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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcoa.cclc.min.01162008COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES January 16, 2008, Chairperson, Terry Butler called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. Commissioners in attendance were Bill Dinsmoor, Mark Goodman, Fred Ayarza, Don Sheeley and John Starr. Excused were Shae Singer and Roger Haneman. Parking: Teny asked Tim Ware, Parking Director if we could come up with some kind of relieve for parking around the 14 days of XMAS. Is there some way we can mitigate or be customer friendly rather than towing cars or find extra places for their cars. Everybody that is in the downtown area was having problems. Ute City Banque had cones out etc. keeping cars from parking. Tim said they got the cones out etc. prior to XMAS. Tim pointed out that we had a ton of snow. By Mountain Chalet three cars that didn't move for three or four days. There were no permits for the cars and the Streets Dept. towed the cars. Tim said one issue is the long standing fund raising events over XMAS and when they have the events they need extra parking. Fred asked what we can do way ahead to get things done better. We want to be ahead of it. Tim said typically we don't ticket. Fred said he lives at the end of Cooper and many nights during December it is occupied by the UPS trucks. That complicates the matter worse. Terry pointed out that we have the Dancing Bear and Limelight under construction. All the construction has blocked our parking. Tim said at some point we need to decide if the project should get done or not. Terry said at Ute City they leave their cones up over night. John asked about the construction rules. Tim said there is two hour parking for construction workers. The Parking Dept. scrutinizes all the construction vehicles. Tim said he is getting ready for a work session Feb 19`h with city council. The request would be for mew meters, two hour parking in residential zones but then you can't re-park. A license plate inventory system that builds a data base. With these new programs things might be COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES January 16, 2008, alleviated. Tim said there are 300 to 900 cars trying to beat the system daily. We need a parking system that can expand when it needs too. Bill suggested certain areas in town could have a jitney bus system to move people around. Tim said the garage has a punch pass that is $5. Per day. Bill asked Tim if he needs support for this. Bill said restaurants employees and owners are filling up and taking the spaces. They come out and plug the meters. John asked abut parking on the corners. Tim said we are illegal on the corners already. You need to be 30 feet from an intersection. You can't have parking within those 30 feet and we as a city violate that. The storm drains get parked on and that is becoming an issue. Terry asked Tim if he thought it appropriate for the board to look at places for electric cars in the alleys. Tim said he never looked at the alleys but would be interested in a report from the CCLC. Don asked if there was a moratorium over XMAS on the construction site. Tim said yes. Trisha Nelson, Engineering Department said there aren't specific guidelines on the books and we are going to council to ask what council wants and see if they have any ideas. Terry wanted to know how many cars are displaced due to the construction at the Limelight and Dancing Bear. Trish said about 30 at the Dancing Bear and 15at the Limelight. Don asked if there was any thought given to identifying angled parking so people can realize that they have a clue where to park. Tim said he doesn't want to get into striping the spots. In front of Zele there are parking meters and the signage needs changed. Bill said for Terry's situation that have small lodges, can they contract for three or four spaces in the garage. Tim said there was a bond for the garage for public parking. You can buy a monthly pass but you can't park there for more than three days. 2 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES January 16, 2008, Bill said the use of the alleys for trucks, snow etc. should be re-thought. It got more complicated when the city came up with recycling. The alleys are not being used for efficiency and ease. Don asked Tim what are the short term solutions for parking in the core? Tim said expanding the paid parking. Durant Street in front of the Mountain Chalet is not paid parking and should be. Terry asked if Tim talked to employers about the parking options. Tim said the TOP program is in effect. They designate transportation etc. and Lynn Rumbaugh does a great job of communication with companies. Fred suggested for the short term solution parking should be a priority for this group. We need to come up with ideas where we can improve it and collectively we can come up with issues to clean it up. Motion: John made the motion that the CCLC go to the work session in full support of the parking department; second by Fred. All in favor, motion carried. John suggested there could be a user fee to get into Colorado. Some parts of Europe have that system and it eliminates congestion. There is a sensor that calculates when you enter etc. Fred said we need to find out how the little towns in Europe are doing the user fee to get into town. Terry asked Fred to spear head the parking and transportation issues. Commissioner comments John requested that the board vote for the vice-chair. Terry asked that it be delayed until Shae could be present because she is running. The board agreed. Kathy pointed out that the code has no authorization for proxy votes. The alternate sits on the board to vote when a regular member is not present. John pointed out that he feels part of the committee even if he is not at all of the meetings. He reads all the minutes and knows what is going on. John talked about the ice sculptures on the mall In Australia they have some mechanism of judging the sculptures. Don said he thought Anderson Ranch COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES January 16, 2008, did the judging. John said he feels we should have a peoples choice judging. He also said the sculptures should remain up and Parks Dept. took them down. The sculptures are part of our downtown. Mark said we need to go forward in the budget process to get down lighting in the core. Mark directed staff to follow up. Mark said the lighting would be serviced once every ten years. This is obvious about the 80/90 % savings and should be their calling card. It is about a 15 year payback. Bill said we also need a comprehensive lighting plan for the holidays. Terry asked Mark to spear head the down lighting. Bill said the Winterskol model is dead in the water. It was suggested that Gay ski week and Winterskol be on the same day. It would rejuvenate the town. Don said the ACRA has a Winterskol committee and he will bring it up at the board meeting. Terry suggested that the CCLC meet with the Winterskol Committee. John said Don is a member and can follow through. Bill said he feels the CCLC basically is ineffective. How do we keep collaborative relationships for a long term strategic plan for our town? Terry said it is imperative that the CCLC members do pr individually with our council members. Each one should sit down and reinforce our relationship and tell them what we are doing. John suggested that the CCLC meet quarterly with council. Terry said she is of the opinion that you don't wait for the crisis. We need to reinforce the foundations with council. Special events meeting update. Don said basically Parks would like to see fewer special events in Wagner Park. Tom is under the impression that the parks should remain green. The Parks Dept. is doing a master plan. Don said the ACRA said special events brings people into town. Tom closes the Wagner Park two weeks after Food and Wine. There was a suggestion to renting tiles for Wagner Park. It 4 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES January 16, 2008, would cost $250,000 to purchase them but then we have a storage problem. Jack Johnson said he was opposed to more events and Mick wanted more on the streets. Terry pointed out that grass gets wom when you use it. She suggested the Parks sod after the Food and Wine. Don also recommended that part of Wagner could have sod. John said we definitely need to support the big events that come to Aspen. MOTION: Don moved to adjourn; second by Fred. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned 10:30 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk 5