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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.council.19850417Special Meeting Aspen City Council April 17, 1985 Mayor Stirling called the special meeting to order at 5:10 p.m. with Councilmembers Walls, Blomquist, Knecht and Collins present. Councilman Blomquist moved that crashing into a ~ree is prima facie evidence of reckless skiing; seconded by Councilman Collins. All in favor, motion carried. Mayor Stirling said Council had previously worked through A through D in Section 2 and need to deal with deed restricting 30 parkings spaces on Aspen street and to recommend the Skiing Company allot 46 parking spaces to be built in a parking facility. Mayor Stirling said he feels the 30 parking spaces should be eliminated as it is a sort of downzoning. Mayor Stirling said he would rather have the flexibility for future parking or transportation. Mayor Stirling said the city, the downtown business community and the Aspen Skiing Company share the responsibility for the parking problem. ~=~ ~'~u~9 ~spen ulty ~ouncl- Aprll 17, 1985 Mayor stirling said he would require 120 parking spaces in a combination of above-stree~ spaces and in a parking facility. Councilman Blomquist said these expansions are m~nor, giving a skier more time skiing. Councilman Blomquist said he is looking for a trade off for a gondola, for summer time use, for use by non skiers, and for single trips. Councilman Btomquist said he would require 76 ~rking spaces. Councilman collins said he feels the resolution should be a general positive statement of support and not get into specific details. Councilman Collins questioned if all the aspects of the county's code have been followed in terms of notifying the city for the rezoning of Aspen mountain. Glenn Horn, planning office, told Council the rezon~ng resolution was referred to the city P & Z, who commented on it. Councilman Collins said because the city was not involved previously, they should be supportive and not add any constraints in this resolution. Fred Smith, Skiing Company, said ~he city will have an opportunity to comment on the main elemen~ of this proposal, the base area, during the SPA process. Smith said the applicant suggests the problem can be resolved with the four steps in the resolution and leaving the number of parking spaces open to a negotiated solution at a later date. Smith said the Skiing Company will have to come to Council for approval for a lift building. Smith said the proposed improvements to Aspen mountain will distribute skiers better, enhance the skiing experience and add additional terrain, but will not allow for a significant increase in skiers. Councilman Blomquist said that is why he would require 76 parking spaces for mountain purposes. This g~ves the skiing company a fixed number to work with. Councilman Blomquist said the hotel and later development at Little Nell is a separate issue. Herb Klein said the Commissioners are deferring to Council the parking requirements and whatever the city wants, the county will include in their requirements. Councilman Knecht said he is comfortable with c and d in the resolution. Councilman Blomquist said this application before the county is for ski area expansion for which a certain amount of parking should be required. Councllman Blomquist said this project ~s reasonable, and the city does not lose anything. The 76 parking spaces is a compromise that allows this to move forward~ Councilman Blomquist moved to recommend to the Board of County Commissioners that if the expansion plan is approved that the Skiing Company be required to maintain on their premises within the city limits at least 76 parking spaces; seconded by Councilwoman Walls. Fred Peirce, representing Aspen Square, said it is important that the existing parking at Lift lA is not lost until it is compensated somewhere else. Peirce said the parking at Little Nell should remain the way it is unless it is compensated somewhere else. The planning office is suggesting the applicant provide 46 additional parking spaces. Peirce said he would like the city to make sure that the existing parking is not diminished. Charlie Maddalone said the parking lot at Little Nell holds about 25 spaces east of the barricade and the parking lot is used after 5 p.m. for Little Nell's. There is also a drop off area for skiers. Councilman Collins said the required parking is a very arbitary number and does not mean much to the entire parking question. Councilman Collins questioned requiring the Ski Company to commit to parking spaces all the way across town. Councilman Collins said providing parking may encourage more people ~o drive into town rather than using mass transit. Mayor Stirling pointed out the planning department has made a recommendation, which is valid, and parking spaces should be a condition. Fred Smith pointed out the Aspen Mountain currently does not operate in the summer, and other businesses that may benefit from a parking structure operate year round. Smith said if the motion on the floor passes, there should be language in the resolution that this requirement is for increased skiing capacity on Aspen mountain and that the Ski Company will not be judged again on the similar question when the SPA is submitted, but only have ~o address parking in commercial and lodging. Councilman Blomquist said that is inherent in his motion. Councilman Blomquist said his motion is to recommend to the Board of County Commissioners in their approval of the master plan for Aspen mountain requires a total of 76 parking spaces be provided by the skiing Company within the city limits, convenient to the mountain, and that this ~s the total requirement for skiing as a land use under provisions of the Pitkin County code. Councilman Blomquist said if an application for development comes in, this will require a separate parking requirement. Smith said the county and city have said the best possible ski area expansion would be to Aspen mountain to reduce the amount of forced transportation of skiers to outlying areas. Smith said the ski Company believes there will be some gain from this set of improvements in transportation. Jerry Blann, Skiing Company, said the ASC will continue to be an active participant in task forces, will contribute funds to study parking, will agree to ~oin the entity created for the purposes of constructing a parking facility, and agree to participase · n the reasonable findings of the task force for the funding mechanism. Councilman Knecht said Aspen needs the improvements on Aspen mountain and there are no figures to show this will increase the number of skiers or not. Councilman Blomquist said the Ski Company should know up front how many parking spaces will be required. Councilman Collins said it may serve the community better if the money should go into transportation rather than a parking structure. Councilman Blomquist in favor, all others opposed° Motion NOT carried. Councilman Knecht moved to accept in Section 2, parking program a,b,c,d, eliminating in b the $50,000, eliminating in c "community wide", in b adding "parking and traffic"~n first sentence, and in d adding in third line "parking or transportation solutions" and ~o add "participate financially" in c; seconded by Councilman Collins with the words traffic, circulation and transit added in b. Councilmembers Knech~, Walls, and Collins in favor; Councilman Blomquist and Mayor Stirling opposed. Motion carried. Mayor Stifling asked if the Ski Company will continue to contribute to the transportation system. Smith said the Ski Company contributes to RFTA, and their marketing effort includes information about the bus system. Mayor Stirling suggested language in the resolution about the transportation contribution. Smith said part of the ski Company's 3884 Con%inuedMeeting Aspen City Council April 17, 1985 plan is to continue to cooperate to accommodate transportation. Glenn Horn, planning office, said this is included in the resolution to put priority on the mass transit system and Ski Company marketing. Mayor Stirling suggested striking (a). Smith said (d) does not belong in the master. The city will have an opportunity ~o look at devel- opment at Little Nell when and if something occurs there. Smith said for th~ next section, he does not believe using the Rio Grande as an intercept parking lot is not beneficial. Council agreed. Smith pointed out there will be an opportunity to discuss this in looking at the overall parking master plan. Mayor Stirling suggested striking these two sections. Horn told Council the proposal for n~ght use of restaurants on the mountain was withdrawn. Mayor Stirling moved to pass resolution ~9, Series of 1985, as amended; seconded by Councilman Knecht. Councilman Blomquist said he would a new section 3 saying the Council urges the Skiing Company and Pitkin County to consider very favorably a gondola from Little Nell ~o the top of Aspen mountain for reasons of the summer destination resort benefits to the community. Mayor Stirling agreed with the proposal but it is no~ appropriate in this resolution. Blann said the Skiing Company will be doing studies and looking a% the economies. A gondola is twice as expensive of the quad detachable. There are some benefits to the community; however, other resorts running gondolas in the summer lose money. Councilman Collins requested a change in language that "Council supports the proposed AMSAMP as presented to Council". Mayor Stirling and Councilman Knecht accepted that. Mayor Stirling recommended that Councilmembers Knecht and Collins represent the Council's position to the county Commissioners. All in favor, with the exception of Councilmembers Blomquist and Walls. Motion carried. Councilwoman Walls moved to adjourn at 6:45; seconded by Councilman Blomquist. All in favor, motion carried. Ka~h, City Clerk