The current land-use codes need to be revised because they favor development at all costs. I am not against development, but affordable and free-market projects have impacts to community neighborhoods that need to be addressed.
A couple of examples which are negatively changing the character of our neighborhood are 404 Park and Aspen Hills projects and are within a block of each other.
Between the two projects, 47 cars could be added to the neighborhood without appropriate parking mitigation. The “code” allows a developer to provide 60 percent of occupancy parking onsite with the remaining parking requirements satisfied through a cash-in-lieu payment to the city.
Aspen Hills provides Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority with eight units, 6,754 feet, and six free-market units, 12,229 feet, on a sliver of land. Too little gain for APCHA, considering the negative impacts.
In a civil and organized way, neighborhood residents attended every planning and zoning hearing and even with a vast majority opposing approval, planning and zoning ignored the concerns and voted 4-3 to approve. Skippy Mesirow voted to approve this plan. City Council should have had the final vote.
The issues (density, height and parking) surrounding these projects must be addressed/resolved prior to the issuance of building permits. Variances and exemptions should be used sparingly.
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Based on his record, a vote for Mesirow will be a vote for development, regardless of how it affects the vitality of our community. I admire Mesiriw’s youthful enthusiasm, but his self-expressed desires for development/density at all costs should be a red flag for Aspen residents.
I am supporting Rachel Richards and Bert Myrin for City Council. They have the maturity and experience to carefully review all aspects of a project and look equitably at all impacts of development on our neighborhoods.
Judy Wender
Aspen