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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC110056 pec_results_021312/ PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION February 13, 2012 1:00pm TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS / PUBLIC WELCOME 75 S. Frontage Road - Vail, Colorado, 81657 MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT Bill Pierce John Rediker Henry Pratt Michael Kurz Tyler Schneidman Pam Hopkins Luke Cartin 45 minutes A request for a recommendation to the Vail Town Council for a prescribed regulations amendment, pursuant to Section 12-3-7, Amendment, Vail Town Code, to amend Chapter 12-22, View Corridors, Vail Town Code, to allow for the maintenance of designated view corridors impacted by vegetation, and setting forth details in regard thereto. (PEC110056) Applicant: Town of Vail Planner: Warren Campbell ACTION: Recommendation of approval MOTION: Pratt SECOND: Hopkins VOTE: 3-3-0 (Kurz, Cartin, Schniedman opposed) The motion failed to be approved. There were no other motions made. Warren Campbell made a presentation per the Staff memorandum. Commissioner Kurz stated that this topic came up previously. He stated that he believes the Design Review Board made appropriate finding in taking their action. He stated that he was concerned about the long term effects of the removal of healthy trees and the environmental charge of the Commission. The view corridors today are narrow and many have building and streetscape element encroachments. He added that with the new larger buildings being constructed view corridors are not a viable concept. He stated that the proposal does not make sense and he is against the amendment. Commissioner Cartin asked who would be responsible for removal of a tree on private property should it be deemed to be detrimental to a view corridor. Warren Campbell responded that the Town would work with a private property owner to address all issues. Commissioner Cartin asked what the threshold would be to determine whether the tree was detrimental. Warren Campbell responded that criteria were not included in order to allow the DRB to make these determinations as they do currently for all landscaping changes. He added that all view corridor points originate on public property, although many cross private property. Commissioner Cartin stated that there needs to be a balance between water quality and view corridors, as many of the trees in the photos of view corridors are trees along Gore Creek. With stream health becoming a paramount concern recently he is sensitive to the need to shade and stabilize the creek with trees. Commissioner Schneidman stated that he was curious about other communities that have view corridors and how they address this vary issue. Commissioner Pierce stated he is in support of the proposal as he felt the DRB could make the determination if landscaping was detrimental to a particular view corridor. The amendments provided flexibility, but would also prevent removal without consideration of the purpose of the view corridor. Commissioner Hopkins stated that healthy forests with trees of varying ages would be helpful for maintaining forested health and promoting water quality. She added that to maintain views tree maintenance was necessary. Warren Campbell clarified that the proposal would only allow for removal of trees in adopted view corridors and not views from private property. There was no public comment. Henry Pratt made a motion to recommend approval. Pam Hopkins 2nd the motion. The vote was 3-3-0. The motion failed to be approved. Commissioner Kurz stated the view corridors are antiquated. Commissioner Schneidman said it would be better to say “no greater than what is necessary …” to ensure the minimal amount of alteration was applied for and approved. Commissioner Cartin stated that the trees break up bulk and mass of the large scale buildings and sacrificing large trees that are appealing to the general public to save a certain angle of a certain view is not worth it. He added that the review of the alteration of landscaping in a view corridor was subjective. He continued by asking if trees were a part of a view corridor and added to its appeal or are they detrimental? Commissioner Pierce asked Commissioner Schneidman if there were any changes he would propose to the language which would gain his support? Commissioner Schneidman stated no. Commissioner Kurz stated maintenance of view corridors including trimming would be ok, but not removal of healthy trees. He stated that view corridors are very narrow and you don’t even know you’re looking through a corridor unless you’re in a very specific location. Commissioner Pierce added that the view corridors are not static and you can see them through many different points. Commissioner Hopkins stated that she was on the Commission when the view corridors were established. They were established after Beaver Creek was built and very few views were preserved to the natural environment. The view corridors are achieving their intent.T Warren Campbell outlined how view corridors have been established in conjunction with the introduction of new buildings in the Town. Commissioner Kurz stated that removal of a tree for to achieve a view corridor in Colorado is offensive. 60 minutes A request for a final recommendation to the Vail Town Council for prescribed regulations amendments to Title 12, Zoning Regulations and Title 14, Development Standards, Vail Town Code, pursuant to Section 12-3-7, Amendment, Vail Town Code, to provide regulations that will implement sustainable building and planning standards, and setting forth details in regard thereto. (PEC090028) Applicant: Town of Vail Planner: Rachel Dimond/ Kristen Bertuglia ACTION: Tabled to March 12, 2012 MOTION: Kurz SECOND: Cartin VOTE: 6-0-0 Kristen Bertuglia made a presentation per the Staff memorandum. Building Design Commissioner Kurz asked if composting would be required in a home. Kristen Bertuglia responded that composting areas could count as recycling areas, but would not be required. Regarding heat tape, Commissioner Pierce stated that ice damming can be avoided with other regulations. Commissioner Hopkins stated that gutters can be problematic, and that unless you have larger gutters, there is always dripping. Commissioner Kurz stated that one major issue is roof forms shedding water onto parking lots that turns to ice as in his neighborhood. Kristen Bertuglia responded that you want to hold snow or divert melted snow from the driveway and walkways. Commissioner Pratt stated that a roof that is meant to hold snow and doesn’t have gutters will still drip when melting. He added that there are many points that one can change after final approval. Commissioner Pierce stated that insulation can prevent ice damming. Warren Campbell asked if you can put controls on heat tape. Commissioner Pierce stated that some heat tape is triggered by temperature. Commissioner Cartin stated that Vail Resorts has heat tape with temperature controls. Commissioner Pierce questioned allowing water to drip on the ground. Commissioner Pratt said if the policy is to reduce heat tape, this is one way to do that. Landscaping and Irrigation Commissioner Cartin asked how large trees are to be protected. Warren Campbell responded that all trees on the survey would be subject to this point. Commissioner Pratt stated that 2 feet from the trunk would not save the tree, but it may help prevent materials be stored against it. Commissioner Hopkins asked if we can require or incentive healthy trees through watering and injections, or hiring an arborist to ensure the health of the tree. Commissioner Pratt stated that the defensible space could be added to this discussion. Commissioner Pierce stated that 2 feet is not enough to save a tree. Commissioner Pratt asked if this applies to properties with irrigation only. Commissioner Cartin stated that Vail uses more water in summer than in winter per the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District. Commissioner Pratt stated that the landscape requirements are pretty heavy, and now, 20 years later, you can’t see the house. He said it was a problem to force people to replace trees, especially aspens. It should only be required for spruce trees. He said it should be more flexible. Commissioner Hopkins stated that on Mill Creek Circle, there are houses with massive trees that would be difficult to replace foot-for-foot. Commissioner Pierce stated that there are some projects that used poor site development tactics that ended up with removing every tree on the property. In some cases on Forest Road, there is no way to put those trees back on the site. Warren Campbell asked if the way a tree is measured should be clarified. Trees considered 6 feet in height count the root ball as well, and the actual tree is only 4-5 feet tall. Both Commissioner Pratt and Pierce said the DRB should be the decision maker on tree replacement. Commissioner Kurz stated that Aspens proliferate but other trees do not. Commissioner Hopkins stated that some landscaping is worth removing. Commissioner Pratt stated that portions of landscaping that are sod should be split into a few levels of points. Commissioner Pierce said the grass blocks are tough to plow. Commissioner Hopkins asked if sand set block would count as permeable. Commissioner Cartin added that any fees applied through the program should be used only for the mitigation of environmental impacts for which it was collected. Commissioner Pratt said some negative aspects of building should result in negative points (i.e. more turf grass could result in negative points that would need to be made up elsewhere in the checklist). 5 minutes A request for the review of a final plat, pursuant to Chapter 13-12, Exemption Plat Review Procedures, Vail Town Code, to allow for the re-subdivision of Lots 2 and 3, Bighorn Subdivision 4th Addition, located at 4316 and 4336 Streamside Circle West, and setting details in regards thereto. (PEC110063) Applicant: Diamond Assets, represented by Triumph Development Planner: Bill Gibson ACTION: Table to February 27, 2012 MOTION: Kurz SECOND: Cartin VOTE: 6-0-0 5 minutes A request for findings of fact and a determination of accuracy and completeness, pursuant to Chapter 12-3, Administration and Enforcement, Vail Town Code, and Article 12-7B, Commercial Core 1 District, Vail Town Code, for applications for a major exterior alteration, pursuant to Section 12-7B-7, Major Exterior Alterations or Modifications, Vail Town Code, to allow for the addition of GRFA (Rucksack Building), located at 288 Bridge Street, Unit R-2/ Part of Lots C & D, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 1, and setting forth details in regard thereto. (PEC110045); and a major exterior alteration, pursuant to Section 12-7B-7, Major Exterior Alterations or Modifications, Vail Town Code, to allow for additions of enclosed floor area; a variance, pursuant to Chapter 12-17, Variances, Vail Town Code, from Section 12-14-17, Setback from Watercourse, Vail Town Code, to allow for encroachments into the Mill Creek setback and a variance, pursuant to Chapter 12-17, Variances, Vail Town Code, from Section 12-7B-15, Site Coverage, Vail Town Code, to allow for additions of enclosed floor area in excess of allowable site coverage, located at 288 Bridge Street, Unit R-1 (Rucksack Building)/ Part of Lots C & D, Block 5A, Vail Village Filing 1, and setting forth details in regard thereto. (PEC110046, PEC110050) Appellant: Bridge Street Building, LLC Planner: Rachel Dimond ACTION: Table to February 27, 2012 MOTION: Kurz SECOND: Cartin VOTE: 6-0-0 Approval of January 30, 2012 minutes MOTION: Kurz SECOND: Cartin VOTE: 6-0-0 Information Update Warren Campbell stated that there would be iPad training provided after the February 27th regular agenda was completed. Adjournment MOTION: Kurz SECOND: Cartin VOTE: 6-0-0 The applications and information about the proposals are available for public inspection during regular office hours at the Town of Vail Community Development Department, 75 South Frontage Road. The public is invited to attend the project orientation and the site visits that precede the public hearing in the Town of Vail Community Development Department. Please call (970) 479-2138 for additional information. Sign language interpretation is available upon request with 24-hour notification. Please call (970) 479-2356, Telephone for the Hearing Impaired, for information. Community Development Department Published February 10, 2012, in the Vail Daily.