The Eagle County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday gave sketch plan approval to a proposed 32-unit, two-building apartment complex in Edwards.
The project, called Margaux, is located on the north side of U.S. Highway 6 between the highway and the Eagle River, just west of the Eagle River Village mobile home park.
The county’s approval process has three levels, all involving the commissioners and the Eagle County Planning Commission. After working with county staff, project proponents go first to the planning commission. Then, no matter what that group decides, the commissioners make the final decision.
This project was unanimously approved by the planning commission with no public comment. Tuesday’s hearing also saw no public comment.
The developer, Curreri Family Ventures, is proposing an even mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments in a pair of four-story buildings.
The units will be deed-restricted, and the developer will restrict occupancy to only local residents.
Given the current zoning on the site, the applicant has requested a planned unit development designation, which will allow developers to build more units on the site. As part of that process, the developer is also requesting a variance from current county parking requirements. That request is for fewer spaces — 42 — than the county code requires.
Ryan Brown of Curreri Family Ventures told the commissioners that the parking program would limit units to a maximum of two spaces. Many would be allowed only one. The site is only a few hundred feet from the nearest bus stop. The current plan calls for every unit to have one space, with half the two-bedroom units being allocated two spaces.
Brown said the program will have assigned spaces for residents, as well as a handful of guest parking spaces. The program will be “heavily monitored,” Brown said.
Brown said his firm has seen a drop in demand for multiple parking spaces, noting that a number of the two-bedroom units are expected to be rented by one-vehicle households.
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The plan also includes participating in a future roundabout project. Julie Pranger of the county engineering department told the commissioners that the Edwards transit plan includes the future construction of three new roundabouts. The one serving Margaux would also serve the Fox Hollow development. There’s no funding or current plan for that roundabout, Pranger said.
While the hearing lasted just less than 90 minutes — that’s a quick land-use hearing — commissioners did have some questions.
Commissioner Matt Scherr reminded Brown and planner Tambi Katieb that the county is working to update its building codes. Those new codes may require changing current plans to use gas appliances.
Commissioner Kathy Chandler-Henry noted that she’d like to remove conditions regarding building height.
“We’re looking for density and affordability,” Chandler-Henry said. “I really want to focus on affordability.” The plan now goes back to staff and the planning commission for “preliminary plan” approval. The commissioners have to approve that second step. The third and final step is “final plat,” which also must be approved by the commissioners.