SandBox Comments: Aspen Daily News "Roll back the code"

But Bert, that would be way, way too easy and besides, it makes sense!  They'll never do it, something like this is way, way too confusing for Aspen's city council.

Bert Myrin:
"(This letter was originally addressed to Aspen City Council)
Editor:

Your recent laments about having a weak starting position when negotiating with developers does not resonate since you alone, as our elected officials, hold the power to change the starting point from which you negotiate simply by rolling back the land-use code to pre-infill requirements prior to receiving the next application.

The Klanderud administration weakened your starting position by voting for the infill code. The infill code promotes development. The infill code reduced open space requirements, reduced parking requirements, increased height, and increased the FAR, among other development incentives.

Certainly your goal should be to write code that will establish a clear baseline to avoid making every development a “shoot the puppy” or “get our butts kicked” negotiation. Before you begin the lengthy process of writing concise code, I urge you to simply roll back the land-use code to pre-infill requirements in all the areas identified above. In the interim this will provide you (and the community) a stronger starting position from which to negotiate and avoid irreversible “monstrous” and “humongous” mistakes.

Roll the code back to pre-infill requirements ASAP and promise the community you will work quickly to write code with a happy middle ground if you find the pre-infill numbers too restrictive...."
(Read the orig. letter?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Aspen Times "Aspen council advances plan for Annie's, Benton buildings"

With all the past attacking, by local press, of individuals daring to push the envelope socially in the Roaring Fork Valley; one has to acknowledge the noticeable change that has recently been showing up in 'tone change' of local reporting.

To quote the Aspen Daily, ZG and of course, Buffalo Springfield:  "....there's something happening here...what it is ain't exactly clear...."

Yes, we really and truly are 'sick of Mick'. And there is more than one individual that feels that way.

As you conservatives cast your vote this year; 'Remember Dan Maes'.  And try not to forget the Colorado conservative sector's version of Aspen Mayor Mick Ireland.   'Tom Tancredo, the Human Tank'.

Andre Salvail:
"....Approval of an ordinance on first reading is not necessarily an indication that the council will support the ordinance when it comes up for final adoption. Typically, a proposal gets unanimous support at first reading as a simple courtesy to the applicant and to take the discussion to the next level.

But Mayor Mick Ireland, who expressed many concerns Monday about aspects of the process that has gotten the project to its current point, cast a vote against introducing the ordinance anyway...."
(Read more?  Click title)

"Unapologetically pursuing and tracking patterns within the news others make since 2010."

SandBox Comments: Aspen Times "Debate over AACP process persists"

"Former Mayor Helen Klanderud said Wednesday that more council review and public hearings would be appropriate. However, she said the discussions shouldn't run past the early part of 2012.

Klanderud and others representing the business community, including the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, lobbied earlier this year for changes to ensure that the document would not take a negative tone toward future growth and development opportunities.

“I don't know if the AACP needs to be tweaked,” she said. “The issue seems to be whether the council should accept the decision of the P&Z, or whether it can make some changes. And that's an age-old dilemma: Why would people serve on volunteer boards if you never accept their decisions? But I don't think you're obligated to.

“The buck stops with the City Council,” Klanderud continued. “And if the City Council genuinely believes that something is not in the best interest of the community, I think that it has the right not to accept something as it is.”
(Andre Salvail)

(Learn more?  Click title.  Comment to discuss)

SandBox Comments: Aspen Times "Aspen council discusses legal issues surrounding requests to view ballots"

Here's to the little guys.

Let freedom ring.

(See why?  Click title and comment to start discussion)

"Truth goes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it is violently opposed. Finally, it is accepted as self-evident."