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AGENDA
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
May 17, 2021
4:00 PM, City Council Chambers
130 S Galena Street, Aspen
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I.WORK SESSION
I.A.Council Board Reports & Council Updates
I.B.Building Code Adoption
I.C.Electric Vehicle Master Plan
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Torre and Aspen City Council
FROM: Bonnie Muhigirwa, Plans Examiner III
Nick Thompson, Plans Examiner III
THROUGH: Stephen Kanipe, Chief Building Official
Phillip Supino, Community Development Director
MEMO DATE: May 14, 2021
MEETING DATE: May 17, 2021
RE: Work Session Discussion – 2021 Building Code Adoption
REQUEST OF COUNCIL: This work session’s purpose is to introduce Council to the
process of adopting the next building code and to seek input and direction on important
topic areas. Building code adoption is typically a routine process, but this time there are
unique opportunities that require Council input early in the process. Building codes
provide life safety and are also a key element in climate action policy and land use
regulation. Therefore, staff would like to identify Council’s main goals related to building
regulations.
This memo and staff’s introductory presentation at the work session will provide a high-
level discussion of the following:
1. A brief history and process overview of Aspen’s implementation of the International
Building Codes.
2. Outline opportunities for:
a. Coordination of code adoption with other jurisdictions in the Roaring Fork
Valley,
b. Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions through further energy efficiencies,
electrification, and by addressing embodied energy in building materials,
c. Alignment with complementary Climate Action goals including using the
Land Use Code to remove barriers to or to incentivize climate action
measures.
At the conclusion of the discussion, staff will ask Council for their primary objectives for
the building codes, as well as request direction on the outlined topic areas. This direction
will inform staff work in the coming months preparing for the new code adoption.
Depending on this response, follow-up questions related to prioritization in Community
Development’s workplan and required resources may be necessary.
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Work Session – 2021 Building Code Adoption
OVERVIEW AND HISTORY OF BUILDING CODE ADOPTION:
The International Codes (I-Codes), are a body of coordinated codes adopted widely
throughout the United States to ensure that the built environment is safe, accessible,
sustainable, and resilient. Building codes and their enforcement provide our community
with the quality construction and safety in the built environment that we all expect. This
includes basic life safety components such as adequate exits, fire alarms, and carbon
monoxide detectors. It also includes adequate fresh air and ventilation. Accessibility
measures provide equitable facilities so that buildings can be used by everyone. Energy
efficiency requirements save homeowners on their energy bills and support our climate
action policy.
The codes are developed by the International Code Council (ICC), a non-profit member
organization, that uses a governmental consensus process to continually improve and
coordinate the codes. City staff have a history of being involved in this process and
continue to provide input and vote on the codes. New building codes are released every
three years, and Aspen traditionally adopts new codes every six years. This six-year
adoption cycle, as opposed to a three-year cycle, allows us to stay up to date while not
creating an extra burden for staff and the development community by constantly
implementing new codes. Currently Aspen is on the 2015 International Codes as adopted
by Council in 2016.
When adopting the standardized I-codes, jurisdictions may make local amendments.
Amendments can address local environmental needs such as our requiring snow stops
to prevent hazardous slow slides off roofs and requiring the highest level of fire-resistant
roof assemblies to address the local wildfire risk. Aspen has also used amendments to
create more stringent energy efficiency regulations. For example, our Renewable Energy
Mitigation Program (REMP) requires that outdoor energy use (snowmelt, pools, and spas)
is either offset with renewable energy on-site or developers can choose to make a
mitigation payment that funds community energy efficiency programs through CORE.
Since the early 1990’s Aspen has been a national leader in energy code development.
The early REMP and efficient building programs were some of the first of their kind
nationally. Stephen Kanipe has served on the code development committee for the
International Energy Conservation Code that is now used nationally. Today’s energy
codes establish minimum energy efficiency requirements for new construction and
renovations and have resulted in reduced energy usage and cost savings across our
buildings. With each edition of the Energy Code, the requirements have gotten
incrementally more progressive, helping ensure new construction delivers upon climate
changing emissions reductions.
The 2015 IECC residential provisions reduced energy use intensity (EUI) by 25% relative
to the 2009 edition. However, much of the low hanging fruit for energy efficiency in
buildings has now been achieved. As a result, the Department of Energy only expects a
4% to 5% reduction in EUI in future cycles.1 Currently buildings account for 50% of the
City’s greenhouse gas emissions and are projected to make up 60% of emissions by
1 https://www.energycodes.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Impacts_Of_Model_Energy_Codes.pdf
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Work Session – 2021 Building Code Adoption
2050. Improved energy codes are therefore a key component of the City’s climate action
plan. Adopting the 2021 IECC will ensure that we are continuing to improve, but there is
also the opportunity to go even further with local amendments as presented in the
upcoming discussion.
STAFF DISCUSSION:
Coordination with Jurisdictions in the Region
Per our six-year adoption cycle, it is time to update our life safety and energy efficiency
codes. This year Aspen has a unique opportunity to coordinate our adoption of the 2021
codes with other jurisdictions in the Roaring Fork Valley and Western Colorado. The
Mountain Building Officials Organization is working with CORE on a regional effort to
move to the 2021 I-codes together. The current consensus appears to be aiming for some
time in the middle of 2022. A consultant is creating one adoption package for all the codes.
Then each jurisdiction will create their own specific local amendment packages as
needed. Having a consistent code adoption throughout the region benefits local designers
and contractors. It will also have a greater impact on the regional climate change efforts
to have the most current energy efficiency codes in play in as many jurisdictions as
possible.
As staff looks to adopt the 2021 I-Codes, we would like to confirm whether Council wishes
to pursue this regional approach. We will also need to determine the extent and nature
of any local amendments. The following three areas have been identified as having
potential for additional energy savings and greenhouse house gas reduction: net zero
construction, electrification, and embodied energy. For the purposes of this work session,
we will keep the discussion of these concepts at a high level. With Council’s input on
primary goals and concerns, we can investigate these and other ideas further to be able
to bring a more detailed analysis and a menu of options to Council at a future date.
Energy Conservation and Net Zero
The energy code has incrementally been reducing the energy use of buildings over time
by regulating the efficiency of the building thermal envelope (insulation and windows), air
tightness, heating and cooling equipment, and lighting. The new 2021 International
Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is estimated to be roughly 9% more efficient than our
currently adopted and amended 2015 IECC. Staff is investigating potential amendments
to make it even more efficient while balancing feasibility. For example, our code adoption
process is traditionally informed by the upcoming code edition while it is in development;
in this case we will look at proposals for the 2024 I-codes as they become available.
As we look to the future, there will likely continue to be room to improve energy efficiency
in buildings but there will begin to be diminishing returns for the effort. The concept of Net
Zero addresses this by providing a way to offset energy use that can’t realistically be
eliminated. Instead of reducing energy use to zero, the remaining energy is offset with
onsite renewable energy sources such as solar photovoltaic (PV). To avoid allowing
inefficient buildings to just build a larger solar array to get to net zero, a minimum threshold
of building efficiency is placed as a backstop. The other side of this is that on-site
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Work Session – 2021 Building Code Adoption
renewables would need to be installed at an increasing rate (increasing on-site solar is
an example of an opportunity for improved coordination with the requirements of the Land
Use Code). Below is a graphic depicting this transition over time:
Figure 1. Trajectory to Net Zero (or Zero Net Energy ZNE). The blue bars represent energy use which is shown to
decrease with each new code but to never actually reach zero. This energy use is offset by the yellow bars which
represent renewable energy production such as by solar PV. Eventually, energy use (blue) shrinks enough so that
the increasing renewable offset (yellow) balances it out for a Net Zero Energy use.
Electrification
A Net Zero building still creates greenhouse gas emissions if there is fossil fuel
combustion onsite. Electrification is the concept of transitioning appliances and
equipment that would otherwise run on natural gas—such as boilers, water heaters,
stoves, and clothes dryers—to clean and efficient electric versions using electricity
sourced from a carbon free grid. The City of Aspen Electric Utility is currently carbon free
and our other electric provider, Holy Cross, has committed to being carbon free by 2030.
Any degree of electrification will require extensive coordination with City Electric and
with Holy Cross to ensure appropriate and equitable rate structures (energy
conservation and electrification can be at odds with each other with regard to electric
demand and rate structures) and to ensure adequate capacity of the utility infrastructure
to meet the increased demand. While some communities have elected to make the
switch all at once (a switch which staff acknowledges is essential to addressing the
climate emergency), electrification will have large impacts on the community, including
on customer costs. Council could consider setting a pace of transition which will give
staff direction to work with the utilities to put together a range of options.
The discussion of electrification should also include Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging.
Aspen’s 2015 energy code was forward thinking and already requires a percentage of on-
property residential parking spaces to be installed with pre-wired EV (Electric Vehicle)
charging capability. There is little room to improve this beyond increasing the percentage
of parking spaces required to be EV ready, requiring on-property commercial parking
spaces to be EV ready, and/or requiring the actual full charging components to be
installed. Staff welcomes any input Council may have on electrification and EV-ready
regulations.
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Embodied Energy and Carbon
Reducing building energy consumption (net zero) and sourcing that energy from zero
emission electric utilities (electrification) only addresses the energy use and emissions of
a building after it has been constructed and is in operation. Looking at the full life cycle of
a building shows that there are significant emissions generated from the harvesting,
manufacture, and transport of building materials and then from the release of carbon at
the end of a building’s useful life in the landfill.
Upfront emissions can be reduced or offset by using carbon storing materials. One
example is Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). CLT panels, posts, and beams sustainably
harvested from small diameter trees can replace emission heavy concrete and steel and
are sized to be fire resistant which can reduce the cost of construction. The 2021 building
code allows new uses for CLT construction. While construction materials are an area
where gains could be made, the practicality of enforcing restrictions on building materials
is unknown and appears to be fraught with complications. If council desires, staff could
monitor opportunities to address embodied energy through more progressive codes and
incentives.
Building demolition and construction waste are major contributors to emissions and
shorten the lifespan of the Pitkin County landfill. Limiting and/or mitigating the volume
and embodied energy of building materials going to the land fill will require coordination
between County and City departments. With Council direction, Building and
Environmental Health can coordinate how the building code and other areas of the
municipal code can best meet solid waste objectives.
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Coordination with Climate Action and with the Land Use Code
The combination of the Community Development and Environmental Health Departments
has created new opportunities to work holistically to achieve complementary policy
objectives.
Climate Action
Buildings are responsible for 58% of greenhouse gas emissions in Aspen. Between 2004
and 2017, natural gas emissions in Aspen were reduced by 3%, despite significant growth
in construction. This can in part be attributed to the power of the energy code to reduce
energy use. Given the Climate Action Plan goal to reduce community emissions by 80%
by 2050, the building codes are an excellent opportunity to help make these reductions.
Staff seeks direction on whether the energy code should be leveraged to meet Climate
Action Plan goals.
Figure 2. Sources of Aspen’s Green House Gas Emissions The red slice represents emissions from commercial
buildings; the blue slice represents emissions from residential buildings. Total building emissions represent greater
than half of local emissions. Climate Action projects this will increase to 60% of the total by 2050.
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Work Session – 2021 Building Code Adoption
The City and County of Denver is an example of coordinating building codes with climate
action goals. They recently released the following graphic depicting their intention to have
all new residential buildings be net zero by 2030. As you can see, it will require
amendments to the IECC code to get there:
Figure 3. Example path to Net Zero Energy by 2030 from Denver. The orange dots represent editions of the
International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Denver is creating above code programs to stay on course for net
zero by 2030 for new residential buildings. The Energy Use Y axis is the energy use (Home Energy Rating System -
HERS score); 0 means net zero energy use. The 2021 IECC is estimated to be roughly 9% more efficient than the
2018. The City of Aspen’s amended version of the current 2015 IECC is slightly more efficient than the 2018 IECC.
Land Use Code
Another opportunity is to investigate how the Land Use Code may currently be restricting
or could be changed to incentivize Climate Action goals. Here are a few ideas:
On site renewable power generation such as solar PV,
Passive solar building design and siting,
Exterior insulation impact on F.A.R.,
Equipment size and location needed for electrification,
Incentives such as variances on specific requirements or fees in exchange for net
zero/electrification.
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Potential Approaches
There is a range of measures and tools that could be investigated for use on the road to
reach Council’s Climate Action goals. Here are some ways to look at moving the energy
code in this direction:
Incentive based above code option(s) to encourage early adopters. The Land Use
Code has the potential to be leveraged in this regard.
Building Type or Size Specific higher code requirements for buildings over a
certain size or different requirements for single family vs. multi-family homes. As
an example, Boulder County requires single family homes over 5000 sq.ft. to be
net zero.
New buildings vs. remodels and additions. Different requirements for each
type. This is different than placing requirements on existing buildings with no
proposed work which Building IQ may be contemplating.
Amend code to be more stringent for all than the base 2021. This could include
minor amendments to ratchet up efficiency numbers or a look at the many
prepackaged energy code standards between the 2021 IECC and Net Zero. The
Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Homes program, The Building
America program, and the Passive House standard are some examples that get
progressively closer to net zero.
Council should consider the timing of our adoption of the 2021 building codes. The
consensus from other Roaring Fork Valley building officials is that they won’t be ready to
adopt until 2nd quarter of 2022. This timeframe allows us to share resources such as
trainings and consultant support with other jurisdictions. Additionally, hearings for the
2024 codes are underway, and waiting to see what changes are being made to the next
edition of codes could inform amendments we wish to incorporate into our adoption.
Alternately, staff could put together our own adoption package on a more accelerated
timeline. This could allow Aspen to see the energy efficiency gains and other
improvements in the new edition of the codes more quickly. Staff recommends that we
align our adoption with the regional effort and wait until next year.
QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL:
1) What are Council’s top concerns that we should focus on with respect to the
building codes?
2) Where do we want to be relative to our sister communities? How important is
alignment with other Roaring Fork Valley jurisdictions vs. forging our own
exemplary path as we have done in the past? Do we want to be on a
coordinated timeframe for adoption of the 2021 codes in 2022?
3) Should the building code be aligned with Climate Action Goals? Is Council
interested in making changes to the Land Use Code in response to Climate
Action and Building Department objectives? How far should the coordination of
Building, Planning, and Climate Action objectives be taken?
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Work Session – 2021 Building Code Adoption
4) How does Council want staff to plan for net zero, electrification, and embodied
energy?
5) Building staff is prepared to lead an adoption of the 2021 I-Codes. Should
Council desire greater coordination with the Land Use Code and the Climate
Action Plan, additional consideration for staff time and resources is required.
Based on identified priorities, how should staff prioritize this work relative to
other Council goals and Community Development work program items?
FINANCIAL IMPACTS: At this time, N/A
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: At this time, N/A
ALTERNATIVES: Adopt the 2021 building codes as written
RECOMMENDATIONS: At this time, N/A
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: N/A
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor Torre and City Council
FROM: Ashley Perl, Climate Action Manager
THRU: CJ Oliver, Environmental Health and Sustainability Director
Phillip Supino, Community Development Director
MEMO DATE: May 14, 2021
MEETING DATE: May 17, 2021
RE: City of Aspen Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure Masterplan
REQUEST OF COUNCIL:
Staff requests City Council’s support of key components within the City of Aspen Electric Vehicle
Public Charging Infrastructure Masterplan (the “Masterplan”) to enable the finalization of the
Masterplan and its implementation by staff.
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
Summary
The City installed its first publicly available electric vehicle (EV) charging station in 2015 and now
operates eight publicly available charging stations, for a total of 14 charging plugs. The installation
and management of these charging stations by City staff has taken place on a relatively ad hoc
basis and these processes have the potential to be improved. As EV adoption continues to grow
in the Aspen area, and Colorado as a whole, staff hope to advance the City’s EV charging
infrastructure in a more strategic way that both creates logistical efficiencies for staff and supports
community EV usage to the fullest extent possible. The Masterplan (Attachment A) includes action
items and responsibility outlines, produced by staff and external partners, as to how the City
should install and manage charging stations over the next five years (through the end of 2026).
Previous Council Action
Council has taken previous actions to advance public EV charging infrastructure, including those
listed below:
• Adopted the Aspen Area Community Plan (AACP), which emphasizes the importance of
supporting and incentivizing EV adoption in the community.
• Adopted the 2018 – 2020 Climate Action Plan (CAP), which lists the adoption of EVs in
the community as one of the recommended actions to reduce community greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions in alignment with the City’s climate action target of reducing GHG
emissions 80% by 2050 from 2004 levels.
• Adopted the Aspen Community Electric Vehicles Readiness Plan in 2017, which outlines
strategies for the City to support EV adoption in the Aspen area.
• Supported the installation of new City charging stations and supported providing free
charging at these stations for the public.
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• Included support for clean transportation efforts, including EVs, in the City of Aspen 2021
Regional, State, and Federal Policy Agenda.
Electric Vehicle Basics
EVs can generally be placed in two categories: battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid
electric vehicles (PHEVs). BEVs operate solely on electricity, whereas PHEVs can operate on
electricity alone for a short driving range and then use an internal combustion engine for the
remainder of a journey. BEVs produce no tailpipe GHG emissions or pollutant emissions. PHEVs
still produce emissions; however, the impact is lessened given the amount of time they operate
on battery electricity. When charged on an electric grid powered by renewable energy, such as
Aspen Electric, the life cycle emissions of an EV are further reduced compared to a gas- or diesel-
powered vehicles.
EV adoption is on the rise in the Aspen area and throughout Colorado. The State of Colorado has
set a goal of having 940,000 light duty EVs on the road by 2030 through the Colorado Electric
Vehicle Plan 2020 and has published a series of growth projections for EV ownership in Colorado
in coming years. Holy Cross Energy projects that EV ownership will grow 34% year-over-year
(YOY) for the next decade and beyond in the local region. EV adoption at that pace would result
in 4,000 – 5,000 registered EVs in the local region by 2026, which is the timeline for the longevity
of the action items and responsibility outlines listed in the Masterplan. Currently, there are less
than 1,000 EVs registered in the local region. Attachment B contains graphics to further explain
the historic EV registration trends (Figures 1 and 2) and the projections for future growth from
both Holy Cross Energy and the State of Colorado (Figure 3).
Charging Infrastructure Basics
There are three types of charging stations, or plugs, that EVs can use to charge. Descriptions of
the basic characteristics of the different types of charging are listed below:
Level 1
• Power Required: standard, 120 Volt (V) wall outlet
• Charging Speed: 5 miles of charge per hour, 20 hours to reach a full charge
• Typical Uses: home charging or infrequently used fleet vehicles (entails plugging into a
three-pronged outlet and does not require installation of a charging station)
• Cost: Less than $200 for the charging plug
Level 2
• Power Required: 240V outlet or current
• Charging Speed: 10-20 miles of charge per hour, 2-5 hours to reach full charge
• Typical Uses: home charging, public parking, workplace charging
• Cost: $9,000 for the charging station (including network and warranty costs) and between
$11,000 - $21,000 for installation and fees
Level 3 or DCFC (Direct Current Fast Charging)
• Power Required: 480V current
• Charging Speed: 60-80 miles of charge per 20 minutes
• Typical Uses: transportation corridor charging, public parking, short-term commercial
parking
• Cost: $45,000 for the charging station (including network and warranty costs) and between
$15,000 - $30,000 for installation and fees
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While most EV charging occurs through Level 1 or Level 2 charging at home, publicly available
charging stations are a critical resource for EV drivers to use while traveling or commuting. In
order to accommodate the anticipated growth of EVs in the coming years, sustained investments
in charging infrastructure need be made. The City’s inventory of charging stations is comprised
of eight publicly available charging stations (two DCFC chargers and six dual-cord, Level 2
chargers) for a total of 14 charging plugs. Currently, these stations are free for the EV driver to
use, with the exception of the cost of parking when applicable. All City charging stations operate
on the Aspen Electric Utility grid with the exception of a single station at the Brush Creek Park
and Ride, which operates on Holy Cross Energy grid. A map of the City’s charging stations can
be found in Attachment C.
Beyond the City’s publicly available charging stations, there are also a variety of privately-owned
and -operated charging stations that are available for patrons of businesses, hotels, or other
organizations in Aspen and its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). Below is a summary of the
distribution of all charging stations in the Aspen area (as of winter 2021):
Charging Plugs in the Aspen Area
City of Aspen 14
Private (within City Limits) 21
Private (within the UGB) 29
Total Plugs in the Aspen Area 64
DISCUSSION:
Masterplan Stakeholder Group
The Masterplan was created in collaboration with staff from the City of Aspen Climate Action
Office, Electric Utility, Engineering, Parking, Streets, Transportation, and GIS departments. Key
external stakeholders from the Colorado Energy Office and Holy Cross Energy were instrumental
to the creation of the Masterplan as well. Stakeholders were engaged beginning in December
2020 and collaborated on the Masterplan through May 2021. The Masterplan also incorporates
input from community members that was collected via survey during the summer and fall of 2020.
A full list of all those involved in the stakeholder group can be found in the Masterplan on page
24.
Masterplan Structure
The Masterplan includes the following primary components:
• Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Action Items and Responsibility Outlines
o Infrastructure Action Items
o Policy Action Items
o Operations Responsibility Outlines
• Topics for Further Consideration
• Supporting Information
o Current State of Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure
o Charging Station Cost Estimates
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Masterplan Action Items and Responsibility Outlines
The stakeholder group’s recommended action items and responsibility outlines are listed below
as well as in the Masterplan. In the Masterplan, the action items and responsibility outlines are
accompanied by rationale statements that explain the reasoning behind them. Staff is looking for
specific input on certain action items that have a “Request for Council Feedback” bullet beneath
them. These action items are also listed in the “Staff Requests for Council Feedback” section.
Infrastructure Action Items
New Charging Stations
1. Install new charging stations toward a goal of having a total of 40 publicly available
charging plugs, plus or minus 5 plugs (± 5), in the City of Aspen inventory by the end of
2026. Use a 25%, or higher, YOY growth rate of EV registrations in the tri-county region
as the trigger to continue installing charging stations each year toward the goal number of
plugs.
• Request for Council Feedback: Does Council support this level of publicly
available EV charging infrastructure in Aspen by the end of 2026, which is
considered a conservative pace when compared to the anticipated 34% YOY
growth in the region.
2. Prioritize the installation of new charging stations at the locations on the “Recommended
Site List”, pending the necessary evaluations of the site at the time of installation.
3. Prioritize the installation of Level 2 charging stations over DCFC charging stations.
4. Prioritize the installation of banks of multiple charging stations at individual locations
whenever possible.
Existing Charging Stations
5. Replace existing charging stations when they no longer properly provide a charge and/or
they become more expensive to repair than replace.
Policy Action Items
Paid Charging Policies
1. Begin charging EV drivers a fee to use City charging stations. The fees should vary
depending on the type of charging station. The fees’ exact amount will be informed by an
Aspen Electric Utility rate study and determined through collaboration with other service
providers in the region. The fees should be implemented in 2022 for DCFC charging
stations and 2023 for Level 2 charging stations. The fees should be applied to City-owned
charging stations that are located on the Holy Cross Energy grid on this timeline as well.
• Request for Council Feedback: What further information does Council need to
implement fees for charging on this timeline through a City fee ordinance process?
EV Parking Policies
2. Implement rules around EV parking at charging stations that complement the adopted fee
for charging, such as those that would inhibit overstays at charging stations.
3. Maintain the current cost to park at all charging station sites.
4. Maintain the existing EV parking permit that is available for EVs to park for free in
Residential Parking Zones until a sunset date at the end of 2023, at which time the permit
can be reevaluated.
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Operations Responsibility Outlines
Action Responsibilities
1. City departments and external partners have committed to assuming responsibility for
the actions necessary for charging station installation and maintenance in this outline:
Operations Responsibility Outline #1 (see page 11 of the Masterplan).
Budget Responsibilities
1. Budget responsibility for the components of charging station installation and
maintenance is assigned to the committed City departments in this outline: Operations
Responsibility Outline #2 (see page 14 of the Masterplan).
Topics for Further Consideration
Additional topics related to EV charging infrastructure were considered by the stakeholder group
but were either outside the scope of the Masterplan or require further investigation from staff. Staff
intend to collaborate on the following such topics upon the implementation of the Masterplan:
1. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to install charging stations in the Right of Way
2. Regional approaches to advancing electric transit and consistent policies for EVs
3. City fleet electrification
• Request for Council Feedback: Are there additional topics not included in this list related
to EVs or EV charging infrastructure that Council would like staff to investigate?
Staff Requests for Council Feedback
Staff is looking to receive Council’s direction on a portion of the stakeholder group’s
recommended action items that are critical to staff implementation of the Masterplan as well as
the items listed in the “Topics for Further Consideration” section. Staff is looking forward to
discussing the following items with Council and receiving input based on the associated requests
for feedback:
Infrastructure Action Item #1
• Install new charging stations toward a goal of having a total of 40 ± 5 publicly available
charging plugs in the City of Aspen inventory by the end of 2026. Use a 25%, or higher,
YOY growth rate of EV registrations in the tri-county region as the trigger to continue
installing charging stations each year toward the goal number of plugs.
o Request for Council Feedback: Does Council support this level of publicly available
EV charging infrastructure in Aspen by the end of 2026?
Policy Action Item #1
• The fees [charged of EV drivers for using charging stations] should be implemented in
2022 for DCFC charging stations and 2023 for Level 2 charging stations.
o Request for Council Feedback: What further information does Council need to
implement fees for charging on this timeline through a City fee ordinance process?
Topics for Further Consideration
• PPPs, regional approaches, and City fleet electrification.
o Request for Council Feedback: Are there additional topics not included in the
“Topics for Further Consideration” section related to EVs or EV charging
infrastructure that Council would like staff to investigate?
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FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
Current EV charging station financial needs are incorporated into existing budgets for 2021 and
a portion of 2022. Beginning in 2023, new funds will be required for:
• The installation of new changing stations, pending grant availability
• Network connections for existing charging stations
• Maintenance and repairs for existing charging stations
The amount of new funds required to support EV charging infrastructure is dependent on
Council’s direction regarding the goal number of charging stations staff should aim to install over
the next five years. If council approves the recommended action item to install new charging
stations toward a goal of having a total of 40 ± 5 charging plugs in the City’s inventory by the end
of 2026, and the majority are Level 2 stations, the purchase cost for these new charging stations
would be approximately $108,000. The cost of installation would be between $11,000 and
$21,000 for each charging station, depending on site conditions. Staff will attempt to cover these
costs through outside funding opportunities, such as grants. However, over time should outside
funds not be available, staff may ask Council for budget appropriations for charging station
installation periodically as needed.
Further detail on the costs required to install and maintain charging stations can be found in the
Masterplan.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS:
Expanding the City’s inventory of charging stations, and maintaining its existing inventory, more
strategically will support EV adoption and usage in Aspen as well as the broader community.
Sustained expansion of EV usage will reduce On-road/Vehicular GHG emissions, which
accounted for 24% of the community’s GHG emissions in 2017 per Aspen’s 2017 Community-
wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Furthermore, replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with EVs will improve air quality in
the Aspen area. EV adoption reduces pollution emanating from tailpipes, including ozone and
particulate matter pollution.
NEXT STEPS:
With Council’s input on the key components of the Masterplan, and approval of the Masterplan in
general, staff will finalize the Masterplan and distribute the Masterplan to the relevant City
departments and external partners for implementation. Staff will also share the finalized
Masterplan with Council once complete.
CITY MANAGER COMMENTS:
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Draft City of Aspen Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure Masterplan
Attachment B: Historic and Projected EV Adoption
Attachment C: Map of the City’s Existing Public Charging Stations
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Electric Vehicle
Public Charging
Infrastructure
Masterplan
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................. 3
Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Action Items and Responsibility Outlines .......... 5
Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5
Approach to Creating Action Items and Responsibility Outlines ...................................... 5
Infrastructure Action Items ................................................................................................... 6
New Charging Stations ........................................................................................................ 6
Existing Stations .................................................................................................................. 8
Policy Action Items ............................................................................................................... 9
Paid Charging Policies ......................................................................................................... 9
EV Parking Policies............................................................................................................ 10
Operations Responsibility Outlines ................................................................................... 11
Action Responsibilities ....................................................................................................... 11
Budget Responsibilities ...................................................................................................... 14
Topics for Further Consideration .......................................................................................... 15
Supporting Information .......................................................................................................... 16
Current State of Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure ....................................... 16
Aspen’s Existing EV Charging Stations .............................................................................. 16
Local EV Charging Station Usage Trends .......................................................................... 17
Regional EV Registration Trends ....................................................................................... 21
Charging Station Cost Estimates ...................................................................................... 23
Overview of Costs .............................................................................................................. 23
Cost Variables ................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix ................................................................................................................................. 24
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Executive Summary
This document, the City of Aspen Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure Masterplan,
provides a series of action items and responsibility outlines for how the City of Aspen should
advance its public charging infrastructure over the next five years. A high-level summary of each
of these action items and responsibility outlines is listed below. Detailed action items and
responsibility outlines, as well as the rationale for them, can be found in the “Electric Vehicle
Charging Infrastructure Action Items and Responsibility Outlines” section.
Infrastructure Action Items
New Charging Stations
1. Install new charging stations toward a goal of having a total of 40 publicly available
charging plugs, plus or minus 5 plugs (± 5), in the City of Aspen inventory by the end of
2026. Use a 25%, or higher, year-over-year growth rate of electric vehicle (EV)
registrations in the local, tri-county region as the trigger to continue installing charging
stations each year toward the goal number of plugs.
2. Prioritize the installation of new charging stations at the locations on the “Recommended
Site List”, pending the necessary evaluations of the site at the time of installation.
3. Prioritize the installation of Level 2 charging stations over Direct Current Fast Charging
(DCFC) charging stations.
4. Prioritize the installation of banks of multiple charging stations at individual locations
whenever possible.
Existing Charging Stations
5. Replace existing charging stations when they no longer properly provide a charge and/or
they become more expensive to repair than replace.
Policy Action Items
Paid Charging Policies
1. Begin charging EV drivers a fee to use City of Aspen-owned charging stations. The fees
should vary depending on the type of charging station. The fees’ exact amount will be
informed by an Aspen Electric Utility rate study and determined through collaboration
with other service providers in the local region. The fees should be implemented in 2022
for DCFC charging stations and 2023 for Level 2 charging stations. The fees should be
applied to City-owned charging stations that are located on the Holy Cross Energy grid
on this timeline as well.
EV Parking Policies
2. Implement rules regarding EV parking at charging stations that complement the adopted
fee for charging, such as those that would inhibit overstays at charging stations.
3. Maintain the current cost to park at all charging station sites.
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4. Maintain the existing EV parking permit that is available for EVs to park for free in
Residential Parking Zones until a sunset date at the end of 2023, at which time the
permit can be reevaluated.
Operations Responsibility Outlines
Action Responsibilities
1. City departments and external partners have committed to assuming responsibility for
the actions necessary for charging station installation and maintenance in this outline:
Operations Responsibility Outline #1.
Budget Responsibilities
2. Budget responsibility for the components of charging station installation and
maintenance is assigned to the committed City departments in this outline: Operations
Responsibility Outline #2.
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Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Action Items
and Responsibility Outlines
Introduction
In early 2017, Aspen City Council adopted the Aspen Community Electric Vehicle Readiness
Plan (the “Readiness Plan”). The Readiness Plan was the City’s first step toward strategic
planning for the incorporation of electric vehicles, and their associated infrastructure, in the
community. Today, projections foresee EV adoption growing rapidly in the coming years with
some expecting there to be 4,000 – 5,000 EVs in the local region by 2026 (currently there are
under 1,000 EVs in the local region). Accordingly, Aspen needs an updated iteration of the
Readiness Plan, particularly focused on the strategic planning of EV charging infrastructure.
This plan, the City of Aspen Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure Masterplan (the
“Masterplan”), provides action items and responsibility outlines for the expansion and
management of municipally-owned and -operated EV charging infrastructure for the next five
years: 2021 through 2026. Near the end of the useful life of this Masterplan, a new planning
process should be undertaken to evaluate the successes and potential shortcomings of the plan
and how EV charging infrastructure should be strategically approached for the following five
years.
For background information on EVs, how they operate, and the benefits associated with driving
an EV, please continue to refer to the Readiness Plan. The focus of this Masterplan will
primarily be on public EV charging infrastructure.
View of Aspen from Smuggler Mountain. Photo by Shelia Babbie.
Approach to Creating the Action Items and Responsibility
Outlines
This Masterplan is a product of collaboration between the City of Aspen Climate Action Office,
Electric Utility, Engineering, Parking, Streets, Transportation, and GIS departments. Key
external stakeholders from the Colorado Energy Office and Holy Cross Energy were included in
this process as well. These internal and external stakeholders were each in one or more of
three different subgroups depending on their area of expertise. The three subgroups:
Infrastructure, Policy, and Operations, met separately to address the necessary deliverables of
the Masterplan in a detailed and efficient manner.
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Furthermore, a set of external partners, including individuals from the Aspen Skiing Company,
Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), and the Pitkin Country Elected Officials
Transportation Committee (EOTC), provided useful input and expert opinions on a handful of
discrete items within this Masterplan. A full list of those involved in the Masterplan can be found
in Attachment A in the Appendix.
An additional source of input was a community survey. This community survey was made
available to community members who own EVs and those who are considering purchasing an
EV in the future. The survey gathered responses on the community members’ expected habits
at public charging stations and their preferred locations for the installation of new charging
stations. The survey results were considered by the stakeholder group when crafting the action
items of this Masterplan, especially those related to the siting of new charging stations.
Each action item and responsibility outline is listed below and followed by a rationale statement,
when necessary, to provide relevant contextual information.
Infrastructure Action Items
New Charging Stations
Infrastructure Action Item #1 Rationale
There are currently 14 plugs in the City’s public charging inventory. This goal would require
adding approximately 26 more plugs over the next five years. A new DCFC charging station is
slated to be installed at the new Aspen City Hall building in summer 2021, thus adding one plug
to the City’s inventory. Therefore, the goal would require approximately 12 dual-cord, Level 2
charging stations to be installed by the end of 2026, given the preference for Level 2 charging
stations listed in Action Item #3 of this section. The estimated total purchase cost for these new
stations would be approximately $108,000. The cost of installation would be between $11,000
and $21,000 for each charging station, depending on site conditions. Detailed information on the
cost of installing charging stations can be found in the “Charging Station Cost Estimates” portion
of the “Supporting Information” section.
Holy Cross Energy, using the State of Colorado’s EV growth projections and their own
observations, has developed their own projection for EV ownership in the local region. Holy
Cross Energy anticipates a 34% YOY growth in EV registrations in the local region in the
coming years. Growth at this pace would result in 4,000 – 5,000 EVs registered in the local
region by 2026 (there are currently less than 1,000 EVs in the local region). More information on
the historic and projected growth in EV ownership can be found in the “Regional EV Registration
Trends” portion of the “Supporting Information” section. Using a 25% YOY growth rate in
Infrastructure Action Item #1
Install new charging stations toward a goal of having a total of 40 ± 5 plugs in the City’s
public charging inventory by the end of 2026 and allocate the necessary resources to
achieve this goal.
New charging stations should continue to be installed when EV registration growth in the
local, tri-county region (Pitkin, Eagle, and Garfield counties) is at, or above, 25% year-over-
year (YOY).
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registrations in the local region as a trigger for new installations generally aligns with the YOY
growth rate of charging plugs required to reach 40 ± 5 plugs by the end of 2026. Observing a
25% YOY, or higher, growth rate in EV registrations at the start of each calendar year before
installing more charging stations will provide a form of checks and balances on the stated goal
number of plugs. Although the anticipated growth in EV registrations is 34% YOY, the
Infrastructure Subgroup opted for a conservative approach to the number of new charging plugs
to install by the end of 2026, hence the 25% YOY growth rate trigger for installing new plugs.
Infrastructure Action Item #2 Rationale
The Recommended Site List outlines the 12 best locations to install new charging stations, in
alignment with the goal number of installations outlined in Action Item #1, and are not ranked in
order of prioritization. This list is not prioritized because charging station installation at these
sites should utilize contemporary infrastructure projects whenever possible to aggregate and
minimize costs. Sites will require further, on-the-ground analysis prior to installation to confirm
their suitability for installation. Attachment B in the Appendix outlines the siting criteria process
that developed the Recommended Site List.
The City’s GIS team has also created a “heatmap” of the locations in Aspen that would be best
suited for new charging stations based on the scores assigned to the quantitative criteria, such
as proximity to transit hubs, proximity to electrical transformers, etc. This “heatmap” can be
found in Attachment C in the Appendix and will be useful for City staff, as well as future
iterations of the Masterplan, when considering potential new sites for charging stations.
Infrastructure Action Item #3 Rationale
Level 2 charging station units, and associated warranties, are significantly less expensive than
their DCFC counterparts. In order to provide the most charging stations to meet public demand,
while being most cost efficient, it would behoove the City to prioritize Level 2 charging station
Infrastructure Action Item #2
Prioritize charging station installation at the sites listed in the Recommended Site List:
• S Galena St. & E Durant Ave. (near the existing DCFC charging station)
• Current Aspen City Hall (Armory building) alleyway
• N 8th St. & W Hallam St.
• Aspen Ice Garden
• Red Brick Recreation Center and Center for the Arts
• Francis Whitaker Park (S Monarch St.)
• Old Powerhouse Building
• Herron Park
• E Bleeker St. & N Monarch St.
• Koch Lumber Park
• E Main St. & N Monarch St.
• E Cooper Ave. and S Spring St.
Infrastructure Action Item #3
Prioritize the installation of Level 2 charging stations over DCFC charging stations except in
circumstances where the costs of DCFC charging stations are signficiantly reduced via grant
opportunities or similar cost mitigation avenues.
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installations. Detailed charging station cost information to support this rationale can be found in
the “Charging Station Cost Estimates” portion of the “Supporting Information” section.
DCFC charging stations are also best suited for locations with short-term parking (under one
hour). Level 2 charging stations are better suited for the majority of Aspen’s parking areas
(which permit longer-term parking), such as the Residential Parking Zones and the Rio Grande
Parking Garage. Data collected from the City’s existing charging stations indicate that most EVs
are using the charging stations for 2 – 3 hours. Thus, the typical public charging needs in Aspen
can be best accommodated by Level 2 charging stations.
Infrastructure Action Item #4 Rationale
Installing banks of charging stations at park and ride and parking lot sites is suggested for the
following reasons:
• These locations are often free to park (which is an added bonus for the EV driver).
• Parking at these locations encourage transit ridership and would reduce congestion in
the downtown core.
Existing Charging Stations
Infrastructure Action Item #5 Rationale
There has been discussion around replacing charging stations that are no longer able to provide
data to the City, which is the case for the oldest charging stations in the City’s inventory.
However, the Infrastructure Subgroup determined that as long as a charging station is still
useful to an EV driver (i.e., the charging station is still able to provide a charge reliably), then the
charging station should not be replaced in order to conserve City funds and resources.
Infrastructure Action Item #4
Prioritize the installation of banks of multiple charging stations at individual locations
whenever possible, particularly at park and ride or parking lot locations with close proximity
to transit.
Infrastructure Action Item #5
Continue utilizing an existing charging station until:
• The unit no longer functions properly to provide EV drivers with a charge; or
• The unit becomes more costly to repair than replace entirely.
When an existing charging station meets one or both of these criteria, the relevant
stakeholders, as identified in the “Operations Responsibility Outlines” section, should pursue
replacement.
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Policy Action Items
Paid Charging Policies
Policy Action Item #1 Rationale
The City does not currently charge a fee for the use of any of its charging stations, regardless of
type. However, implementing a fee on the timeline listed in this action item would align the City’s
charging stations with industry standards. A significant majority of DCFC charging stations in the
local region and comparable locations are currently charging EV drivers a fee to use the station.
While most Level 2 charging stations in the local region and comparable locations are currently
free for the EV driver to use, it is expected that many Level 2 charging stations will begin
charging a fee in the near future. As such, it is sensible for the City to begin to charge a fee at
DCFC charging stations in the near-term and Level 2 charging stations shortly thereafter.
This action item was screened with regional partners to ensure that the timeline to implement a
fee for charging will not create significant unintended consequences as other jurisdictions plan
their fees as well. This screening was also conducted to ensure that charging fees in the local
region have the potential to be generally consistent.
The kilowatt hour (kWh) rate the customer will pay is generally expected to fall between
$0.10/kWh and $0.30/kWh. This range is subject to change depending on the results of the
Aspen Electric Utility’s rate study and changes in market forces. Fees for EV charging should
aim to be cost competitive with the cost of gasoline. It is expected that the customer rate to
charge at City charging stations will be in this range based on two factors:
• First, these fees are consistent with the fees that other municipalities, counties, utilities,
businesses, and other organizations in the local region are currently charging or
planning to charge. Fees charged in these comparable locations typically range from
free to $0.25/kWh for Level 2 stations and free to $0.45/kWh for DCFC stations.
• Second, the Aspen Electric Utility confirmed that this range is an appropriate estimate
given their knowledge of current and future customer electric rates as well as what would
be required to cover the costs of supplying electricity to EV drivers.
Policy Action Item #1
Begin charging EV drivers a fee to use publicly available charging stations owned- and-
operated by the City on the following dates:
• Level 3 DCFC: 1/1/2022.
• Level 2: 1/1/2023. Station usage and number of EVs registered in the region should
be evaluated with up-to-date 2022 data prior to implementing a fee at Level 2
stations.
Rely on the Aspen Electric Utility to inform the fee for charging, depending on the results of
their relevant rate study and time of use considerations. The Aspen Electirc Utility is
commited to coordinating with other service providers in the region on the exact fee amount
to ensure a general consistency throughout the region. The same rates should be applied to
City of Aspen charging stations located on the Holy Cross Energy grid on the same
implementation timeline. Once a fee is determined, it must be formally approved through the
City’s fee ordinance process.
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Applying the same rates and timeline to charging station locations on both the Aspen Electric
and Holy Cross Energy Grids will create consistency across all City charging stations and will
make interpreting charging costs easier for EV drivers.
EV Parking Policies
Policy Action Item #2 Rationale
Complementary rules of this nature will encourage courteous EV driver etiquette. EV drivers
would be encouraged to only dwell for the allowable time and this would increase turnover at
charging stations so that more drivers can utilize them.
Policy Action Item #3 Rationale
Currently, the cost to park at charging stations is the same as the cost to park in a regular
parking space. When a fee to charge is applied to charging stations, EV drivers will still be
utilizing the City’s parking and should continue to pay the relevant parking costs as a result. The
only existing exception to this is the permit for EVs to park for free in Residential Parking Zones,
as referenced in Policy Action Item #4 below.
Policy Action Item #4 Rationale
This parking permit incentivizes EV ownership by allowing EV drivers to park for free in
Residential Parking Zones and is an effective bridge policy to make it less expensive for EV
drivers to park and charge in Aspen. Such an incentive is worthwhile to promote as EV
ownership continues to rise. However, a sunset date should be built into the existing policy, as
the incentive may no longer be necessary or effective at that time.
Policy Action Item #2
When a fee for charging is applied to City charging stations, the City should also implement
supporting charging station rules. For example:
• Increase fee after allowable time limit: If a car overstays at a station beyond the
allowable time limit, the fee charged for charging should be increased for the
remainder of the stay.
Policy Action Item #3
Maintain the current cost to park at all charging station sites and manage payment for
parking through the existing Parking Department systems.
Policy Action Item #4
Continue the existing EV parking permit that is available for EVs to park for free in
Residential Parking Zones until a sunset date of 12/31/2023. At this point the City can
reevaluate the permit.
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Operations Responsibility Outlines
Action Responsibilities
Operations Responsibility Outline #1
The City departments and external partners in this outline have committed to being
responsible for the listed actions required to install new charging stations and maintain
existing stations. Actions are listed in the left column of the table and the City department(s)
or external partner(s) responsible for the action is listed in the right column.
Maintain Existing Network of Public Charging Stations
Maintain and extend warranties Climate Action Office, Parking
Regular station check-ups Parking
Receive notice of station service needs Parking
Perform initial diagnoses and minor repairs when
station is down* Parking
Schedule and manage significant repairs Parking
Build relationships/contracts with local and national
service providers for repairs* Parking
Snow removal Streets
Maintain parking spot striping Streets
Maintain and update EV-specific signage Parking
Enforce parking and charging regulations Parking
Upgrade Existing Network of Public Charging Stations
Follow industry trends Colorado Energy Office ReCharge
Coach
Maintain information and data on station inventory Climate Action Office
Identify replacement/update opportunities Climate Action Office, Parking
Locate funding for replacements/updates Climate Action Office
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Installation of New Public Charging Stations
Project Management Climate Action Office
Identify site and timing for installation
Climate Action Office Coordinate all involved parties
Manage funding applied to installation
Installation Management Engineering
Procurement of station and relevant materials Engineering
Obtain relevant permits Engineering
Create and manage bid for construction Engineering
Manage electrical requirements Electric Utility
Neighborhood communications Communications
Station installation Engineering, Contracted Electrician
Connect station to power Electric Utility, Contracted Electrician
Connect station to charging network Parking, Contracted Electrician
Parking spot striping Streets
EV-specific signage Parking
Wrap-up Management Climate Action Office
Pin station on charging station network map Climate Action Office
Celebrate installation and inform community Climate Action Office,
Communications
Add station information to internal inventory Climate Action Office
Measure Usage and Analyze Data from Stations
Regularly pull usage data and organize Climate Action Office, GIS
Produce quarterly reports and share internally GIS
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Compile community-wide station data (HCE stations,
private stations, etc.) when available for future
planning
Parking, Climate Action Office, GIS
Communications
Provide information for new EV drivers Parking
Receive customer complaints Parking
Provide information for residential chargers Building
Receive all other incoming EV questions Parking
Update website, update partners Climate Action Office,
Communications
Liaise with automotive dealers to provide utility
information re: charging and liaise with the DMV to
provide charging information to drivers
ReCharge Coach, Electric Utilities,
CORE, Parking
Manage EV parking permits Parking
Electric Management
Set and manage rate structures for electricity
provided to stations and rates for the drivers’ cost of
charging
Electric Utility, ReCharge Coach,
Climate Action Office
*New Resources Required to Support Action Responsibilities
• Parking Department
o The Parking Department will explore training to make a staff member a Certified
ChargePoint Installer. Staff who complete the Certified ChargePoint Installer
program can further support the installation of new ChargePoint charging stations
and better maintain existing charging stations, thus requiring less of external
contractors.
o In order to develop relationships with local and national service providers for
repairs, the Parking Department will coordinate with the City’s Capital Asset
Department, which may already maintain some of these relevant relationships
and contracts.
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Budget Responsibilities
Operations Responsibility Outline #2
The City departments listed in this outline have committed to being responsible for the
designated budget items associated with the installation of new charging stations or the
maintenance of existing charging stations.
Budget Item
Department
Responsible for
Budget Item
Budget Item
Currently
Funded?
Funding
Secured for
Future?
When Will
Future
Funding be
Needed?
Network
Connection
Climate Action Office
in the near-term
Yes
Need funds for
new stations 2023
Warranties
Climate Action Office
in the near-term
Parking in the long-
term
Yes Need funds for
new stations 2023
Maintenance Parking No No 2022
Electricity
Climate Action Office
until a rate is applied
at charging stations.
Once a rate is applied,
responsibility shifts to
the Aspen Electric
Utility if station is
located on the Aspen
Electric grid. Climate
Action Office retains
responsibility if station
is located on the Holy
Cross Energy grid.
Yes
Need funds
ongoing, can
recoup from
charging rate
2022
Installation:
New Station
Purchases
Climate Action Office Yes, Capital
Budget
Will need more,
depending on
future
installations
2023
Installation:
Electrical Labor
and Materials
Engineering No
No, but could be
included in
adjacent project
budgets
2023
Installation:
Excavation
Labor and
Materials
Engineering No
No, but could be
included in
adjacent project
budgets
2023
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Note: The “Charging Station Cost Estimates” portion of the “Supporting Information” section
contains an overview of the costs associated with installing new charging stations and an
explanation of the variables that affect cost from site to site. Attachment D in the Appendix
contains a more detailed breakdown of all of the expected costs associated with installing new
charging stations.
The departments listed as responsible for a component of the budget to install and/or maintain
charging stations should collectively coordinate with the City Finance Department during the
implementation of this Masterplan to ensure these budgets are effectively established and
managed.
Topics for Further Consideration
The topics in this section are related to EV charging infrastructure but were either not fully
addressed by the stakeholder subgroups or were outside of the scope of this Masterplan. These
topics are worthy of further discussion and City staff should pursue these conversations upon
the implementation of this Masterplan.
Public-Private Partnerships
The stakeholders of this Masterplan generally support the installation of charging stations
through public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the public Right of Way (ROW). In such an
instance, a private entity would cover the cost of a new charging station and its installation in the
ROW if given approval by the City. Given the high price tag associated with installing new
charging stations, PPPs are a valuable tool to advance EV charging infrastructure in Aspen
while minimizing costs to the City. Accordingly, City staff, specifically the Engineering
Departments, Aspen Electric Utility, Parking Department, and City Attorney’s Office, should
collaborate to develop robust and uniform protocols for these PPPs. The terms of the
agreement for a PPP should be well established, including terms regarding charging station
data access, paid charging fee restrictions, charging station upkeep, and charging station
transfer of management.
Regional Approaches
While regional partners, and the insights they provided, were referenced throughout this
Masterplan, collaboration between the City of Aspen, other jurisdictions, and partner
organizations should continue in areas related to EVs. In particular, the relevant parties in the
local region should continue to coordinate on electric utility approaches to EV charging,
implementing more electric mass transit (electric buses), and creating pathways to share
updates on EV policies.
Fleet Electrification
The City should continue to advance the electrification of its internal fleet of vehicles. While a
select number of City departments have EVs, they should be far more pervasive across the
organization. The Climate Action Office intends to engage City staff in a process to determine
the best approaches to EV adoption in the City fleet during summer 2021.
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Main Street, Aspen Traffic
Supporting Information
Current State of Electric Vehicles and Charging
Infrastructure
Aspen’s Existing EV Charging Stations
The City of Aspen installed its first EV charging stations in 2015 and has since expanded the
charging stations it provides to the public. As of spring 2021, the City of Aspen owns and
operates eight publicly available EV charging stations (two DCFC chargers and six dual-cord,
Level 2 chargers) for a total of 14 charging plugs. Currently all City charging stations operate on
the Aspen Electric Utility, with the exception of a single station at the Brush Creek Park and
Ride, which operates on Holy Cross Energy. All City charging stations are currently free to use,
with the exception of the cost of parking when applicable. See Attachment E in the Appendix for
a map of the City’s EV charging stations and Attachment F in the Appendix for background
information regarding the different types of EV charging infrastructure.
In addition to the inventory of City-owned charging stations, there are numerous privately-owned
charging stations available for patrons of businesses, hotels, or other organizations in Aspen
and its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). As of winter 2021, there were 21 private plugs within
City limits and 29 additional plugs located within the UGB, amassing a total of 50 plugs in the
Aspen area. These plugs are predominantly Level 2 chargers. These figures do not include
charging that takes place at private residences.
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Charging Plugs in the Aspen Area
City of Aspen 14
Private (within City Limits) 21
Private (within the UGB) 29
Total Plugs in the Aspen Area 64
S Galena Street DCFC Charging Station with Nissan Leaf
Local EV Charging Station Usage Trends
In late 2020 and early 2021, City GIS created a GIS Insights webpage that creates
visualizations of the data collected by the City’s EV charging stations and parking meters. Below
are some examples of the key information produced by the insights webpage that informed this
Masterplan.
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Notes:
• This data comes from nine of the City of Aspen’s 14 publicly available plugs, as only
nine plugs are capable of gathering data.
• Figures 1, 2, and 3 use a color key wherein dark red colored months are periods of high
usage and light blue colored months are periods of low usage.
Figure 1
Figure 1 highlights the patters of
usage the City’s charging stations
experience on a month-to-month
basis. This figure indicates that
charging stations are used most
frequently during Aspen’s peak
season months in the winter and
summer.
Figure 2
Figure 2 demonstrates what days
of the week charging stations are
most frequently used. Charging
stations tend to be utilized the most
on the weekends but are also
utilized consistently throughout the
week.
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Figure 3
Figure 3 explains the typical durations of charging sessions at the stations. Most charging
sessions last between 2-3 hours and take place during the peak business hours of 7am and
6pm.
Spring Street Level 2 Charging Station
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Figure 4
Figure 4 provides a snapshot of where the EVs that are charging at the City’s stations are
coming from within Colorado. The larger the size of the orange bubble on the map, the more
EVs originated from that location. While most EVs are coming from the Roaring Fork Valley, a
significant amount are also coming from the Front Range region. The City’s charging stations
have also recorded EVs from across the country, with most of those EVs originating in
California, Washington, Arizona, Texas, and Florida.
EV-only Parking Spot. Photo by Jane Wilch.
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Regional EV Registration Trends
EV ownership is on the rise across Colorado and the local, tri-county region is experiencing that
trend as well. The trends in the growth of EV ownership, both battery electric vehicles (BEVs)
and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), are available from county-specific vehicle
registration data. The graphs below illustrate the increases in EV ownership of BEVs and
PHEVs combined at the regional (Figure 5) and Pitkin County-specific (Figure 6) levels.
Figure 5
Figure 6
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Regional YOY EV Registration Growth Pitkin County-Specific YOY
EV Registration Growth
Since 2010 68% 50%
Past 5 Years 34% 33%
EV ownership has grown substantially in recent years and is expected to continue to increase.
The State of Colorado set a goal of having 940,000 light duty EVs on the road by 2030, along
with a series of growth projections for EV ownership in Colorado in coming years. Using this
data and the historical growth in the local region, Holy Cross Energy (HCE) created their own
projection for EV ownership in the local region. Both the State’s and Holy Cross Energy’s growth
projections are highlighted below (Figure 7).
Figure 7
The State’s Low Growth, Medium Growth, and High Growth Models assume a 9%, 24%, and
44% YOY growth rate, respectively. Holy Cross Energy’s growth model for the local region
assumes a 34% YOY growth rate. This level of anticipated growth is substantial. The local
region currently has under 1,000 registered EVs, but under the Holy Cross Energy growth
projection, it can be anticipated that there would be nearly 30,000 EVs registered in the local
region by 2033. That projection indicates that there would be 4,000 – 5,000 registered EVs
in the local region by 2026, which is the timeline for the longevity of the action items and
responsibility outlines listed in this Masterplan. Stakeholders recognized the need to continue
advancing Aspen’s EV charging infrastructure at a pace that is close to projected EV ownership
growth. This pace is generally reflected in the action items and responsibility outlines put forth in
this Masterplan.
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Charging Station Cost Estimates
Overview of Costs
The costs associated with installing new EV charging stations can vary significantly depending
on the station type and the proximity of the station to an appropriate electrical source. Below is
an overview of the average costs that the City and other regional partners have incurred when
installing new charging stations. These costs encompass the equipment, labor, and permits/fees
required to install charging stations. Attachment D in the Appendix contains a more detailed
breakdown of the costs to install new charging stations.
Average Cost to Install Average Cost to Install with
ECI
Level 2 $22,918 $29,918
DCFC $61,416 $76,416
Cost Variables
Electric Community Investment Fee (ECI)
One variable cost when installing a new EV charging station is whether or not the station incurs
an Aspen Electric Utility ECI fee. This fee will apply when an electrical panel service upgrade is
required to put in a new charging station. Not every charging station installation will incur the
ECI fee (for example, stations installed in a parking garage or associated with a large building
may not require a panel upgrade). As such, the cost of installation with and without the ECI fee
were separated in the table above. The ECI fee is also not a fixed rate and is dependent on the
level of infrastructure upgrade required. For the sake of simplicity, the table above incorporates
an actual ECI fee that was applied to a recent City charging station installation that required a
relatively average infrastructure improvement.
Beneficial electrification, such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure, has impacts on the
overall demand that the community places on the electric utility grid. Thus, it is a prudent policy
for these new demands to be captured and accounted for with the ECI fee. This allows the
Aspen Electric Utility to account for incremental increases in demand and upgrade the
supporting infrastructure accordingly.
Labor and Materials
Another variable cost is that of excavation labor and materials. The cost of excavation rises as
the distance between a charging station and the electric transformer grows. A general rule of
thumb that can be used to estimate future excavation costs is: $100/foot of trenching distance.
Equipment
The significant difference between the cost to install a Level 2 charging station and a DCFC
station can primarily be attributed to the cost of the unit itself and the station’s associated
warranty cost. DCFC units (approximately $30,400 - $34,700) can be seven times more
expensive than their Level 2 counterparts (approximately $4,900 - $5,300), while warranties
follow a similar cost structure wherein costs are three times higher for DCFC stations compared
to Level 2 stations (approximately $6,800 vs. $2,200).
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Appendix
Attachment A: Stakeholder Group
Project Manager
Seamus Crowley, Project Analyst, City of Aspen Climate Action Office
Project Management Support
Laura Armstrong, Sustainability Programs Administrator, City of Aspen Climate Action Office
Ashley Perl, Climate Action Manager, City of Aspen Climate Action Office
Primary Stakeholders
Chris Bilby, Research and Program Engineer, Holy Cross Energy
Tyler Christoff, Director of Utilities, City of Aspen Utilities
Ron Christian, Electric Superintendent, City of Aspen Utilities
Jack Danneberg, Project Manager, City of Aspen Engineering
Justin Forman, Field Operations Manager, City of Aspen Utilities
Bridgette Kelly, GIS Program Manager, City of Aspen Engineering
John Kreuger, Director of Transportation, City of Aspen Transportation
Stefan Johnson, Transportation Program Manager, CLEER & ReCharge Colorado Coach
Willy McFarlin, Assistant Street Superintendent, City of Aspen Streets
Mitch Osur, Director of Parking and Downtown Services, City of Aspen Parking
Pete Rice, Division Manager, City of Aspen Engineering
Andy Rossello, Utilities Engineer, City of Aspen Utilities
Jeffrey Winter, Transportation Technician, City of Aspen Transportation
Josh Zeeb, GIS Analyst, City of Aspen Engineering
External Partners who Provided Discrete Input
Ryland French, Director of Facility Operations and Energy, Aspen Skiing Company
David Pesnichak, Regional Transportation Administrator, Pitkin County EOTC
Jason White, Assistant Planner, RFTA
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Attachment B: Charging Station Siting Criteria
The Recommended Site List was developed using the following process:
1. A weighted siting scoring criteria was developed by stakeholders. Stakeholders
determined what constitutes a good charging station location and then each applied a
weight of 1 – 5 (1 being the least important and 5 being the most important) to each
criterion. An average weight for each criterion was then created. A list of all criteria and
the associated weights assigned to the criteria can be found at the bottom of this
attachment.
2. Stakeholders assigned metrics for the scoring of the quantitative criteria based on the
following scoring scale:
o 5: Site meets criteria extremely well
o 4: Site meets criteria well
o 3: Site meets criteria
o 2: Site could meet criteria with effort
o 1: Site will not meet criteria
3. Stakeholders shared locations that they believed would be well suited for new charging
stations. Community members’ suggested locations for new charging stations were
included in this list as well.
4. City GIS staff analyzed the assigned scores, in conjunction with the weights assigned to
the criteria, and identified the top scoring sites, which make up the Recommended Site
List. City GIS staff also created a “heatmap” of the best potential areas for new charging
stations using the weighted siting criteria and scores assigned to quantitative criteria,
which can be found in Attachment C.
The qualitative weighted criteria, as listed below, were not included in the analysis to develop
the Recommended Site List because of the subjective nature of these criteria. It was not
feasible to assess sites for these qualitative criteria without knowing the exact location of a
potential new charging station and evaluating that location in person. The qualitative weighted
criteria should be used when comparing potential installation sites in the future to determine the
best location for a given charging station.
Criteria Weight
(1-5 range) Siting Criteria
Quantitative Criteria
4.6 Close proximity to suitable electrical point of connection (transformer)
4.3 Electrical connection (transformer) has sufficient capacity for a charging
station
4.0 Suitability to maintain safe sidewalk passage
3.7 Potential to utilize/partner with projects that involve excavation to reduce
costs of installation
3.6 Suitable for a block of multiple chargers
3.1 Proximity to connection points for other modes of transportation
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3.0 Proximity to multi-family housing
2.9 Not located in the downtown core (to avoid cars parking in tow away zones
overnight)
2.6 Suitable for workplace charging (proximity to commercial spaces)
2.5 Proximity to APCHA workforce housing
Qualitative Criteria
4.0 Site Safety (includes lighting, snow removal, ease of access)
3.9 Potential to be compliant with zoning and ROW requirements at the time of
installation
3.8 Minimal trenching required through paved areas (low asphalt and curb
costs)
3.5 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility compliance potential
3.4 Highly visible (to incentivize and educate others)
3.2 Proximity to desirable locations and services
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Attachment C: Charging Station Siting “Heatmap”
An interactive version of this “heatmap” will be made available to City staff during the
implementation of this Masterplan. City staff can use this tool to plan the siting of new charging
stations more strategically. The “heatmap” provides information on site suitability with a level of
specificity that is more refined than one city block.
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Attachment D: Detailed Charging Station Installation Costs
Level 2 Estimate
Station Permits/Fees Installation TOTAL
TOTAL
with
ECI
Level 2
Charger $4,903 Electrical Permit $200
Electrical
Labor +
Materials
$3,500
$22,918
$29,918
Activation
+
Validation
$0 ROW +
Permanent
Encroachment
$950
Excavation
Labor +
Materials
$9,000
Network $2,132 Signage $50 Warranty $2,183
Sum $9,218 Sum $1,150 Sum $12,550
DCFC Estimate
Station Permits /Fees Installation TOTAL
TOTAL
with
ECI
DCFC
Charger $34,680 Electrical Permit $300
Electrical
Labor +
Materials
$6,000
$61,416
$76,416
Activation
+
Validation
$0 ROW +
Permanent
Encroachment
$950
Excavation
Labor +
Materials
$9,000
Network $3,655 Signage $50 Warranty $6,781
Sum $45,116 Sum $1,250 Sum $15,050
Note: Activation and validation costs have typically been free to the City of Aspen through its
purchasing agreements with National Car Charging. If the City changes its charging station
provider, this service may no longer be free and could cost approximately $1,000 per station.
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Attachment E: Existing City EV Charging Stations Map
Note: 12 out of the 14 charging plugs in the City’s inventory are listed in the map here. The
additional two plugs are located at the Brush Creek Park and Ride lot.
Attachment F: EV Charging Infrastructure Basics
There are three types of charging stations, or plugs, that EVs can use to charge. Descriptions of
the basic characteristics of the different types of charging are listed below:
Level 1
• Power Required: standard, 120 Volt (V) wall outlet
• Charging Speed: 5 miles of charge per hour, 20 hours to reach a full charge
• Typical Use: home charging or infrequently used fleet vehicles (entails plugging into a
three pronged outlet and does not require installation of a charging station)
Level 2
• Power Required: 240V outlet
• Charging Speed:10-20 miles of charge per hour, 2-5 hours to reach full charge
• Typical Use: home charging, public parking, workplace charging
Level 3 or DCFC
• Power Required: 480V current
• Charging Speed: 60-80 miles of charge per 20 minutes
• Typical Use: transportation corridor charging, public parking, short-term commercial
parking
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Attachment B: Historic and Projected EV Adoption
Historic Trends
Figure 1
Figure 2
Regional YOY EV Registration Growth Pitkin County-Specific YOY
EV Registration Growth
Since 2010 68% 50%
Past 5 Years 34% 33%
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Projected Growth
Figure 3
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Attachment C: Map of the City’s Existing Public Charging Stations
Note: 12 out of the 14 charging plugs in the City’s inventory are listed in the map here. The City
also operates a Level 2 charging station (two additional plugs) at the Brush Creek Park and
Ride lot.
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