Draft Update of the
Woody Creek Master Plan
originally created in 1997
and intended to update the
Woody Creek Master Plan
approved by Pitkin County in 1991
Drafted by
Jim Collins
Jane Dinsmoor
Shirley Carnel
updated and printed February 28, 2014 by Jim Collins
from the version dated 7-23-97
Table of Contents
Vision:
Topics:





Master Plan Outline
Preamble (1997)
Community Goals
Community Preferences
Existing Community Character








Agriculture
Airport
Commercial & Public
Housing & Growth
Open Space
Public Supported Housing
Public Schools
Transportation & Roads
Neighborhoods & Local Topics:
 Community School
 Lenado
 Pitkin Iron
 W/J Ranch
 W. C. Mobile Home Park
Contributors & Attendees
Master Plan Outline
I. VISION OF COMMUNITY
1997 Preamble
1997 Consensus Statement
1991 Consensus Statement
Description of Existing Community Character in WC
Desired Character at ultimate buildout
Goals of Community
II. THE PLAN CHAPTERS
Policies briefly stated at the beginning then:
A. Agriculture
B. Airport
C. Aspen Community School
D. Commercial/Public Use
E. Open Space/Trails/Wildlife
F. Transportation: Roads & Rails
G. Housing/Growth
Recommendations to Implement this Plan
Any alternatives to adopted community growth
policies of DVCP, PCLU Code, etc.
III. PLANNING PROCESS SUMMARY
List of all meetings/study groups
List of all WC residents who originated 1991 Plan
List of all WC residents who revised 1997 Plan
Bylaws of the Woody Creek Caucus
IV. APPENDICES/ADDENDUM
Pages of any texts referenced in above chapters
1
2
5
8
10
HOUSING/GROWTH
Policy Statement
Vision Statement
General Housing Pattern that exists - Rural Residential
with a few agricultural pockets
with a few suburban pockets
Definitions
Current zoning in WC
Density
Proximity to support services
(transit & commercial facilities)
1-2% optimum population growth rate
Current count of housing units in WC
Current count of AH units (and % of total) in WC
not responsible for makeup of shortfall in city
current count of AH in county & their aim
ultimate buildout
Maps
Woody Creek Boundaries
DVCP maps of ag lands, wildlife etc
Specific "Suburban" pockets & extra consideration sites
WC Mobile Home Park
policy statement (if specific)
vision statement (if specific)
W/J
Aspen Community School
Pitkin Iron
Elam
Aspen School District/Underwood
Lenado
Recommendations
Identify urban boundaries of Aspen
Primary residence zone ?
limit large square footage to _
Downzone house sizes allowed
TDR's from WC can be used to add on
APPENDICES
V-
VISION OF COMMUNITY
V-1
V-2
AG - AGRICULTURE
AG-1 Letter written by Ed Bastian 4/97
AI -
AIRPORT
AI-1 Airport Hazard Zone Map
AI-2 Crash Locations & File Numbers NTSB
AI-3 Letter from Brad Christopher 9/26/89
AI-4 Excerpts from minutes BOCC mtg. 8/7/90
AI-5 Speech Interference Levels/Community Noise Reaction
AI-6 Examples of Typical Sound Levels
AI-7 Land Use Compatibility Charts
AI-8 Health Effects of Noise from '95 annual Noise Survey
AI-9 Excerpts from Samuel S. Yasgur letter 8/3/90
AI-10 Most recent crashes in area (NTSB reports)
ACS- ASPEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
ACS-1 Zoning & Vicinity Map
ACS-2 Existing Conditions Map
ACS-3
C-
COMMERCIAL/PUBLIC USES
C-1 Map of Vagneur Gravel Pit/Estimated Reserves
C-2 Elam report on Aggregate Extraction & Processing
C-3 Memo from Environmental Health officer 11/29/96
C-4
O-
OPEN SPACE/TRAILS/WILDLIFE
O-1 Memo
O-2
O-3
O-4
O-5
T-
TRANSPORTATION/Roads & Rails
T-1 Pitkin County Road Standards & Specifications (DVCP)
T-2 Projections of average daily traffic volumes (Road & Bridge
Maintenance)
T-3 Existing Conditions of County Road System (Road & Bridge
Maintenance)
T-4 Alternative crossing locations for railway (Rail Feasibility Study)
H-
P-
HOUSING/GROWTH
H-1 Plant List of Native Species
H-2 Magazine article "Resorts Go Up & Down"
H-3 Woody Creek Building Activity from 1991-96
H-4 Daniel Delano's TBR thesis
PROCESS SUMMARY
P-1 Pages of county law establishing caucuses
P-2 Minutes of Caucus meeting with BOCC 10/8/96
P-3 October 1996 mailing to entire Woody Creek Caucus
P-4 March 31, 1997 mailing to entire Woody Creek Caucus
P-5 Budget Request Letter to BOCC/Master Plan Budget
1997 Preamble
Just as a healthy individual is better able to participate in the
community, a healthy community is better able to participate in the
community of communities. Just as an individual's self-interest includes
cooperation, sharing, and charity, a community's self-interest includes
cooperation, sharing, and charity.
Each and every community has the responsibility and obligation to
determine and guide its own destiny within the milieu in which it exists. If
the obligation is not met, the community accepts the role of "victim" to
outside forces for their outside interests, not for the community's interest.
The community's self-interest is the driving force for a community to be
healthy, to adapt to a changing world, to survive, and to prosper as a
community.
This is an especially important time for Woody Creek to be preparing
its master plan. Some days, it seems that everybody has a plan for Woody
Creek. The Federal Government has plans to change the location of one of
our most basic community services, our post office. The State of Colorado
has plans for how sewage should be treated in our community. Pitkin County
has plans for where housing should be built, how our roads should function
and whether rail service should traverse our community. Developers have
plans that could dramatically affect the rural residential character of Woody
Creek.
For Woody Creek to be able to anticipate all of these potential
changes, it is essential that it have an up-to-date master plan that reflects the
consensus of those who live here as to what we want to be. Because after all
of these plans are completed, it is the residents who will have to live with
what this community has become. It is up to us to make sure that what we
become is what we want to be, not what many other entities may want us to
be.
The master plan is the community's guide to land uses that
preserve and promote a healthy community. It is a statement of the
community's self-interests and consciously addresses how the community
will cooperate, share and give to the larger community of the valley.
Important principles of a healthy community include:
Democracy; a commitment to liberty and justice for all
Free and open communication
Diversity and inclusion
Resolution of conflicts
Dispersed leadership
Adaptability
The processes of a community, particularly the development of its
master plan, must reflect the healthiness of the community itself, and this
master plan is presented in this manner.
The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.
- Thomas Merton
Change is the law of life and those that look only to the past or the present
are certain to miss the future.
- John F. Kennedy
4/24/97 draft
GOALS OF WOODY CREEK COMMUNITY
5/8/97 draft
These were the goals and positions of the 1991 Woody Creek Master Plan, virtually
unchanged as of 1997, with some additions.
1. Rural Character. Preserve Woody Creek as a unique neighborhood with a strong
identity. Preserve the existing scattered, low-density development pattern which
maintains the rural appearance, the small country roads, and high quality environment
outside the urban boundaries of the Aspen and Snowmass growth centers: enhancing
visual quality, agricultural operations and wildlife habitat.
Maintain Woody Creek as a separate rural community and
the Highway 82 corridor and the surrounding areas as a rural buffer or greenbelt between
the Airport Business Center and the mega-suburb that is stretching from Basalt to
Glenwood Springs.
2. Agriculture. Preserve agricultural operations and open space in agriculture to maintain
the rural character in the Woody Creek drainage. Create additional mechanisms to
preserve existing agricultural lands and open space.
3. Community Balance. Encourage a stable population committed to the community, to
ensuring the health, safety and welfare of all in that community. The community should
collectively address and resolve its issues and problems by considering the interests
(though not the profit-motivated interests possibly) of all of its citizens. Seek a
community balance that keeps residents in the majority.
4. Maintain existing zoning.
5. Support existing level of slow growth (1% per year).
6. No major upgrades of services and facilities.
7. New affordable housing should be mixed in with existing units (infill and dispersal by
the private sector rather than large tracts of government housing).
8. Agricultural pursuits will be encouraged.
9. Industrial uses are inappropriate in this residential community. Avoid future
commercial and industrial traffic, noise and pollution.
10. Recreational uses (trails and parks) are extremely important.
11. Whole sustainable community. We must all remember that we are all a part of a
whole sustainable community only if all elements of that community are protected, even
those that have no voice, e.g., air, earth, water, plants, animals, and creatures.
5/8/97 draft
Woody Creek Community Preferences for
Development Standards of Site Design & Compatibility
YES
Resident-owned
Permanent, family-oriented
Long-term rentals
Mix of Categories 1-4
NO
Short-term rentals
Seasonal
All RO like Horse Ranch
Scattered patterns
Low-density clusters in new development
Small scale
Rural Residential character
Small infill projects
character
1 unit/2 acre average
Creek
Large tracts of housing
Blue Lake density, single project
Large urban "plexes"
Suburban character
Uniform, urban density out of
Individuality of design
Carports
Uniform, prefab designs
Uncovered parking all in front
Site specific sewage (ISDS's)
Carrying capacity of land
Safe, secure community spaces
cul-de-sac (slows traffic)
pedestrian-oriented, trails
Abundant open space
Usable common areas and/or
Conservation lands to offset density
Preservation of agricultural lands
Small rural roads, speedbumps
1% growth per year
(on basis of 1991 300 units in W.C.)
in Woody
Regional sewage plant
Centralized water
Suburban grid layout
(drive, house, drive, house)
Suburban-style sidewalks
Suburban density
Subdivision to 35 acre ranchettes
Drastic road "improvements" that
increase traffic & speeds
All projects built asap
Landscapes with native plant species
High-maintenance acres of Bluegrass
Low-water vegetation types (Appendix H-?)
Wildlife-friendly fencing
Barbed wire, 6-8 foot high fences
Outdoor lighting minimized
Light pollution that diminishes night
sky
Trees & shrubs, lower impact fencing on Road
Road
Increase wildlife habitat
Berms & high fences along River
(the channel or tunnel effect)
Existing Community Character
The community character analysis technique can be used to predict the impact of various
land use alternatives on the future character of Woody Creek. If the future character of
Pitkin County's neighborhoods are to maintain the current variety of uses and character, a
definition of where they are in 1997 must be attempted. Woody Creek as a community
has a right to establish its character and not have to cater to what the market dictates.
Woody Creek is a rural, non-metropolitan area. The metropolitan area should be defined
by the provision and availability of services, to include centralized water and waste water
disposal. These services currently do not exist in the Woody Creek area and should not be
extended into this area.
Land Use Description: The principal land use type in Woody Creek is and has
historically been ranch lands where development is limited to fences, fields, barns and
homes needed to operate a ranch. Agricultural lands and wildlife habitat establish an open
character along the mesas and hillsides. Open space is more than acres of fairways on a
golf course surrounded by berms. The typical land use in agricultural areas is ranch
buildings placed usually relatively close to the road. The very low densities involved and
their preservation of most natural features make such areas used by wildlife during some
seasons. Woody Creek is the exception in Pitkin County with the large ranches still being
intact and functioning. The secondary land use type in Woody Creek is rural residential.
Development in these areas tends to be a feature of, rather than a dominant part of the
landscape. Profit-driven development pressure is a constant threat to the preservation of
this fundamental aspect of Woody Creek's character.
The "core" of Woody Creek is centered around the Woody Creek Tavern and the
Mobile Home Park area, where a new post office and firehouse are being planned for
construction in 1998. Other, somewhat less dense subdivisions exist (Little Texas, Doc
Henry Road and W/J), primarily along Upper River Road where there has been
considerable infill. These subdivisions, however, are the exception and future subdivision
development should be avoided. The majority of development in Woody Creek is
characterized by small to medium homes on large lots, with natural topography and
vegetation typically used to screen views from adjacent roadways. This secondary land
use type in Woody Creek areas consists of detached residences, some of which contain
caretaker units. The principal dwellings are mostly occupied as primary residences,
although newer residences tend to be much larger than the traditional homes in Woody
Creek and some few are occupied as second homes. Increasing values are a real threat to
Woody Creek remaining mostly "primary residences". Developed areas tend to be located
on the relatively flat valley floors, although they can occasionally also occur on steeper
hillsides near the river. The generally low densities involved and their preservation of
most natural features make such areas relatively tolerant of wildlife habitat.
Rural Residential areas like Woody Creek are currently seen by developers as a
transitional land use form, between what were previously Agricultural lands and what
will become, if no attempt is made to preserve them, Suburban Residential lands. It is the
policy of the County to preserve its natural, rural scenery for the benefit of its residents
and the continued viability of its resort economy. To preserve scenic quality, the County
will prohibit or require mitigation of the visual impacts of land uses and development.
(PCLU Code 2-120) To be rural is to be more than non-urban. To be rural is to resist
becoming suburban. Currently Woody Creek has few higher density residential areas
(among them Woody Creek Mobile Home Park, W/J Ranch, and Little Texas) but, as
more such developments occur, a suburban character results. This suburban character
type is the third and smallest character type in Woody Creek. They contain principally
detached residences with small lots or yards typically 1/2 acre or less. Occupied
principally by residents, though some few are second homes as in the case of Little
Texas, historically a second home enclave since the 1940's. As the suburban character
overtakes the neighborhood, the smaller homes are being replaced with larger ones,
designed principally for second home owners rather than residents. Unless some actions
are taken to address this character change, a long range trend for the Rural Residential
areas of Woody Creek, and more horrifically the ranch lands, may be the same kind of
displacement which occurred in Aspen proper. The declining industries of ranching,
mining and logging are being replaced by all-consuming tourism with the second homes
and the expected high quality of life attractive to vacationers and permanent residents
alike.
Resident/Visitor Housing Mix: In the Agriculture lands, the housing units are occupied
almost entirely by residents. In the Rural Residential and Suburban density areas, there is
a growing number of seasonal residents who come for the summer or part of the winter
seasons, though the predominance is still on local working residents.
Commercial/Industrial Uses: Although Woody Creek primarily consists of agricultural
and residential uses, there are also several industrial and commercial uses present. During
the times of the year when the industrial uses operate, they have severe impacts on the
daily lives of residents. The commercial uses, including the Tavern and Gallery, have
more limited, though considerable, impacts.
Design Features: Woody Creek is generally automobile oriented, with only limited
accommodation by busses. Pedestrians and bicycles are accommodated on the Rio
Grande trail as well as on the roads, where traffic is generally free-flowing. Water and
sewer service is generally provided to these areas through private systems. Utilities are
generally above ground. Building styles are rustic with a predominance of agricultural
style, the relative mass and scale of almost all building in the area is small. The trailer
park is a modular exception on the road. Other than the parking lot around the Tavern,
large areas of asphalt are not to be found. Vegetation and some berming is used to screen
buildings from the road, though the valley floor is predominantly flat.
Road type, Transit Availability and Congestion: Unpaved and paved 2-lane county
access roads predominate in Woody Creek. Traffic is heavier than normal given the size
of the roads due to the slow traffic/congestion at times on Highway 82. The RFTA bus
service is consistent during high season only and at less frequent intervals than most of
the community receives. The large busses will not traverse the steep grades of Jaffee Hill
safely and therefore the service has been limited to van service that is infrequent. Traffic
congestion is being found more frequently on Smith Hill when the traffic to town meets
up with the upvalley commuters. Trails are available for bicycles and pedestrians, mainly
the incomplete Rio Grande Trail that takes some heavy use in the summer months both
by Woody Creek commuters and by tourists.
Utilities: Water and sewer service is generally provided to these areas through private
systems. Utilities are generally above ground, except for natural gas, the main line for
which traverses the floor of the valley.
Community Facilities: The major community facility in Woody Creek is the Woody
Creek Learning Community. The only other is the Woody Creek Post Office which we
hope to retain, and the possible addition of a firehouse which we have encouraged. We do
not anticipate any others in Woody Creek.
Natural Features/Habitat Present: Rivers primarily define the Woody Creek Valley.
The Roaring Fork River, Woody Creek and Little Woody Creek provide an abundance of
riparian habitat. The valley floor and the benches above it make up the bulk of land in
Woody Creek and provide winter grazing habitat for herds of elk and mule deer.
5/8/97 draft
1997 Consensus Statement
What is Woody Creek?
What makes it so unique?
Why are we called Woody
Creatures?
Woody Creek is herds of deer and elk running and sauntering across roads and pastures,
feeding on hay that has been spread out for them. It is fox and their kits rolling and
playing in the rocks. It is a lone coyote running across an open field. It is a bald eagle
flying along the river. It is the tavern where we stop to eat and drink and visit with our
friends and neighbors. It is a post office where we are known. It is neighbors that know
and care about one another, lend a helping hand, fish side by side in the river, laugh, cry,
and care about what is happening to our homes and neighborhood and community. It is
respect for one another as fellow creatures on a journey through this lifetime with a
vision for future generations.
It is a place where artists and authors and musicians and doctors and industrialists and
ambassadors and famous and infamous personalities gather to share in the energy of a
place that has been held sacred by men and women of all colors and styles.
It is farmland and forest and rivers and trailer parks and cabins and homes of every
description mixing and mingling with respect for each other and the earth we walk on.
It is people of good social conscience who struggle each day to understand and establish
and maintain a balance between personal needs and desires and the needs and desires of
the larger community and who try to speak their truth and honor their obligations to that
community. It is each of us fighting with integrity for the right to be heard and listened
to, to stop attempts to force upon us unreasonable demands that have destroyed so many
areas around us for the financial enhancement of a few. This, all too often, has been to the
decided detriment of those who have lived here so long, only to be forced from their
homes. We are not against the new, but only if it is not at the expense of those who are
already here.
We, the Woody Creatures of Woody Creek, may differ in our opinions, but we are united
in our efforts to ensure that greed and shortsightedness will not destroy all that we have
worked to protect and create; for what we have protected and created is the reason we are
here in the first place, and that has not changed.
4/19/97
1991 Consensus Statement
The Woody Creek Experiment is a process dedicated to the preservation and
enhancement of Woody Creek's agriculture, educational offerings, rural character,
environment and the democratic process. It is a process in which residents of Woody
Creek are attempting to make the most responsible choices possible. Through this process
we are examining our neighborhood, our values, our unique qualities and our
responsibilities to the larger community. We are defining our connections to the Woody
Creek landscape and the changes that could destroy that connectedness. We are pursuing
this challenge with the awareness that we are a piece of a larger community . . . thus, we
are exploring the role our neighborhood plays in providing the richly veined and
nurturing experiences of place that humans need to survive and to prosper. The first step
in this process has been to develop a statement of consensus which will be used to guide
decision making as we develop a master plan for Woody Creek. The following is our
statement of consensus:
We, the residents of Woody Creek, believe in self determination as an excellent (and the
only) tool for holding on to the best that Woody Creek has to offer. We, better than
anyone else, know the pride of taking good care of the land in Woody Creek, the thrill of
sharing the land, air and water with animals including the red fox, deer, owls, elk. We,
better than anyone else, know the shock of plane crashes near our homes and the
annoyingly increasing and unnecessary stress from the airport, and the satisfying and all
too rare feeling of knowing one's neighbors. We, better than anyone else, know what a
true pleasure it is to be greeted by a postmistress who knows everyone by name and know
what a privilege it is to walk by a river where things still work as they should or to ride a
bike on a rural road and feel safe. We, better than anyone else understand the community
vitality that can come from an exciting economic and social mix. Our neighborhood
houses people including ambassadors, real estate agents, truck drivers, ranchers,
contractors, movie stars, City Market employees, architects, newspaper reporters,
teachers, doctors, cab drivers, rock superstars, lawyers, and waitresses. We, better than
anyone else, armed with the knowledge of what we see, touch, hear and smell in Woody
Creek can determine how best to preserve the magic mix of people and experiences on
which we thrive. There is no place on earth exactly like Woody Creek - it cannot be
duplicated now or ever. It is worth saving and we, through our self determination, are
building a team which can better understand the elements of its magic and preserve and
enhance it. The choices Woody Creek has determined to be the best for itself in the past
have not (been) selfish or greedy - far from it. They have been healthy choices for the
neighborhood and therefore give health directly to the larger community.
We believe we should keep Woody Creek as it is. We want to keep our rural roads small.
We want to preserve and enhance wildlife habitats, open space, trails, parks, and
agricultural uses. We would like the tavern and the post office uses to continue but we
want the conflicts between those uses and the road reduced or eliminated.
We believe we have the right to live in a safe, quiet neighborhood. We have been able to
coexist with the airport in the past but find the general level of noise increasing and the
level of safety decreasing. We believe we have the right to feel safe in our homes despite
the fact that an airport exists nearby. We are dedicated to protecting the health, safety and
welfare of our part of the community and are confident that if we are successful in
protecting that backyard, we will have enhanced the health, safety and welfare and the
quality of life of a much larger community.
We want to continue our history of doing our fair share and to provide affordable housing
because we want a balance of all kinds of people in our community and in our
neighborhood, because we hope our children will be able to "come home" again and
because we feel a responsibility to the generations that follow us. However, we are
interested in passing on more than just shelter, bricks, boards and nails to Pitkin county's
children. We believe our gift to the larger community, to future generations, and to
ourselves should be a housing pattern that results in true health to the people using that
housing and that results in the maintenance or enhancement of the natural elements that
are so much a part of Woody Creek's rural character. We believe that high density/high
rate housing on the Pitkin Iron site would be detrimental to every element necessary for
the survival of this unique neighborhood.
We support the continued use of the mobile home park so affordable housing can
continue to be offered in that area. We intend to pursue creative options for increasing the
quality of life for present and future residents of that part of our neighborhood.
We, better than anyone else, know the difficulties of maintaining a safe, quiet
neighborhood with industrial sites as neighboring uses. It is our desire that industrial
sites, while they exist, be called upon to live up to the highest standards of neighborliness
and the Pitkin County Land Use Code and that they be phased out so that our
neighborhood will once again be residential.
The Woody Creek Experiment is our way of stating that Woody Creek is worth fighting
for. It is worth spending time, energy, money, emotion for. If the Woody Creek
Experiment is successful, we will have saved a treasure and passed it on. If the Woody
Creek Experiment is successful, no one will ever have to listen to tales, bitterly or
wistfully told, of the one brief shining moment there was a Woody Creek.
Keep Community "As Is"
A clear consensus of the Woody Creek community was derived from public meetings of
the neighborhood held at the Community School throughout March, April and May of
1991. This consensus showed that the overwhelming majority of the residents of Woody
Creek has a significant determination to retain the environs of the Woody Creek area as
much as possible as it exists currently. This vision ranged from "stop the clock" no
growth attitude to "existing slow growth" sentiment allowing for a moderate increase in
population to permit future generations to settle in the area without the impacts of
planned subdivisions causing strain on existing facilities and necessitating major
upgrades of services.
Although some individuals spoke for the need for additional lower income housing, the
opinion was consistent that the community would best be able to provide this housing as
it has in the past, maintaining a healthy mix in the population as a whole and keeping the
neighborhood feeling that makes Woody Creek more than just a geographic element.
Caretaker units, privately created low cost ownership units and proper redevelopment of
the Woody Creek Trailer Park would allow the current residents more secure living
arrangements and a stepping stone to a lasting relationship with the community that they
live in.
A deep concern was expressed that government supplied housing would be too expensive
for the current residents to purchase, that it would be detrimental to the existing
population, and that the development of tracts of houses by government agencies would
be directed to people who do not presently live in Woody Creek, thereby further
displacing the people who have already showed a commitment to the area and forcing
them to live elsewhere. The limited amount of development rights existing in the area
would be used up by large projects and not serve the community financially or
aesthetically. These projects would require changes in roads and bridges, waste water
treatment facilities, displacement of wildlife, increase traffic impacts, increase noise and
pollution, impact recreational activities and diminish safety of our families. They would
also result in the formation of "ghetto" areas rather than the dispersal of housing types
throughout the area.
Approval was given for maintaining existing zoning and supporting existing growth rates
which, with the exception of one recent development, have remained at about one to two
percent annually. Agricultural pursuits were encouraged as adding to the overall health of
the community through maintenance of open space and wildlife habitat. Industrial uses
were derided as being polluting, traffic producing, noisy and inappropriate mixed with a
residential community. Recreational uses and activities, such as trails and parks, are
considered extremely important.
Primary consideration must be given to preserving Woody Creek as a neighborhood by
continuing its strong sense of identity.
Population growth should be maintained at a slow rate. Rural appearances and existing
scattered housing patterns, small rural roads that are safe for bicyclists, joggers and
walkers. Minimum industrial and commercial traffic, noise, pollution and
institutionalized enterprises all must be avoided in the future for Woody Creek to remain
as a whole and healthy community.
5/8/97 draft
Agriculture
Policy Statement
Agricultural pursuits are encouraged as adding to the overall well-being of Pitkin County
through maintenance of open space and wildlife habitat. It is our goal
to preserve as close to 100% of the approximately 4000 acres of lands that are currently
used for ranch purposes as possible, keeping those agricultural lands in agricultural
production.
Vision Statement
The residents of Woody Creek have chosen to preserve the past and present character of
the Woody Creek community and to endorse and support land use policy which will
encourage, not sacrifice, traditional and rural agricultural pursuits. We are lucky as
residents of Woody Creek to have so much land left to protect. We must find a balance
between preservation and growth. We encourage agricultural pursuits in our
community; there are many opportunities and diversity is a key component. We as
residents of Woody Creek need to work together to protect and support the few remaining
ranches.
To be agricultural is more than to be non-urban
The agrarian community must be pro-actively agricultural. As agricultural lands are
squeezed by development pressures, ranchers know their land is valued for more than it
can produce. And as the numbers of U.S. citizens involved in agriculture declines,
ranchers know they make up 1.4% of a society run on majority-rule decisions. At the turn
of the century, farmers made up 90% of the population. In 1990, there were 45,118
people living on Colorado's farms, 50% less than in 1970. (Colorado Department of
Local Affairs research) With their land valued for what can be built on it, not grown on it,
ranchers find their children cannot afford to pay the inheritance taxes without selling all
or part of the land. Ranchers also do not accept "protective" agricultural down-zoning of
their lands which they see as taking away their constitutional property rights. Incentives
for preservation are preferable for preserving ranch lands.
Community Benefits from Woody Creek Ranches
Preservation of Rural Lifestyle, which is a goal of the Woody Creek community, is
fostered by the maintenance of agricultural lands and wildlife habitat. All Pitkin County
residents value the rural landscape and have strongly expressed a desire to maintain it to
the greatest extent possible. In this respect Woody Creek provides a service to all Pitkin
County residents. The uncrowded, rural landscapes are important to the quality of life of
all the citizens of the Roaring Fork Valley, and like all amenities, the public will have to
pay something to keep this agricultural aspect of their lives. Woody Creek still shows
there is a difference between producing agricultural lands and large trophy homes on
large tracts of neatly mown grass. (see Appendix AG-1) Wealthy newcomers to the West
are attracted to the big parcels of ranchlands with beautiful mountains in the background,
and a ski resort close at hand. The cowboy life and values, the traditional rural values of
community, the scenic vistas draw in the mobile millionaires of the 1990's where they set
up artificial luxury ranches worth many times what a subsistence rancher can afford to
pay for the land. The process is driving out what remains of viable agricultural
operations, but at the same time, artificial or not, these wealthy newcomers are saving the
open spaces from development, preserving the land, allowing wildlife habitat to remain
undisturbed, in essence leaving large pieces of the West as it has been for 100 years - the
wide open spaces.
Resort Economy is enhanced by the distinct separation between the urban centers of
Aspen, Snowmass and the rural Down Valley Area. Channeling growth into the centers
and away from the rural areas which cannot provide the services to support it has been an
expressed purpose of the 1977 Growth Management Policy Plan and the 1983 Growth
Management Policy Plan Update and the Woody Creek Master Plan. (AACP Phase One
pg 61)There has been a strong desire expressed by Pitkin County residents to maintain as
much land as possible in agricultural production. Agricultural lands serve three
acknowledged public purposes in addition to the "primary crop" which is the production
of farm animals and crops. It has been said that the
"Second Crop" produced by the County's agricultural lands is grazing areas and
migration corridors for the local big game population. The
"Third Crop" produced by agricultural lands are the thousands of acres of maintained
open space which surround County residents and visitors. It is a viable aesthetic
resource. Some folk view the
"Fourth Crop" as being the protection of air and water sheds provided by ranchlands.
Residents consider these "Second, Third and Fourth Crops" as an essential component of
the Pitkin County resort economy. (DVCP pg 34-5)
Maintenance of Open Space in the best possible manner comes with agricultural lands.
It is generally well irrigated, green, privately maintained and beneficial to air and water
sheds. Maintained agricultural land and undisturbed big game winter range are less
likely to be infested with weeds. Weed infestation, in particular, Canadian thistle, was
noted at many public meetings to be a major citizen concern. The maintenance of open
space helps preserve the rural lifestyle which the residents of the community value.
(AACP pg 60) In this, Woody Creek is providing a great service to the larger Pitkin
County community.
Water Quantity and Quality. The preservation of agricultural lands protects water sheds
and floodplain from the impacts of development. The Woody Creek area contains
important water resources, including an extensive drainage that has not been impacted by
intense recreational, commercial or residential development. It is the location of several
major irrigation ditches, irrigation water rights, fishery resources, pristine water quality
and few pollution sources. With the loss of agriculture would come changes of water uses
from irrigation to more intensive and consumptive use which is of particular concern.
Air Quality in rural areas is the most pristine the county has to offer in any residential
area, other than Rural and Remote. Motor vehicle traffic in Woody Creek has been light,
industrial activity an occasional exception, other point sources such as fireplaces widely
scattered except in some few areas of more suburban density.
How to "Keep it as it is"
Residential Development of agricultural lands is to be discouraged though not
prohibited. Whenever possible, future development should be directed away from the
producing fertile ranchlands to the greatest extent possible to protect big game, enhance
agricultural production and maintain the visual quality of the community. (DVCP)
Development pressures remain constant. As stewards of the land, we need a balance
between development and preservation. If any rural, scenic and wildlife values are to be
preserved in this county, future development would have to be located with extreme care.
If any functioning ag lands are to be preserved, that care needs to be even more extreme.
The large second home market in Aspen is expanding beyond the urban boundaries, the
wealthy clientele of the well-established tourist economy and the ever-increasing waves
of people moving here to escape other areas of congestion and pollution put a strong and
constant demand for development on all open space and ranchlands. We need not cater to
the market's demands.
Landowner compensation programs which feature the acquisition of scenic or
agricultural easements are far more desirable than fee simple land acquisition programs
because of the lower cost of acquiring easements as compared to fee simple interests in
land and due to the land management costs resulting from fee simple acquisition.( DVCP
pg 70)
The most successful land preservation programs in the nation have some level of public
compensation to landowners associated with the program. Ranchers whose land benefits
the County as open space should be compensated for the public benefit they provide.
Agricultural zoning alone in the absence of complementary land use regulatory and
compensation programs may not insure the continuation of agriculture( DVCP page 73)
Agricultural zoning has limited value for Pitkin county because it does not insure
success of agricultural operations or directly help the County achieve the adopted goals
relative to open space for wildlife and visual quality. However, agricultural zoning may
have some limited value for rural Pitkin County because it could be used as a way to
determine if a property is eligible to participate in streamlined land use reviews for low
intensity and low impact land use actions. (DVCP pg 73) The zoning could serve to
generate taxing differences between productive agricultural lands and purely developable
lands.
Economic Incentives to induce the independent rancher to keep on his agricultural
pursuits have to be more than tax breaks. If the rancher is only breaking even, tax breaks
are useless. They only work if one is making a good deal of money, and few ranchers
have recently been that successful. Community farm systems that work successfully in
France are seen as a way for local ag lands to keep on producing and earning their way
maintaining the lifestyle. Local farmers' markets could be given special treatment when
under special review to help the local residents buy the locally produced produce.
A Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Program can succeed if the local governing
jurisdiction has a comprehensive land use regulatory system in order to made the TDR a
valuable commodity. A limited, voluntary TDR program in conjunction with a purchase
development right (PDR) program could be beneficial to Pitkin County. Using a square
foot increment transfer of building rights (TBR) would also be a voluntary program that
creates value for ag lands.(see Appendix HG-1 and HG-2) These three techniques in
combination with modifications to existing land use regulations could form the mix
needed by rural Pitkin County to retain high priority agricultural lands and wildlife
habitat in open space.
As stated in the 1991 Woody Creek Master Plan, "no Transfer Development Rights shall
be used to develop more density in the Woody Creek Master Plan Area. Transfer
Development Rights or Purchase Development Rights used to move density out of Woody
Creek Master Plan Area are acceptable." The Woody Creek Caucus emphatically
endorses this statement for the 1997 revised Master Plan.
Land Trusts have successfully in other areas (notably Marin County, CA) paid a
landowner to keep his land as open space, preserving easements of open space that is not
actually open to the public while under private ownership. The rancher who sells an open
space easement continues on with ranching business while enjoying a stipend paid by the
general public or by entities like a ski resort community that benefit from the ambiance
that scenic open space provides. The trust holds the donation in perpetuity while the
landowner usually gets a tax break from the difference between what the land was worth
on the open development market and what it's worth as agricultural land. He has
"donated" the value of the land, as if it were fully developed. Sometimes a few homesites
are set aside as part of the deal, and the rest is protected from mass development. Valleybased land trusts have a variety of programs , and tailor donation deals to the individual
rancher. Recently in 1997, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Board agreed to spend
$1.38 million to buy a conservation easement over the Dart Ranch on Lower River Road,
partnering with the Aspen Valley Land Trust and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The
foundation will give $20,000 toward the $1.4 million purchase of the nearly 300-acre
ranch, preventing eight possible homesites under the state's 35-acre subdivision law, and
protecting valuable open space in Snowmass Canyon that serves as elk and mule deer
winter range.
Conservation Easements involve land donated to a land trust or an open space board.
"Incentives to donate agricultural conservation easements could be enhanced by
increasing income tax incentives, which provides income and estate tax benefits. Federal
and state income tax rules allow a deduction for a donated conservation easement of up to
30 percent of adjusted gross income over a period of six years at most. But for most scenic
properties, the after-tax savings are a tiny fraction of the development value of the
land."(Colorado Department of Local Affairs Ag brochure) Another, albeit short-term,
system being tried near Steamboat Springs with a GO! Colorado grant from the Colorado
Lottery income has helped pay for "conservation leases". These deals preserve ranchlands
for a specific time of usually ten years by paying the rancher not to sell to the developers
and the oft unwelcome growth.
All of these avenues should be pursued, for if past patterns continue, most of the ranchers
in the Woody Creek area will sell their lands to developers who bring the first offers to
buy the ranches. A very few of these ranch families (like the Dart family of Snowmass
Canyon) will donate easements and be compensated by one of the few land trusts to
avoid inheritance taxes and allow their children to continue living on the ranch and
carrying on the traditional lifestyle of the West. Wealthy new owners should be
convinced of the benefits of preservation as the next owner may not differentiate between
the temporary protection of another part-time owner and the offers of a land-hungry
developer. Once that decision has been made and the ranch divided up, it's rather like
Humpty Dumpty. You can never put it back together again.
We believe our large ranches are worth a premium over the subdivision value and hope
the market will realize it before making the irreversible mistake of devaluing them
aesthetically and economically.
Concerns of the Community
an essay by Jennifer Craig, Woody Creek Rancher second generation
Standing on a sage-covered mesa under an open sky, there is an immense power
in the emptiness of the place. This is a remote mesa in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming,
Nevada, Utah or anyplace where one can still venture out and be surrounded by earth,
sky and empty space. We think of the West as infinite and limitless but sadly, this belief
is becoming an ancient memory. We want and need vacant space, not to stand in
everyday, but as a reservoir of contemplation.
So often in our day to day lives we see meticulously ordered and cultivated spaces
. . . city blocks, parking lots, yellow and white painted lines. One must stay within those
lines, never venturing beyond the boundaries. Barbed wire, post & rail, picket fences,
stone and concrete walls, one must never cross these lines in space. We seem to want to
section areas of our lives off; we put up fences, erect walls, keep out the intruders and
claim space for ourselves.
Perhaps the blackness of sleep is the only infinite space; perhaps it is all we need to
replenish our souls at the end of the day. But it seems we need more than the space of our
unconscious minds. We need to have places where the land is not cordoned off by human
touch, where the chaos of nature is unconstrained, where the sky and terrain overwhelm
us and inspire awe and reverence for forces beyond those of humanity.
Our world today is so loud. Can we ever hear a bird's song? A buzzing bee? An
icicle melting drops into a puddle? A breeze riffling through leaves or pine needles? No.
We only hear traffic, saws, voices, machines, radio, television, airplanes.
Our world today is so bright. What happened to the stars, constellations and
galaxies? Where are the falling stars? The bright planets? They are diminished by our
street lights, head lights, lamps, cars, homes and cities.
Our world today is fouled by dirty air and water. Where can one smell the air
heavy with sage or fine after a rain? The fragrance of clover on a hot summer day? The
smell of mint next to a pool of water? It seems the only fragrance in the air these days is
the smell of machines. Our water, even if it looks clear and clean, is often contaminated
with invisible pollutants.
This is a plea for the preservation of space. In a world in which the out of control
population increase is an immediate problem, the safe-guarding of open space is of utmost
importance. Without places in which to dream, breathe deeply, to test the limits of our
imaginations, we may as well live like chickens on a chicken ranch: live, lay eggs, die and
make room for the next egg layer - a completely soul-less existence.
South of this mesa, clouds are billowing along the ridgeline of a prominent
mountain. Patches of chamisa glow bright yellow in the late afternoon sun. A flock of
blackbirds congregate in a lone clump of scrub oak; the sunlight gleams off their blueblack feathers and illuminates the bright red splash of color on their wings - like a flash of
fire when they fly. A meadowlark sings. The only other sound is the wind in the grass.
I share these images with you . . . memories and reflections of a late summer
afternoon on my home ranch in Woody Creek. I have sadly witnessed too much
destruction and too little reverence for land in our valley and our state. So much more
must be done to protect open space.
We are lucky as residents of Woody Creek to have so much land left to protect. We
must find a balance between preservation and growth. We must encourage and support
agricultural pursuits in our community, keeping in mind that agriculture does not just
mean cows and cowboys. There are many possibilities and diversity is a key component
for the future viability of agriculture locally. Gardens, tree farms, nurseries, livestock
operations, guest ranches, bed & breakfasts and many other endeavors may somehow
work together to support the few remaining ranches.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. Create incentives to increase the capability of owners of agricultural lands to maintain
the vast majority of their land in agricultural use/open space. Limited commercial uses
compatible with agriculture might be allowed with special review on a case by case basis
if appropriate.
2. Pursue TDR programs, purchase of development rights, and conservation
easements.Try to direct ranch owners who want to sell to conservation buyers though
imposing restrictions should not be punitive. Any development rights taken away should
be compensated. Land is considered by ranchers to be an investment that deserves
returns, not a liability from land use restrictions.
3. Discourage 35 acre subdivision of ranches that cut up all available producing ag
lands. Create incentives that encourage landowners to effectively cluster minimal
development off the open fields, in sheltered areas less visible from the roadways to
preserve the aesthetics of Woody Creek. Possibly give increased density bonuses for
better development proposals that show better use of lands. Continue to regulate 35-acre
parcels in terms of 1041 hazards and GMQS. State Statute HB96-1364 adds to the statute
(30-28-401-404) that "it is in the public interest to encourage clustering of residential
dwellings on land exempt from subdivision regulations." Incentives could include
simplification of county land use processes and an exemption to GMQS.
4. Land Bank could be established to be funded by a transfer tax. Key parcels of land
would be purchased and retained as open space and public access. Or the funds would
purchase the development rights of the agricultural lands. There could be higher
development fees that would also go into this.
5. Conservation Easements provide landowners with a mechanism to protect their land
indefinitely while providing estate tax benefits. We would like to see entities of county
government, together with the Open Space Board, the Ag Council and the Pitkin County
Housing Authority get together to work on this issue.
6. Important Ranches historically used productively should be preserved for agricultural
purposes. They contribute to the overall rural character of Woody Creek and residents
would like to see them protected from significant development, while compensating the
landowners. Every effort must be made to work with the individual owners to create a
situation that works for the rancher as well as the community at large. The emphasis is to
protect not sterilize.
Underwood/Bruton
747 acres(development rights for 360 acres
used)
Braun
1006 " (for sale in 1997)
White Star Ranch
194 " (preserved open space)
W/J - Musick
162 "
Craig
974 "
Stranahan
232 "
Natal
220 " (for sale in 1997)
Dart
291 " (conservation easements completed
1997)
AERF
280
Airport
Policy Statement
Existing airport restrictions on curfew differentiation, current operating hours, and
previous noise abatement restrictions are supported. We support eliminating noisy Stage
2 aircraft and do not support expansion of the runway length or extensive strengthening
of the surface or any other changes which would allow larger and/or louder aircraft, such
as the 737, from using the airport. We continue to support safe operation of the
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport and all efforts to minimize impacts on residents of the
Woody Creek area.
We must keep it as it is.
Vision Statement
We know the shock of plane crashes near our homes, and the annoyingly increasing and
unnecessary stress from the airport. We believe we have the right to live in a safe, quiet
neighborhood. We have been able to coexist with the airport in the past, but find the
general level of noise and air traffic increasing. We believe we have the right to feel safe in
our homes despite the fact that an airport exists nearby.
Current 1997 Status
Sardy Field is a valuable asset of the people of Pitkin County. The airport is a vitally
important facility/operation for the economy of the area, to the way we function as a
whole community/resort and as a major link in the transportation chain of the Roaring
Fork Valley.
In its growth and development over the past decades, the airport has conversely become a
source of intense controversy. Argument, friction, political battling, litigation and the like
have been the norm over the airport's design, size, function, operating policies, budget
and so on. The Woody Creek community has been a voice in this controversy.
Woody Creek has defined itself as a residential "country community," and it lies
geographically in the primary flight path of the airport's runway. That alone creates a
conflict. Within that context, the concerns commonly expressed by Woody Creek
residents deal with aircraft noise and safety issues. The former, specifically noise
pollution, affects a desired tranquil lifestyle by any or all residents of Woody Creek. The
factors involved are type of aircraft utilized by both commercial and private
individuals/pilots, the number of operations flown in and out of Sardy Field and,
obviously, the hours of operation. With the latter concern, namely the safety and wellbeing of every man, woman and child living in the Woody Creek area, the issues have
become intense and of great concern. In the past there have been several accident
incidents, most occurring within short distances from the airport. (see Appendix AI-10)
The last of these was a jet aircraft that crashed in a fireball within seconds and yards of
Woody Creek residents. The dangers are real and need to be addressed in future
development proposals. The protections sought for Woody Creek need to be implemented
and need to last forever.
Current Airport Planning
The 1996 Airport Layout Plan addresses and updates the previous Airport Layout Plan
completed in 1989. A committee has been formed to represent a cross section of
community interests. The membership includes the FAA, Airport Administration, CDOTDivision of Aeronautics, Isbill Associates Airport Consultants, Leslie Lamont BOCC,
Aspen Base Operations, United Express, Pitkin County Planning, Woody Creek Caucus,
Starwood Homeowners' Association, ACRA, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association,
and the Aspen Skiing Company.
The objectives of the committee are to identify current airport uses, conditions
and activities, planned growth to accommodate future demands over a 20-year period,
capital improvements, configuration of new and existing facilities, surrounding land uses,
noise level contours and impacts, and make recommendations to accept or amend
planned improvements.
Concerns of the Community
Noise Abatement. "As with most rural resort environments with low ambient noise
levels, any noise emissions, especially during the evening hours, are a serious local
environmental concern. (Woody Creek) is no exception. In addition, Aspen may be
unique as a result of the increased sound transmissions in low-humidity, high-altitude,
valley-constricted environments." -Brad Christopher, former airport manager. Noise
Abatement instructions are provided to General Aviation (GA) pilots by Aspen Base
Operations (ABO) and airport manager, listing procedures for VFR operations.
Compliance is not mandatory, and observations indicate that abatement patterns have
largely been ignored. IFR operations are directed by Airport Traffic Control (ATC),
however, thrust reduction of 10% can make a big difference. There is an ever-increasing
problem with incoming aircraft flying low and "dragging" in under power directly over
populated areas. This creates more discomfort than many outgoing aircraft. FAR 91.37
(d) requires turbine-powered airplanes to maintain an altitude within the airport traffic
area of at least 1500 feet above the surface of the airport (85 feet higher than Triangle
Peak) until further descent is required for a safe landing. ATC should remind general
aviation pilots of noise abatement patterns prior to take-off.
The Woody Creek neighborhood wants to put some noise restriction on aircraft. In 1996
the BOCC approved a funding allocation for a 3-year airport noise study, currently in
progress. (see FAR 161 Analysis in Appendix AI-___) Price Waterhouse is currently
doing a cost benefit analysis to see what the economic impact would be on Aspen, if
there were restrictions placed on Stage II aircraft. No community in the US has done this
to date. Our airport managers will be going to the FAA in spring of 1997 with the intent
of producing an ordinance on restrictions, subject to FAA approval. In 1998 we hope to
get enacted an ordinance that would start enforcing noise restrictions.
We encourage the County to regulate development of noise sensitive land uses within
those areas mapped on the Noise Exposure Plan. Areas that may be adversely impacted
are shown on the map on the following page. "The Federal Aviation Administration has
failed to recognize that single-event noise is a very real and damaging problem around
airports. This is especially true in a rural environment. The aircraft noise problems that
we experience are single event noise problems, rather than "average" noise problems;
and, are well documented through recorded noise complaints." -Brad Christopher. The
readings taken from single readings give a community noise level of 100 (very loud) to
110 (2x as loud as 100 - deafening) in some areas of Woody Creek. The Aspen/Pitkin
County Airport 1995 Annual Noise Measurement Study states that a 75 dBA interior
noise level event will cause noise-induced awakening in 30 percent of cases. The
mapping from this study shows single event readings for loud Stage 2 jets reach above
this level in the majority of the Woody Creek community.
Noise can be described as unwanted sound and the usual adverse effects are
communication interference and sleep interruption. These health effects of noise are
documented by Mestre Greve Associates in Appendix AI-8.(Appendix AI-5 is a chart
showing what levels of noise make communication impossible) (Appendix AI-4 contain
statements by Dick Krug, retired faculty member at CU in communication disorders &
audiology) Rural quality of life depends not on merely human communication, but the
ability to hear the river gurgle over rocks, the birds chirping and the wind blow. Woody
Creek residents strongly resist the increasing intrusion of air traffic emissions where once
was a low ambient noise level environment.
Curfew. The airport curfew has been in effect for years, restricting night operation up
until 11:00 p.m.to commercial carriers and 1/2 hour past sunset for general aviation.
However, a recent BOCC resolution extended this privilege to qualified private stage III
jets. This action was supported by the Caucus, and so far the impacts have been minimal.
Stage I jets are not allowed at all. We request that the county continue to regulate the
hours of operation at the airport. Emergency Medivac flights are exempted from all
restrictions.
We support the following clause from a 1990 proposed ordinance:
"WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners finds and declares that late
night arrival and early morning flight operations at Sardy Field would have a serious
impact upon the neighborhood (sic) the environs due to noise and light emissions,
particularly in light of the largely rural and residential nature of the lands lying
beneath and adjacent to Sardy Field air traffic patterns."
Larger Aircraft. The FAA would like to see an extension of the runway as we are not
in compliance with the C-III status which represents the BAe 146-300 which is a critical
plane for United Airlines. The controversial question of the runway extension was put to
the county voters in 1996. The issue was defeated. There was to be no lengthening,
widening, or strengthening of the runway which might allow the big Boeing 727 or 737
to land. It is the policy of the County to permit only that development which will not
generate noise which would adversely impact community noise levels. (PCLU Code 2-
150) For example, United Express recently requested a 900' runway extension to
facilitate fully laden summer departures. This request was denied and documented in
ALP files.The FAA-required taxiway extension to the west end of the runway will
provide a runway exit for Runway 33 arrivals.
The runway surface is scheduled for a pavement overlay this year (1997) This required
maintenance inherently strengthens the runway, however, the landing weight limit will
remain at 100,000 lbs. In 2002, the runway will again need resurfacing and the question
will probably resurface at the same time on whether to just maintain the surface or
strengthen it as well. Currently, the 737 is not being flown into Aspen both because of the
surface strength of the runway, in addition to its poor performance in this environmentl.
The United Express BAe 146-300 Airliner established a C-III aircraft rating for the
Airport in 1996. The ratings are based on wingspan and approach speed. The Boeing 737
is rated C-III, but aviation experts have concluded that it is not capable of meeting FAA
minimum safety standards for Aspen operations. We can expect the 737 issue to return.
This also opens the door to C-III private jets. The ramifications are yet to be determined.
Flight hazards. We expect the county planners to ensure that land use planning
recognizes existing and future flight patterns and respects airport flight hazards, avoiding
any danger to public health and safety or property due to aircraft crashes. Most recently
there were 2 crashes a year apart on the bench near the W/J. The crash of a Lear in Feb.
of 1991 claimed 3 fatalities near Stevens Street homes. From 6/28/64 through 4/27/90,
there were 39 plane crashes within a 25 mile radius of Sardy Field, all 39 aircraft were
destroyed, 89 people were killed and 29 were injured. (see Appendices AI-2 and AI-10
for map & statistics) The County will prevent any use which may subject any person,
use, or resource to natural or man-made hazards. (PCLU Code 2-80) Airport Hazard
Zone Map is in Appendix AI-1, taken from 1974 County Land Use Codes. Additional
housing density under the flight path poses a serious safety concern to residents of
Woody Creek.
Inherent Dangers "The Aspen-Pitkin County Airport is located in the Rocky
Mountains at an elevation of 7,816 feet above sea level. The Airport is surrounded in all
quadrants by mountainous terrain in excess of 12,000 feet. The Airport is not provided
with a public precision instrument approach system. During the winter ski season --the
highest-use and worst-weather period--much of the general aviation traffic is transient.
The number of tragic accidents due to inexperienced pilots flying in mountainous
conditions and marginal weather is well documented." (see Appendices AI-10)Brad
Christopher, former airport manager(in letter in Appendix AI-3)
Most aircraft operations are head to head, landing from the north and taking off to
the north. A departing aircraft must meet a stringent climb gradient performance
requirement, which is marginal for some general aviation aircraft and then only if engines
are functioning normally. Variable weather and atmospheric conditions in mountain
valleys, as well as mountain winds and valley fog further complicate the situation in our
valley. These factors and others contributed to the numbers of accidents in the area of
Sardy Field. (see letter from Samuel Yasgur, an aviation expert, Appendix AI-9)
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. "Fly Friendly" should be a focus for the Airport Manager as he works aggressively
with all commercial airlines, charters, local aircraft owners, Aspen Base Operations, the
FAA and tower chief, to actively educate pilots and request that they observe noise
abatement procedures on both incoming and outgoing flights.
2. Request the BOCC to instruct the County Manager to oversee such a program and
make sure it is being implemented on a continuing basis.
3. Inform Noise Advisory Committee of any impending changes that may affect aircraft
operations such as the Global Positioning System on approach, so that the committee can
have input and that noise abatement will be satisfactorily addressed and resolved. The
FAA has not been sensitive to anything on the ground and controls the airspace usurping
the power of God. We suggest the FAA be more sensitive to its land-based constituents.
4. A Noise Abatement Approach Pattern should be investigated, and all avenues of
noise abatement pursued. No extensions in or exceptions to the curfew should be made
including the 7 AM restriction. Violators should be prosecuted/fined to the fullest extent
possible. All new airlines should be required to work with the community regarding noise
abatement. The current FAR 161 noise abatement study should continue to be funded to a
positive fruition.
5. No increase in parking for general aviation is a decision supported by the Woody
Creek Caucus.
6. Keep it as it is. The Woody Creek Caucus opposes any changes to the airport
including mechanical, technical or structural changes that increase the impact on the
community. We also oppose any lengthening or widening of the runway which could in
any way lead to heavier aircraft than the BAe146 landing in Pitkin County.
7. Landing fees should be levied to discourage touch-down landings.
7/4/97 draft
Commercial/Public
7-19-97
Policy Statement
Existing Commercial Zoning in Woody Creek should not be enlarged and no additional
commercial zoning permitted. No new industrial uses should be allowed. Home
occupations will be permitted provided they comply with the Pitkin County Land Use
Code and other
provisions as stated in this Woody Creek Master Plan. Limited commercial uses in
support of agriculture will be considered on a case by case basis.
Vision Statement
It is difficult to maintain a safe, quiet neighborhood when industrial sites operate within
the neighborhood. It is our desire that these industrial uses, while they exist, be called
upon to live up to the highest standards of community consideration and of the Pitkin
County Land Use Code. Industial uses should be phased out so that those properties
revert to underlying residential zoning ( RS-20).
Current Commercial Uses and Conditions
The Business (B-1) Zone in Woody Creek is limited to 3100 square feet of
building floor area. The B-1 zone is contained within the footprint of the building which
currently houses the Tavern, the David Floria Gallery and the Post Office and no
expansion is allowed.
The Laundromat and other out-buildings at the Trailer Park are not commercially
zoned space and should be restricted for use by the trailer park residents only. These
accessory buildings at the Trailer Park should conform to Home Occupation statutes.
Home Occupations are allowed as described under the Pitkin County Land Use Code
(page 402). Briefly, the business/occupation must be secondary to the residential use of
the building, employ no more than one person who doesn't dwell there, hold a valid
business license, take up no more than 50% of the floor area of the main level, not
advertise or post signs, not sell supplies or products on the premises, not be visible from
other residences, not store equipment or materials outside, and not produce noise,
smoke, dust, odor or other nuisances outside the structure.
Commercial/Recreational Uses are having ever increasing impacts in Woody
Creek from raft tours, fishing guides, snowmobiling companies, outfitters, jeep tours, etc.
Currently, there are few guidelines to distinguish appropriate use versus abuse of the
river, roads and backcountry access. Any legally licensed outfitters will be paying fees
that go to the Open Space Fund. If these outfitters operate partially or totally in the
Woody Creek area, a part of the fee should then be used to purchase/maintain open space
in Woody Creek. Notice of all licensed operators should be given to the Woody Creek
Caucus so that unlicensed users can be identified and the proper authorities notified. At
the same time, we would have some control over the increasing numbers of operators in
Woody Creek, and could limit commercial access to the river or backcountry if overrun.
Development of golf courses is allowed under the Pitkin County Land Use Code in
Woody Creek's AFR-10 and RS-20 zoning with special review. Woody Creek opposes
this section of the PCLUC. From a motion at a Woody Creek Caucus meeting on (??-??97)
"The Woody Creek Caucus took exception to a proposal for a golf course
development in 1995. It is the position of this Woody Creek Master Plan that golf
course development is not an accepted use in our rural, residential community
where open space is still prized for agricultural pursuits."
Elam Construction has a Special Use Permit for the Vagneur Gravel Pit (map of the
pit shown in Appendix C-1) that must be reviewed yearly and expires in 1998. They have
been here for 40 years providing aggregate they estimate to be 10 tons per person per
year to maintain public and private infrastructure. (Findings and conclusions drawn by
Elam on gravel as an essential service are attached in Appendix C-2.) Elam is planning
to request a renewal of their Special Use Permit and has indicated that they will negotiate
with the Woody Creek Caucus to determine an appropriate duration for that permit
Woody Creek realizes there is a need for this product throughout the community and
agrees to continue the Special Use Permit for the Vagneur Gravel Pit providing
performance standards contained within the permit are met by the operators including,
but not limited to:
- Noise control measures
- Dust control measures
- Limited hours of operation
- Cleanup of aggregate spills on public roads outside of the gravel pit
- Limitations on certain truck routes
- Limitations for operation of temporary housing area
- Weed Control
- Adequate backsloping and re-vegetation
- Annual review of the Special Use Permit
- Consideration of neighborhood input
Any modifications to the existing Special Use Permit whether temporary or permanent in
nature shall not occur without input and review by the Woody Creek District Planning
Commission and the Woody Creek Caucus.
Concerns:
1. Reclamation should be required of the entire property including backsloping the
grade, applying herbicide to keep out thistle, etc., and re-seeding of the slope in
accordance with their permit requirements.
2. Temporary seasonal housing of employees is allowed in their Operating Permit in a
maximum of 13 camper-type trailers. An inspection in the Fall of 1996 showed them to
have 15 trailers which exceeds the number permitted, and may exceed the capacity of
the on-site sewage disposal system. We are concerned with any excessive use of this
camp site and insist that the permit restrictions be followed.
3. Noise in the immediate vicinity has been on the increase, according to complaints from
neighbors in the Mobile Home Park, Little Texas, W/J Ranch, and residents along Woody
Creek Road. We have asked for noise abatement measures to be taken. We have asked
that members of the Woody Creek Caucus be allowed regular site visits to insure
performance. There have been suggestions that Elam look into newer equipment that is
quieter (memorandum from Tom Dunlop 11/29/96 is attached in Appendix C-3). Strict
enforcement of all noise restrictions is critical and must be performed.
4. Air/dust pollution has also been on an increase according to the neighbors. Company
representatives stated they are getting new equipment with better dust collection and
control. A water truck is to be in continual use to wet down the aggregate and the roads in
order to control dust pollution.
5. In January 1997, Elam was given a 6-month extension of their permit review.
During this time they were required to address specific complaints of residents and
correct them expeditiously. In July 1997 the Board of County Commissioners conducted
an on-site review of the Vagneur Gravel Pit to determine Elam's response to these
complaints. Elam states that all complaints were adequately addressed. The
Commissioners have not yet notified the Caucus of the results of their visit. The Caucus
remains concerned about the impacts of this operation. The Caucus position requires
that any new concerns as well as previous concerns of the neighborhood will be
recognized and satisfactorily addressed. Any modification, whether temporary or
permanent in nature, shall not occur without input and review by the Woody Creek
District Planning Commission and Woody Creek Caucus.
6. Trucks still occasionally use the old Elam access road onto Upper River Road. The
school bus stop at the end of it, at the Palazzi driveway, sometimes has 6 children waiting
in the morning. It is not prudent to have trucks swinging wide to make that turn or, as
often happens, pulling out without stopping at the stop sign. This road should be marked
with a "No Truck Traffic" sign to prevent drivers from using it.
7. Expansion of the Vagneur Gravel Pit onto adjoining properties is opposed by the
Woody Creek Caucus.
Western Mobile, Inc. has left its previous location at the Pitkin Iron site which was
purchased by Pitkin County. Western Mobile will grade and revegetate the leased and
affected property (a portion of Pitkin Iron property which is located between Highway 82
and the Roaring Fork River) as directed by Pitkin County. Western Mobile has moved
onto Elam's property and operates the concrete batch plant which was formerly operated
by Roaring Fork Redi Mix. Elam's Special Use Permit covers the entire Vagneur Gravel
Pit including the extraction of aggregates, production of asphalt and the operation of the
concrete batch plant. Therefore, Western Mobile does not have a separate Special Use
Permit.
Concerns:
1. Noise pollution at the Pitkin Iron site resulted from the backup signals on the trucks,
the squeal of the jake brakes, as well as banging on the sides of the trucks to empty them.
These problems should be resolved so that the same complaints do not come from
neighbors at the new site at Elam.
2. The operation of Western Mobile should run concurrently with the permit for Elam
Construction and should expire if Elam's permit expires or the aggregate is exhausted. In
other words, this is not to be a permanent industrial site and we do not envision
Western Mobile being there indefinitely.
3. Trucks still occasionally use the old Elam access road onto Upper River Road. The
school bus stop at the bottom of the old access road, at the Palazzi driveway, sometimes
has 6 children waiting in the morning. It is not prudent to have trucks swinging wide to
make that turn, or as often happens, pulling out without stopping at the stop sign.
4. Western Mobile is not to use River Road to or from the plant when the main highway
is closed or congested. The only circumstance acceptable for the use of River Road by
their trucks is to deliver concrete to an address only accessible via River Road.
5. Repair of damage to the prior site of industrial use on Pitkin Iron must be performed
when the plant moves to the Elam site. The Caucus would like to see a reseeding/revegetation program of the site in addition to other required repairs. An
ongoing weed containment program should also be carried out by the responsible party.
Aspen Sports Car Club at the Racetrack was taken over by Arden Weatherford
in 1993. . The County considered car racing a Grandfathered use of the racetrack. There
is no permit and therefore no annual review. Arden says he doesn't rent the track out to
other racing clubs. This eliminates a previous source of excessive noise. He has done
some charity events. He uses automobile models with mufflers and catalytic converters
to further abate the noise. Motorcycles are prohibited. There is currently one permanent
home/office on the site. We consider this a commercial/recreational site. Should the
recreational use change in the future, the property should revert to underlying zoning.
Concerns:
1. Charity events or additional uses should be brought before the Woody Creek Caucus
for review.
2. Storage of industrial machinery and trucks by Aspen Earthmoving who has lease on
the property until October 1998 was considered an illegal use by Pitkin County. The
owner does not plan to extend the lease after that date. The Woody Creek Caucus
opposes any commercial/industrial uses of this property other than the racetrack.
3. Motorcycles are prohibited on the track as the noise is excessive.
The Woody Creek Tavern is located within the building that is the total
Commercially Zoned area in Woody Creek. It is owned by Michael and MaryJane
Underwood and leased to Mary and Shep Harris.
Concerns:
1. Traffic safety is a growing concern with the expanding tourist traffic at the Tavern.
Congestion with people, bicycles and cars is a severe traffic hazard. We would like to
see a solution to the parking problems. No expansion which causes increased traffic is
acceptable.
2. Large commercial delivery trucks which serve the Woody Creek Tavern are a
significant safety risk as they maneuver around the Tavern and on our narrow country
roads.
3. No expansion of the building footprint or commercial uses are acceptable.
Woody Creek/David Floria Gallery is located in the south end of the commercial
building. The art gallery and frame shop generate a small amount of traffic, moderate
noise, and other minor impacts. This type of activity is preferred when commercial
endeavors exist within a residential neighborhood.
The Woody Creek Post Office has been in the log cabin which houses the Tavern
for over 25 years, and if the Caucus had a choice, would stay in the same location.
However, the lease is due to expire in 1998 and the U.S.Postal Service wants to relocate
to the property south of the mobile home park across Upper River Road sometime in
1998, if plans are approved. Mike Underwood has proposed to donate that parcel of land
to the Fire District to share with the Post Office. The U.S. Postal Service opposes the
imposition of a residential housing component with their proposed new Post Office.
Concerns:
1. Traffic impacts on a rural road are the greatest concern. We anticipate the design will
eliminate this concern by permitting traffic to flow in a safe manner.
2. Design of the new post office should suit the neighborhood, have a rural feel, be
landscaped to fit into the hillside where it sits, and not impose too harsh a facade on the
road at the entryway to our "village". The Caucus would like the architect to bring the
plans before a monthly meeting for neighborhood input before the approvals are sought
from the Community Development Dept. (see attached sketch approved by Caucus on
next page)
3. The site of the Post Office is not to be rezoned as Commercial. The Caucus' suggestion
is that it be a PUB (Public) zone. Should the Post Office decide to close its doors one
day, the land would not become a commercial zone. Any change of use would need to go
through the county approval process which would include referral to the Woody Creek
District Planning Commission and Woody Creek Caucus.
Woody Creek Firehouse has been in the planning stages since 1992, and is likely to
start under construction in 1998. No residential usage is planned. A 3-bay substation is
envisioned and now planned at 2700 square feet. For the residents of Woody Creek, this
will decrease response time and increase safety and should bring down the insurance
class rating thereby decreasing insurance costs . While it is a valuable community asset,
we have the following
Concerns:
1. Access/egress road and parking should keep the asphalt to a minimum by good
design. We have no desire for the entrance to Woody Creek to be massive stretches of
pavement. The lasting impression of River Road should be a scenic Colorado byway of
trees, creeks and wildflowers. The Firehouse is encouraged to share the facility with the
community where appropriate.
2. Design of the building should fit with the rustic, rural look of Woody Creek. To date,
the Fire Dept. has presented drawings with the look of a county barn, which were greeted
with enthusiasm by the Caucus. It should be set off from the road so as not to present a
huge facade to Upper River Road (see approved sketch which follows).
3. Lights and sirens to indicate activity at the Firehouse should not be used in this site as
it would be too disruptive in a residential area.
4. The site itself is not to be rezoned as Commercial. The Caucus's position is that it be
a PUB (Public) zone. Any change of use will be required to go through the county
approval process including referral to the Woody Creek Caucus.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. Amendment to Down Valley Comprehensive Plan which on pages 3 and 68
recommends that Service/Commercial/Industrial land uses be designated on the Future
Land Use Map for the Western Mobile site on the southwest side of the Roaring Fork
River, with rezoning considered favorably. It is our position that the
Service/Commercial/Industrial land use recommendation be eliminated.
2. Clean-up of Pitkin Iron by developers should be included in the list of development
mitigation when granting an approval for a development on Pitkin Iron of any size. This
includes but is not limited to mitigation of oil spills, iron ore deposits and the removal of
the enormous concrete slabs. (see Caucus draft of recommendations for Request for
Proposals (RFP) for Pitkin Iron in Appendix HG-___.)
3. Strict enforcement and monitoring of existing commercial/industrial uses by county
officials to ensure that these operations conform tocommunity standards. We recommend
that all variances and permits be subject to yearly review to allow the residents continued
input. All areas of prior concern need to be resolved before new permits or approvals are
allowed.
4. Commercial storage of trucks and dumpsters is not acceptable in Woody Creek.
Incentives should be given to move these to the Landfill site. No permits should be
given which allows this to be done in Woody Creek.
5. Old Elam access road should be closed to truck traffic to the gravel pit. Signage that
says "No Truck Traffic" or to that effect should be installed. It should remain as access
for the temporary dwelling units only.
6. Impound Lot on Woody Creek Development property should not have a special
use permit and when current operator is terminated, usage will revert to underlying
residential zoning.
7. The annual review for Elam should fall in July, midway through their high season,
with input from residents of the Woody Creek planning area.
8. County Road engineers should seriously look at the problem caused by parking
across River Road from the Tavern and look into the feasibility of master planning that
area for safety as the new uses of Firehouse and Post Office are incorporated. Any
proposed changes are to be discussed and configured with input by the Woody Creek
District Planning Commission and the Woody Creek Caucus.
9. Commercial Snowmobiling in Lenado is not acceptable to the Woody Creek
Caucus.
10. Encourage county to enforce Special Use Permits for outfitter guides and
Recreational Permits. We suggest an abatement period to phase out existing motorized or
non-motorized non-conforming recreational/commercial usages. We further suggest that
Pitkin County implement a specialized permitting system to allow monitoring and, if
necessary, limiting commercial recreational uses in order to preserve fragile natural
habitat and resources.
11. Smaller delivery vehicles serving the Woody Creek Tavern would greatly reduce
traffic impacts and increase safety in this congested area.
Housing & Growth
6/23/97
Policy Statement
Woody Creek is proud to currently devote an exceptionally large percentage of its
housing stock to low and moderate income housing. No additional high density or high
rate housing developments should be permitted. Further resident housing will continue to
be provided in scattered low density housing patterns. Woody Creek would like to
promote itself as a resident community.
Vision Statement
We want to continue our history of doing our fair share and providing affordable
housing because we want a balance of all kinds of people in our community and in our
neighborhood, because we hope our children will be able to "come home" again and
because we feel a responsibility to the generations that follow us. However, we are
interested in passing on more than just shelter, bricks, boards and nails to Pitkin
County's children. We believe our gift to the larger community, to future generations,
and to ourselves should be a housing pattern that results in true health to the people
using that housing and that results in the maintenance or enhancement of the natural
elements that are so much a part of Woody Creek's rural character. Woody Creek would
like to promote itself as a resident neighborhood. This means encouraging residents to
sell to residents and discouraging replacement of resident homes with second
homeowners. We want our community to remain as it is. We do not encourage
development.
Growth is a Spiral
growth
refers to the ruin
things that were the
neighborliness and
rural landscape, a
atmosphere, friendliness, low
and low taxes. Many residents find
can no longer afford to live and shop
town. (Professor August St. John,
Appendix H- )
increased
For example as
areas are "upgraded"
Destruction of resort towns when
overwhelms a resort area
or disappearance of
original attractions:
sense of community, a
small-town
traffic
they
in their
see
There is a proven link between
urban facilities and growth.
septic systems in rural
to regional plants, the
cost of which is
exorbitant in sparsely
settled communities,
the burden on each
individual can be
lessened only by
additional growth so more individuals can share the cost of the new infrastructure. This
increased population then overburdens the roads and the school systems which in turn
have to be re-sized to accommodate. If we improve the roads and septic systems and
expand the school systems and the remaining infrastructure, we invite an increase in
population required to pay for this. This population needs more jobs and so we expand
the roads and airport further to increase the tourists coming in. We then need more tourist
beds and more activities to continue to improve amenities for tourists which further
increases the need for support services.
What results without aggressive planning and control is the expanded sprawl of
American-style suburbs amidst tremendous pressures from developers. The rural
community is destroyed and cannot be recreated once it is gone.
Growth Centers should be synonymous with the urban centers, and kept away from
the rural areas which cannot provide the services to support it. One of the policies of the
Aspen/Pitkin County Growth Management Policy Plan was "to divert urban levels of
growth away from those areas which are incapable of handling it." The quality of the
Aspen area as a resort depends partly upon the distinct separation between Aspen and
Snowmass centers of growth and the rural countryside which surrounds it with a more
pristine beauty, available for recreationalists as well as the historic uses of agriculture and
wildlife habitat. We hope these urban boundaries will be well-defined and not allowed to
blur into endless suburban sprawl throughout the Roaring Fork Valley, following the
suburb model that dominated growth policies in the United States for the past 4 decades.
Intensive development in the downvalley portions of Pitkin County which have generally
been characterized as rural would further aggravate the congestion felt on roads already
over their capacity, schools already at capacity, etc. Focusing growth in already-urban
environments by slowly and carefully adding density using aesthetic considerations of
compatibility, and keeping growth away from the rural areas, will preserve the rural open
spaces while still building important housing for a sustainable community.
Proximity to support services and the utilization of public mass transportation is a
key ingredient for determining the suitability of an area for more development. Woody
Creek is, by contrast, not on any major transportation corridor or near any employment
center. Development becomes less efficient as it gets further from the urban centers,
automobile travel and energy consumption increases. As discussed in the Transportation
chapter, public bus service is not reliable for residents of Woody Creek.
Impacts of Growth in Woody Creek
These are some of the reasons why 1% growth should be the maximum rate of
development and why the Caucus opposes development in excess of 1% per year.
Character of the Woody Creek community is probably our most important feature in this
Master Plan. Our vision is one of a rural residential community where open space,
agricultural lands, wildlife habitat are prime components. Neighborliness and a sense of
community, a rural landscape, friendliness, low traffic on rural roads are a great deal of
its attraction to which residents have become accustomed. Growth and development bring
traffic jams and prohibitive home prices. Subdivisions dominate over open space. We
prefer growth, if it comes at all, to come slowly and be assimilated into that character
which has always existed. We prefer that growth that occurs be from primary residences;
second homes and the resulting "gentrification" add to the impacts with the resulting
additional service people and traffic, leading to the threat of irreversible community
imbalance.
Roads in Woody Creek are currently shown by county studies (see Transportation
Chapter ) to be from 107% to 252% of capacity, which means there is no remaining
capacity to accommodate further development without increases in this capacity.
However, it is also important to the Woody Creek community to retain the current rural
character of small roads utilized by recreationalists and local traffic. Any new
development will adversely affect the areas like Smith Hill, which are already congested
during peak traffic hours. The capability of the transit system to accommodate any
proposed development should be addressed before approvals are granted. Without
showing that the transit system is adequate, approvals should be denied.
Schools in the Aspen Public School District are currently at full capacity for the 1996-7
school year according to information provided by the school district; a survey of the 4
public schools follows on the next page. A 1% slow rate of growth throughout the Aspen
School District boundaries could be accommodated by the normal aging of the
population. Faster growth brought about by large housing developments aimed at families
will bring a crisis to the public schools unless they are brought into the planning process
and given time to prepare.
Any faster development will require the provision of new schools at public
expense. When the elementary school was built in 1990, there was a population at the intown school of 475 students. Currently, 6 years later, there is a stable capacity population
of 488. Downvalley enrollment in three elementary schools in the Roaring Fork School
District dropped in 1996-7 (Carbondale, Crystal Springs, Glenwood), an indication that
families are either moving further away to less expensive housing, or moving up to
Aspen's affordable housing program. The fiscal capability of the public schools to
accommodate any proposed development should be addressed before approvals. A
Colorado Supreme Court ruling in December 1996 specifically notes that counties
can deny development proposals because of overcrowded schools.
Air Quality is cleaner, more pristine in the rural areas of Woody Creek. Traffic is light
and industrial uses strictly monitored by the neighborhood. Increased development
should not lead to a proliferation of fireplaces or any new industrial pollution of the air.
Further displacement of employees to the rural areas will add to the growth of the
commuter culture which in turn further degrades the quality of the air.
Water Resources in our semi-arid valley should be protected with tenacity. No
development should be approved that threatens existing agricultural operations or their
water rights, adversely affects stream flow in Woody Creek or Little Woody, causes
destruction of wetlands or natural meadows, or adversely affects the accessibility to water
of any neighbour.
Water Quality is of greatest importance to the residents of Woody Creek, both in the
rivers and in our wells. The testing done in the neighborhood of Little Texas and the
Woody Creek Mobile Home Park show there to be no problem with well contamination
in 1997 either with bacteria or nitrates. (see test results Appendix H-___)
Scenic Quality should be protected in a natural, rural environment from land uses that
serve only to impose boxes upon the landscape, without requiring from them all possible
efforts to minimize that aesthetic destruction and not disrupt the natural setting. Aspen,
the resort, benefits from the surrounding greenbelt provided by agricultural lands and
open space. As growth and development press on our open spaces, we have to meet it
with aggressive preservation measures. Open space is the prime component of any rural
area, much of it kept open by producing, agricultural lands. Wildlife habitat is to be
protected with the same tenacity.
Septic Systems are site specific in Woody Creek, in other words, developed with no
excess capacity but sized only to accommodate that development. Any developer
committed to increasing the population in a neighborhood must develop and finance a
system on that site capable of handling its sewage demands. If zoning is kept as it is,
there would not be a demand large enough to trigger the regional sewage treatment plant
necessary with greater densities of population. In all past conversations with
Environmental Health officials, we were told that lots of 2 acres were considered the
minimum size sufficient to support a leach field. In 1997, Caucus members were told by
Lee Cassin, the assistant director of Pitkin County Environmental Health that lots of 1/2
acre might support a leach field. Though the percolation rates have historically been very
high in Woody Creek, we recommend that this 2-acre minimum be kept as septic
definition of supportable growth, unless serviced by a site-specific package plant. The
financial burdens of hooking existing homes up to a new regional plant have been
estimated at $20,000 to $40,000 or much more depending on distance from the line. This
would result in driving out the long-time community members on fixed or moderate
incomes, giving way to more second home ownership. The costs of a new regional plant
would be borne more easily by greater numbers of homes, which would spur more
growth, more attractive to those under the new heavy burden.
Growth Rates
Woody Creek has maintained that there is to be no re-zoning for increasing density.
Woody Creek has supported the maintenance of a slow pace of growth that has
historically occurred in this community with a rate of 1% per year. Growth was a
follows:
1991
1 unit
1992
2 units see Appendix H-2 (houses built since
1993
4 units
1991)
1994
4 units
1995
5 units
1996
2 units
The Woody Creek Master Plan 1991 was based on a total buildout (according to the
county figures from Aspen/Pitkin Planning Office) of 600 units in Woody Creek.
Affordable Housing
The Woody Creek Master Plan supports an appropriate number of Affordable
Housing Units in Woody Creek. As a community, we support and even prefer
Affordable Housing for the fact that such homes bring in year-round, permanent
residents to the neighbourhood. Woody Creek maintains that self-determination for
Woody Creek boundaries is necessary in order to remain within buildout projections. The
Caucus prefers to lead the planning process knowing what numbers are going to be
tolerated by the infrastructure and considering the impacts of this number in advance of
their arrival.
To reach this buildout number, we propose to provide affordable housing by:
1. Our support and encouragement of the current Land Use Code to allow infill
deed-restricted category housing on existing subdivided parcels that would fill the need
for affordable rental homes (as seen recently on Doc Henry Road and in Twining Flats).
2. Adjusting the formula for subdivision in the County to be consistent to that in
the Aspen Area Community Plan which requires 60% of all new subdivided units to be
deed-restricted as affordable. This creates more affordable housing for permanent
residents and fewer second homes without changing zone density.
3. Any changes in zone density will be considered on a case by case basis (such as
the Firehouse/Post Office rezone to Public and the possible housing contemplated by the
Aspen School District).
4. The Caucus encourages Pitkin County to identify a mechanism by which
density could be "retired" from developable ranch parcels within Woody Creek in
exchange for increasing the density of proposed Affordable Housing (AH) parcels within
Woody Creek. This would have the desired effects of (a) preserving valuable ranch
lands/open space (b) creating additional primary residences within Woody Creek; and (c)
not increasing the ultimate buildout of Woody Creek beyond the total of 600 units that
we project will occur.
The Aspen Area Community Plan calls for a peak population at buildout for the
Aspen Area of 30,000 people, and includes Woody Creek as a site for housing a portion
of the 60% of the work force needed upvalley from Aspen Village to maintain a
sustainable "critical mass"of community. This plan recommended that the countywide
growth rate which at the time (1991) was 3.47% be reduced to 2.0% simple growth rate.
Woody Creek has always maintained that 2.0% be the maximum growth rate allowed. A
1% growth rate is the current Caucus recommendation. The Aspen plan recommended
that 450 units of a desired 650 new affordable housing units be built in the urban
boundaries or contiguous to Aspen. 200 were to be built from Brush Creek to Aspen
Village. The Woody Creek Caucus voted unanimously at the March 1997 meeting to
differ with the Aspen Area Community Plan's choice of 200 as a goal for the Woody
Creek rural area. The tables on page numbers __ and __ which follow show that since
the Plan was devised in 1991, and taking into account the Snowmass Village numbers
which we think should be added to Aspen Area growth numbers, the goal of 650 units is
being met with the 179 already built and the 364-374 that are currently in planning
stages. (543 including Snowmass, 478 leaving it out) This leaves open all the parcels
currently in the theory stages (W/J, Burlingame, Cozy Point, Aspen Community School,
Forest Service, Pitkin Iron, and in Snowmass, Droste, Meadow Ranch, Faraway Ranch,
The Draw) for development at some later date when the schools, roads and infrastructure
can handle the extra population, if that large a population increase is even desired. This
goal of the Aspen Area Community Plan for 650 units upvalley of Aspen Village is
being and will be met without upzoning to Affordable Housing Zone District any of
the rural areas.
Future subdivisions should be 60% Affordable Housing. The County currently
requires 30% of new subdivisions to be dedicated to deed-restricted affordable housing.
The Caucus advocates that all new subdivisions of 5 or more lots be required to provide a
minimum of 60% affordable units. The intent of this would be more dispersed affordable
housing in our rural area. We would further stipulate that no payment-in-lieu of housing
be allowed in these new subdivisions in Woody Creek, but that the subdivisions would
actually be required to provide the housing.
We would recommend the following formula for all new subdivisions:
- Lots splits, only 2 lots, would not be required to provide affordable
housing
but can provide deed-restricted accessory units.
- 3 lot parcels would provide 2 free-market and 1 affordable. (33% aff.)
- 4 lot parcels would provide 2 free-market and 2 affordable. (50% aff.)
- 5 lot parcels would provide 2 free-market and 3 affordable. (60% aff.)
- 6 lot parcels would provide 2 free-market and 4 affordable. (67% aff.)
- 7 lot parcels would provide 3 free-market and 4 affordable. (57% aff.)
- 8 lot parcels would provide 3 free-market and 5 affordable. (63% aff.)
- 9 lot parcels would provide 3 free-market and 6 affordable. (67% aff.)
Subdivisions of 10 lots or more must be at least 60% affordable housing.
The Woody Creek Caucus' position is that individuals build affordable housing better
in Woody Creek than either the public sector or commercial developers in the private
sector. The public sector can and should legislate to allow infill units, but not contract to
build them. The number of people seeking to live in this valley will always be greater
than the amount of space available to house them. It is a desirable place for all the
reasons we have stated in the character analysis, and people will always be trying to leave
the overcrowding of other areas. Do we let everyone have a home that wants one here?
Do we build subsidized, deed-restricted homes until the last free-market home sells to the
last allowed second home owner? No. We set numbers for a maximum buildout that does
not change the character and capacity of our community. The Aspen/Pitkin County
Planning Office put this number at 600 dwelling units for Woody Creek when we did the
first master plan in 1991. We accept this number and by our own more exact figures, we
already have 445 dwelling units (see Appendix H-____) and the current zoning plus
vacant buildable subdivision lots will allow another 140 to 150 units (also H-____).
These numbers do not take into account the possible addition of scattered, infill units that
is occurring, nor the upzoning of any parcels to AH, (Pitkin Iron, W/J, Aspen Valley
Ranch and Aspen Community School). Under current zoning, allowable density will take
Woody Creek to the 600 unit buildout figure arrived at previously by county staff. Any
development on upzoned parcels would increase the buildout potential of the community
beyond its current capacity.
The Woody Creek Caucus supports and encourages areas of the Pitkin County Land
Use Code allowing deed-restricted category Affordable Housing units on existing
subdivided parcels. Increasing our inventory of infill affordable category units will
contribute to the community in several ways: 1. The owner will also be the neighbor and
be able to keep any problems to a minimum; 2. The owner will be allowed some income
off the property to encourage residents not to sell off to second home owners and flee to
subsidized housing themselves; 3. The infill units would be longterm rentals, rather than
sale units, which will keep places affordable longer and maintain a large number of entrylevel homes for the newcomers who do try to move here. Sale units at CPI, or 6%
appreciation cap, or even 3% caps will in the future force people out as the prices go
beyond a newcomer's ability to qualify for loans. They are priced out of "Affordable
Housing" eventually. Rentals, especially of the longterm variety, would let new workers
get a foot in the door. In recent years, the rural areas, which have historically been home
to many new working families in rental units, have seen the conversion of over 200 rental
units to ownership units.(62 W/J, 150 Aspen Village, 54 soon to be at Woody Creek
Mobile Home Park) The infill employee units owned and built by Woody Creek residents
would fill some of that need for rental properties, without further government subsidies,
and Woody Creek will arrive at buildout with a balanced community whose character is
intact. The policy of allowing infill units shall be reviewed annually for conformance
with actual buildout numbers.
Aspen Area Community Plan is recognized as a vision statement of the urban area.
Those residents at the time felt unable to solve their housing problems within the urban
planning area, and subsequently extended their solution into the rural areas. The Woody
Creek Caucus' position is that it is appropriate to put density where services currently
exist to serve
it, and to put more effort into solving those problems within the urban area, a trend that is
increasingly being supported as urban Aspen is finding so many new sites for affordable
housing development.
Maximum Levels of Density. This 600 unit number represents a significant, but
acceptable, change in the population density of the Woody Creek community. The
community accepted this number assuming it did not create a need for substantial
infrastructure improvements. A 1% growth rate translates to reaching maximum buildout
in 25 to 30 years, assuming no rezoning occurs allowing greater density. This buildout
figure was calculated by dividing the zoned density into the number of undeveloped but
developable acres, plus any remaining buildable lots in Woody Creek. The zoned density
was the important figure, and if the estimate was too high, mechanisms that will result in
lower total populations will be preferred. This plan was not designed to create more
density than existed if the estimate was too high. The W/J was considered fully
developed as represented by the landowner and the County, and no additional
development was added there. In order to add density to get to the desired buildout
population while at the same time keeping our rural character, our order of preference for
method of increasing density would be:
1. Responsible development within existing zoning.
2. Scattered, low-density low-rate infill of deed-restricted units
Community Preferences of Development Standards were established in late
1996 and 1997 through discussions after tours of other mostly affordable housing
developments in Aspen and the vicinity. The Caucus members discussed what they liked
and what they thought inappropriate for our rural neighborhoods. Following is the list of
the "Do's" and "Don't's" of development standards for Woody Creek.
Woody Creek Community Preferences for
Development Standards of Site Design & Compatibility
YES
Resident-owned
Permanent, family-oriented
Long-term rentals
Mix of Categories 1-4
60% of new subdivisions is AH
NO
Short-term rentals
Seasonal
All RO like Horse Ranch
Scattered patterns
Low-density clusters in new development
Small scale
Rural Residential character
Small infill projects
character
1 unit/2 acre average
Creek
Large tracts of housing
Blue Lake density, single project
Large urban "plexes"
Suburban character
Uniform, urban density out of
Individuality of design
Carports
Uniform, prefab designs
Uncovered parking all in front
Site specific sewage (ISDS's)
Carrying capacity of land
Safe, secure community spaces
cul-de-sac (slows traffic)
pedestrian-oriented, trails
in Woody
Regional sewage plant
Centralized water
Suburban grid layout
(drive, house, drive, house)
Suburban-style sidewalks
Abundant open space
Usable common areas and/or
Conservation lands to offset density
Preservation of agricultural lands
Suburban density
Subdivision to 35 acre ranchettes
Small rural roads, speedbumps
Drastic road "improvements" that
increase traffic & speeds
All projects built asap
1% growth per year
(on basis of 1997 450 units in W.C.)
Landscapes with native plant species
High-maintenance acres of Bluegrass
Low-water vegetation types (Appendix H-?)
Wildlife-friendly fencing
Barbed wire, 6-8 foot high fences
Outdoor lighting minimized
Light pollution that diminishes night
sky
Trees & shrubs, lower impact fencing on Road
Berms & high fences along River
Road
Increase wildlife habitat
(the channel or tunnel effect)
Affordable Housing Developed in the Aspen area
since 1992
units
category name/location
1993 (4)
C4 lots East Owl Creek (counted in AACP)
11
C2 & 3 West Hopkins
1994 (22)
rentals
21
14
7
1995 27
C2-4
7
4
6
35
C2-4
C4
C4
RO
3
3
s.family lots
s.family lots
1
RO
1996-7
Ute City Place 909 East Cooper (counted in AACP)
C2 & 3 Common Ground Co-Housing
C3,4,RO
Lacet Court (near Crestahaus)
C4
Ute Park
Benedict Commons
Billings Place
East Hopkins
Juan Street
Crossings at Horse Ranch, Snowmass Village
Castle Creek Valley Ranch
Doc Henry 3 deed restricts to build 3 new
(count as 3 new on impacts)
Maroon Creek Golf Course-Cavalieri
35
15 RO, 20 Cat Williams Ranch
(42) rentals Maroon Creek Club (counted in AACP)
5
C3 1/2,4,RO Victorians at Bleeker/behind Aspen Clinic
_____________
179
deed-restricted units built in developments since 1992
179 TOTAL new deed-restricted units built in County
since AACP-generated projections
Affordable Housing currently in Planning Stages
# of units
category
name/location
71
14-18
14-20
31
40
3
11
99
10
12
7
30
22
RO s.family lots
John McBride/North Forty
Cat duplexes
Snyder property/Ardmore subdivision
Cat. multiplexes
Benedict's Stillwater
s.family
Moore property/Meadowood
seniors
Country Inn/Pomegranate
RO s.family
Bob Langely subdivision
s.family duplexes
A.School District/Underwood
incl. 29 dorm
Gerald Hines/Highlands Development
senior rentals
AVH new medical building
category rentals
AVH atop new medical building
cat.townhomes
AVH housing
rentals
Mt. View/ Snowmass Village
single family
Water Plant
364-374 TOTAL AH units coming on the market
Out of 650 new affordable units projected by the AACP to be required to
successfully house 60% of the workforce upvalley of Aspen Village, a total of 543 to
553 units have been built or are well along in the planning stages. This leaves about
100 by those calculations still required with all the following still being contemplated.
Affordable Housing currently in Theory Stages
?
Category
W/J Ranch/Pitkin County Affordable Housing
2
RO
W/J Ranch - 2 lots for Homeowners Assoc.
?
Burlingame Ranch - 250 acres
?
Cozy Point Ranch
30 - 78 multiplexes
United States Forest Service land - 3.1 acres
?
Wildcat Ranch - 35 acres
?
Aspen Community School
?
Small Lodge conversions
?
Meadow Ranch/Snowmass Village
?
Faraway Ranch/Snowmass Village
?
seasonal rentals
Ski Co/The Draw/Snowmass Village
63
rental s.family Droste Ranch/Brush Creek Road - 1000 acres
8
new lots
Aspen Village
6-20
Pitkin Iron
Growth Possibilities at Aspen Public Schools
ASPEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
488 students
18-22/room
Barb Pitchford: The elementary school is currently at capacity. When school was
moved from downtown in 1990, it was built for a maximum of about 500 (at the
time there were about 475 students. A sixth Kindergarten class last year (1995-6)
required
them to expand into the 2nd gym. Currently 10% out-of-district students.
In 1992-3
AES began to exclude new out-of-district families, taking only siblings of
students
already in the Aspen school system. This seems to be stabilizing the class
sizes. 1985
was the biggest birth year in the 1980's and this class has moved on to the
middle
school. With another bond issue, the third story can be added atop the
Kindergarten wing for 5 additional classrooms.
ASPEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
402 students
18-20/room
Griff Smith: Currently at capacity and looking for an increase with small outgoing
8th grade (1997) and larger incoming for several years. They are looking to put
classes
in current Grassroots space and Outdoor Ed storage room. 20% out-ofdistrict.
ASPEN HIGH SCHOOL
350 students
20-25/room
Kendall Evans: Currently at capacity if they continue to allow some programs like
voc. ed., and art in the CMC buildings, etc. Maximum capacity is 400 in
classrooms
built for 20. Known growth in next years:
sees
1998 380
1999 400
2000 415
In 2001, the CMC buildings will be added to their square footage. Tom Farrell
this as 3 classrooms maximum as they already use some for art classes and need
to move the administration offices out of the "temporary" storage building with
the leaking roof they are currently housed in. (It would be torn down for needed
open
space. ) If large numbers of students had to be added, the current 8000 sq ft would
have to been expanded out into the remaining open space. 20% out-of-district.
ASPEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
115 student
12/class
+36 pre-K
George Stranahan: Currently exceeds capacity with 13 and 14 where 12 were
figured in class size.
GENERAL STATUS OF SCHOOLS:
The schools are taking no more out-of-district students, but are not currently going to
force out any already in the system. Siblings will be allowed if there is room. We are
looked to more and more as the best in the valley (Kendall Evans), with 1% expulsion
rate versus the downvalley rates of 5 - 7%. The School Board has a policy of not having
more than 24 per classroom, though some classes cannot have that many (kindergartens
need more supervision).
There are certain ratios of space per child that is supposed to be met in figuring
playground space, library space, etc., and those are maxed with 1200 students on the
campus. If many additional units are built for employees in the upper valley with families
given top priority, and those are built quickly, with 1+ child each as demographics figure,
the additional enrollment would cause the schools to exceed capacity.
LAWS THAT RELATE TO GROWTH IN SCHOOLS:
A Colorado Supreme Court ruling in December 1996 states that counties can deny
property owners the right to develop their lands because the schools are already
overcrowded. Both Aspen and Pitkin County passed land-dedication requirements in
1995. Under their regulations, properties scheduled for development are assessed a
monetary amount if the developer doesn't want to provide some land for future school
use. This fee is levied on both employee housing and free-market homes, in order that
growth should pay its own way. This fee was deemed acceptable while a pure "impact
fee" on new homes to defray the cost of overcrowding of schools was not allowed. State
law specifically grants the authority for land dedications and for developers to pay fees
instead of providing land, a payment in lieu of land dedication.
Tom Farrell, superintendent: The strength of our community (or society) is as great as
the strength of our educational system. With this type of influx of employee families,
our public education will not continue as reputable as it is today. It cannot.
We have a completely built-out campus now. If we are forced to have 30 kids to a
classroom like the inner city schools, the quality of education only goes down. Our
policy we have worked for since moving the schools out to Maroon Creek, was "One
campus, one staff". Any satellites in Woody Creek or Snowmass would be going
against this policy of efficiency.
Under the School Finance Law (Tabor Amendment), we now can spend $6800 per
student per year to educate them. With 600 new students, we would have less funding
per capita and my guess is we would have $5000 per student. And would need new
bonds to do more building to do it.
POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS TO INCREASE CAPACITY
Small satellite school in either Snowmass or Woody Creek (an elementary)
5 new classrooms built atop current elementary (it is difficult to ask local taxpayers for
classrooms for 20% out-of-district students)
Old CMC buildings used to the maximum after 2001 (as already planned)
More playing fields on Moore property, leased from City
Refiguring the school district boundaries - not possible without Basalt agreeing to take
the new students
Year Round School - rotate students in and out 12 months, can increase capacity by 25%
(300). This would effectively kill DanceAspen and Kids Live! and seriously
damage MAA summer rental of spaces.
Double Sessions 7 a.m. - Noon and Noon - 5 p.m. can increase capacity by somewhat
under
100%.
Definitions
"High Density" - The existing development pattern of Woody Creek consists of
properties of two plus acres or more. The exceptions: Little Texas and the Woody Creek
Mobile Home Park (WCMHP) have both been difficult areas to plan. The W/J as it is
now developed fits the two plus acre model when the total number of existing units is
divided into the total acreage not zoned RS-20.
"High Rate" - The acceptable rate of growth in Woody Creek is the historic rate that has
occurred which is 3 to 5 new residences per year (1% of existing units in 1991).
"Scattered Low Density" - The purpose of this statement is to have free market and
affordable housing integrated throughout the Woody Creek Planning Area, not to create
smaller, specialized communities within the larger community. It is preferred that
affordable housing be provided in direct conjunction with existing homesites, so as to
include one affordable unit alongside one free market unit. Some older units can be
converted to affordable status as new homes are built alongside them until maximum
buildout is reached. Free market homeowners could be encouraged to build affordable
units on their properties where applicable. "Bandit" units could be legalized under proper
conditions.
"High Percentage" - In 1991, 24% of housing in Woody Creek was identified as
affordable. In 1997, that number was approximately 33%, which includes the Woody
Creek Mobile Home Park. (Higher if we included Phillips Mobile Home Park.)
Zoning
Woody Creek supports maintaining the existing zoning, which is primarily AFR-10 and
RS-20 throughout most of Woody Creek.
AFR-10 is intended to maintain the rural character of lands by preserving agricultural
operations, wildlife habitat and scenic quality while permitting low density, single family
dwelling units and customary accessory uses. (PCLU Code page 48)
RS-20 is intended for:(PCLU Code page 57)
1.
Low density, single family residential development and customary accessory
uses, while recognizing natural hazards, wildlife areas, limited utility service, roads or
schools, and other facilities may constitute a constraint precluding the realization of
zoned density;
2.
Encourage an orderly development pattern minimizing scattering of development
in rural areas;
3.
Provide potential for the clustering of development preserving open space and
creating efficient utility service for development;
4.
Preserve agricultural operations and environmental resources;
5.
Maintain the rural lifestyle;
6.
Locate development outside of irrigated lands and deer and elk habitat: and
7.
Protect cattle and wildlife by prohibiting dogs in new subdivisions.
PUB (Public) district is intended to provide for the development of public uses, facilities
and services (includes governmental and educational). In Woody Creek, the Aspen
Community School is currently the only Public Zone, though the Caucus recommends
that the new Firehouse and the new Post Office be included in a Public Zone.
AH (Affordable Housing) district is intended to provide land for the production of
income and price restricted housing of all types. The district provides affordable housing
opportunities for permanent residents of Pitkin County in a comfortable, healthy and safe
location sheltered from incompatible and disruptive activities. The district need not be
located in proximity to incorporated or unincorporated towns but should be located in
areas with minimal impacts on surrounding areas, free of environmental hazards. (PCLU
Code page 40) The Woody Creek Caucus position is that any upzoning to increase
density is not desired in the community.
RR (Rural & Remote) district is intended to preserve the natural environment and the
low scale, low density backcountry character in areas which are removed from
emergency services and services such as electricity, phone service, year round road
maintenance, and central water and sewer. These alpine and subalpine lands are a unique
environmental resource often encumbered with natural hazard areas such as steep slopes,
avalanche, wildlife or wildfire. (PCLU Code page 61) Some areas of Lenado were zoned
Rural & Remote in 1996.
B1 (Business/Commercial) district is intended to provide for the establishment of
commercial uses oriented primarily to the local population.(PCLU Code page 79) The
only Business Zone District in Woody Creek is the 3100 square foot footprint of the
Woody Creek Tavern building. The Caucus position is that no further commercial zoning
should be allowed in Woody Creek.
(insert map of Woody Creek zoning here)
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. Micro-communities (as recommended by the Aspen Area Community Plan) are not
seen to be viable land uses for Woody Creek. For many reasons stated above, the
densities required to make a commercial enterprise viable are not suited to this
community. We recommend no expansion of Commercial Zoning in Woody Creek. The
Aspen Quick Mart succeeds only because it attracts the traffic on Highway 82 for the
bulk of its business, not the adjacent 150 homes in Aspen Village (per Don Crouch,
owner.)
2. Mapping of Urban Growth Boundaries should be clearly accomplished in order to
stop the sprawl of development into the rural areas of the County. Urban growth
boundaries promote compact and contiguous development patterns that can be efficiently
served by public services and at the same time preserve open space. The benefits of
successful urban containment techniques can include more cost-effective provision of
public services, encouragement of infill and redevelopment of existing urban areas,
reduction of sprawl and protection of agricultural land and open space resources. We feel
that Aspen and Snowmass boundaries should not include land beyond the Highway
82/Brush Creek Road intersection. The growth boundary is made effective by not
expanding urban services beyond them as development tends to follow the expansion of
services.
3. Growth numbers of Snowmass Village should be added to the equation of Pitkin
County planning area numbers as they add to the impacts on many of the infrastructure
facilities such as roads, public transportation, and public schools to name but a few.
4. Septic Treatment Package Plants when built or replaced should be required to use
the technical expertise of Aspen Sanitation, though private operators may manage the
day-to-day operations. Under no circumstances should a regional plant be built to connect
the smaller plants being designed in Woody Creek.
5. Update survey of workforce which in 1993 determined 45% were housed upvalley of
Aspen Village. 1998 would make a 5-year update to see if progress was made.
We recommend that this be undertaken in a comprehensive manner as soon as possible.
6. Assess impacts of aggregate amount of growth before any new development is
approved. Discussion of the surge of development at Pitkin Iron, W/J, Aspen
Community School, and Aspen Valley Ranch should be considered as a total figure of
growth. Pitkin County, which is the promoter of much of this growth, needs to prove to
the Woody Creek community that the aggregate amount of development proposed will be
mitigated acceptably within the standards set by the existing and revised Woody Creek
Master Plan.
7. Woody Creek Caucus encourages slow growth in our affordable housing inventory
first through responsible development within the existing zoning and further through the
addition of low-density deed-restricted employee units scattered throughout the
community as infill homes where the impact is minimal and the assimilation desirable.
Current land acquisition by the public sector has been opportunistic, and not always
appropriate for good planning. We encourage planning office approvals to allow adjunct
affordable rental units on existing lots alongside an existing free-market unit.
8. State Statute 30-28-136 requires counties to submit a copy of any preliminary plan for
a subdivision to affected governments, such as school districts, and to allow 21 days for
review before taking action. Woody Creek would like to recommend that the Aspen
School Board be brought into the planning process early on in any new development in
order to plan for the impacts such a development will have on the public schools.
Counties are allowed by law to deny development proposals to prevent overcrowding of
the public school system.
9. In the Aspen Area Community Plan , metro residents felt a need to extend their
housing solution into the rural areas of the County in 1992. In 1997, the Woody Creek
Caucus recommends that the numbers be revisited and rejects this "solution" that places
new development in rural areas when the services exist within the urban boundaries to
support it. We further recommend that the Housing Office publish the fact that
government bodies have followed the directives of the AACP and are moving toward
fulfilling that promise in the 5 years since its adoption without forcing that development
into Woody Creek.
10. The Caucus encourages Pitkin County to identify a mechanism by which density
could be "retired" from developable ranch parcels within Woody Creek in exchange
for increasing the density of proposed Affordable Housing (AH) parcels within
Woody Creek. This would have the desired effects of (a) preserving valuable ranch
lands/open space; (b) creating additional primary residences within Woody Creek; and
(c) not increasing the ultimate buildout of Woody Creek beyond the total of 600 units that
we project will occur.
11. Future subdivisions should be at least 60% affordable housing. Recommended
formula for small subdivisions is in the text above.
12. New subdivisions should not be allowed to make payment-in-lieu of providing
affordable housing. They should be required to provide the affordable housing
component of their subdivision application.
Woody Creek Mobile Home Park
54 existing dwelling units
Site: 11.8 acres in total parcel
Ownership: The 54 existing mobile homes are owned by individuals. The land they sit
on is rented from Michael and MaryJane Underwood, under the property management of
Red Canyon Associates.
Plans for Expansion: The current owners in 1997 are in the process of donating land at
the Northeast portion of the site for the Woody Creek Fire Station and the relocation of
the Woody Creek Post Office.
Zoning: The site is zoned AFR-2 with the exception of the 3100 square foot footprint of
the Tavern/Gallery building, which is zoned B-1 or commercial. The mobile home park is
therefore a non-conforming use within the agricultural/forestry zone district.
Homeowners Association Vision
We, the members of the Woody Creek Mobile Homeowners Association, remain steadfast
in our goal of land ownership for the lots under and around our homes, including the
infrastructure. Many residents have lived here for more than 20 to 30 years. We are a
part of the Woody Creek community, hard working people who hope to remain.
Master Plan Policy Statement
The Woody Creek Caucus supports the existing Woody Creek Trailer Park use in its
present location. The Caucus further supports efforts which will improve the living
environment and provide economic stability for residents of the Woody Creek Mobile
Home Park. The Caucus also supports the tenants in their efforts to own their sites rather
than lease them.
Current Status
The Woody Creek Mobile Home Park, established in the 1950's by Lee and Virginia
Jones, has since been the home to 100+ local residents in this quiet working class
neighborhood. It is a prominent fixture and well-accepted part of the Woody Creek
Community.
The residents incorporated the Woody Creek Mobile Homeowners Association
(WCMHA) in 1990 with the intent of purchasing the park from the current landowners,
for the purpose of subdividing lots to individual homeownership. They wish to be owneroccupied on fee simple lots. After years of negotiations, the Homeowners Association
continues to negotiate purchase of the park. The current owners, Michael and MaryJane
Underwood, and their property management company Red Canyon Associates signed "a
letter of intent" to sell in November 1995. The WCMHA presented 6 different contracts,
but thus far, none have been accepted.
The residents' goal of ownership of the land under and around their homes includes the
ownership of the failing infrastructure. Their plan is to meet all code requirements and
correct alll violations after purchase takes place. Numerous polls of the homeowners have
consistently shown interest and commitment from the vast majority. The Woody Creek
Caucus has long and consistently endorsed this concept as an integral part the the Woody
Creek Master Plan.
Concerns of the Community
1. The existing infrastructure is currently in a failing condition. Specifically, the Waste
Water Treatment Plant has failed, and requires major repairs and improvements. As a
condition of the purchase, the Homeowners Association will assume responsibility for the
upgrades. Therefore, it is essential that the contract closes this fall so plant improvements
can be completed before winter. Water system is adequate.
2. "Affordable Housing" is the main issue affecting the stability of the Homeowners.
Conversion of the mobile home parks to permanent residences has been a high priority
with the Aspen/Pitkin Housing Authority. The Caucus' position is that the mobile home
park has always been and should continue to be affordable housing for that area. We
intend to pursue creative options for increasing the quality of life for present and future
residents of that part of our neighborhood by facilitating the transition from tenants to
landowners.
3. Fire protection, with the possible addition of a water tank for storage, will be
reviewed upon purchase.
4. Safety fence or hedge between park and road will be included in plans for the
upgrade after purchase.
5. Laundry facility is for park residents only, not zoned commercial, and is included in
the mobile home park parcel.
6. Pedestrian crosswalk to safely connect mobile home park with new Post Office is
recommended.
7. Limit impacts of parking/traffic from existing commercial zone.
8. The buildings at the rear of the park are for storage only. No other use is acceptable.
Recommendations to Implement the Plan
1. Encourage and facilitate tenant buyout and resident ownership of the Woody Creek
Mobile Home Park.
2. The only commercial zone should remain the footprint of the existing Tavern/Gallery
building. No expansion of this footprint is acceptable.
Pitkin Iron Site
No existing dwelling units
Site: 38+ acres currently zoned AF-1
Ownership: bought by Pitkin County in 1990 for $1.4 million.
Plans for Expansion: parcel was bought with the intention of building some affordable
housing.
Concerns of the Community:
1. Water: adequacy of potable water supply sufficient to serve any density must
be proven and guaranteed before the property is sold. Property sits on enormous layer of
gypsum and 2 existing wells produce no potable water. Any well that is successful cannot
harm neighbors' access to potable water from the same water table. (At date of this draft
June '97, C2HM Hill is doing such a study for the County.)
2. Sewage treatment: no development shall trigger, either individually or
collectively with other development, the requirement of a regional sewage treatment plant
anywhere in the Woody Creek Planning Area.
3. Density: development should be compatible with the surrounding
neighborhood. The map on the following page shows the subdivided residential lots in
the vicinity of Pitkin Iron within a half mile radius. From this map, the mean average of
all the lots was 7.2 acres.
From this we can assume a maximum density on the 38 acres would be 5 units. These
numbers assume a rezoning of the parcel to only allow the specific number of units as by
current AF-1 zoning no more than 2 units would be allowed. As a compromise position
the Caucus discussed allowing two free market units on the River Road side of the
property with their allowed caretaker units, and six affordable units on the Highway 82
side where the property has the best access to public transportation and the least impact
on rural River Road. The density should be set with an absolute guaranteed limit and the
property deed-restricted at level of buildout.
4. Commercial: no commercial uses should be allowed.
5. Developer: should post bond to assure performance. County must be
responsible to make sure that all obligations of the chosen developer are properly carried
out. Development standards preferred by the Woody Creek Caucus should be used in the
design of the units.
6. Housing units: Application must include size of units as well as number of
units. All units must be sale units. Caucus requests a mix of categories based on total
number, with a preference towards the lower categories.
7. Traffic: Suggest studies of area road capacities to understand the impact of
additional development. Our roads in Woody Creek are currently at 107% to 252% of
capacity without any additional development. How does the developer plan to mitigate
these impacts. (Previous county road capacity studies are included in the Road chapter of
this Master Plan)
8. Site design (refer to WCC response to RFP in Appendix HG-__):
Landscape property boundaries. Provide irrigation system to maintain
landscaping.
Clearly fence and post all boundaries if public access allowed.
drain
Regulate use of water from the Walthen ditch. Any water taken from ditch
must be measured at outtake and conform with historic use.
Make potable water available to neighbors (the large well required may
neighbors' wells) if necessary.
Due to the nature of the industrial deposited soils (iron ore, etc.) on the
site,
landscaping,
of soils must
dust control during excavation, grading, and construction must be
done to keep soils from blowing off site. Paving of roads,
and other means necessary to guarantee future containment
be considered.
Development should be clustered away from the boundaries of the
property
single-
as much as possible.
Units on the east (River Road) side of the property should be limited to
family or duplexes; no townhomes or multi-family units permitted.
Individuality of design is preferred to uniform, pre-fabricated
buildings.
9. Public access: Design of public uses must have approval of neighbors and
Caucus. Any public access should be restricted to individual private use. No boat ramps
or raft access should be included in the design as the impact on the residents is too great.
Access to the river should be by trail only with parking as far from the river as possible.
Discuss the provision of toilet facilities for public uses. No community-oriented public
recreational uses such as ball fields or playground areas are to be included.
The draft RFP creates a committee of six voting members to choose a successful
applicant/developer. Only one of these six voting members represents Woody Creek. The
Caucus' position is that more Caucus input is needed in the decision-making process. We
suggest that we also include a member of the Woody Creek Executive Committee and a
member of the Woody Creek District Planning Commission as voting members of the
decision-making process. In addition, the Woody Creek Caucus must have substantial
approval power over the final decision.
The Caucus has always insisted on a plan of mitigation of all potential impacts.
Without such a plan, the Caucus opposes any development whatsoever on this site.
W/J Ranch
The Woody Creek Caucus acknowledges that the following information is in
dispute.We are awaiting clarification and documentation of the information
presented.
62 deed-restricted employee units in category 4 and Resident-Occupied (RO), plus
existing ranch dwelling units.A number of the units were combined to create larger living
spaces. The Minor Plat Review allowed the owner of the W/J the right to create new lots
on which the owner claims to be able to build new RO replacement units.
Site:
W/J, Inc has a house and ranch buildings, 84.5 acres, zoned RS-20
PCAH parcel has 0 units, 112+ acres
balance of W/J ranch (Stevens Street, Bullwinkle, and upper bench)
total of 62 units, plus 2 lots to be created through the subdivision
process, 35+ acres
Ownership:
W/J, Inc John Musick
PCAH parcel. Pitkin County Affordable Housing, Inc., executive
director Wayne Ethridge, John Musick founder.
balance of W/J ranch W/J Ranch Homeowners Association
Plans for Expansion: There has been a contested approval for the replacement lots in
Filing 2 or 3, exempt from subdivision application. There has also been theoretical
approval for the 2 additional lots mentioned above to provide a capital reserve account
for the homeowners association that are not exempt from subdivision. Any additional
development shall require a Master Plan of the entire W/J Ranch including the PCAH
parcel.
Zoning: The Filings 1, 2 and 3 and the PCAH parcel of the W/J Ranch were zoned
Permanent Moderate Housing (PMH), and renamed Affordable Housing (AH) in
1996.The PCAH AH zoning was improperly done and improperly noticed and is not
considered valid by the Woody Creek Caucus. The W/J Ranch, Inc. parcel is zoned RS20.
Master Plan Policy Statement
The Woody Creek Caucus has and will continue to support the homeowners of the W/J
Ranch. The Caucus' position has been that the representation by previous owners and by
the County was that the Ranch was fully developed with the construction of the 27 units
on Stevens Street in 1989. Piecemeal development history of this parcel requires that an
acceptable final master plan of the entire W/J Ranch parcels be prepared by the County
and submitted to the Caucus. (see W/J history by Alan Richman in Appendix H-___)
Current Status
Currently the deed-restricted category units on the Ranch are allowed to expand to 2000
square feet of living space, plus 1000 square feet of basement space and an additional 500
square feet of garage or shed space. This was allowed as part of the Minor Plat
Amendment in 1995. Also allowed was the combining of some units for more square
footage.This results in a total consistent number of 62 affordable units.
Concerns of the Community
1. Water System provided on the ranch currently delivers 50 gal/person/day. The state
calculates a minimum standard of 75 gal/person/day, with a 100 gal/person/day average.
A 4 to 6" line will carry a sufficient amount of water for fire protection. An existing 2
1/2" line provides insufficient fire protection at 45 gal/minute. Proof of an adequate
available source of water and sufficient delivery system must be provided before
approval of any new or replacement residential development.
2. Waste Treatment on the ranch is adequate for current use. An evaluation of the septic
system by Environmental Health in 1996 showed that Filing 1 has six units that do not
comply with regulations. Six of the units share two leach fields and under code produce
more effluent than allowed on the allotted space if the allowed extra square footage were
to be built in bedrooms. While most of the newly configured lots don't meet the setback
requirements, the BOCC felt this was an acceptable situation. No development shall
trigger, either individually or collectively with other development, the requirement of a
regional sewage treatment plant anywhere in the Woody Creek Planning Area.
3. Hazard Zone: Odors - The Stevens Street units are adjacent to a 50-acre sludge dump
from which the odors can be oppressive. This is controlled by the county sanitation
districts of Aspen and Snowmass on land which was purchased with federal funds.
Should the use ever change, these sanitation districts have to pay for the land at current
market value. The current application for a ten year special use permit by the sludge
dump states "The (sludge) property is not suitable for residential use due to the impacts of
the flight path for the Pitkin County Airport." There have been recurring complaints from
residents of the W/J and their neighbors regarding odor.
Noise - Any units that may be built on the PCAH and the Filing 2
units will be adjacent to the Racetrack with the noise impacts and auto emissions that that
entails. The noise of the crusher at the Elam Gravel Pit is also evident. Perhaps the worst
offenders for noise, however, are the planes, as this ranch is in the direct flight path for
most take-offs and landings from Sardy Field.
Air Quality - In addition to the above auto emissions, the PCAH
and Filing 2 units are adjacent to and downwind from the Elam Gravel Pit with its
associated dust pollution.
Inherent danger of plane crashes on this bench can be seen by
the 2 most recent crashes in 1990 and 1991 near the Stevens Street homes. (Refer to the
Airport Chapter of this Master Plan for details.)
4. Lack of public transportation which all of Woody Creek shares is compounded at the
W/J Ranch which the larger busses cannot reach particularly in the winter due to the
hazardous conditions often found on Jaffee Hill and McLain Flats Hill (see the
Transportation Chapter for this report by Dan Blankenship, head of RFTA). These hills
are closed several times each winter, and in the 1988-89 school year, a school bus slid off
the side of the road early one morning causing all the children to walk down the McLain
Flats hill on foot. The Land Use Code requires that the transit system be capable of
accommodating the proposed development without the need for new services at increased
public expense.
(PCLUC 3-120.50)
5. Traffic: Suggest studies of area road capacities to understand the impact of additional
development. Our roads in Woody Creek are currently at 107% to 252% of capacity
without any additional development. How does the developer plan to mitigate these
impacts? (See previous county road capacity studies included in the Road Chapter of this
Master Plan) The lack of sufficient capacity, as well as the frequent winter hazardous
driving of Jaffee Hill and McLain Flats Hill are a community concern and disincentive to
development there.
6. Open Space was how the balance of the Ranch was represented to many of the
existing homeowners when they bought the parcels on Stevens Street in 1996. A true
clustered or planned development would either create usable common open space for
residents, or would set aside lands for conservation to offset the higher density
development that had been allowed. The W/J projects instead are creating pockets of
development, without any assurance that open space will be preserved to compensate for
the density that gets approved. Any additional development would encroach on
previously represented open space.
7. The Minor Plat Amendment of 1995 which allowed all of the smaller of the 62 units
to expand to 4 bedrooms, allowed replacement lots for any duplexes that combined into 1
larger unit. This also allowed a huge amount of potential growth without going through
the subdivision process that might have asked for mitigation of the impacts of this
growth; e.g., if 62 units first built as 2-bedroom units were all allowed to double in size,
the additional 124 bedrooms holding a potential of 248 persons are not a negligible
increase. This increase in population must be incorporated into any calculation of density
and impacts. In 1994 The BOCC granted a subdivision exemption approval to the W/J.
The subdivision process requires that adequate services and utilities exist for the growth.
These numbers of new residents would have a large impact on services (water, sewer,
roads, schools, etc.). This process was bypassed without planning by the owner to
accommodate these impacts, but allowed the potential for the growth. This growth should
be considered and mitigation provided by the developer prior to any further new
development or replacement development in the area.
8. Commercial: No commercial uses should be allowed. No expansion of Commercial
Zoning.
9. Wildlife currently use a great deal of the Ranch as winter habitat and a migration
corridor. Any development shall not be allowed to disturb this historic pattern. (See Open
Space Chapter of this Master Plan.) The Woody Creek Caucus is dedicated to increasing
wildlife habitat, not decreasing it by any actions of individuals or the community.
10. Prior Promises to the existing homeowners during previous land use applications
have not been met. These include:
All dwelling units need to be evaluated and brought up to Code including, but not
limited to, electrical wiring, access windows, etc., with warranties in the
homeowners' names.
All roads were to be chipsealed. The warranty should be to the homeowners.
Construction of sewage treatment upgrades, if needed, was to be paid for by W/J
Ranch, Inc.
Sewer mains and home hookups, if needed, were to be paid for by W/J Ranch,
Inc.
This includes all 62 old and new lots.
These promises must be kept prior to any further new development or replacement
development.
11. Is there a demand for housing at W/J ? According to the Aspen/Pitkin Housing
Office, the recent sales of units at the W/J has demonstrated only limited market demand,
compared to the large numbers seen for affordable housing in the urban area. (In March
'97 five applicants for one sale unit chose not to buy it at all, and in April '97 the same
unit got zero applicants as did two other units up for sale.) The sales history of the units
owned by the Housing Authority at the W/J make the true demand for units seem
questionnable and it seems unnecessary to create new units in this area at this time.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. The position of the Woody Creek Caucus has been that the W/J Ranch is and was
built out with the Stevens Street additions. The rest of the ranch was deed-restricted
against development. The Affordable Housing (AH) zoning was not done or noticed in a
way we see as valid.
2. Sewage Package Plant, if built as a solution to this site's problems, should be paid for
by the developer. The plant should be sized for the existing units only. The existing
homeowners should only be charged the monthly fees for the processing, not for
repayment of the construction of the plant.
3. A Master Plan of the entire Ranch has to use the figures of the maximum allowable
square footage and 4-bedroom potential now promised all the existing 62 lots when
figuring the impacts of the proposed growth to be generated with any additional
development. Any mitigation must come from the total potential buildout of the
expanded existing units.
4. Developer should post bond to assure performance. County must be responsible to
make sure that all obligations of the developer are properly carried out. Development
standards preferred by the Woody Creek Caucus should be used in the design of the
remaining lots within the 62.
5. Visibility from Highway 82 and Brush Creek should be carefully assessed
aesthetically when the design of any development is considered by the County staff.
Brush Creek homeowners should be included in this process.
6. All Prior Promises made with regard to prior land use approvals shall be kept to
the existing homeowners before any approvals to new homebuyers are given.
7. No further small, phased action on land use issues regarding any entities at the W/J
ranch properties should be taken until a comprehensive master plan for the ultimate
planned development of the property is provided by the developers and approved. This
approval should first come with input from the Woody Creek Caucus. The Caucus made
only this exception:
The Caucus moved to ask the BOCC to allow the subdivision application for the
two W/J lots belonging to the Homeowners' Association to proceed prior to the master
planning of the entire W/J Ranch. When the Caucus receives the application to review,
a final recommendation will be made as usual. September 25, 1996 minutes (see
Appendix H-__)
8. County resolution 89-97 states that no further development would occur in the PMH
(now AH) zone, unless a series of findings were made, including:
a. "The proposal is found to be consistent with the Down Valley Comprehensive
Plan for the Woody Creek area."
b. "The proposal is consistent with densities envisioned for the Woody Creek area
and is approved in a master plan for the entire parcel."
9. County resolution 96-1 states that the County will initiate the Master Plan process for
the W/J ranch to determine what number and type of Affordable Housing is appropriate
in conjunction with the Woody Creek Caucus master planning process. The County will
further hold the developer (W/J Ranch, Inc.) to all past promises made to the Board of
County Commissioners and the W/J homeowners by officers and representatives during
all past approval processes and for all conditions imposed by the Board as part of past
development approvals.
Open Space
7/4/97 draft
Policy Statement
We support the preservation of a rural sense of Open Space and to" keep it as it is". Our
goal is to acquire more open space as a way of mitigating the impacts of development.
We intend to add to the total conservation acreage in Woody Creek.
Vision Statement
We know the pride of taking good care of the land in Woody Creek, how privileged we are
to walk by a river where things still work as they should, or the joy of riding a bike on a
rural road and feeling safe. We want to preserve and enhance wildlife habitats, open
space, trails, parks, and agricultural uses. We live within our environment. We do not
view our environment as our enemy. Rather, this incredibly complex ecosystem
surrounding us is our primary asset and source of life. Woody Creatures include all
living creatures, not just humans. If we are to live sustainably, leaving future
generations at least as well off as we are today, we must not harm this fragile
environment, of which we are a part.
Current Status
The Principal Land Use objective of the Pitkin County Downvalley Comprehensive
Plan (1987) is to identify the highest priority land for preservation and recommend
suitable locations for development. The Pitkin County Down Valley area contains all of
the land between Brush Creek Road and Basalt, including tributary valleys to the Roaring
Fork River with the exception of the Frying Pan and Crystal River Valleys. The plan
establishes approximately 31,000 acres, or 40% of land down valley, as part of the
Agricultural/Wildlife Reserve. Residential development is not precluded on AWR lands,
however it is strongly discouraged. The remaining privately owned land in the Down
Valley area is designated Rural Residential. Generally, Rural Residential land is nonirrigated land which is located outside of critical wildlife winter range and migration
corridors. Low density residential zoning consistent with the existing zoning is
envisioned for this district. One general concept of the Future Land Use map is to
encourage development and commercial/retail land uses to locate in the municipalities of
Aspen, Snowmass Village and Basalt. (see Future Land Use map following on page ___)
Dedicated Open Space. Open space for visual and recreational needs is one of Woody
Creek's highest priorities and requires constant protection. The views and the immediate
accessibility to outdoor recreational opportunities embody our community character, and
must be preserved and enhanced.
There are two types of open space that are important to the community: passive open
space, that provides visual relief from development and offers valuable habitat for
wildlife, and active open space, which allows residents to enjoy recreational activities.
Open space in Woody Creek is either publicly or privately owned. The natural
environment is one of the community's greatest assets, and the reason many choose to
make the Woody Creek valley their home. From sensitive land development techniques
to community recycling efforts, life in Woody Creek must reflect the commitment to
preserve our environmental and wildlife resources. Our community's active and passive
recreational needs must be constantly reassessed and addressed in order to maintain one
of the most valued features of rural Pitkin County. Woody Creek does not encourage the
creation of additional active recreational areas. Those would be more suitable to urban
areas. The Woody Creek Caucus took exception to the provision for golf courses in the
PCLU Code in 1995; and in this Woody Creek Master Plan our position is that golf
course development is not an accepted use in our rural, residential community where
open space is still prized for agricultural pursuits.
The Open Space and Trails Board's mission is to "acquire, preserve, maintain, and
manage open space for multiple purposes including recreation, wildlife, agricultural
access and scenic purpose."The Woody Creek Caucus should seek help from the Open
Space and Trails Board for ways to preserve more Open Space, or at a minimum, to
reduce the perception of physical change in the local environment by preserving existing
open lands. Open space is oriented for more passive uses such as agricultural lands,
wildlife areas, etc. These lands provide aesthetic landscapes for residents and insure
wildlife survival. As such, the Woody Creek community as well as the community at
large receive and recognize the benefits of the open space preserved by the ranchers in
their agricultural lands. It is the policy of the County to preserve its natural, rural scenery
for the benefit of its residents and the continued viability of its resort economy. To
preserve scenic quality, the County will prohibit or require mitigation of the visual
impacts of land uses and development. (PCLU Code 2-120)
We need to resolve the dilemma between open space/wildlife versus public access
which results in degradation of the land. There is a contradiction between preservation
and public use. Preservation is the diametric opposite of increased access. Priorities must
be established to determine which areas would be appropriate for each type of use.
Where such a conflict exists, our recommendation is to preserve the land.
Agricultural lands should be preserved through the voluntary acquisition of conservation
easements. These easements could initially be of a short-term duration, i.e., a year or so
to establish confidence in the easement program. The following motion was passed
unanimously by the Woody Creek Caucus 3/29/95: The Woody Creek Caucus gives its
support and encourages conservation trusts and conservation purchases of land in
Woody Creek. Ranchlands that are to be developed should require clustered development
with open space rather than larger individual parcels in the subdivision.
1997 Dart Ranch Conservation Easement: We encourage projects such as this which
decrease potential buildout by purchasing conservation easements. This protects essential
wildlife habitat while allowing the landowners an economic benefit and continued
ownership of their lands.
Rural and Remote was a new zoning district adopted by the BOCC in 1994. The
intent of Rural & Remote is to preserve the natural environment and the low scale, low
density backcountry character; to minimize environmental degradation and retain open
space; to balance recreational uses and limited development. This zone district applies to
areas of the County which are removed from emergency services and traditional services
such as electricity, phone service, year round road maintenance, and central water and
sewer. Typically, lands within this zone are subalpine and alpine and represent a unique
environmental resource in the Community. These lands are often encumbered by a
variety of natural hazard areas such as steep slopes, avalanche, wildlife or wildfire.
Lands within this zone are viewed as a community asset. These lands maintain a unique
lifestyle alternative for backcountry individuals, protect the integrity of the larger overall
ecosystem and provide backcountry (non-wilderness) winter and summer recreational
experiences. (Section 3-412 Pitco Land Use Code)
The following motion was passed unanimously by the Woody Creek Caucus 2/22/96:
In order to preserve and protect the existing backcountry character and open space of
upper Woody Creek and its tributaries, we recommend the immediate rezoning by
Pitkin County of upper Lenado, Silver Creek, Johnson Creek, Rocky Fork, and the
north face and ridge of Red Mountain above Lenado to Rural & Remote, specifically
as outlined on the map presented at tonight's Caucus meeting. Parts of this area near
Lenado were subsequently rezoned Rural & Remote. The buildout potential was reduced
from a possible 62 units to 30 units under the new zoning. (see appendix O-1)
Concerns:
1. Existing Open Space in Pitkin County is now being threatened by Highway 82
(Marolt Open Space). The Rio Grande Trail within Caucus boundaries is also threatened
by being considered for light rail/train. If these changes occur, we have failed in our
efforts to preserve this Open Space/Rio Grande Trail for future generations and wildlife.
2. Wildlife habitat particularly along the river corridors should be protected by zoning
restrictions. Conservation easements should be acquired wherever possible in Woody
Creek to protect wildlife habitat.
3. Commercial Uses: There is a growing concern regarding the increasing commercial
use of public lands. While individual uses of these areas cause small impacts, commercial
recreational uses cause significant impacts. A few kayakers going down the Roaring
Fork cause little notice. Dozens of commercial rafts loaded with passengers on a daily
basis cannot be ignored. Cross country skiers in the winter back country do minimal
harm. Commercial snowmobile operations in the National Forest have great impacts. If
there were a way to limit commercial uses in public areas, greater public access for
individual use could be acceptable. The County should have a special use permit for
commercial recreational uses on public lands in Pitkin County including use of public
parking areas in order to control use and damage to public access areas.
4. Pitkin Iron property: The riverside should be revegetated from previous industrial
use damage and the riparian area protected as much as possible.
5. Conservation easements or "flexible easements" are mechanisms by which a
landowner can donate land but still build a house and get charitable tax deductions.
Discuss these with local ranchers and landowners and the Aspen Valley Land Trust
which can accept the gift but not have the money to purchase the land outright. We
should seek to protect rather than sterilize as many parcels of productive ag lands from
development as possible on our list of important irrigated meadows, open croplands and
historic ranching areas, as well as any with significant recreational value not requiring
intensive maintenance or management.
6. Native species of plants are encouraged to be maintained or replaced. (see Appendix
for list of plants H-1)
7. Change the tax laws that penalize landowners for not developing their land.
Developed residential lands are (1997) assessed at 10 percent of actual value by the
Colorado state assessor's office and undeveloped lands are assessed at 29 percent of
actual value. We would like to see undeveloped lands taxed at a lesser rate to encourage
them to remain undeveloped.
Agriculture
Policy Statement
Agricultural pursuits are encouraged as adding to the overall well-being of Pitkin County
through maintenance of open space and wildlife habitat. It is our goal
to preserve as close as possible to 100% of the approximately 4000 acres of lands that are
currently used for ranch purposes, keeping those agricultural lands in agricultural
production.
Vision Statement
The residents of Woody Creek have chosen to preserve the past and present character of
the Woody Creek community and to endorse and support land use policy which will
encourage, not sacrifice, traditional and rural agricultural pursuits. We are lucky as
residents of Woody Creek to have so much land left to protect. We must find a balance
between preservation and growth. We encourage agricultural pursuits in our
community; there are many opportunities and diversity is a key component. We as
residents of Woody Creek need to work together to protect and support the few remaining
ranches.
To be agricultural is more than to be non-urban.
The agrarian community must be pro-actively agricultural. As agricultural lands are
squeezed by development pressures, ranchers know their land is valued for more than it
can produce. And as the numbers of U.S. citizens involved in agriculture declines,
ranchers know they make up 1.4% of a society run on majority-rule decisions. At the turn
of the century, farmers made up 90% of the population. In 1990, there were 45,118
people living on Colorado's farms, 50% less than in 1970. (Colorado Department of
Local Affairs research) With their land valued for what can be built on it, not grown on it,
ranchers find their children cannot afford to pay the inheritance taxes without selling all
or part of the land. Ranchers also do not accept "protective" agricultural down-zoning of
their lands which they see as taking away their constitutional property rights. Incentives
for preservation are preferable for preserving ranch lands.
Concerns:
1. On a cautionary note, we are concerned with proliferation of high-density commercial
businesses hiding under an agricultural heading. While we want to offer ranchers
economic opportunities to maintain their ranches, these activities should fall under the
Home Occupation guidelines of the Pitkin County Land Use Code.
Roaring Fork Valley Benefits from Woody Creek Ranches
Preservation of Rural Lifestyle, which is a goal of the Woody Creek community, is
fostered by the maintenance of agricultural lands and wildlife habitat. All Pitkin County
residents value the rural landscape and have strongly expressed a desire to maintain it to
the greatest extent possible. In this respect Woody Creek provides a service to all Pitkin
County residents. The uncrowded, rural landscapes are important to the quality of life of
all the citizens of the Roaring Fork Valley, and like all amenities, the public will have to
pay something to keep this agricultural aspect of their lives. Woody Creek still shows
there is a difference between producing agricultural lands and large trophy homes on
large tracts of neatly mown grass. (see Appendix AG-1) Wealthy newcomers to the West
are attracted to the big parcels of ranchlands with beautiful mountains in the background,
and a ski resort close at hand. The cowboy life and values, the traditional rural values of
community, the scenic vistas draw in the mobile millionaires of the 1990's where they set
up artificial luxury ranches worth many times what a subsistence rancher can afford to
pay for the land. The process is driving out what remains of viable agricultural
operations, but at the same time, artificial or not, these wealthy newcomers are saving the
open spaces from development, preserving the land, allowing wildlife habitat to remain
undisturbed, in essence leaving large pieces of the West as it has been for a hundred years
- the wide open spaces. (an essay by rancher Jennifer Craig can be found in Appendix
AG-___)
Resort Economy is enhanced by the distinct separation between the urban centers of
Aspen, Snowmass and the rural Down Valley Area. Channeling growth into the centers
and away from the rural areas which cannot provide the services to support it has been an
expressed purpose of the 1977 Growth Management Policy Plan and the 1983 Growth
Management Policy Plan Update and the Woody Creek Master Plan. (AACP Phase One
pg 61)There has been a strong desire expressed by Pitkin County residents to maintain as
much land as possible in agricultural production. Agricultural lands serve three
acknowledged public purposes in addition to the "primary crop" which is the production
of farm animals and crops. It has been said that the
"Second Crop" produced by the County's agricultural lands is grazing areas and
migration corridors for the local big game population. The
"Third Crop" produced by agricultural lands are the thousands of acres of maintained
open space which surround County residents and visitors. It is a viable aesthetic
resource. Some folk view the
"Fourth Crop" as being the protection of air and water sheds provided by ranchlands.
Residents consider these "Second, Third and Fourth Crops" as an essential component of
the Pitkin County resort economy. (DVCP pg 34-5)
Maintenance of Open Space in the best possible manner comes with agricultural lands.
It is generally well irrigated, green, privately maintained and beneficial to air and water
sheds. Maintained agricultural land and undisturbed big game winter range are less
likely to be infested with weeds. Weed infestation, in particular, Canadian thistle, was
noted at many public meetings to be a major citizen concern. The maintenance of open
space helps preserve the rural lifestyle which the residents of the community value.
(AACP pg 60) In this, Woody Creek is providing a great service to the larger Pitkin
County community.
Water Quantity and Quality. The preservation of agricultural lands protects water sheds
and floodplain from the impacts of development. The Woody Creek area contains
important water resources, including an extensive drainage that has not been impacted by
intense recreational, commercial or residential development. It is the location of several
major irrigation ditches, irrigation water rights, fishery resources, pristine water quality
and few pollution sources. With the loss of agriculture would come changes of water uses
from irrigation to more intensive and consumptive use which is of particular concern.
Air Quality in rural areas is the most pristine the county has to offer in any residential
area, other than Rural and Remote. Motor vehicle traffic in Woody Creek has been light,
industrial activity an occasional exception, other point sources such as fireplaces widely
scattered except in some few areas of more suburban density.
How to "Keep it as it is"
Residential Development of agricultural lands is to be discouraged though not
prohibited. Whenever possible, future development should be directed away from the
producing fertile ranchlands to the greatest extent possible to protect big game, enhance
agricultural production and maintain the visual quality of the community. (DVCP)
Development pressures remain constant. As stewards of the land, we need a balance
between development and preservation. If any rural, scenic and wildlife values are to be
preserved in this county, future development would have to be located with extreme care.
If any functioning agricultural lands are to be preserved, that care needs to be even more
extreme. The large second home market in Aspen is expanding beyond the urban
boundaries, the wealthy clientele of the well-established tourist economy and the everincreasing waves of people moving here to escape other areas of congestion and pollution
put a strong and constant demand for development on all open space and ranchlands. We
need not cater to the market's demands. We must maintain low-density zoning and
minimal development on agricultural lands and where possible, we must locate that
development which does occur outside of or along the edge of irrigated productive fields,
avoiding ridgelines and other sensitive areas.
Landowner compensation programs which feature the acquisition of scenic or
agricultural easements are far more desirable than fee simple land acquisition programs
because of the lower cost of acquiring easements as compared to fee simple interests in
land and due to the land management costs resulting from fee simple acquisition.( DVCP
pg 70)
The most successful land preservation programs in the nation have some level of public
compensation to landowners associated with the program. Ranchers whose land benefits
the County as open space should be compensated for the public benefit they provide.
Agricultural zoning alone in the absence of complementary land use regulatory and
compensation programs may not insure the continuation of agriculture( DVCP page 73)
Agricultural zoning has limited value for Pitkin county because it does not insure
success of agricultural operations or directly help the County achieve the adopted goals
relative to open space for wildlife and visual quality. However, agricultural zoning may
have some limited value for rural Pitkin County because it could be used as a way to
determine if a property is eligible to participate in streamlined land use reviews for low
intensity and low impact land use actions. (DVCP pg 73) The zoning could serve to
generate taxing differences between productive agricultural lands and purely developable
lands.
Economic Incentives to induce the independent rancher to keep on his agricultural
pursuits have to be more than tax breaks. If the rancher is only breaking even, tax breaks
are useless. They only work if one is making a good deal of money, and few ranchers
have recently been that successful. Community farm systems that work successfully in
France are seen as a way for local agricultural lands to keep on producing and earning
their way thereby maintaining this lifestyle. Farmers' markets could be given special
treatment when under special review to help residents buy the locally grown produce.
A Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Program as currently applied to Rural and
Remote zone districts can succeed if the local governing jurisdiction has a comprehensive
land use regulatory system in order to make the TDR a valuable commodity.
As stated in the 1991 Woody Creek Master Plan, "no Transfer Development Rights shall
be used to develop more density in the Woody Creek Master Plan Area. Transfer
Development Rights or Purchase Development Rights used to move density out of Woody
Creek Master Plan Area are acceptable." The Woody Creek Caucus emphatically
endorses this statement for the 1997 revised Master Plan.
A TDR Program for Agricultural Lands. We recommend for agricultural lands a
limited, voluntary TDR program in conjunction with a purchase development rights
(PDR) program which retires density. We feel this would be beneficial to Pitkin County.
These techniques in combination with modifications to existing land use regulations
could provide a mechanism by which rural Pitkin County retains high priority
agricultural lands and wildlife habitat in open space and directs development to more
suitable areas.
Land Trusts have successfully in other areas (notably Marin County, CA) paid a
landowner to keep his land as open space, preserving easements of open space that is not
actually open to the public while under private ownership. The rancher who sells an open
space easement continues on with ranching business while enjoying a stipend paid by the
general public or by entities like a ski resort community that benefit from the ambiance
that scenic open space provides. The trust holds the donation in perpetuity while the
landowner usually gets a tax break from the difference between what the land was worth
on the open development market and what it's worth as agricultural land. He has
"donated" the value of the land, as if it were fully developed. Sometimes a few homesites
are set aside as part of the deal, and the rest is protected from mass development. Valleybased land trusts have a variety of programs, and tailor donation deals to the individual
rancher. Recently in 1997, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Board agreed to spend
$1.38 million to buy a conservation easement over the Dart Ranch on Lower River Road,
partnering with the Aspen Valley Land Trust and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The
foundation will give $20,000 toward the $1.4 million conservation easement purchase of
the nearly 300-acre ranch, preventing eight possible homesites under the state's 35-acre
subdivision law, and protecting valuable open space in Snowmass Canyon that serves as
elk and mule deer winter range.
Conservation Easements involve land easements donated to a land trust or an open
space board. "Incentives to donate agricultural conservation easements could be
enhanced by increasing income tax incentives, which provides income and estate tax
benefits. Federal and state income tax rules allow a deduction for a donated conservation
easement of up to 30 percent of adjusted gross income over a period of six years at most.
But for most scenic properties, the after-tax savings are a tiny fraction of the development
value of the land."(Colorado Department of Local Affairs Agriculture brochure) Another,
albeit short-term, system being tried near Steamboat Springs with a GO! Colorado grant
from the Colorado Lottery income has helped pay for "conservation leases". These deals
preserve ranchlands for a specific time of usually ten years by paying the rancher not to
sell to the developers and the oft unwelcome growth. We would prefer that these
easements be permanent through deed-restriction and encouraged on parcels large or
small.
All of these avenues should be pursued, for if past patterns continue, most of the ranchers
in the Woody Creek area will sell their lands to developers who bring the first offers to
buy the ranches. A very few of these ranch families (like the Dart family of Snowmass
Canyon) will donate easements and be compensated by one of the few land trusts to
avoid inheritance taxes and allow their children to continue living on the ranch and
carrying on the traditional lifestyle of the West. Wealthy new owners should be
convinced of the benefits of preservation as the next owner may not differentiate between
the temporary protection of another part-time owner and the offers of a land-hungry
developer. Once that decision has been made and the ranch divided up, it's rather like
Humpty Dumpty. You can never put it back together again.
We believe our large ranches are worth a premium over the subdivision value and hope
the market will realize it before making the irreversible mistake of devaluing them
aesthetically and economically.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. Create incentives to increase the capability of owners of agricultural lands to maintain
the vast majority of their land in agricultural use/open space. Limited commercial uses
compatible with agriculture might be allowed with special review on a case by case basis
if appropriate. Tax incentives and/or supplements need to be explored.
2. Pursue TDR and PDR programs and conservation easements for Rural and
Remote zone districts as well as for agricultural lands.Try to direct ranch owners who
want to sell to conservation buyers though imposing restrictions should not be punitive.
Any development rights taken away should be compensated. Land is considered by
ranchers to be an investment that deserves returns, not a liability from land use
restrictions.
3. Discourage 35 acre subdivision of ranches that cut up all available producing
agricultural lands. Create incentives that encourage landowners to effectively cluster
minimal development off the open fields, in sheltered areas less visible from the
roadways to preserve the aesthetics of Woody Creek. Possibly give density bonuses for
those development proposals that preserve 100% of productive lands. Continue to
regulate 35-acre parcels in terms of 1041 hazards and GMQS. State Statute HB96-1364
adds to the statute (30-28-401-404) that "it is in the public interest to encourage
clustering of residential dwellings on land exempt from subdivision regulations."
Incentives could include simplification of county land use processes and an exemption to
GMQS.
4. Land Bank could be established to be funded by a transfer tax. Key parcels of land
would be purchased and retained as open space and public access. Or the funds would
purchase the development rights of the agricultural lands. There could be higher
development fees that would also go into this.
5. We support responsible and constructive agricultural pursuits and recognize that
some practices labeled "agricultural" are destructive and should be prevented.
6. Important Ranches historically used productively should be preserved for
agricultural purposes. They contribute to the overall rural character of Woody Creek and
residents would like to see them protected from significant development, while
compensating the landowners. Every effort must be made to work with the individual
owners to create a situation that works for the rancher as well as the community at large.
The emphasis is to encourage protection rather than force sterilization.
Underwood/Bruton
747 acres(development rights for 360 acres
used)
Braun
1006 " (for sale in 1997)
White Star Ranch
194 " (preserved open space)
W/J - Musick
162 "
Craig
974 "
Stranahan
232 "
Natal
220 " (for sale in 1997)
Dart
291 " (conservation easements completed
1997)
AERF
280
Recreation/Trails
Policy Statement
We encourage use of the Rio Grande Right of Way for non-motorized, non-commercial
recreational uses. We support the completion and repair of this trail at the earliest
possible time, and a policy of appropriate trail connection opportunities for safe use.
Vision Statement
Recreational uses and activities, such as trails, are considered extremely important.
Trails are linear parks. They provide safe community pedestrian connections for walkers,
joggers, skiers, bikers and equestrians
Current Trails
Rio Grande Trail within Caucus boundaries is and has always been encouraged for use
by non-motorized, non-commercial recreational purposes. This can provide a linear park
and pedestrian connector through all the Woody Creek region. The trail was interrupted
by the Elam Construction company when they put in their new access road off Jaffee Hill
in 1989-1990 with the requisite that they restore the trail when given the directive from
county management. That order was given in 1996 and the trail cut was made late in the
year. As of summer of 1997, the trail is improved but unfinished for bicycle travel. When
finished, with signage to direct the greatest number of bicycles possible off River Road,
the trail will be complete from Slaughterhouse Bridge to the Woody Creek Tavern. The
fiberoptics put in about 1993 caused damage to the trail leaving many areas impassible
due to rocks and boulders. The county crew is planning to realign the trail in several
places and clean up the debris, sending the bill on to U.S. West who was to repair all
areas of complaint.
The winter of 1995-96 saw the beginning of tracking on the Trail for cross-country skiing
by the Nordic Council. This was expanded in 1996-7 much to the delight of many
residents, and is to be endorsed and encouraged for the future.
Concerns regarding the Rio Grande Trail:
1.The connection of the newly repaired trail to the Woody Creek Tavern should be made
and appropriate signage added so riders can continue on the Rio Grande to Basalt when
that is finished. Planning should be initiated to continue the trail across Woody Creek
(the creek) to connect with the portion of the Rio Grande Trail above Woody Creek
Road to continue the connection to Basalt avoiding River Road . We want to continue to
follow the county process of repairing and adding signage to the trail to convince
commuter and recreational traffic to keep to the trail. Current overuse of River Road by
non-motorized recreationalists create extremely hazardous conditions.
2. With the push for a train, we want to make sure the use of the Rio Grande right-of-way
as a trail is kept in the forefront as an important amenity for the larger community. The
County shall encourage transportation modes which reduce automobile use. Nonmotorized transportation alternatives such as trails for bicycles, horses, pedestrians, and
cross-country skiers are encouraged.(PCLU Code 2-230)
The River Trail above Jaffee Park was acquired over 50 years ago when Pitkin County
vacated an existing public road. It is used extensively by fishermen and bicycle
enthusiasts as well as hikers.
Trails providing access to back country, wilderness and public lands should not be
physically maintained, but the access thereto should be retained, reinstated or acquired
whenever appropriate as developers put in new proposals. It is the policy of the County to
preserve existing access points to public lands and strive to secure new access points
consistent with County and Federal land use plans (PCLU Code 2-290) We do not
support unlimited access to sensitive lands.
General concerns:
1. The Woody Creek Caucus prefers passive rather than active recreational areas. We
view active recreational areas as more suitable to urban areas.
2. Parking areas at trailheads and loading areas on the River need to be better defined.
Land adjacent to these parking and loading areas needs to be protected through signage
and physical barriers.
3. Trail users should create minimal impacts on private property. Dogs should be
restrained from disturbing wildlife and ranch animals.
Jaffee Park is the only public park in Woody Creek. It was donated by Wink Jaffee in
1978. It provides river access for fishermen and boaters and serves as a trailhead for the
Rio Grande Trail and the River Trail. It's considered a passive park though for all
practical purposes it serves mainly as a parking lot and staging area for commercial
enterprises. In 1997, Trout Unlimited donated a log picnic table and benches, as well as
planted nine clumps of aspen trees around the site to honor Chuck Fothergill. .
Concerns about Jaffee Park: The county parks department has expressed concern that
there is a natural spring where the commercial companies are launching their rafts and
kayaks. They would like to see the road and parking area moved away from the river. The
Caucus is concerned that Jaffee Park is overused by commercial businesses. Commercial
kayak and river raft outfitters bring bus loads and vans filled with tourists for river trips
many times a day all summer long. Commercial fishing guides also bring vans full of
customers every hour throughout the entire year. Without any authority, one commercial
operator has put a portable toilet on the site in full view of the road for the entire summer
season. Currently there is a severe litter/dump problem. This has become a detriment to
the community and we need to consider controlling use and access to this area. Illegal
camping is a frequent occurrence and needs to be prevented.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. Trail connections for non-vehicular, non-commercial access to the public lands north
and east of Woody Creek should be acquired when appropriate.
2. Pitkin Iron and Lower Woody Creek Bridge are areas where trails to river access tend
to have people parking randomly and all over the road. These need to be better defined
with parking at some distance from the recreational area itself.
3. Jaffee Park needs to be better designed and landscaped as a passive park. Attempts to
soften the look of a parking facility and enhance the riparian environment should be
strongly encouraged. Parking needs to be defined and limited with non-parking areas
protected by barriers. Landscaping with hardy native plants should be done. Commercial
use impacts should be restricted.
4. Planning should be initiated to prepare for the Rio Grande Trail crossing over Woody
Creek to continue the connection of the Trail through the Valley to Basalt in order to
keep
recreational traffic off River Road.
5. An unpaved, smooth, hard-packed surface is preferred to induce bicyclists to use the
improved trail.
Wildlife
Policy Statement
It is the policy of Pitkin County to identify and protect all wildlife habitat for the
preservation of wildlife and prohibit land use patterns which disrupt such habitat.
(PCLU Code 2-160)
Vision Statement
Our rural character is enhanced by an abundance of wildlife which includes herds of deer,
mule deer and elk. Preserving and protecting the existing elk herd is a goal of the Woody
Creek Caucus. We want to preserve and enhance the wildlife habitat and know the thrill
of sharing the land, air and water with animals including the red fox, deer, owl, elk, bear,
raccoon, skunk, etc.
Big Game Habitat & Riparian Areas
Elk: Woody Creek residents have expressed a strong desire to maintain deer and elk
herds in our community. The big game in the county are viewed as an environmental
resource which County residents value highly as a component of the quality of life in the
area. Of principal concern are big game migration routes, winter range and calving areas
on private lands. Established elk and deer migration corridors conflict with development
patterns. Elk calving areas are limited by natural terrain. Wildlife is clearly threatened for
survival.
The elk herd on McLain Flats has safely migrated and grazed throughout Woody Creek
for over 50 years. The herd migrates and winters on the upper and lower W/J Ranch
bench and through White Star Ranch, numbering nearly one hundred in 1997. The herd
migrates from the W/J Ranch down to the Airport Ranch Open Space to graze daily
during fall and spring migration. The herd includes many young calves, cows and several
bulls and is often seen crossing McLain Flats Road and feeding on the Merry-Go-Ranch
and many of the south-facing slopes.
Concerns:
1. There is great concern that further development at the W/J Ranch, Aspen Valley
Ranch, Pitkin Iron, and Braun property will have disastrous effects on the elk herd, deer
herd and all other forms of wildlife. The migration corridor has already been reduced to
less than 10% of its former size along Owl Creek Road because of the construction of
"trophy homes". This should not be allowed to happen in Woody Creek.
2. It's a gut-wrenching sight to watch the elk herd maneuver between speeding cars and
construction vehicles as it tries to cross the McLain Flats Road. We need to have
crossings marked to let people know to beware of wildlife and to give wildlife the rightof-way.
3. Dogs cannot be allowed to run loose in those areas where wildlife are in danger. Deep
snows and long, cold winters put deer and elk in danger, if not from being killed by the
dogs themselves, then from being killed by expending energy they don't have to spare.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. It is the clear consensus of the Woody Creek Caucus that no measures be taken which
would decrease wildlife habitat in any way. It is our intention that wildlife habitat be
increased whenever possible.
2. Refine DOW maps of Deer and Elk Winter Concentration/Winter Range Areas.
Local experience has proven that there is more wildlife activity in areas of housing than
is reflected on DOW maps. More specific site conditions should be included in any
development proposal. For example, we know that a large herd of elk winters at the W/J
ranch although this herd is not adequately represented on the wildlife maps. Other
corridors are known to exist along Woody Creek Road, Lower River Road and McLain
Flats Road. Restrict development to areas with minimal wildlife impacts. Prohibit
development from blocking any corridor and preventing migration between summer and
winter ranges. Allow no high impact commercial or recreational use such as snowmobiles
in these areas from December 1 through March 31. Limit dogs within or immediately
adjacent to these areas unless working dogs are part of an agricultural operation.
3. Improve wildlife habitat. Any development shall be required to promptly revegetate
with beneficial local vegetation of the type that was removed. All disturbances shall be
kept to a minimum. Wildlife food species of trees and shrubs (chokecherry, serviceberry,
buffaloberry, sage, etc . see Appendix H-1 ) and woody cover along fences should be
encouraged as one way of improving wildlife habitat. Keep Woody Creek woody!
Waterholes, springs, marshes, ponds and other watering areas shall be preserved and no
development shall be allowed to destroy these. Smooth wire fencing shall replace any
barbed wire fencing and none shall exceed 5 feet for the sake of the animals. Outdoor
lighting shall be kept to a minimum.
4. Road signage needs to be placed more visibly along McLain Flats Road and River
Road to let traffic know of wildlife crossings.
5. The conflict in preservation of riparian areas versus access by the public needs to be
addressed. For example, Jaffee Park is now a major dumping area instead of the wildlife
viewing area it once was. The Caucus needs further information and education about this
issue before taking a position as to resolving this contradiction..
6. Since 90% of wildlife species exist in riparian areas, these areas are to be
aggressively protected from development. Restricted or no public access should be
allowed to critical riparian environments. Native plant species should be maintained and
habitat protected in its natural form.
The Woody Creek Master Plan supports an appropriate number of Affordable
Housing Units in Woody Creek. As a community, we support and even prefer
Affordable Housing for the fact that such homes bring in year-round, permanent
residents to the neighbourhood. Woody Creek maintains that self-determination for
Woody Creek boundaries is necessary in order to remain without buildout projections.
The Caucus prefers to lead the planning process knowing what numbers are going to be
tolerated by the infrastructure and considering the impacts of this number in advance of
their arrival.
To reach this buildout number, we propose to provide affordable housing by:
1. Our support and encouragement of the current Land Use Code to allow infill
deed-restricted category housing on existing subdivided parcels that would fill the need
for affordable rental homes (as seen recently on Doc Henry Road and in Twining Flats)
and
2. Adjusting the formula for subdivision in the County to be consistent to that in
the Aspen Area Community Plan which requires 60% of all new subdivided unitsto be
deed-restricted as affordable. This creates more affordable housing for permanent
residents and fewer second homes without changing zone density.
3. Any changes in zone density will be considered on a case by case basis (such as
the Firehouse/Post Office rezone to Public and the possible housing contemplated by the
Aspen School District).
4. The Caucus encourages Pitkin County to identify a mechanism by which
density could be "retired" from developable ranch parcels within Woody Creek in
exchange for increasing the density of proposed Affordable Housing (AH) parcels within
Woody Creek. This would have the desired effects of (a) preserving valuable ranch
lands/open space (b) creating additional primary residences within Woody Creek; and (c)
not increasing the ultimate buildout of Woody Creek beyond the total of 600 units that
we project will occur.
Affordable Housing Developed in the Aspen area
since 1992
units
category name/location
1993 (4)
C4 lots East Owl Creek (counted in AACP)
11
C2 & 3 West Hopkins
1994 (22)
rentals
21
14
7
1995 27
C2-4
7
4
6
35
C2-4
C4
C4
RO
3
3
s.family lots
s.family lots
1996-7
Ute City Place 909 East Cooper (counted in AACP)
C2 & 3 Common Ground Co-Housing
C3,4,RO
Lacet Court (near Crestahaus)
C4
Ute Park
Benedict Commons
Billings Place
East Hopkins
Juan Street
Crossings at Horse Ranch, Snowmass Village
Castle Creek Valley Ranch
Doc Henry 3 deed restricts to build 3 new
(count as 3 new on impacts)
1
RO
Maroon Creek Golf Course-Cavalieri
35
15 RO, 20 Cat Williams Ranch
(42) rentals Maroon Creek Club (counted in AACP)
5
C3 1/2,4,RO Victorians at Bleeker/behind Aspen Clinic
_____________
179
deed-restricted units built in developments since 1992
179 TOTAL new deed-restricted units built in County
since AACP-generated projections
Affordable Housing currently in Planning Stages
# of units
category
71
14-18
14-20
31
40
3
11
99
10
12
7
30
22
RO s.family lots
John McBride/North Forty
Cat duplexes
Snyder property/Ardmore subdivision
Cat. multiplexes
Benedict's Stillwater
s.family
Moore property/Meadowood
rentals/seniors Country Inn/Pomegranate
RO s.family
Bob Langely subdivision
s.family duplexes
A.School District/Underwood
incl. 29 dorm
Gerald Hines/Highlands Development
senior rentals
AVH new medical building
category rentals
AVH atop new medical building
cat.townhomes
AVH housing
rentals
Mt. View/ Snowmass Village
single family
Water Plant
name/location
364-374 TOTAL AH units coming on the market
Affordable Housing currently in Theory Stages
?
Category
W/J Ranch/Pitkin County Affordable Housing
2
RO
W/J Ranch - 2 lots for Homeowners Assoc.
?
Burlingame Ranch - 250 acres
?
Cozy Point Ranch
30 - 78 multiplexes
United States Forest Service land - 3.1 acres
?
Wildcat Ranch - 35 acres
?
Aspen Community School
?
Small Lodge conversions
?
Meadow Ranch/Snowmass Village
?
Faraway Ranch/Snowmass Village
?
seasonal rentals
Ski Co/The Draw/Snowmass Village
63
rental s.family Droste Ranch/Brush Creek Road - 1000 acres
8
new lots
Aspen Village
12-20
Pitkin Iron
5/8/97 draft
Growth Possibilities at Aspen Public Schools
ASPEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
488 students
18-22/room
Barb Pitchford: The elementary school is currently at capacity. When school was
moved from downtown in 1990, it was built for a maximum of about 500 (at the
time there were about 375 students. A sixth Kindergarten class last year (1995-6)
required
them to expand into the 2nd gym. Currently 10% out-of-district students.
In 1992-3
AES began to exclude new out-of-district families, taking only siblings of
students
already in the Aspen school system. This seems to be stabilizing the class
sizes. 1985
was the biggest birth year in the 1980's and this class has moved on to the
middle
school. Most new recent growth is coming from employee housing. With
another
bond issue, the third story can be added atop the Kindergarten wing for 5
additional
classrooms.
ASPEN MIDDLE SCHOOL
402 students
18-20/room
Griff Smith: Currently at capacity and looking for an increase with small outgoing
8th grade (1997) and larger incoming for several years. They are looking to put
classes
in current Grassroots space and Outdoor Ed storage room. 20% out-ofdistrict.
ASPEN HIGH SCHOOL
350 students
20-25/room
Kendall Evans: Currently at capacity if they continue to allow some programs like
voc. ed., and art in the CMC buildings, etc. Maximum capacity is 400 in
classrooms
built for 20. Known growth in next years:
1998 380
1999 400
2000 415
In 2001, the CMC buildings will be added to their square footage. Tom Farrell
sees this as 3 classrooms maximum as they already use some for art classes and need
to move the administration offices out of the "temporary" storage building with
the leaking roof they are currently housed in. (It would be torn down for needed
open
space. ) If large numbers of students had to be added, the current 8000 sq ft would
have to been expanded out into the remaining open space. 20% out-of-district.
ASPEN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
115 student
12/class
+36 pre-K
George Stranahan: Currently exceeds capacity with 13 and 14 where 12 were
figured in class size.
GENERAL STATUS OF SCHOOLS:
The schools are taking no more out-of-district students, but are not going to force out any
already in the system. Siblings will be allowed if there is room. We are looked to more
and more as the best in the valley (Kendall Evans), with 1% expulsion rate versus the
downvalley rates of 5 - 7%. The School Board has a policy of not having more than 24
per classroom, though some classes cannot have that many (kindergartens need more
supervision).
There are certain ratios of space per child that is supposed to be met in figuring
playground space, library space, etc., and those are maxed with 1200 students on the
campus. If many additional units are built for employees in the upper valley with families
given top priority, and those are built quickly, with 1+ child each as demographics figure,
the additional enrollment would cause the schools to exceed capacity.
LAWS THAT RELATE TO GROWTH IN SCHOOLS:
A Colorado Supreme Court ruling in December 1996 states that counties can deny
property owners the right to develop their lands because the schools are already
overcrowded. Both Aspen and Pitkin County passed land-dedication requirements in
1995. Under their regulations, properties scheduled for development are assessed a
monetary amount if the developer doesn't want to provide some land for future school
use. This fee is levied on both employee housing and free-market homes, in order that
growth should pay its own way. This fee was deemed acceptable while a pure "impact
fee" on new homes to defray the cost of overcrowding of schools was not allowed. State
law specifically grants the authority for land dedications and for developers to pay fees
instead of providing land, a payment in lieu of land dedication.
Tom Farrell, superintendent: The strength of our community (or society) is as great as
the strength of our educational system. With this type of influx of employee families,
our public education will not continue as reputable as it is today. It cannot.
We have a completely built-out campus now. If we are forced to have 30 kids to a
classroom like the inner city schools, the quality of education only goes down. Our
policy we have worked for since moving the schools out to Maroon Creek, was "One
campus, one staff". Any satellites in Woody Creek or Snowmass would be going
against this policy of efficiency.
Under the School Finance Law (Tabor Amendment), we now can spend $6800 per
student per year to educate them. With 600 new students, we would have less funding
per capita and my guess is we would have $5000 per student. And would need new
bonds to do more building to do it.
POSSIBLE SUGGESTIONS TO INCREASE CAPACITY
Small satellite school in either Snowmass or Woody Creek (an elementary)
5 new classrooms built atop current elementary (it is difficult to ask local taxpayers for
classrooms for 20% out-of-district students)
Old CMC buildings used to the maximum after 2001 (as already planned)
More playing fields on Moore property, leased from City
Refiguring the school district boundaries - not possible without Basalt agreeing to take
the new students
Year Round School - rotate students in and out 12 months, can increase capacity by 25%
(300). This would effectively kill DanceAspen and Kids Live! and seriously
damage MAA summer rental of spaces.
Double Sessions 7 a.m. - Noon and Noon - 5 p.m. can increase capacity by somewhat
under
100%.
Roads & Busses
7-16-97 draft
Policy Statement
Woody Creek area roads should be maintained as they currently exist, rural and small,
except for required safety improvements. Provisions for bicycle and pedestrian traffic
should be made on the Rio Grande Trail. Any required safety improvements within the
Woody Creek Planning Area require specific approval of the Woody Creek District
Planning Commission after receipt of recommendations and comments by the Woody
Creek Caucus.
Vision Statement
We want to keep our rural roads small, safe for walking and running, with lower
speed limits enforced. To reduce our dependency on the automobile,
upgraded bus service should be sought.
Roads
The Woody Creek area is essentially rural, with the accompanying lack of busy traffic.
Local use is the most common, and the road serves as a safe pedestrian network for
walkers, joggers, and bikers. The number one goal of the Woody Creek community is to
preserve the patterns that maintain the rural character outside the urban boundaries of
Aspen and Snowmass growth centers: enhance visual quality, preserve and protect
agricultural operations and wildlife habitat, develop rural standards for any new
development to be compatible with the neighborhood, resist the developers pressure to
overcrowd and over-utilize all support services (roads, water, schools and sewage)
thereby bringing urban service levels to the rural community, forever changing the
uniqueness of the existing rural area to just another suburb in the Roaring Fork Valley. In
order to "Keep it as it is", the Caucus position is that the roads remain two lanes with no
paved shoulders, maintain the existing width with ditches on most sections adjacent to the
paved surface. The open vistas shall be retained to allow unobstructed views of wildlife
grazing in open fields.
"Safety" Upgrades shall be kept to a minimum on River Road and Woody Creek Road.
Widening of the road and straightening of curves will only add to the speed of the
vehicles on it and is not a desired effect. The current road specifications classify most of
Woody Creek roads as Rural Access, with less improved sections on Woody Creek Road
classified as Country Access and more improved sections like Jaffee Hill classified as
Local Access. A graph (from DVCP) is located in Appendix T-1 which describes these
standards.
Class IIB Collector
(design capacity: 1000-2500 vpd, Min. r.o.w. 70', 40 mph suggested)
McLain Flats Road (asphalt)
Class III Local Access
(design capacity: 700-1100 vpd, Min. r.o.w. 60', 35 mph suggested)
Jaffee Hill (asphalt)
Class IV Rural Access
(design capacity: 250-800 vpd, Min. r.o.w. 40', 25 mph suggested)
Lower River Road (asphalt)
Upper River Road (chipseal)
Lower Woody Creek Road (chipseal)
Smith Hill (asphalt)
Class V Country Access
(design capacity: 25-300 vpd, Min. r.o.w. 30', 20 mph suggested)
Middle Woody Creek Road (chipseal)
Upper Woody Creek/Lenado Road (dirt, primitive)
Current Traffic Counts by the County shows that the Woody Creek roads above the
Tavern are at 107% to 252% of capacity. New development must be taken into account as
a factor adding to the congestion, particularly of Smith Hill, and mitigation added to the
developer's approvals. (Figures are from Bryan Pettit, County Road and Bridge Director.
All counts are as of the summer of '96, except the Smith Hill count, which is summer of
'95).
"It is the policy of the County to preclude development which generates traffic volumes in
excess of the capacity of the County road system or which causes significant service level
reductions." (PCLU Code 2-190)
The County should "discourage or postpone development which will generate
traffic on portions of the road system which are operating in excess of design capacity or
road systems which will exceed their capacity as a result of the new development, unless
adequate provision for increased capacity is made, consistent with the other objectives
contained herein."(DVCP page 96) Residents of Woody Creek continue to support the
above statements. Woody Creek's Master Plan has as one of its main objectives to resist
upgrading our roads for increased capacity, thereby retaining the rural character of the
community that would give way to suburbanization were the roads to grow with each
added development request. "It is recognized that a road system based only upon
traditional engineering standards and specifications may be in conflict with the County
goals of preserving community character and environmental quality."(DVCP page 118).
The intention of the Woody Creek Caucus is to preserve community character as it is.
Concerns of the Community
1. We do endorse the continued use of speed dips near the trailer park to further slow
the cars. These speed dips should be painted as often as necessary to be visible to those
unfamiliar with their existence. We would support additional measures such as raised
walkways that would help slow traffic in that congested area.
2. The three-way intersection at Smith Bridge is an ever-dangerous location, with cars
from Highway 82 not stopping at the Yield sign and Aspen-bound traffic via McLain
Flats having a right-of-way. A three-way Stop signage may alleviate the question of "who
has to stop and who yield", leaving the right turn from Woody Creek to Smith Bridge
and the straight traffic from 82 up McLain Flats Hill as the only traffic that need not stop.
3. Portions of the Down Valley Comprehensive Plan are inconsistent with the Woody
Creek Master Plan. Specifically, table V-2, page 124 and table 5-4, page 126. (see
Appendices T-2 and T-3) These call for many upgrades throughout Woody Creek. Where
needed for safety, the Caucus will review and approve requests for guardrails, shoulder
widening and culvert replacement. Emergency response should not be difficult to any
new development. Upgrades to improve site distances, to change surfacing techniques
and for curve straightening are seen as exorbitantly expensive and serve only to increase
the speed of the traffic in the neighborhood, while any "improvement" will cause
substantial environmental and aesthetic degradation. We do not want the "upgrades"
which will then change our road classification to a higher class. ("Lower classes Rule")
4. Bicycle traffic has increased many-fold in recent years on River Road, creating
dangerous congestion with bike traffic 3 deep in each lane. Our proposals to Tom
Newland, the county manager, for the repair of the Rio Grande Trail have been taken
quite seriously and we need to continue our pressure to finish the trail and direct bike
traffic off River Road onto this trail. We may have to revisit this problem if bicycle
traffic is not alleviated on River Road upon completion of the Rio Grande Trail.
5. The old Elam access road should not be used by trucks to access the gravel pit area.
The trucks are too great an impact on River Road and present a danger to the children
waiting at the Palazzi bus stop for the school bus. These trucks often ignore the Stop sign
at the bottom of the hill as they "ease" into traffic. A"No Truck Traffic" sign on the hill
would alert new drivers to the fact that the old road is for housing unit vehicles only.
6. Congestion on our local roads is increasing with Smith Hill getting the major part of
it. Current traffic counts by the county indicate the roads upvalley of the Tavern are from
107% to 252% of capacity. Any new development in Woody Creek or repairs on
Highway 82 will exacerbate the situation. While the Caucus does not want the curves of
Smith Hill straightened, we do envision some provision will have to be made for Aspenbound traffic when the 4-lane is finished.
7. Highway 82 Expansion will assuredly have an impact on River Road as traffic tries to
avoid the holdups via Old Snowmass or Gerbazdale or Smith bridges. We expect local
government and the Colorado Department of Transportation to do all possible to
minimize impact on River Road and McLain Flats Road during construction of the 4lane.
8. The problem of parking across River Road from the Tavern should be seriously
looked at by County Road engineers along with the feasibility of master planning the area
for safety as the added uses of Firehouse and new Post Office are incorporated. Any
proposed changes are to be discussed and configured with input by the Woody Creek
Caucus.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. PCLU Code 3-110-70 Mitigation from new development "Development proposals
which generate traffic volumes in excess of existing road capacities are prohibited unless
a road improvement plan is approved by the County. Any development proposal which is
expected to generate or attract vehicle trips in excess of existing road capacities may
propose to upgrade the road(s) to serve the additional traffic volume. Techniques other
than road improvements may also be proposed to provide for public or private transit
solutions to increased traffic volumes." "Any road improvements that a development
proposal is required to make, shall be assessed on a pro rata basis considering the traffic
to be generated by the development in relation to the design capacity of the finished
road."
2. "No Truck Traffic" Sign placed at the bottom of the old Elam access road and
another at the Elam Pit would serve to teach new drivers that this road is to be used as
access for the temporary residents' vehicles only.
3. Scenic Designation of Woody Creek Road in the 1997 Road Management and
Maintenance Plan brings more traffic to the rural area. We support the County's decision
not to print maps which advertise these scenic roads to the auto traveler.
4. "It is the policy of the County to preclude development which generates traffic
volumes in excess of the capacity of the County road system." ( PCLU Code 2-190)
With Woody Creek roads already shown by county figures to be from 107% - 252% of
capacity, no development or alterations in traffic patterns should be allowed to further
strain the system. Compact residential growth patterns should be located near the major
transportation corridor (Highway 82) and the main employment centers (Aspen and
Snowmass) to decrease reliance on cars.
5. County Road Plan should not act as an incentive to development in rural areas at
levels in which it is undesirable. The unwanted upgrades of Woody Creek roads can be
found in the chart in Appendix T-2.
6. Woody Creek Roads should be maintained as they currently exist except for
required safety improvements.
7. Intersection at Smith Bridge/Jaffee Hill deserves some thought by the county road
engineers to make it safer.
8. Any changes to roads within Woody Creek Planning Area should be approved by
the Woody Creek District Planning Commission after recommendations and comments
by the Woody Creek Caucus.
Busses
Current Service has Woody Creek receiving hourly bus service 12 to 13 hours per day
during peak winter and summer seasons which is then cancelled in the off-seasons. RFTA
says that at $10 per passenger trip, the cost for service is too high in Woody Creek.
(Riders pay $3 for a one-way ticket to Aspen, $1.50 with punch pass.) RFTA has no extra
revenue to build these services unless something is cut elsewhere; at issue are limited
resources. With many demands on the system, they see a decline in the demand in
Woody Creek. (1995 showed a 15% increase due to paid parking. 1996 then showed a
13% decline in ridership.) If ridership builds, RFTA would then look at more busses for
Woody Creek.
The existing bus service that goes up Smith Hill to Highway 82, if it were to come
through Woody Creek and over McLain Flats to Aspen, would be much quicker and
probably increase the ridership. The current route allows for connections to service to
Snowmass Village, down valley and the Airport/Business Center/Buttermilk, however. In
addition, Dan Blankenship stated that Jaffee Hill is too dangerous to allow his busses to
traverse that route during the snowy months.
At 1997 levels, RFTA cannot give Woody Creek adequate year-round transportation that
is consistent, affordable and convenient. With the inconsistencies, residents' travel
patterns are disrupted and they have turned back to the automobile at least in part. The
ridership from Woody Creek would gradually increase even with a stable population base
if bus service were more consistent.
The utilization of public mass transportation is made more efficient by compact
residential growth patterns located near major transportation corridors and employment
centers. By contrast, Woody Creek's dispersed growth pattern decreases reliance upon
public transportation and increases automobile travel and energy consumption.
Preserving the rural lands of Pitkin County will require more compact growth patterns
within the urban areas of the county.
Concerns:
1. Dedicated Busway on Rio Grande Right of Way was an idea tossed around when
the right of way was dedicated as a "transit corridor". Exclusive bus lanes when Highway
82 becomes a 4-lane should be incorporated along the areas of greatest population
centers, and Woody Creek is not one of those, nor are any of the upvalley stretches of the
Rio Grande Trail. Making another major transportation corridor through a rural area will
further increase the development pressures. With Highway 82 already the primary traffic
corridor, creating a new corridor in a residential area is seen as too destructive an
environmental impact.
2. Off season service disruptions due to high cost to RFTA and Excessive
headways/long travel time continue to serve as disincentives to increase bus use by
Woody Creek residents.
Recommendations for Improvements
1. Survey of ridership to get a more exact picture of Woody Creek residents that are on
the bus. It would survey the demand, destination, and needs of the residents currently
using the bus. A number take their cars to park at the Mills property and take the bus in
from there. With more frequent scheduling, we may get them to catch the bus in Woody
Creek, however, if we have no Park and Ride lot in Woody Creek, this could present a
problem.
2. Survey of residents to determine what type of ridership would occur if services were
changed.
3. Promotion of the bus in Woody Creek, giving out the exact schedule and the benefits
of buying punch passes, may convince some riders that it is not so costly, nor so
inconvenient.
4. Off-season Van Service has been unsuccessful as it provides only one trip in and out
of Aspen per day for few people. Perhaps the van pool could forego the Snowmass turnoff and pick up W/J residents via McLain Flats instead to increase ridership.
5. Mills Property Park and Ride with 150-200 spaces which CDOT is planning may be
part of the answer to encourage ridership for residents of Woody Creek. With no
available parking at the Tavern which is the bus stop, other residents of River Road can
leave cars at Mills or Aspen Village and ride the bus. If there was a more convenient
passenger facility out of the weather, Woody Creek drivers might be more inclined to
wait the extra time for the transfer van. As it is, the 10-minute drive into Aspen usually
takes 45 or more minutes with this transfer and wait.
Rail
Policy Statement
We encourage use of the Rio Grande Right of Way for non-motorized,
non-commercial recreational uses. It is our belief that the Rio Grande right-of-way is not
an appropriate route for rail transportation through the Woody Creek planning area, nor
for an alternative roadway of two more lanes of dedicated busway.
Vision Statement
It is our preference that use of the Rio Grande right-of-way continue to be
for recreational purposes. It is a trail for bicycling, running, walking, cross-country
skiing and horseback riding and a valuable public asset for those of us that
live along it and for thousands in the community who love to escape to a
more rural environment.
Local Rail Concerns
1. A major safety concern would be the number of times that the rail crosses River Road.
There are 6 existing track crossings of Lower and Upper River Road, and should the rail
stay on the Rio Grande through Woody Creek, new crossings over Woody Creek Road
and Jaffee Hill would be needed. Eight crossings in eight miles is a major safety concern.
2. Ridership through Woody Creek would never be enough to support a train; we are
often told we cannot support even bus service adequately. Use of the Rio Grande right of
way through Woody Creek would bypass the largest population centers and sources of
passengers in this part of the valley (Brush Creek, Aspen Village, Old Snowmass, and
Snowmass Village)
3. Expensive Trestle Bridges would be required to cross Woody Creek, Jaffee Hill and
the old gravel pit, and the most massive would be the one required over the large span
over the Roaring Fork. An area with less impact would be one where grades are closer to
those for Highway 82 and River Road and the Rio Grande right of way.(Appendix T-4
shows alternative crossing locations for the proposed rail service.)
4. Impacts of a train through a rural residential neighborhood would include ground
vibration, noise and smoke, environmental and aesthetic considerations, traffic stoppages
on River Road, visual impact of fencing to protect residents, wildlife and livestock, as
well as endangering livestock and wildlife trying to get to the river where there is no
fencing.
5. Airport Open Space is designated open space of which the Rio Grande right-of-way is
included. This is an important elk and mule deer migration corridor. Federal Law Section
4(F) states that "no program shall be approved which requires the use of land used as park
or recreational area, unless there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the use of such
land and such program includes all possible planning to minimize harm."
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. Dedicated transportation corridor is how the Rio Grande right of way is described.
Although rail originally existed in this corridor, it is now heavily used for recreational
purposes. The Woody Creek Caucus does not favor use of the right of way through the
Caucus planning area for rail for the reasons above and many more, and we vehemently
reject any idea of using this for 2 additional lanes of highway through our rural valley.
The new four lane and existing Woody Creek road ought to be enough pavement far far
into the future.
2. Reference to a train station as an appropriate use for the Pitkin Iron property should
be deleted from the Down Valley Comprehensive Plan.
5/8/97 DRAFT
Aspen
Community School
7-19-97
Policy Statement
It is the policy of the Woody Creek Caucus to support educational pursuits on the campus
which includes the Aspen Community School and the Woody Creek Learning
Community. Any additional development of the School site must include full mitigation
of any impacts created and shall require approval of the Woody Creek District Planning
Commission after receipt of formal recommendations and comments by the Woody
Creek Caucus.
Vision Statement
The Woody Creek Learning Community is a valuable part of the social and cultural life of
the Woody Creek community, and provides important educational opportunities for
the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond.
Current Status
The mesa on which the Community School sits is about 210 acres in size. It is in a
public zone district and cannot be subdivided. The upper mesas will be kept as
agricultural open space and wildlife preserve. The land is owned by the Aspen
Educational Research Foundation, which also owns other parcels in Woody Creek.
In 1995, Pitkin County approved a master plan for Aspen Community School.
Prior to this approval, the plan was submitted to the Woody Creek Caucus for their input
and was also approved by the Caucus. The map from this approved master plan for the
school appears on the following page.
The school is not visible from River Road and only a portion of the Early
Childhood Center is visible from the Woody Creek Road.
The school, which describes itself as alternative and progressive, currently has
about 150 children that are served by about 18 adults. About one third of the students are
Aspen/Snowmass residents and about two thirds are Basalt/Carbondale/Glenwood
Springs residents. The school is operated as a public, tuition-free, school under the state's
charter amendment. There are usually summer programs that account for numbers about
1/3 of the maximum school year figures. The school has two school busses, one from
Glenwood and one from Aspen/Snowmass. These deliver the vast majority of the
students to the school. School officials feel that the current impacts on the community
are not large and that they have received no complaints. There is some 8:00 a.m. traffic
including the buses on the lowest 1 mile of the Woody Creek Road and the afternoon
traffic is pretty well spread out from 3 p.m. till 5:30 p.m.
The school's long range plan is to keep the student body at about the same size.
While there is a significant amount of research done about education, this research has
had little influence on the methods of actual teaching in classrooms. The adults in the
Learning Community will be doing research into how children learn, and to develop
methods to integrate this knowledge into classrooms throughout the United States. The
laboratory for this research and development of methods of dissemination would be the
community school itself and other schools throughout the valley. The non-school
components are either non-profit grant-supported efforts or cottage industries with
educational content that are self-supporting and non-profit.
There might be 3 or 4 "research centers" of 1000 to 2500 square feet each that would be
staffed by 1 to 3 adults each. A science center, for example, would be a space where
ideas, techniques and materials are developed about learning science. These tools would
be tested and refined in the school. The older students would apprentice in the science
center as part of their own experiential education. As ideas that work are developed and
as it is learned how to introduce them into our classrooms, the science center would be
ready to engage in outreach. The initial target of the outreach will be the public schools
of the western slope. The science center might be 2000 square feet and have a scientist
and a toolmaker as staff. They would put additional burden on the school's secretarial,
accounting and maintenance staff.
Other "research centers" might focus on art, anthropology or media. In any event the
format would be the same as for the science center: serious work about how children
learn and how to make changes in the classrooms.
Buildout for centers, assuming maximum numbers, is 4 times 2500 = 10,000 square feet
of building space and 4 times 3 = 12 additional adults. Besides this research, these centers
may serve other community needs.
Housing. The school has finalized a relationship with the University of Colorado's
School of Education that requires two semesters of work in Woody Creek and throughout
the valley. Their training would include working in the schools, in the centers, in the
outreach program, and in service learning projects throughout the valley. A dormitory has
been constructed for these 12 students and is not deed restricted as Affordable Housing. It
is planned to construct another dormitory for an additional 12 students sometime in the
future. Woody Creek has not yet been designated as the site. The dorm is 3500 square
feet in size and includes some lecture and library space as well as community cooking
facilities.
This learning community, in maximum configuration, has 150 students, 14 teachers, 9
administrative and support staff, 12 professionals in the "research centers" and 24
college-age student teachers. Of the 35 permanent staff, it might make sense to be able to
house 20% on the campus. This would mean roughly 7 homes of modest size; say, 14,000
square feet of homes.
Population on campus. At this configuration, the learning community would be of
national importance, and if it maintains its commitment to quality, should be effective in
both creating change in education and in getting donations and grants for this work. It
would be an exciting place in which to work or visit.
The school and new projects since 1991 currently include:
children
150
adults
30
building space
24,000 square feet
This plan calls for totals of:
children
150
adults
42
college students
24
building space
53,000 sq. ft.
This is an increase of:
0
12
24
29,000 square feet
This latter is an FAR of less than .005 of the total acreage. The plan also calls for
reforesting the mesa as the lands are developed from agriculture into learning institutions.
This will not only beautify the campus and reduce the visual impacts on the community,
but also use the available irrigation water.
Valuable asset. There are several reasons why this learning community would be
valuable to Woody Creek. One is simply that the institution would be valuable to the
world. Another is that declaring what we are for, we declare equally what we are against.
If we are for non-profit education and research, we are against things that would interfere
with that.
A third reason is that there will be wonderful intellectual activities going on at the mesa,
wonderful and interesting people working there, and wonderful things to learn about. The
learning community will be totally open to those in the community who are interested.
"Main Street". There has been implementation of another dimension of development on
the mesa: the concept is called "Main Street". We believe that education needs a closer
integration to community. We feel that classrooms are a way of getting kids "out of the
way" so that we adults can pursue our own interests without distraction from kids, and
that classroom education, alone, is incomplete. We feel that the community should
participate more actively in education than just paying taxes. The community needs to
accept the children into the actual setting of the community, into actual activities,
economic and otherwise, of the adult community. The research centers provide one adult
community on the mesa in which children can participate, as apprentices, for example.
The Main Street idea suggests that something similar to a small town economy might be
developed. The school library is a book shop where kids and adults can either "rent" a
book or also buy a book. And the appeal would be to the whole community, the space
really is a community book store as well as the school library and the library for the
college students. Thus part of it is for profit, for the benefit of the whole project. The kids
working in this bookstore will learn.
Similarly, the media research center might include a print shop. The print shop could
produce note paper, for sale, from the children's art work. It could do print jobs for the
public as well as for the educational activities. The kids working in the print shop will
learn. The dormitory would become a "Rooming House", managed by the kids. There is
space aplenty for a garden and small or large animals. Main Street will have places for
kids to be part of real and relevant life experiences. These Main Street activities would
be a way for the learning community to involve itself with the Woody Creek community,
to better educate the kids, and help to finance the whole endeavor.
If we add the additional personnel and building space of Main Street, we might see an
additional 5 to 8 adults and an additional 10,000 square feet. These additional people and
facilities are included in the table above. Progress to date (March 1997) includes:
Woodshop
600 sq.ft.
Ceramics Studio
800 sq.ft.
Wyly Community
1500 sq.ft.
Pond House Studio
300 sq.ft.
Early Childhood Center
3600 sq.ft.
Rooming House
3500 sq.ft.
Completion of two bedroom apartment in the Early Learning Center
These projects have added 5 adults to the mesa.
Concerns of the Community
The Woody Creek Learning Community makes the following commitments for further
development:
1. Traffic is the primary continuing concern of the community. Continued expansion of
the Learning Community must mitigate traffic impacts. Methods of mitigation must be
defined.
2. Some of the development may come under legislation which treats the School as a
quasi-governmental agency exempt from certain Pitkin County regulations. The
Community School commits to submitting these developments to the Woody Creek
Caucus for its review even if this is not required by State or County law.
3. All commitments made in the 1995 master plan will be met before any further
building is done. Commitments made in the 1995 master plan for affordable housing will
be met.
4. The existing septic systems are approved for the current uses, and the State
Department of Water Quality is now reviewing all of the proposed projects at the school.
The Woody Creek Caucus strongly wishes to see the State requirements fulfilled without
triggering a regional sewage plant. Any development which would trigger a regional
sewer plant will be opposed by the Caucus.
5. Air Quality Standards will be maintained at the current standards despite any further
development. Dust from traffic on the school road is of concern to the neighborhood and
must be mitigated.
6. Quasi-retail endeavors on "Main Street" should not overtake the educational
endeavors and should conform to the regulations for Home Occupations in the PCLU
Code.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. A Continuing Cooperative Attitude must be nurtured between the Learning
Community and the community at large as represented by the Woody Creek Caucus. This
is not a legal but an ethical relationship. The existing Institutional Special Review Permit
for the Learning Community is acceptable.
2. Any additional development of the School must include full mitigation of any
impacts created and shall require approval of the Woody Creek District Planning
Commission after receipt of formal recommendations and comments by the Woody
Creek. Caucus. The Caucus recommends a traffic study to better understand the traffic
impacts before any additional buildings are approved.
3. Further development which will trigger a regional septic system will be opposed
by the Caucus.
4. Dust Mitigation must be carried out.
Lenado
(draft 7-16-97)
Policy Statement
We support the rezoning of Lenado to create an intermediate zone district acting as a
buffer area between rural residential RS-20 zoning and the Rural and Remote zone
district. This concept acknowledges the unique circumstances that Lenado represents:
sparsely inhabited with small rustic dwellings, minimal utilities, and very little possibility
of expansion.
Lenado meets all the criteria for Rural and Remote zoning excepting the "1/2 mile from a
maintained road". The fragility of the environment and difficulty of access make it clear
that Lenado is unsuitable for development.Enacting a new zoning designation covering
Lenado such as "Rural/Historic" will help to ensure the protection of this important area.
Vision Statement
The consensus opinion of the residents of Lenado and Woody Creek is to keep the Lenado
of the future looking very much as it does today: a minimally developed community of
small, individually built residences with limited utilities and unfenced boundaries,
surrounded by open space.
Current Status
History: Lenado is an inholding of patented mining claims eight miles up Woody Creek
in the White River National Forest. The privately owned lands amount to approximately
four hundred acres. At present, most of Lenado is de facto open space, and a number of
recreational public uses are made of the area. Since 1983, Lenado has served as a
trailhead to the Margy and McNamara huts in winter and since the late 1980's, Lenado
has become a summertime mountain bike crossroads. The popular 4 Corners Trail from
Aspen connects to the Woody Creek Road through privately owned mining claims in
upper Lenado. Woody Creek's 1991 Master Plan did not address the question of
development in Lenado.
There are three structures in Lenado dating back to the 1800's mining era and the
current 1997 residents believe that these structures should be designated historic and
permanently protected from demolition or significant alteration and encroachment by
new development.
Site: Lenado consists of approximately 400 acres of privately owned land. The Lenado
Six Associates own approximately 225 acres.. Alpine Lode, Inc. owns approximately 50
acres and Golden Rule Resources, Inc. owns approximately 125 acres. There are two
additional small properties.
Plans for Expansion: It is the consensus opinion of the residents of Lenado that Lenado
should remain looking as it does today. This was supported by the Woody Creek Caucus
by vote in May, 1995. Residents are in agreement that any new development in the area
must be in the same scale as existing structures and located in close proximity to the
Lenado Road in order to preserve the existing rural character of the community.
Rural and Remote: This motion was presented at the request of Lenado residents to the
Woody Creek Caucus and was passed unanimously at the February 22, 1995 meeting:
"In order to preserve and protect the existing backcountry character and open
space of upper Woody Creek and its tributaries, we recommend the immediate rezoning
by Pitkin County of upper Lenado, Silver Creek, Johnson Creek, Rocky Fork, and the
north face and ridge of Red Mountain above Lenado to Rural & Remote."
Concerns of the Community
1. The Mine Dump from the Rheco-Lenado/Down Under Mine existing in close
proximity to Woody Creek may be leaching toxic chemicals (lead & cadmium) into the
water and air. If this is the case, action must be taken to protect the health and safety of
current and future residents and the environment. Testing should be undertaken to
determine the extent of this problem and all corrective measures must be enacted before
any development or redevelopment is allowed to occur.
2. Potential Development of "trophy" homes would be out of scale and character with
existing development.
3. Extending Winter Maintenance of Lenado Road threatens reduction of acreage that
is under Rural and Remote Zoning. Extending the maintained road also extends the halfmile boundary measured from maintained road. It also leads to increased motorized
commercial recreational uses such as snowmobiling operations.
4. Extension of utilities should be limited as much as possible and not extended beyond
historic patterns..
5. An Intermediate Zone District that allows the existing scale of development of
Lenado to set the pattern for future development would seem appropriate and necessary.
Here, as perhaps elsewhere in Pitkin County, there is a need for development limits not
as severe as in the Rural and Remote zone district yet not as liberal as RS-20 zoning.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. We suggest the creation of a Rural/Historic Preservation Overlay District as part of
the Pitkin County Land Use Code to preserve areas such as Lenado from future
inappropriate development and loss of important rural/historic character.
2. The Residents of Lenado suggest that the minimum density should be 35 acres per
dwelling unit with no more than 1/2 acre per dwelling unit building envelope. The
Woody Creek Caucus supported this concept by resolution in 1995. This is the only
suggested rezoning in Woody Creek. Property owners whose land is affected by this
downzoning and who object to this procedure could be compensated with TDR's
allowing 5000 square feet of new development in a suitably designated area or greater
floor area ratios of possibly 1200 sauare feet for each building right extinquished. New
residences should be clustered as much as possible leaving the maximum amount of open
space. Floor area ratios should be enacted that would be consistent with existing
development (1200 square foot maximum is suggested except by special review).
3. Commercial Uses should be prohibited excepting Home Occupations (see chapter
on Commercial uses, page______)
4. Winter Maintenance of Roadway: The Lenado Road shall be plowed no further than
its historic winter dead end below the Rheco-Lenado/Down Under Mine portal.
5. Extension of Services and Utilities: The Woody Creek Road shall be paved no
further than it presently is, with pavement ending at the upper end of the Natal property
where the road enters the White River National Forest. There shall be no extension of
primary electric service or other public utilities. We suggest that no private roads or
driveways be constructed of a length greater than 250 feet from point of intersection with
the Lenado Road and no new vehicular bridges shall be constructed across Woody Creek.
6. Reclamation of the Rheco-Lenado/Down Under Mine: We recommend testing
take place to determine the extent of the possible toxic waste contamination from
previous mining activities prior to any new development or redevelopment in Lenado. If
any contamination exists, measures must be undertaken to bring the area into full
compliance with State of Colorado standards for residential or less intensive deedrestricted use, according to a plan approved and monitored by the Pitkin County
Environmental Health Department in cooperation with the Colorado Department of
Public Health and in accordance with the conditions of an NPDES permit issued by the
Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. No contamination of Woody Creek or its
tributaries will be tolerated.
7. A Survey of Historic Structures and Existing Conditions should be undertaken to
identify structures which should be protected. The number and type of existing
structures should be inventoried and determination made as to the future development
rights that may accrue from them. Demolition of 1800's mining era structures and
historic Lenado cabins should be discouraged and no demolition, significant alterations
or additions should be permitted without Special Review.
8. The Woody Creek Caucus will respect the results of negotiations between the
residents of Lenado and the representatives of Golden Rule and Alpine Lode properties.
Pitkin Iron Site
No existing dwelling units
Site: 38+ acres currently zoned AF-1
Ownership: bought by Pitkin County in 1990 for $1.4 million.
Plans for Expansion: parcel was bought with the intention of building some affordable
housing.
Concerns of the Community:
water: adequacy of potable water supply sufficient to serve the density being
considered must be proven and guaranteed before the property is sold. Property sits on
enormous layer of gypsum and 2 existing wells produce no potable water. Any well that
is successful cannot harm neighbors' access to potable water from same water table. (At
date of this draft March '97, C2HM Hill is doing such a study for the County.)
sewage treatment: no development shall trigger, either individually or
collectively with other development, the requirement of a regional sewage treatment plant
anywhere in the Woody Creek Planning Area.
density: development should be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood.
The map on the following page shows the lots in the vicinity of Pitkin Iron within a half
mile radius. From this map a mean average was taken of all the lots, the number was 7.2
acres.
From this we can assume a maximum density of the 38 acres would be 5 units. These
numbers assume a rezoning of the parcel to AH as by current AF-1 zoning no more than
2 units would be allowed. As a compromise position the Caucus discussed allowing two
free market units on the River Road side of the property with their allowed caretaker
units, and six affordable units on the Highway 82 side where the property has the best
access to public transportation and the least impact on rural River Road.The density
should be set with an absolute guaranteed limit. Deed restrict property at level of
buildout. No TDRs can be transferred into this parcel from outside of Woody Creek.
commercial: no commercial uses should be allowed.
developer: should post bond to assure performance. County must be responsible
to make sure that all obligations of the chosen developer are properly carried out.
Development standards preferred by the Woody Creek Caucus should be used in the
design of the units.
housing units: Application must include size of units as well as number of units.
All units must be sale units. Caucus requests a mix of categories based on total number,
with a preference towards the lower categories.
traffic: Suggest studies of area road capacities to understand the impact of
additional development. Our roads in Woody Creek are currently at 107% to 252% of
capacity without any additional development. How does the developer plan to mitigate
these impacts. (Previous county road capacity studies are included in the Road chapter of
this Master Plan)
site design (refer to WCC response to RFP in Appendix HG-__):
Landscape property boundaries. Provide irrigation system to maintain
landscaping.
Clearly fence and post all boundaries if public access allowed.
Regulate use of water and Walthen ditch. Any water taken from ditch
must be
measured at outtake and conform with historic use.
Make potable water available to neighbors (the large well required may
drain
neighbors' wells)
Due to the nature of the industrial deposited soils (iron ore, etc.) on the
site,
dust control during excavation, grading, and construction must be
done to keep soils from blowing off site. Paving of roads,
landscaping,
and other means necessary to guarantee future containment
of soils must
be considered.
Development should be clustered away from the boundaries of the
property
as much as possible.
Units on the east (River Road) side of the property should be limited to
singlefamily or duplexes; no townhomes or multi-family units permitted.
Individuality of design is preferred to uniform, pre-fabricated
buildings.
public access: Design of public uses must have approval of neighbors and
Caucus. Any public access should be restricted to individual private use. No boat ramps
or raft access should be included in the design as the impact on the residents is too great.
Access to the river should be by trail only with parking as far from the river as possible.
Discuss the provision of toilet facilities for public uses. No community-oriented public
recreational uses such as ball fields or playground areas are to be included.
The draft RFP creates a committee of six voting members to choose a successful
applicant/developer. Only one of these six voting members represents Woody Creek. The
Caucus' position is that more Caucus input is needed in the decision-making process. We
suggest that we also include a member of the Woody Creek Executive Committee and a
member of the Woody Creek District Planning Commission as voting members of the
decision-making process. In addition, the Woody Creek Caucus must have substantial
approval power over the final decision.
The Caucus has always insisted on a plan of mitigation of all potential impacts.
Without such a plan, the Caucus opposes any development whatsoever on this site.
5/8/97 draft
W/J Ranch
The Woody Creek Caucus acknowledges that the following information is in
dispute.We are awaiting clarification and documentation of the information
presented.
64 existing dwelling units. 2 Free-market ranch dwelling units. 62 deed-restricted
employee units in category 4 and Resident-Occupied (RO) in 1995. In 1997,( nine or
twelve) of the units were combined to create larger living spaces. The Minor Plat Review
allowed the owner of the W/J the right to create (9 or 12) new lots, on which the owner
claims can be built (9 or 12) new RO replacement units.
Site:
Filing 1 (Stevens Street)has 34 units,
27 of these units are category 4, 7 are RO, AH zone
Filing 2 (Bullwinkle)has 16 units,
these units are category RO, 6 houses, 10 vacant lots, AH zone
Filing 3 (upper bench)has 12 units,
these units are RO, 9 houses, 3 vacant lots, AH zone
W/J, Inc has 2 houses, 84.5 acres, zoned RS-20
PCAH parcel has 0 units, 112+ acres, AH zone
Ownership:
Filing 1 W/J Ranch Homeowners Association
Filing 2 W/J Ranch Homeowners Association
Filing 3 W/J Ranch Homeowners Association
W/J, Inc John Musick
PCAH parcel. Pitkin County Affordable Housing, Inc., executive
director Wayne Ethridge, John Musick founder.
(In addition to this land ownership, 8 of the deed-restricted units are currently owned by
the Housing Office until they can be sold to residents, and 2 of the deed-restricted units
(Filing 3) and 12 lots (3 in Filing 3, 9 in filing 2) are owned by W/J Ranch, Inc. (John
Musick) until they can be sold to residents.
Plans for Expansion: There has been a contested approval for the (9 or 12) replacement
lots in Filing 2 or 3, exempt from subdivision application. There has also been theoretical
approval for 2 additional lots to provide a capital reserve account for the homeowners
association that will also be exempt from subdivision, and built on PCAH land as part of
the master planned area, probably immediately adjacent to Filing 2. Any additional
development shall require a Master Plan of the entire W/J Ranch including the PCAH
parcel.
Zoning: The Filings 1, 2 and 3 and the PCAH parcel of the W/J Ranch was zoned
Permanent Moderate Housing (PMH), and renamed Affordable Housing (AH) in 1996.
The W/J Ranch, Inc. parcel is zoned RS-20.
Master Plan Policy Statement
The Woody Creek Caucus has and will continue to support the homeowners of the W/J
Ranch. The Caucus' position has been that the representation by previous owners and by
the County was that the Ranch was fully developed with the construction of the 27 units
on Stevens Street in 1989. Piecemeal development history of this parcel requires that an
acceptable final master plan of the entire W/J Ranch parcels be prepared and submitted to
the County and the Caucus. (see W/J history by Alan Richman in Appendix H-___)
Current Status
Currently the deed-restricted category units on the Ranch are allowed to expand to 2000
square feet of living space, plus 1000 square feet of basement space and an additional 500
square feet of garage or shed space. This was allowed as part of the Minor Plat
Amendment in 1995. Also allowed was the combining of (9-12) units for more square
footage, leaving a constant of 62 affordable units.
Concerns of the Community
1. Water System provided on the ranch currently delivers 50 gal/person/day. The state
calculates a minimum standard of 75 gal/person/day, with a 100 gal/person/day average.
A 4 to 6" line will carry the sufficient amount of water for fire protection. An existing 2
1/2" line provides insufficient fire protection at 45 gal/minute. A study needs to be done
to show a proven, available source of water before approval of any new residential
development.
2. Waste Treatment on the ranch is adequate for current use. Plumbing upgrades and the
addition of the (9 or 12) lots plus the 2 homeowner lots will be done simultaneously. An
evaluation of the septic system by Environmental Health in 1996 showed that Filing 1 has
6 units that do not comply with regulations. Six of the units share 2 leach fields and under
code produce more effluent than allowed on the allotted space if the allowed extra square
footage were to be built in bedrooms. While most of the newly configured lots don't
meet the setback requirements, the BOCC felt this was a workable situation. Vacant lots
in Filings 2 and 3 need current ISDS systems designed, or the package plant will have to
be built before any of them are built on. No development shall trigger, either individually
or collectively with other development, the requirement of a regional sewage treatment
plant anywhere in the Woody Creek Planning Area.
3. Hazard Zone: Odors - The Stevens Street units are adjacent to a 50-acre sludge dump
from which the odors can be oppressive. This is controlled by the county sanitation
districts of Aspen and Snowmass, the land was purchased with funds from the EPA, and
should they ever change the use, the sanitation districts have to pay for the land at current
market value. The current application for a ten year special use permit by the sludge
dump states "The (sludge) property is not suitable for residential use due to the impacts of
the flight path for the Pitkin County Airport."
Noise - Any units that may be built on the PCAH and the Filing 2
units will be adjacent to the Racetrack with the noise impacts and auto emissions that that
entails. The noise of the crusher at the Elam Gravel Pit are also evident. Perhaps the
worst offenders for noise, however, are the planes, as this ranch is in the direct flight path
for most take-offs and landings from Sardy Field.
Air Quality - In addition to the above auto emissions, the PCAH
and Filing 2 units are adjacent to and downwind from the Elam Gravel Pit with its
associated dust pollution.
Inherent danger of plane crashes on this bench can be seen by
the 2 most recent crashes in 1990 and 1991 near the Stevens Street homes. (Refer to the
Airport Chapter of this Master Plan for details.)
4. Lack of public transportation which all of Woody Creek shares is compounded at the
W/J Ranch which the larger busses cannot reach particularly in the winter due to the
hazardous conditions often found on Jaffee Hill and McLain Flats Hill. (see the
Transportation Chapter for this report by Dan Blankenship, head of RFTA) These hills
are closed several times each winter even to auto traffic, and in the 1988-89 school year,
the school bus slid off the side of the road early one morning causing all the children to
walk down the McLain Flats hill on foot. The Land Use Code requires that the transit
system be capable of accommodating the proposed development without the need for
additional route shifts, or new services at increased public expense.
5. Traffic: Suggest studies of area road capacities to understand the impact of additional
development. Our roads in Woody Creek are currently at 107% to 252% of capacity
without any additional development. How does the developer plan to mitigate these
impacts. (Previous county road capacity studies are included in the Road Chapter of this
Master Plan) The lack of sufficient capacity, as well as the frequent winter hazardous
driving of Jaffee Hill and McLain Flats Hill are a community concern and disincentive to
development here.
6. Open Space was how the balance of the Ranch was represented to the existing
homeowners when they bought the parcels on Stevens Street in 1996. A true clustered or
planned development would either create usable common open space for residents, or
would set aside lands for conservation to offset the higher density development that has
been allowed. The subject project instead creates small pockets of development, without
any assurance that open space will be preserved to compensate for the density that gets
approved.
7. The Minor Plat Amendment of 1995 which allowed all 62 units to expand to 4
bedrooms, allowed replacement lots for any duplexes that combined into 1 larger unit and
so forth, also allowed a huge amount of potential growth without going through the
subdivision process that might have asked for mitigation of the impacts of this growth. If
62 units first built as 2-bedroom units were all allowed to double in size, the additional
124 bedrooms holding a potential of 248 persons are not a negligible increase. In 1994
The BOCC granted a subdivision exemption approval to the W/J. The subdivision
process requires that adequate services and utilities exist for the growth. These numbers
of new residents would have a large impact on services (water, sewer, roads, schools,
etc.) This process was bypassed without any planning by the owner to accommodate
these impacts, but allowed the potential for the growth.
8. Commercial: No commercial uses should be allowed. No expansion of Commercial
Zoning.
9. Wildlife currently use a great deal of the Ranch as winter habitat and a migration
corridor. Any development shall not be allowed to disturb this historic pattern. (See Open
Space Chapter of this Master Plan.) The Woody Creek Caucus is dedicated to increasing
wildlife habitat, not decreasing it by any actions of individuals or the community.
10. Prior Promises to the existing homeowners during previous land use applications
have not been met. These include:
All dwelling units need to be brought up to Code including electrical wiring,
access windows, etc., with warranties in the homeowners' names.
All roads were to be chipsealed. The warranty should be to the homeowners.
Construction of sewage package plant, if needed, was to be paid for by W/J
Ranch,
Inc.
Sewer mains and home hookups, if needed, were to be paid for by W/J Ranch,
Inc.
This includes all 62 old and new lots.
11. Is there a demand for housing at W/J ? According to the Aspen/Pitkin Housing
Office, the recent sales of units at the W/J has demonstrated only limited market demand,
compared to the large numbers seen for affordable housing in the urban area. In the
following statistics, this is shown:
sale date
number of applicants
price
December '96
3
?
March '97
5 (no one bought it)
$191,556
April 16, '97
0 (same unit as above)$191,556
April 16, '97
0
$179,737
April 16, '97
0
$195,000
Currently, April 16, 1997, there are 3 units for sale at the W/J, one of them owned by the
Housing Office that was listed previously and not sold. During the 2-week bid period in
April, there were no applicants for any of the 3 units. Should the Housing Office be
unable to sell any of their 8 units within a given time frame, W/J Ranch is obligated to
buy them back. It seems unnecessary to create new units in this area at this time.
Recommendations to Implement Plan
1. The position of the Woody Creek Caucus has been that the W/J Ranch is and was
built out with the Stevens Street additions. The rest of the ranch was deed-restricted
against development. The Affordable Housing (AH) zoning was not done or noticed in a
way we see as valid.
2. Sewage Package Plant, if built as a solution to this site's problems, should be paid for
by the developer. The plant should be sized for the existing units only. The existing
homeowners should only be charged the monthly fees for the processing, not for
repayment of the construction of the plant.
3. A Master Plan of the entire Ranch has to use the figures of the maximum allowable
square footage and 4-bedroom potential now promised all the existing 62 lots when
figuring the impacts of the proposed growth to be generated with any additional
development. Any mitigation must come from the total potential buildout.
4. Developer should post bond to assure performance. County must be responsible to
make sure that all obligations of the developer are properly carried out. Development
standards preferred by the Woody Creek Caucus should be used in the design. Housing
shall continue to be provided in Woody Creek in scattered, low-density patterns.
5. Visibility from Highway 82 and Brush Creek should be a carefully assessed
aesthetically when the design of any development is considered by the County staff.
6. All Prior Promises made with regard to prior land use approvals shall be kept to
the existing homeowners before any approvals to new homebuyers are given.
7. No further small, phased action on land use issues regarding any entities at the W/J
ranch properties should be taken until a comprehensive master plan for the ultimate
planned development of the property is provided by the developers and approved. This
approval should first come with input from the Woody Creek Caucus. The Caucus made
only this exception:
The Caucus moved to ask the BOCC to allow the subdivision application for the
two W/J lots belonging to the Homeowners' Association to proceed prior to the master
planning of the entire W/J Ranch. When the Caucus receives the application to review,
a final recommendation will be made as usual. September 25, 1996 minutes (see
Appendix H-__)
8. One possible mitigation could be some trail completion and upgrades of the Rio
Grand Trail so residents could bike to work.
9. No TDR's purchased outside of Woody Creek shall be used to develop more density
in the Woody Creek Master Plan area.
10. County resolution 89-97 states that no further development would occur in the PMH
(now AH) zone, unless a series of findings were made, including:
a. "The proposal is found to be consistent with the Down Valley Comprehensive
Plan for the Woody Creek area."
b. "The proposal is consistent with densities envisioned for the Woody Creek area
and is approved in a master plan for the entire parcel."
5/8/97 draft
Woody Creek Mobile Home Park
5/8/97 draft
54 existing dwelling units
Site: 11.8 acres in total parcel
Ownership: The 54 existing mobile homes are owned by individuals. The land they sit
on is rented from Michael and MaryJane Underwood, under the property management of
Red Canyon Associates.
Plans for Expansion: The current owners in 1997 are in the process of donating land at
the Northeast portion of the site for the Woody Creek Fire Station and the relocation of
the Woody Creek Post Office.
Zoning: The site is zoned AF-1 with the exception of the 3100 square foot footprint of
the Tavern/Gallery building, which is zoned B-1 or commercial. The mobile home park is
therefore a non-conforming use within the agricultural/forestry zone district.
Homeowners' Vision
We, the homeowners in the Woody Creek Mobile Home Park, remain steadfast in our
goal of land ownership for the lots under and around our homes, including the
infrastructure. Many residents have lived here for more than 20 to 30 years. We are a
part of the Woody Creek community, hard working people who hope to remain.
Master Plan Policy Statement
The Woody Creek Caucus supports the existing Woody Creek Trailer Park use in its
present location. The Caucus further supports efforts which will improve the living
environment and provide economic stability for residents of the Woody Creek Mobile
Home Park. The Caucus also supports the tenants in their efforts to own their sites rather
than lease them.
Current Status
The Woody Creek Mobile Home Park, established in the 1950's by Lee and Virginia
Jones, has since been the home to 100+ local residents in this quiet working class
neighborhood. It is a prominent fixture and well-accepted part of the Woody Creek
Community.
The residents incorporated the WCMHA (Woody Creek Mobile Homeowners
Association) in 1990 with the intent of purchasing the park from the current landowners,
for the purpose of subdividing existing lots to individual homeowners. They wish to be
owner-occupied on fee simple lots. After years of negotiations, the Homeowners
Association continues to negotiate purchase of the park. The current owners, Michael and
MaryJane Underwood, and property management Red Canyon Associates signed "a letter
of intent" to sell in November 1995. The WCMHA presented 6 different contracts, but
thus far, none have been signed.
The residents' goal of ownership of the land under and around their homes includes the
ownership of the failing infrastructure. Their plan is to meet all code
requirements/violations after purchase takes place. Numerous polls of the homeowners
have consistently shown interest and commitment from the vast majority. The Woody
Creek Caucus has long and consistently endorsed this concept as an integral part the the
Woody Creek Master Plan.
Concerns of the Community
1. The existing infrastructure is currently in a failing condition. Specifically, the Waste
Water Treatment Plant has failed, and requires major repairs and improvements. As a
condition of the purchase, the Homeowners Association will assume responsibility for the
upgrades. Therefore, it is essential that the contract closes this fall so plant improvements
can be completed before winter. Water system is adequate.
2. "Affordable Housing" is the main issue affecting the stability of the Homeowners.
Conversion of the mobile home parks to permanent residences has been a high priority
with the Aspen/Pitkin Housing Authority. The Caucus' position is that the mobile home
park has always been and should continue to be affordable housing for that area. We
intend to pursue creative options for increasing the quality of life for present and future
residents of that part of our neighborhood.
3. Fire protection, with the possible addition of a water tank for storage, will be
reviewed upon purchase.
4. Safety fence or hedge between park and road will be included in plans for the
upgrade after purchase.
5. Laundry facility is for park residents only, not zoned commercial, and is included in
the mobile home park parcel.
6. Pedestrian crosswalk to safely connect mobile home park with new Post Office is
recommended.
7. Limit impacts of parking/traffic from existing commercial zone.
8. The buildings at the rear of the park are for storage only. No other use is acceptable.
Recommendations to Implement the Plan
1. Encourage and facilitate tenant buyout and resident ownership of the Woody Creek
Mobile Home Park.
2. The only commercial zone should remain the footprint of the existing Tavern/Gallery
building. No expansion of this footprint is acceptable.
Woody Creek Master Plan 1997 Revision
List of residents, staff, and government contributors/attendees
Anderson
Bastian
Baxter
Beetham
Birnkrant
Bouchard
Braun
Carnel
Cherek
Collins
Craig
Craig
Curtis
Delano
Delise
Dietsch
Dietsch
Dinsmoor
Dinsmoor
Dowling
Dragon
Duggan
Dunlop
Edwards
Edwards
Elam
Emrick
Ethridge
Farris
Favour
Feldman
Finger
Foster
Gawrys
Gilbert
Gold
Gold
Greenspan
Greenspan
Gregory
Grob
Guenin
Mary
Ed
J. S.
John
Don
Rochelle
Alfred
Shirley
CR
Jim
Carol
Jennifer
Lanny
Daniel
Don
Al
Germaine
Jane
Bill
Donna
Larry
Thomas
Tom
Joe
John
John
Heather
Wayne
Dorothea
Mollie
Selma
Paul
Laura
Raul
Becky
Barbara
John
Elaine
Jack
Tomas
Darryl
Gaylord
Harris
Harris
Heitfield
Ho
Ho
Hoff
Hoff
Hohman
Holloway
Holloway
Houben
Hovdesven
Ireland
Jaffee
Jones
Kann
Kann
Kilgore
Kipp
Kopp
Krawzoff
Larsen
Logue
Long
Lothian
MacKenzie
MacKenzie
Maggos
Mahoney
McDonough
McLain
McLain
McLain
Melberg
Miller
Morse
Morse
Myers
Nazzaro
Newland
Newton
Newton
Ornitz
Owsley
Pearson
Peters
Mary
Shep
David
Charles
Linda
David
Ruth
Susan
GK
Holly
Cindy
Bayard
Mick
Jeanne
Paul
Micki
Tom
Ben
Betsey
Robert
George
Marcella
Tom
Phil
Jackie
Bill
Nancy
Laura
Mark
Bill
Doug
Easten
Elizabeth Treadwell
Tom
Brad
Toby
Heather
Mac
Joe
Tom
Rick
Virginia
Barbara
Michael
Tina
Frank
Pint
Powell
Price
Richman
Roberts
Robinson
Rosenbaum
Rosenfeld
Roth
Royster
Rudnick
Rudnick
Sackariason
Sanderson
Sassano
Shellman
Schoeberlein
Schoeberlein
Schoenberger
Smith
Smith
Stranahan
Thomas
Thompson
Thompson
Treibick
Tucker
Underwood
Weatherford
Weatherly
Whaley
Whittingham
Wilcox
Wilkinson
Wyly
Kimberly
Marc
David
Alan
Hugh
Curtis
Mike
Richard
Richard
Tim
Holly
Paul
Carolyn
Suzi
Ellen
Dwight
Janet
William
David
Doug
Scott
George
Susan
Hunter
Mark
Oliver
ML
Michael
Arden
KR
Toni
Phil
Shelley
Margi
Charles