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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.council.19750617Councilmembers Nina Johnston, Steve Wishart, Jenifer Pedersen, Michael Behrendt, George Parry, and Mayor Standley were present to discuss with the Planning and Zoning Commission the uses for the Rio Grande Property. Present from the Planning and Zoning Commission were Mike Otte, Jack Jenkins, Roger Runt, Chic Collins and Patrick Doby. Also present~ was City/County Planner Bill Kane. Kane passed a handout on the potential uses of the Rio Grande Site. Kane told members what is to be reviewed frOm this handout and that is: 1) a physical plan for the Rio Grande Property and a way to identify the proper uses for the Rio Grande, 2) a roll the City owned property and the Rio Grande site fill in the community, and 3) and to get some consensus on trying to identify a broad roll for the Rio Grande site. The Rio Grande site can be viewed from three different standpoints those being: 1) it sits in a social contact that provides an opportunity for providing public buildings, 2) for providing public recreational spaces and buildings, a financial context to provide opportunity for revenue generations or sponsor other City activity, and 3) it stands in physical contact in respect between Smugglar Mountain, the Court House, and trail system, and possibly what has been identified as hopefully a proposal for an interim plan, construction of a shuttle bus route and bridle paths and possibly bike paths for the Rio Grande property. Kane went on explaining that step one will be to try and identify broad roll that the land should play. Step two will be to ask if that property should be used as revenue generation and if so, will be necessary to hold a public refrendum for anyother decisions for uses that are needed on the property. Step three is to zero in on a set of long list of potential proper uses that generate on an approved list on the site; and then go into planning and design. Kane mentioned that the Planning Department is planning to reintroduce Adam Kratvatsky who is a consultant and was hired originally to develop a site plan for the Rio Grande property and who produced a report dealing with goals and objectives and uses for the Rio Grande Property. Kane suggested that they start with decision one and open it up for disucssion to include more uses. Kane pointed out that the Rio Grande was designed along lines of two general potentials 1) transportation center to provide parking, or facilities for light rail for the downvalley heavy rail, or a bus station such as a cummuter bus, down valley bus servive state wide or nationwide bus facility, terminal for transit for light rail or heavy rail. 2) use Rio Grande as an area for public building such as a conference center, performing arts center, post office a possible third would be for recreation. The revenue producing advantages are 1) help defray the debt on Rio Grande purchase 2) improve feasibility of purchasing the Aspen One property for more park land 3) would allow for a greater diversity of uses thereby increasing the activity and interests in the area 4) could improve security and provide unstructured personal protection 5) could stimulate maximized use of public facilities. The disadvantages of allowing leases or private rentals are 1) could reduce the use of site for public purposes 2) could allow for potential for economic exploitation by the private sector without proper development controls or 3) may have competition with downtown personal core in terms of retail competition. Hunt mentioned that the purchase of the Rio Grande property was to use it for transportatio~ and parking and wanted to know how to address the change. Eve Homeyer, former Mayor of Aspen, said that when the 7th penny was voted to be used for transportation parking and more open space at the time everyone was told that it was to be used for parking; however, that doesn't mean that the seventh penny couldn't be used for anything else because the 7th penny is not tied to transportation exclusively. Kane said that the fundamental question is do we subordinate the needs for public buildings 'to the need for transportation and should there be a strong dominate use of property. Otte of the Planning and Zoning Commission mentioned that since the Mall Commission is planning on malling some of the streets which now have parking they are planning for all the cars to park down at the Rio Grande property so the parking should definately be con- sidered in that area. Behrendt would like to see a performing arts center in th~ Rio Grande property because that would also provide enough parking for those people coming to attend the performance. Jenkins felt that if we are to use the Rio Grande Property for bus parking; in 5 to 10 years the space requirement for arriving into Aspen would not be enough. Mayor Standley said that he would hate to see the use of the Rio Grande property be used for parking of any kind and suggested that any kind of parking for buses be kept out at the airport. At this point Kane felt that some progress had been made such as 1) it has been felt that there should be a mix of uses; the site shouldn't be dominated by either transportation needs or public building needs and 2) shouldn't have storag~ of large vehicles down there, no Winnibagos, no co~nercial bus stations. Kane suggested to go through the handout and identify what should be located on the Rio Grande and things that shouldn't. Question number 1 on the hand out: Should there be parking for cars, it was decided, yes. Should there be parking for large motor vehicles, it was decided, no. Jenkins asked what will be done with the large motor vehicles and was decided to leave them at Highlands and Buttermilk parking lots. Kane brought up the next issue that being: Since parking for cars is a use for the Rio Grande; should the cars be stored on a lot, grade structure, regular parking structure or a multi-use structure which is a building which would have public space. There was no objection to having cars park in a structure. Mayor Standley is against any parking down in the Rio Grande and would rather use Wagner Park. The next question was to use Rio Grande for a transporation terminal. Under light rail transit - recommendation is to have Rubey Park be maintained as a terminal and shuttle bus and to take traffic from Rio Grande site back and forth to Rubey. Mayor Standley sees no reason for the transit to be down in the Rio Grande and said that by not wanting the transit down in that property they would be eliminating one more option for the light rail committees. Kane asked if the Rio~Grande Property would be good for local bus parking. It was decided to drop the people off at Rubey. Rave the Rio Grande for a downtown shuttle bus stop - no Dial a ride and taxi stand - should these be accommodated for on private land or public land. It was decided on private land so they shouldn't be on the Rio Grande property. Passenger terminal - no Transportation maintenance or offices -no Car impound lot - no Trail bridge crossing river - no Public facilities - Mayor Standley asked for a general decision whether public facilities should be down there at all. No one was opposed. Joint police-sheriff-communications-dispatch - Councilwoman Pedersen suggested that AVR could be used; therefore, having them all in one building. Mayor Standley said that criminal justice facilities should have walk up facilities and would be hard to have all of them up at the hospital which would mean expanding the police facilities but could have a small office in the dOwntown area. Fire station - Mayor Standley said that at present the fire station is in a very inapprop- riate spot and would be better located down at the Rio Grande property. Mayor Standley also suggested that the fire station should tie in with the joint police and sheriff station and the jail should also be located at the same place. Justice center - was decided to be deleted Performing Arts Center - Kane said that they are trying to identify the best place for a performing arts center. The Wheeler Opera House was looked at and was decided that the third floor would be a good place; however, not large enough for a performing arts canter. Behrendt felt very strong about having the Rio Grande property be used for a performing arts center and a conference center plus having the Wheeler Opera House. He said that it Would be the Only revenue producing reason for the cars to also be on the lot. Councilwoman Johnston was oppOsed to having a large building on the Rio Grand Lot, or for that matter, anywhere in Aspen. She would like to see the Wheeler be a performing arts center and the tent, but nothing on a large scale. Mayor Standley agreed with Councilman Behrendt and would like to see a performing arts center on the Rio Grande Property. Mayor Standley has talked to several people and they would like to see a performing arts center, plus the Wheeler. Councilman Parry suggested that an arts center be put where the tent is now because it is a much prettier and better location. Standley said that he would like to see the Rio Grande Property be the prettiest property in town. Mayor Standley would like to see the in the future the events start taking place in the winter as well as the summer. Mojo disagreed that the events should take place in the winter due to the lack of housing we would have because of the ski season and what a problem it is now to house all the tourists during the ski season. Councilwoman Pedersen said that she would enjoy a ground amplitheatre on the river and suggested it be in rocks and moss and stones; but a great huge building would not be suitable for Aspen's atmosphere. Mayor Standley left at 7:00 p.m. Chick Collins felt that there were two problems with having a performing arts center all year round and those are 1) it wouldn't get the full useage of the building because during the winter very few events would take place and 2) it would take up alot of land. Otte felt that they were not going to finish the list and is important to have everyone present while discussing the list; therefore, decided to rescheulde meeting for another time. Patrick Dobie moved to adjourn, seconded by Hunt. All in favor, meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m. E%iz~e{~ M. Kl~m,~eputy City Clerk