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HomeMy WebLinkAboutcclc.min.021600 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16, 2000 Chairman Jon Busch called the meeting to order at 8:45 a.m. Members in attendance were Bill Dinsmoor, John Start. Terry Butler and Eric Cohen were excused. Staff in attendance were Chief Deputy City Clerk, Kathleen Strickland and Chuck Roth, City Engineer and Brian Flynn, Environmanta] Ranger. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS The board wants clarification as to the outcome or followup of individual members focusing on specific projects. Will the CCLC or P&Z get to review special projects as a unit or does the individual board member represent the entire board regarding the decisions. John said we gain a level of individual representation but from a board point of view it undercuts our ability to effectively make decisions. Will we get to review the projects as a group. Staff will report at the next meeting. }lOUSING Mary Roberts, Housing Department Head and Bill Vitany, Assistant Director presented. Mary relayed that there is no preference given to individuals for the lottery. The criteria is four or more years full time work history in Pitkin County and there is a priority system that then ups the number of chances you have in the lottery based on the number of years worked. City and County employees are no different than anyone else. Regarding the Mpore Property city council decided that units that were built beyond what was required by mitigation or by the zoning overlay those units were noted to be sold to hospital employees or teachers. The units are separate than what is in the general lottery pool. Jon relayed that the board wanted an update on infill and Bass park. The CCLC has taken the position on infill that they do not see it happening. In 1 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16, 2000 fill downtown makes the best sense in the commercial core. It is where the workers are and it is the kind of housing that doesn't have as much infrastructure impact as when you are outside the core such as Burlingame. John relayed that the board feels infill is the right thing for Aspen. Nothing seems to be going forward on downtown infill and the CCLC wants to get involved and make something happen. The individuals on the board are action oriented. Mary relayed that there will be a Bass Park ballot question in fall that propose a sales tax to be put in place and voted on to purchase the property as a park and also to have money available for other open space purchases. The tax would be a ten year tax. Eric asked if the question does not pass does Bass Park then become housing. Mary replied yes. The Housing Authority passed a resolution supported housing on the majority of the Bass Parcel. Jon relayed that if the city is interested in replacing open space money they should state that because what they are doing is pitting one group against the other. You are forcing the advocates of housing to oppose the funding mehcanisn for open space. If you are going to have a ballot question to establish a sales tax increase for open space acquisition that is what the question should be. He said he has always been a compromise on Bass Park. Split the space up between open space and housing. Because of the position of Bass Park down town it should be designed differently than Benedict commons. The open space should not be internal. Open space should be where the horseshoe pit is. John relayed that Bass Park is too expensive and the subsidy will be out of control. Bass Park should be sold or traded and use the economic driver for other housing but that choice is not being considered. Jon said the Barbee property could be high density housing in town. 2 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16, 2000 Mary informed the CCLC that the Housing Board is following the AACP and looking at the policies and directions that comes out of that effort to move forward with new housing. The AACP addresses infi11. The Community Development dept. is doing an infill study and there are regulations in the zoning that need changed in order to make it conducive to get land owners in the commercial core to want to participate in affordable housing. Bill relayed that one of our biggest growth generators is employee housing. Jori relayed that the worker base which commutes into Aspen are not in general the people who have the resources to buy affordable housing. The employees we are catering to are mid level management not the individuals who work in the hotels. The other kind of housing that is needed which is the seasonal housing. It requires management commitment and public investments. Mary said the history of the housing program is based on building community. In many individuals minds that is providing permanent housing rather than seasonal. The other issue is how do people get a foot hold in the community? May said there are 1600 deed restricted units which is about 50/50. Clearly, there is not a huge inventory of seasonal projects. Mary relayed that they have been approached by other entities regarding seasonal housing but the i'egulations are very difficult to do seasonal projects and they are trying to set up a meetings regarding regulations. Jon said we need to come up with a way that the business community can own the units. Mary said employers can do affordable housing. The Housing Authority has a six month lease requirement and employers have concerns about that. If you loose your job you should not have to loose your housing. Bill informed the board that the DEPP discussed a component how to make downtown better for tourist and people that live in Aspen. Aspen mass and COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16~ 2000 cozy point will be receptor sites for affordable housing but he feels those are bad project sites. The greatest incentive that the city can come up with housing is the financial packaging that can allow employers to buy, loan guarantees. John stated that he feels the CCLC should get involved in infill. Eon said the forest service trade is recommending low density but he is against it, he prefers high density. John said the CCLC members know the commercial core and members have worked on the DEPP project. They are in favor of housing in the commercial core. They also feel Bass Park should be swapped with something in the urban core. MOTION: John made the motion to send management a letter regarding their views on Bass Park and their recommendation, second by Bill, All in favor, motion carried, CLCC wants to work on infill issues and offered their services to the Housing Office. Jon asked if the city retained someone to go forward on the infill. Staff will report at the next meeting. COMPACTORS Compactors in the Planet Hollywood and Little Annie's alley are next to go out for bid. The Engineering Dept. and Fire Dept. will do a site visit to determine the dimension in the alley that is necessary for a fire truck to get through. The CCLC goals is weekly trash pickups. 4 COMMERCIAL CORE & LODGING COMMISSION MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 16, 2000 Ordn Moon, Fire Dept. relayed that they need 45 feet a~er passing around the verdi pack compactors. A minimum of 16 feet and possible 10 to 12 feet can be used depending on the alley situation. MOTION: Bill moved to adjourn; second by Jon. ~t]1 in favor, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 11:15 a.m. Kathleen J. Strickland, Chief Deputy Clerk 5