restrooms, offices, and employee dining rooms.
Poss said that security and sprinkler systems would be updated; the bar would be
restored; the lobby would be restored; the dining room will be kept divided but one
restaurant with different functions (private dining rooms, banquet rooms). All of
the rooms were being redone with gas fireplaces. The 3 new 2-bedroom suites
created over the annex were within the original 1985 PUD height limit and worked
with HPC for the height studies at 54 feet; most of the new roof was between 48
and 50 feet setback from the edge of the building. Poss showed computer
generated photos from the various sidewalk views. Bartolin said that the Spa was
2500 square feet with 5 treatment rooms and the fitness center was located above
the gallery.
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
Ruth Kruger asked if there was rooftop mechanical. Poss replied all the
mechanical were going in the basement. Richard DeCampo said that there would
be some rooftop mechanical but it would be setback from the edge of the building.
Gagnon said there were sufficient allotments for the commercial space in growth
management review; historic designation created mitigation for housing and the
code finds that this project generates 2 employees that need to be mitigated for.
One of those employees would be housed in the renovated Cortina and the other
one was mitigated with cash-in-lieu.
Jasmine Tygre asked whatever happened to the employee housing for the Jerome
at the old North Star, which is now 900 Waters. Vann replied that he had no idea
because it was not a requirement to house anyone there in any of the prior
approvals; that was the first that he heard of that. Tygre said that it was a
representation made during the 1985 renovation and for a long time had been used
as mitigation for the Hotel Jerome. Tygre said the old North Star was on the
corner of Waters and was used for years to house employees of the Jerome. Tygre
stated there were restrictions about occupancy that no one enforces; that property
has a checkered past. Vann stated from the mid 1980s outdoor seating was added
and required additional affordable housing mitigation for three-quarters of a
person, which ties to additional deed-restrictions of additional units within the
Cortina Lodge. Vann said the 20 people housed in the Cortina was an aggregate of
all of those recoded approvals; the documents were in the appendix to the
application and there was no reference anywhere in any of the planning office
records. Tony DiLucia said before the North Star was sold the attorneys,
Krabacher and Sanders did check to make sure that it was not needed and could be
sold as long as they kept the Cortina.
Tygre said the original proposal called for the penthouse to be free market and now
it was lodge. Vann answered it was proposed as one free-market residential unit
and it was submitted as one large lodge unit and then the planning office indicated
they would prefer multiple units and came to the same conclusion that 3 suites
would be better than one large unit. Tygre asked what mechanisms were in place
to ensure that was what would remain, lodge units. Vann replied this was a PUD
amendment with certain representations and any proposal to convert the units to
something else would require a PUD Amendment and subject to the conditions or
regulations that were in effect at the time of the amendment request. Vann said the
city has adopted a limited 30 day occupancy rate for condominiums and to change
to condominium could be an administrative decision. Vann said that to record a
condominium plat the condition of how it can be used is stated on the plat.
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
Gagnon said that the commercial design review standards were technically
required but the items were not changing the building design to any degree;
building relationship to the primary street, pedestrian amenity space, street level
building elements, parking, utility and trash areas.
Steve Skadron asked why the Jerome was in the zone district it was in when it was
situated next to residential properties; it might better be evaluated under a different
zone district (like Cl), much the way Stage III was rather than commercial core
because the impact was to a residential neighborhood. Vann said that much of the
city was zoned to use in the mid or late 1970s; several hotels functioning through
the downtown core, which is designated CC Commercial a hotel is a permitted use
by right in the CC Commercial Zone District; a hotel is not permitted in the C1
Zone Districts. Vann said that it could not be zoned C1 without amending the
permitted uses which would then open up these peripheral transitional commercial
zones to hotel development.
CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING:
WEINERSTUBE REDEVELOPMENT
Jasmine Tygre opened the continued public hearing for the Weinerstube
Redevelopment.
MOTION: Ruth Kruger moved to continue the public hearingfor the
Weinerstube to October !7'h; seconded by Steve Skadron. All in favor,
APPROVED.
Resume hearing on the Hotel Jerome.
Ben Gagnon explained that the reason that condominiumization can be a
community development review because the lodge use remains the underlying use
with the restriction of one person or group inhabiting for a maximum of 30 days at
a time and a maximum of 90 days in a year. Gagnon said to change from a lodge
use to a residential use the applicant would have to go through Growth
Management with only a certain number of allotments available per year, which
would go before P&Z and City Council.
Sunny Vann said for the record they were representing as part of the PUD
amendment that the rooms were lodge suites, operated as part of the lodge hotel
and made available for nightly rental as lodge suites. Vann stated that if the suites
were condominimized and no longer functioned as a mandatory lodge unit then it
would have to go to P&Z and Council as a PUD Amendment. Vann said that in
the conditions of approval it would state "that if removed from the hotel's rental
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
inventory as lodge suites that they would be subject to further review as an
amendment to the PUD.
Steve Skadron asked if the Pitkin County Library was in the CC Zone. Gagnon
replied that it was zoned Public with an SPA overlay. Skadron asked what role
did the Jerome play in defining the boundaries of the Commercial Core. Vann
replied that he could not tell what was done in 1974 but he could say that the
Commercial Core was defined as both sides of Main Street up until the old Office
Zone District. Skadron said the maximum height limit was 46 feet but 54 feet was
allowed because of public benefit. Gagnon responded that the interior renovation
of the Cortina Lodge, the applicant's willingness to apply for historic landmark
designation for the Cortina and the restoration of the Hotel Jerome interior were
taken into account in weighing the public benefit in this application as well as the
long term viability as a historic resource was important. Stafffelt it was important
the HPC found the additional height proposed met their guidelines; the roof form
of the new addition was in character with the historic building and compatible in
size and scale with the rest of the building. Vann added that they were not asking
for 54 feet across the entire roof. Skadron asked the floor to ceiling heights. Vann
replied around 8 feet II inches.
Skadron asked for what mitigation purposes was the cash-in-lieu being used, for
what amounts. Gagnon replied that was a Housing Office Asset Management
question but it was for one employee. Vann noted under the specific legislation
that they were applying specifically provides for cash-in-lieu.
Skadron asked the size of the spa and how it compared to the size of the Little
Nell. Vann replied that the Hotel Jerome spa was about 2600 square feet. Poss
replied that the Little Nell was probably a little larger.
Skadron asked if there would be access from the street to the improved Mill Street
patio side. Poss responded that there would be a wall with steps.
Brian Speck said that blocking up the corner with two rows of traffic was a
problem and he did not see anywhere that a pull in could be placed to take traffic
from Main Street. Poss replied that they looked into that but historically the
portico was the entrance and HPC wanted to keep the portico. Anthony DiLucia
replied that it was a public loading zone, which creates further problems. Vann
said that Main Street was Highway 82, which was governed by the state. Speck
said that he wanted to bring vibrancy to town and not have units empty because of
the high rents per night. Vann stated that this was an established operator that was
making a long term commitment to this community. Bartolin said that the suites
were not equipped with kitchens or residence sized closets but were hotel suites.
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Aspen Plannin!!: & Zonin!!: Commission Meetin!!: Minutes October 3, 2006
Ruth Kruger asked if the Cortina Lodge was not currently designated historic.
Gagnon replied that it was not currently. Vann stated that it was in the Main Street
Historic Overlay District but was not designated at this time and was simply
affordable housing. Kruger noted that the Housing Board would like to have new
construction there. Kruger said that was a perfect site for good employee housing.
Vann responded that there were entrance and exiting problems onto Main Street
and they must meet the current parking requirements and the parcel was too small
to accommodate an underground parking structure and they couldn't then get it
approved with housing less people and at this point it was better for them to
renovate and earmark the funds rather than design something that would not
accommodate all the people plus having to look for another site to make up the
difference in mitigation. Vann stated that the affordable housing units would be
rental units at category 1, which was an asset to the hotel. John Rowland said that
the application had a clear presentation.
No public comments.
MOTION: Ruth Kruger moved to approve Resolution #29, series of200,
approving a Growth Management Review, Commercial Design Review and
recommending City Council approval of a PUD Amendment for property located
at 330 East Main Street, with conditions, finding that the review criteria for the
application have been met with the condition regarding the occupancy and use of
the new three lodge suites. Seconded by John Rowland. Roll call vote: Speck, yes;
Skadron, yes; Rowland, yes; Kruger, yes; Tygre, yes. APPROVED 5-0.
Discussion of the motion: Ruth Kruger said that even though this was a beautiful
property and she understood that to keep up with business in the skiing community
she appreciated the updating of the building for the competitive edge that Aspen
holds in the skiing and resort community. Brian Speck thanked the applicant for
the presentation and for investing in Aspen because it was important for the
community. Jasmine Tygre concurred with the other members and appreciated the
additional condition. Tygre said a traditional hotel like the Jerome should be one
of the jewels of Aspen's lodging base and it would be remiss of the commission
not to ensure that the Jerome operate in the same capacity because it was such an
asset. Tygre complimented the applicants on the restoration, which would be a
tremendous benefit to the community to have the great Jerome be the great Jerome.
John Rowland asked if these improvements would put the hotel into a 5 star
category. Bartolin replied that they do not make that decision, Mobile does it.
\Whv~/
:7kie Lothian, eputy City Clerk
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