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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.apz.19831213 , , RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 100 Leaves FORM <, c. r. ~OECKn. a. B. 6: l. CD. Continued Meeting Planning and Zoning Commission December 13, 1983 Chairman Perry Harvey called the meeting to order at 5:08 p.m. with members Jasmine Tygre, Roger Hunt, David White, Pat Fallin, and Paul Sheldon present. ASPEN MOUNTAIN LODGE ADDITIONAL REVIEW REQUIREMENTS Harvey noted this was originally scheduled as a transportation discussion. Staff requested rescheduling. P & Z decided to have a study session on December 27th. White told P & Z at the last Council meeting, the Council threw out L-3, CC and CL as zones permitted for time share. The Council will have a meeting to discuss this December 27, and White said the P & Z should be there. Vann recapped the results of the December 6th meeting at which the P & Z addressed the visual impact considerations of this project. The R-6/RBO rezoning request was tabled until January 3, 1984, so that the applicant can meet with the neighbors and look at alternative solutions. The Commission discussed the change in use exemptions for the Copper Horse and Alpina Haus. Vann said he would like to clarify the planning office's review of the change in use issues. The applicant has taken some directives from P & Z and has made revisions to the facade. Vann said the P & Z needs to discuss the multi year allocation. The planning office gave a presentation on the pros and cons of this year. Vann would also like to so through the list of suggested conditions. The P & Z needs to approve or deny to conceptual PUD subdivision submission; approve or deny change in use requests for the employee housing, and the award quota for the winner of the 1984 competition. Vann told P & Z Council had a brief presentation from the applicant's at last night's meeting. Vann said the P & Z had intended to have a resolution at this meeting; however, they will try for December 20. There has been an appeal filed on behalf of Lyle Reeder, which may be heard at the December 27 Council meeting. The applicant would like some P & Z direction to the outstanding issues. Vann said the change in use issue was not in the application, and initially the planning office only picked up on the change in use issue at the Copper Horse, which is zoned L-3 and would require this review. Subsequently, it became evident the Alpina Haus would also require a change in use to be deed restricted. The P & Z raised questions about the zoning, the legal implications of change in use, parking, and impact on the lodging inventory itself. The Alpina Haus, at 925 Durant, is zoned RMF, operated as a lodge or a non- conforming use in the zone district. Vann pointed out several of these units were deed restricted for another project. There are 44 units which house 47 people, 40 lodge rooms, 3 studio apartments and one dorm apartment. Rational behind change in use in the Code requires the applicant to demon- strate there are negligible or mitigatible impacts from the growth point of view in order to change the use of a project. One of the criteria is that this be an existing structure with a c/o for two years. In changing the use fro short term to long term use, the code requires the P & Z to find there are no impacts on employee housing. The demands of employees for the resort hotel will be off set by the deed restricting of these units; there will be no additional demands for employee housing as a result of the conversion. The Code also requires no additional demand for parking be generated. This is a problem here. There are 44 units in the building and there are 11 on site parking spaces. This makes it non-conform- ing under the existing regulations. ....",;,..~_. Continued Meeting Planning and Zoning Commission December 13, 1983 Vann said a change to long term use could result in a greater demand for parking since local residents are more apt to have automobiles. The P & z could give the applicant the opportunity to offer some techinique to mitigate the demand for additional parking. Another criteria in the Code is traffic, and Vann said there may be a slight reduction in traffic because of less turnover. Vann said the applicant will house less than the number of people associated with this site. The other impacts are police, fire protection, water, sewer. The planning office feels these would be relatively the same because this is not an increase in occupancy. Vann said the planning office is recommended granting the change in use exemption from growth management exemption for the Alpina Haus for deed restricted employee housing subject to; (1) use of the project be restricted to that use proposed by the applicants; (2) that the housing price guidelines be subject to housing authority approval and deed restricted accordingly, (3) that the applicant demonstrate prior to final plat or P & z final approval reasonable alternatives for dealing with substandard parking on the existing site. Vann said this is a non conforming use in the RMF zone and the applicant could technically occupy the project. The applicant is seeking points for the use of this housing through the growth management plan. Vann stated since it does constitute a change in use, review and approval by P & z is essential to use it for employee housing under the lodge competition. Vann said since it is non-conforming, the Code requires that the quota be adjusted as a result of change in use. This use is going from lodge to residential, and therefore, the lodge quota should be credited in the number of units being removed from residential. Vann suggested this be credited to the L-l L-2 zone, which would increase the backlog of units to be eligible for award by Council upon recommendation of the P & Z. Harvey asked the Commission how they feel about the change in use, with the conditions, and how they feel about crediting the L-l, L-2 with 44 rooms. Hunt said he has reconciled himself to the conversion of this structure. However, he is concerned with converting lodge rooms from the low end and replacing them with high end units. Hunt said there is some lodgic in using these units to mitigate years in advance quota; however, that exacerbates cutting off low end units. Hunt said there does need to be some mitigation of the parking problem. Hunt said there is parking problems and road clearing problems allover town. White supports changing the use at the Alpina Haus; the parking has to be handled somehow. White said he would put the quota back into L-3. White would like to take the quota from both the Copper Horse and Alpina Haus and split them between L-2 and L-3 so there would be more upgrading. Vann said the Copper Horse, if P & Z agrees to its conversion, will go into the L-3. Sheldon said he would like to hear the statistics on the lodging profile so the P & Z can do what they are doing consciensly. Sheldon said he does not have a problem with the parking. The Alpina Haus quota should go back into L-l, L-2. Ms. Tygre said the change in use for employee housing would be all right. Ms. Tygre said the rooms are fairly small. The applicant said they fall in the minimum size. Ms. Tygre said the parking is not that much of a problem as it is within walking distance. If the applicants are willing to indicate some way to make it easy for the employees to get to the lodge, that would be nice. Ms. Tygre said she has concerns about the balance of the lodging industry, there will not be much new construction of low income units. Ms. Tygre said the the Alpina Haus is being taken out of the low end category, it seems more logical to put the quota into L-3. Ms. Fallin said the conversion is fine; she would prefer the quota to go to L-l, L-2. Ms. Fallin said parking is generally a problem in the city limits and getting worse. The city needs to deal with the parking problem. Harvey said there is a consensus, with which he concurs, on the change in use. The parking should be a condition of preliminary PUD with solutions. Harvey said he feels strongly this quota should go into L-l, L-2 as he feels comfortable with the L-3 quota and the P & Z is conscientious for getting upgrading of older lodges. Harvey said there is a problem with the multi- ,~ ,~ , , RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 100 Leaves FORM" c.r.HOECKEl8.B.8tL.CO. Continued Meeting Planning and Zoning Commission -3- December 13, 1983 year quota, and anything the P & Z can do to condense the time period would help. Adding these 44 units to the L-l, L-2 quota will take more than one year off the multi-year allocations. Vann addressed the Copper Horse, which has come to the attention of the planning office that this is individually historically designated by Ordinance #57, 1981. As a result of this it is exempted from the change in use requirements pursuant to growth management exemptions. An historic structure may change its use at will. However, the Copper Horse is currently zoned L-3 as a result of the class action rezoning; originally it was zoned 0, office. While an historic structure can change use without going through the process, it can only change its use to a use permitted in the zone district. In L-3, employee housing can only be accessory to the lodge opera- tion. Vann said there may be an argument that as part of the PUD, the housing is accessorty to the L-l, L-2 lodge; however, the planning office feels that the accessory provisions of the L-3 zone refer to the intent of the zone. One could assume that the employee housing is accessory to the lodge that is being preserved. Vann told P & Z in the office zone, multi family housing is allowed by right. By rezoning the Copper Horse to 0, office, they could change the use to deed restricted employee housing under a GMP housing. The rezoning requires P & Z to make certain findings. Vann suggested if P & Z is favorable to this rezoning, that the applicant request a formal rezoning so that this can be published. This was previously zoned office, and the applicant is requesting to go back to the original zoning, which is consistent to the master plan and adjacent properties. Vann said the project is non conforming regarding parking; there are only four spaces. Vann recommended giving the applicant the opportunity to present some alternatives as in the Alpina Haus. Harvey asked when the parking would be addressed in this time table. Vann said these two properties are not part of the PUD. The Alpina Haus is a one step process, and the P & Z can hold off on it until the applicant has a presentation. This could be done as part of the preliminary PUD. The Copper Horse the parking could be dealt with in the rezoning process. Harvey asked if the Copper Horse could be rezoned to 0, office, with specifics such that it not be used as offices. Vann said the applicant would suggest his conditions as an inducement of rezoning. Alan Richman, planning office, told P & Z he went to the short term accommo- dations report to address the Board's concern about balance in the lodging industry. Richman said he found 54 lodges containing approximately 1727 units, including 1380 lodge rooms with no kitchen, 259 lodge apartments and 88 dorm units. The condominium complexes and houses contain 1041 units, for a total short term accommodations in the Aspen Metro area of 2768 units with a total pillow count of 10,750. Richman told P & Z he focused on 1727 units that the P & Z indicated concern about and obtained price information on 1684 units. The ARA rates units by economy, moderate and expensive. Economy has 291 units, which is 17 per cent; moderate 773 units at 46 per cent, and expensive 620 units at 37 per cent. Richman said the Continental Inn is rated expensive and accounts for 28 per cent of the market. The Aspen Inn is rated moderate with 8.5 percent of that category. The Alpina Haus, Blue Spruce and Copper Horse of 86 units are 30 per cent of the economy units. There are only 88 dorm units, of which 21 units are included in the Aspen Mountain Lodge project; 14 at the Copper Horse and 7 at the Continental Inn, which is 25 per cent of the inventory. All dorm units are rated economy or moderate. Richman said another point is the percentage of units that are in the process of being reconstructed or up graded. Richman pointed out in the last five years, 8 projects have come through the P & Z for upgrading. continued Meeting Planning and zoning Commission December 13, 1983 285 units have been upgraded in these last five year, which is 1/6 of the traditional lodge inventory. Richman said there are six projects in the Aspen Metro area in the approval process with Aspen Mountain Lodge, Highlands Inn, Holiday Inn, Hotel Jerome, Carriage House, and Endeavor Lodge and these projects propose toupgrade 475 units. These units plus the ones that have already upgraded, there is an additional 44 per cent of the lodging inventory being upgraded. This is complying with the policy P & Z has been addressing. The additional proposed units of 430 added with the others total 1190 units which represents 65 per cent of the lodge inventory. Richman pointed out with the exception of the Continental Inn and Holiday Inn, the rest of these units fall into moderate and economy. Richman pointed out the total profile of Aspen's lodging will probably shift toward the expensive end. Richman said there may also be a shift of existing units dropping into the lower price categories. Richman said if the proposed new units of 430 are built, it would be a 33 per cent increase in the size of the lodge inventory. Vann pointed out a goal to upgrade the quality of the lodging carries an increased price tag with it. The market place will determine whether there is an adjustment for other facilities. Ms. Tygre said rezoning the Copper Horse seems the simplest method and she would support a rezoning with conditions to make sure these remain deed restricted employee housing units. Ms. Tygre said she is concerned about the parking, transportation impact because of the location. Richman said one of the criteria in rezoning is parking, which the applicant would have to address. Hunt said he would not support the rezoning as it takes away too high a percentage of the low end economy lodging. White said if the parking can be solved, he would support it. Sheldon said he feels taking low units out of the supply is an planning issue that needs to be discussed by the Commission. Sheldon feels the town may be faced with a market trend, that the demand for economy units is dropping. Vann said there is a parking problem, and without rebuilding the structure, no more spaces can be located on the site. Vann asked what solutions would be acceptable to the Commission. Hunt said when there are residents, there are automobiles on site. Hunt said generally lodges do not have a parking storage problem, but a traffic problem. Harvey said there could be a traffic generation problem by impacting the lodge site by employees driving to the site. White said the lodge could offer some long term parking at the site for their employees and run a shuttle. Ms. Fallin moved to table the change in use exemption on the Alpina Haus until the first regularly scheduled meeting in January at which time the applicant will deal with the concerns on changing this to employee housing under the employee housing guidelines, dealing withthe concern on parking and transpor- tation problems involved in making this employee housing; seconded by Hunt. All in favor, motion carried. Vann said the remaining issues are the multi-year allocations and the concep- tual PUD. Vann said the area and bulk problems should be addressed prior to preliminary plat, and the applicant could have a work session. Harvey said assuming the transfer of the 44 units into L-l from the Alpina Haus, there are 50 units in the backlog and 35 units for 1983/4, totalling 129. Richman said to get the entire 480 units requested, the allocation would have to go out 2-1/3 years. Vann said the applicant has requested the reconstruc- tion of 277 units; the staff has verified 269 units. Six units will have to be decided between the building department and the attorneys office. Harvey said he has a problem with the number of units from the mass and impact point, and he would like a discussion of the massing before the P & z decides about the number of units they will allocate. ........ ,../ RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 100 Leaves FORM" c.r,HOECKElB.a.8:l.CO. Continued Meeting Planning and Zoning Commission -5- December 13, 1983 Larry Stricker, architect for the project, said at the last meeting, the P & Z indicated they would like some flexibility with the height regulations to alleviate the four story wall along Durant street. Stricker said the could eliminate the top story and incorporate them somewhere else. Stricker went through drawings for the P & Z. The lObby structure has been moved back 30 feet and put in a courtyard effect. The units can be relocated on the site. Stricker said he feels these plans reponds to the openness everyone is looking for. Harvey asked the maximum height on Durant. Stricker said they have come down 10 feet to a maximum of 42 feet. Harvey said he feels it is important that this hotel make a statement, if the view can be protected. The concerns were the view and a huge expanse of building in terms of the scale of Aspen. Alan Novak said these are only studies in response to the concerns of the P & Z. Stricker said the applicant would like an indication from the Commission they are going in the right direction, and that one of the presentations is preferred over another. Sheldon said the discussion is whether it is reasonable for the applicant to be designing the building at 480 units. Sheldon said these plans present an effort to mitigate some of the impacts. White said he likes scaling down the Durant avenue, is concerned about the height of the spire. White said he would rather see these units in the back. Hunt said the right plan lowers the mass and gives more walking visual view. Hunt said he is not totally against the spire, depending on where it is located. Hunt said the applicant is on the right track. Hunt said he does have a problem with total number of units. Ms. Fallins said she likes the plan on the right, does have problems with the height of the spire. Ms. Fallin said she does not like the bridge. Stricker said the bridge could become a focal point for the town. Ms. Fallin questioned the number of rooms; the Hotel Jerome is going to expand. Harvey said the P & Z should be looking at the impact on the site and on the neigh- borhood. Ms. Tygre said she is favorably impressed by the applicant's desire to look at the Commission concerns. Ms. Tygre said the plans presented represent a reasonable attempt to look at the problemm of the Durant facade. Ms. Tygre said some of the concerns have been mitigated from a design standard; however, there is a lot of mass being stuffed into the site. Ms. Tygre said one of the perceptions of the tourist is how crowded is the mountain in relation to the lodging. An overcrowded mountain will have a negative effect on the tourist. Ms. Tygre said she is concerned about 900 people descending on Durant street at 10 a.m. and said what to do with all these people should be addressed. Harvey said the applicants know the concern about massing on Durant street and the view. How these concerns are dealt with is a function of what works for the city and what works for the applicant. Harvey said he felt the applicant has done a good job responding to the concerns of the P & Z and their requests, Vann said the P & Z should talk about the number of units, the quota implica- tions, growth impacts, the non-bulk and mass issues. If the P & Z can reach a consensus about the number of units, the applicant will have a direction how to deal with the design. Alan Novak said the applicants have studied the growth management plan and since its inception in 1976, there have been no lodge units built. When this lodge opens in 1986, it will be the first lodge to open in ten years. This application is for a deteriorating, undeveloped center of town. There have only been two applicants in eight years. Novak said since there are an additional 12 units per year that can be allocated in L-l and L-2, they feel there is little impact on other developers in the lodge district. Novak said he feels this lodge will enhance the retail and restaurant businesses in town. !'-."'.-'^'- Continued Meeting Planning and zoning Commission December 13,1983 Richman pointed out that the growth management policy the P & z has been working on reaffirms that 3~ per cent growth rate is not a target it is a cap. Jerry Blann, Aspen Skiing Company, said one of their focus in the marketing program is to get more people in the shoulder season. Blann said this town needs a high quality full service hotel. Blann said it takes a high number of units to support this type of hotel. Blann said the Skiing Company would support a multi year allocation for this project. Gary Plumley, Commercial Core and Lodging Commission, said the CCLC has been working on a lodge improvement district in this area for two years. Plumley said this applicant is willing to work with the CCLC on the lodge improvement district for basic things like curb, gutter, sidewalks, street lights, parking and circulation. Alan Shaffer said this application is beautifully put together; however, it generates mores questions than it gives answers. Shaffer said in the tabula- tion of density along with the lodge, lock out rooms, one and two bedrooms suites, it totals 700 rooms. Doremus said based on their studies, the 480 rooms are to have an average occupancy of 713 guests. Hunt said this project would be very convenient to Little Nell and asked if there were any plans to develop lift lA. Blann said there are plans to develop better access to lA. Plumley said the CCLC has discussed this and it will probably be an issue in the lodge improvement district to get people from town and the lodging district to that lift. Plumley said the CCLC would like to find a way to better utilize lift lA. Plumley said this project could enable some form of trans- portation to lift lA. Sheldon said the impact on the airport of 211 additional units in the peak season on Saturdays would be an additional 7 plan loads. Sheldon said he does not feel it is in keeping with the growth management plan to do all the units at once, this is exceeding the limits of the planned policy. Vann said if the Commission feels a hotel such as this is appropriate and the size is necessary to support the cost of the property, the conference facilities and the amenities, consideration of a multi year quotia is appropriate and is consistent with the Code which allows the flexibility to do this. Vann said the planning office feels the less multi year allocation that is used, the better for the objectives. Ms. Tygre said the Commission does have to weigh the trade offs between what is there now and a first class hotel, which is a valuable public service. The developer has made a good attempt to provide a first class facility. Ms. Tygre said she is concerned about the number of units, and about the balance of units. Ms. Tygre said by granting so much future quota, it would be precluding development of more moderate facilities. This may be manipulating the market. Ms. Tygre said although not part of this particular proposal, the P & z has to keep in mind other proposals for the rest of the site. Ms. Tygre said she has no problem using the backlog of quota and this year's quota, and the conversion of the Alpina Haus units. Ms. Tygre said she would like to reduce the mmber of units down from 480 to get a more aesthetically pleasing building. Ms. Fallin said she has no problem with giving out prior years quota and with the reconstruction. Ms. Fallin said she has a problem with 480 units especial~ with what may come from other projects. Ms. Fallin said she arrived at 406 units giving reconstruction at 277, 44 from the Alpina Haus, this year and prior quotas. Hunt agreed he does not have problems with allocating future year's quota since if this applicant wait~d until 1986 and no units had been built, there would be a backlog of units. Hunt said the P & Z said not allocating the future quota any more than what they are building. Hunt said the lodge district is built out at this point. Hunt said he has a problem with the sheer enormity of the project on this site. Hunt said he is in favor of a first class hotel. Hunt said he would like to reduce some number of the rooms and get some of the bulk minimized. Hunt said he does have a problem with 480 units. \ ./ \ ./ " RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 100 Leaves FORM" C. F. HOECKEL B. a. a. L. CD. Continued Meeting Planning and Zoning Commission -7- December 13, 1983 White said he feels the town needs a quality hotel. The Commission needs to look at the overall impact, how many pillows there will be. White said because of the bankruptcy, the P & Z should be flexible. White said he feels the allocations should be 440 rooms. Sheldon said he would love to see this project built; the Commission needs also to look at the airport, other potential projects and not create an imbalance. Sheldon said he would give the applicant 277 units for reconstruc- tion, 44 units from the Alpina Haus, 85 units from previous years and the 14 units from the Copper Horse for 421 units. Sheldon said the 480 units project is too big for impact coming on line all at once. Sheldon said he would like to see a first class hotel, but giving a quota of 480 units may cause trouble in the future for other projects. Harvey said he has a problme with the number of rooms because of the massing and bulk, and because of the future allocation. Harvey said he would like to keep the allocation at two years beyond this year. Harvey said the P & Z has the ability to allocate future years allocations. Harvey said fewer number of units will impact the area leSS. Harvey said a reduction by 50 , rooms is a maximum he would like to see and is comfortable with 440 rooms. The applicant can work with the massing and design to meet the problems that the community and P & Z has expressed. The P & Z should look at the important elements, the bulk, massing, impact on the area, and the product gained for the community. Novak said the applicant came up with the number of units after studying what they felt the site could accommodate, and what is a viable project, and they need 480 units for thisproject. Novak said 30 rooms will not impact a lot on this project; it is a big project. The applicant has many fixed costs that will not change, such as the parking costs, employee housing, excavation and development costs. Novak said every room taken away from this project will hurt the project. Ms. Tygre suggested scaling down the conference facilities. Novak said the conference facility is all underground plus a conference facilit for a first class hotel has to be a certain size. Hunt brought up the restaurant on the corner of Monarch and Durant, and said there is a parking problem in this area. Hunt said the only way he could tolerate the restaurant is if there is valet parking for the restaurant. Sheldon said there is a quality of life in Aspen. The P & Z has stated in its goals to strike a balance between economic development and the quality of life. The town is close to the capacity of water service, sewage, there is impact on schools, police, fire, etc. Sheldon said the town should keep the rate of growth in this community at a level that can be handled. Sheldon said a project of this size coming in line at once will alter the services in town handling peak loads. Harvey said if the P & Z allocates future year's quota, given the time schedule of this project, the growth management plan will be exactly on target. The time table of this project takes it to the end of 1985. Hunt said a big project requires a big allocation. Hunt said this project seems to be in tune with the time. Most of the units are from prior year allocation and from reconstruction or conversion. Hunt said he does not understand the resistance of giving future allocations if the project is necessary. Hunt said he feels the project is necessary but is not sure of the exact number. Joe Wells showed the areas designated for lodges or hotels, and the only designated sites for hotel units outside the applicant's ownership are the Skiing Company parcel, the Lodge at Aspen, the Carriage House site and the Jerome. Of those four sites, 31 units have been allocated to Lyle Reeder, 26 for the Carriage house and 66 to the Hotel Jerome, which leaves only the Skiing Company site which has not received approval for units in the entire area. Continued Meeting Planning and Zoning Commission December 13, 1983 Ms. Tygre said 480 units on this site is too much in one place at one time. Ms. Tygre said she would feel comfortable with 406 units. Ms. Fallin agreed with 406 units, reconstruction and past year's allocations. Novak said at cutting 30 or 40 rooms, the P & Z is taking the chance that the project will not be built. The project cannot carry itself at 400 rooms. Novak said cutting part of the spire would eliminate 16 units, which is the transfer from cutting down the lobby and facade on Durant avenue. Doremus pointed out this is a five acre site, and if they came in for five years for lodges with a 1:1 FAR and no amenities, they would have the same or more people on the site. Sheldon said he is concerned about the short term impact on this site that the town cannot handle. Harvey said he would like the P & Z to have a consensus on the number of units, and suggested 460 units. Sheldon said he would be comfortable recommending to Council one additional year's allocation for a total of 440 units. White agreed with 440 units. Ms. Fallin said she would go along with this. Ms. Tygre said 420 units. Harvey asked if the P & Z has discretion regarding the Copper Horse units. Vann said the Commission can make a recommendation on these units. Hunt said the Copper Horse belongs in L-3. Hunt said he could live with 440 units unless the applicant cannot live with it financially. White moved to recommend an allocation of 450 rooms to Council; seconded by Hunt. White said he arrived at this figure with reconstruction of 269, past quota and one and a half years quota. Ms. Tygre, nay; White, aye; Sheldon, abstain, Ms. Fallin, nay; Hunt, aye; Harvey, nay. Motion NOT carried. Ms. Fallin moved to recommend approval of 464 room allocation for the Aspen Mountain Lodge; seconded by Harvey. Hunt, aye; Ms. Tygre, nay; White, naye; Ms. Falline, aye; Sheldon, aye; Harvey, aye. Motion carried. Sheldon moved to continue the meeting to December 20, 1983, to discuss the conceptual PUD; seconded by Hunt. All in favor, motion carried. Commission left Chambers at 9:00 p.m. ........