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Home My WebLink Aboutcoa.apz.min.022356Letter - o . STEWART & GALLAGHER ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 62 ASPEN, COLORADO CLINTON 8. STEWART DAVID R. GALLAlJHER February 23, 1956 AlIsccrATED WITH PARKIBON &. STEWART [lLENWCCD SPRINGS, COLD. Mr. Edgardo Contini 135 S. Doheny B~verly Hills, California Dear Mr. Contini: This letter is pursuant to your recent request for information concerning tho probloms facing the City of Aspen, Colorado. In order to understand the pro sent picture of Aspen, it is necessary to briefly summarize its history. Aspen came into existence as a silver, lead and zinc mining camp about 1880. By 1893, the year of the Silv0I' Panio, Aspen had a population of about 15,000 people. After the panic, the City went into a steady period of retrogression whioh by World War II had reduced the popluation to about people. The last of the mines olosed down during the war. There has been some s~ight interust shown in opening up tho mines, but tho sucoess of these ventures will be highly speoulative. After World War II, Aspen bogan to grow as a su~ner and winter recreational center. Mr. Walter Paepcke started the Aspen Insti- tute 01' Humanistio Studies ..lnd 1:he Summor Music Feati val. A large ski lift was put in opening the City fOl' winter l'eoreatinn. Many people are moving to Aspen to reside permanently, which has now inoreased the population to about 1,200 people. A health spa is bein~ oonstructed adjaoent to the City and many fine homes are being built. Building permits issued by the City for the past four yoars aro as follows: VALUATIO}' $277 ,075.00 284,884.00 267,050.00 373.621'~0 $1.202.6} .;:>0 These figuros do not include the building outside the City limits. ~ 19.52 19.5.3 1954 1955 Before going further, it should be emphasized that during the period of retrogression no physioal improvomonts wore added to tho COpy .. Mr. Edgaroo Contini - 2 .;. Februa ry 23, 19.56 City because there were no funds available. The City is still indebted in the amount of $30,00 by way of general obligation bonds which is a part of the indebtedness incurred during the early boo~ days. This indebtedness was refunded in the thirties to provide a more reasonable interest rate. Geograph:l.caUy the City lies in the upper reaches of the nosring Fork River Valley at an altitude of about 7,900 feet. 'rl1e valley below Aspen is a farming and stook ranohing area. The mountains surro~~ding Aspen provide range land for the cattle and sheep during the su~mor. The ranges are forest servioe land and a part land under the Taylor Grazing Act. Aspen is the County seat of Pitkin County and the only inoorporated city in the County. The area arour.d Aspen abounds in good trout fishing and hunting for deer and elk. In the wInter time Independence Pass is closed to traffic, therefore, all traffio must enter Aspen on Highway 82 which comes through Glenwood Springs, 'Jolorado. At t!le present time Aspen is in a slow boom condition with a steadily increasing permanent population. This is plaoing a heavy burden on the r.ity to keep pace with the growth. By virtue of Aspen'S history, we now find that the City has irne~ited several problems that urgently require attention. Some of these are as follows: f 1. TlJere is no sewsge disposul plant in Aspen and only a limi ted and inadequ.'lte sewage 001 tection system. '~any houses and motels require the use of septic i;anks or cesapools. Raw sewage from the municipal system dumps into the Roaring Fork River jusi; outside the City which oreates a health hazard. 2. TIle water systom is privately ownod by the Aspen V'ater Company. The quality of water is inadequate and has been reported to the Department of Health. The system is wearing j out and CRn service only tho City itself which leaves fine areas nearby without sorvice. Tha pressure in many areas is lnadequate. Chlorination stations feed directly into tho system without -opportunity to properly reaot. No faci- lities are available for sedimentation, coagulation, or filtration. Stock grazes in the near vicinity of the S~l~ces of supply. II J. Tho City has no paved stroets except the main l~wQY which passes through the City. In the spring, mud is a proble~ and inthe summor dust ia a problem. I I h. ,The City ca~~es ly pn a due to the fore . of ~ bo' before. Until 10 cro t s esta expect a high i - st . d credit picture sue menti"ned iShod, we must Mr. Edgardo Contini - 3 - February 23, 1956 5. The summer and winter seasons further oomplicate our problem by throwing more people into the City to oreate a greater health hazard, and yet the tourisc business is the very foundation of our economy which must be preserved. 6. The present zoning oruinance is inadequate to protect ~ orderly development. No building codes exist and state ;..... regulation is inadequate where provided for due to remoteness of the area. //' 7. The City has no full time paid City employees i~ a position to assist in the administration of day to day communi ty affairs. Aapen is ;:;overneci by a conncll and under Colorado law is a City of the second class. ,,8. From a health standpoint, the entiro City might be /' olassed as a slum area since the sewer system and water aystem are inadequate. The following steps have beon taken by the City and the County: A.. The County recently (1955) passed a zoning resolution which oovers a substantial part of the County experiencing a growth in populavlon and facilities. B. 1'he City has established a Plan"in,'; Commission as provided for under Co10rudo law. Public meetings have been hold to gathor together community feeling. C. The City is in tho process of acquiring the electrio distribution and generation system heretofore ownod and operated by an R.E.A. co-operative. This will be financed by a revenue bond issue. D. A sanitation district has been organized to provide a sewer system and disposal plant. This Distr~ct has secured an engineer's feasibility report, but no fw.ther accion has been taken. liE. The City has made inquiry of the Fouse and Home Finance Agency and Urban Renewal, but little benefit soems to be , available to us because the laws are not properly implemented I to fit our situation. COPY - . Mr. EdgarQo Contini I - 4- - February 23, 1956 j F. Tho City presently has retained a professional planner (' to assist in providing an adequatc zoning ordinance, but this has not been oomplfted. G. The wiUof the commurity seems t" be reoeptive to community improvement. Pinnncing the necessary minimum improvements seems to be th~ greatest obstacle facing Aspen. The foregoing surr.mary is l'}nger tha.::1 I expeotod, but. seer.:led to be nece8aa~y to establish a complete picture. I have attemptod to present here general information without interjection of personal views. I will gladly submit ~uch other information as might be required or be boneficlal. Yours very truly, Clinton B. Stewart cn~1: R COPY