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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.minutes.05192004COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION Chairperson, Bill Dinsmoor called the meeting to order at 8:30 a,m. Commissioners in attendance: Eric Cohen, Terry Butler and Marc Breslin. Charles Kennedy, Andrew Kole, John Starr and Mark Goodman were excused, staff present: Kathleen Strickland, Chief Deputy City Clerk, Tim Ware, Parking Supervisor City Manager, Steve Barwick relayed to the board that he is requesting funding for tables and chairs on the mall that could be moved to different locations in order to bring vitality to the mall. One table WoUld have a chessboard etc. In addition Steve is asking City Council to reduce the encroachment license from $330. to $100. for vendors who are directly producing revenue from their encroachment, i.e. bike rentals, food establishments. The mall leases are currently $4.02 a square foot and that would be reduced to $2.50 a square foot for this summer. The idea is to unbind Aspen's over regulated downtown. Bill said he would be in favor of allowing existing food vendors to serve coffee etc. outside their stores. Steve asked the CCLC how they feel about the entire mall area being a serving area of alcohol. CCLC was in favor. Staff was directed to set up a meeting with the Liquor Authority and the Dept. of Revenue to discuss the pros and cons. Steve said he is willing to bring the mall leases down to $2.50 a square foot. CCLC suggested not charging the mall leaseholders this year. Bill said if we get it wrong we can fix it and make it better as we go along. Eric said some of the fees maybe counter productive. Terry agreed that it would be counter productive if we are trying to encourage people to come out on the mall and public right-of-way. The CCLC recommended lowering the fees. TURF Tim Semrau asked Bill if the CCLC would support turf on Wagner Park. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MAY 19, 2004 Marc said there are numerous feelings about the turf. Public hearings need to be held. Marc recommended that the CCLC have public hearings on the turf. We need to give reasons why we are for it and what that reason is. People need to be educated. Steve said the turf is not movable. Bill said the potential of artificial turf would bring Special Events to Aspen all year around. Eric said we need an information flyer to understand the impacts of the turf. Citizens need to know where they can get additional information. Steve said the turf would be like a custom hookup. Electric etc. would be under the turf. One of the issues is whether the field will be in Wagner Park or the Rio Grande Park. Rio Grande is the easiest to do. We need to determine the threshold issues on each field. Hanna said as Obermeyer gets developed the Rio Grande will become very popular. Visitor information signs., Tim Ware presented the new sign that is to be constructed on Main Street. Tim said he will go as large as he can for the Visitor information' sign. The CCLC is in support of the new signage. Hanna relayed that the ACRA is also in support of the new signage. Tim said presently the signs are not clear. Food & Wine - car platform and lighting. Kathy relayed that City Council said they would support the 18-inch car platform and lighting if the CCLC voted in favor. Cars were requested to be on the mall and were denied by Council. Hanna said she would like to have the cars on the mall. Sponsors are critically involved with special events. COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF MAY 19, 2004 Kathy said since this was formally denied a work session should be scheduled with the appropriate departments and the AcRA to revisit cars on the mall. Marc said we need to look at cars on the mall. It is a dwell. Tim said there are concerns. Overlapping events and sponsor issues. Tim said the 4th of July is another issues. Where are you going to put it? Emergency vehicle access must be maintained. Tim said cars on the street are a nightmare, The particular locations are very congested. Regarding the lighting onthe car it should be minimal. The signs should be magnetic, signs. Bill said should we be using Aspen to sell cars and is that an issue? MOTION: Marc made the motion to deny the platform and lighting; second by Terry. Ali in.favor, motion carried. Eric said this should not be a car issue; it should be a space issue. Do we have the space on the mall? Eric said the street is a bad place to display anything. There are places on the. mall. This is a display sponsorship issue. MOTION: Bill moved to adjourn; second by Eric. All in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk