HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991-01-15 Town Council MinutesMINUTES
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
JANUARY 15, 1991
7:30 P.M.
A regular meeting of the Vail Town Council was held on Tuesday,
January 15, 1991, at 7:30 P.M., in the Council Chambers of the Vail
Municipal Building.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Kent Rose, Mayor
Jim Gibson
Mery Lapin
Robert Levine
Peggy Osterfoss
MEMBERS ABSENT: Lynn Fritzlen
Tom Steinberg, Mayor Pro-Tem
TOWN OFFICIALS PRESENT: Ron Phillips, Town Manager
Larry Eskwith, Town Attorney
Pam Brandmeyer, Town Clerk
The first item on the agenda was Citizen Participation, of which there
was none.
Item No. 2 on the agenda was Ordinance No. 42, Series of 1990, second
reading, an ordinance repealing and reenacting Chapter 8.28 of the
Municipal Code of the Town of Vail to expand, strengthen, and clarify
in code provisions relating to air pollution control. Applicant: Town
of Vail. Mayor Rose read the full title of the ordinance. The staff
requested this ordinance be tabled to the February 5, 1991, evening
meeting. Peggy Osterfoss made a motion to table Ordinance No. 42,
Series of 1990, and Mery Lapin seconded the motion. A vote was taken,
and the motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
The third item on the agenda was discussion of the proposed changes to
Ordinance 42 relating to fireplaces. Discussion by Council suggested
revisions would follow. Susan Scanlan stated if the revised proposal
reflected the consensus of Council opinion, additional topics needed
to be discussed regarding rebate funds. Susan asked Gary Hall, a
Public Service District Representative, to speak about gas conversion
costs and availability and to answer any other questions that anyone
present might have. Gary said the average conversion cost would be
approximately $500 plus the price of a log set, which runs from $300-
$400. Additional costs could be encountered if extra gas piping lines
needed to be installed or for installation of a meter. He also stated
that since natural gas lines run throughout the town, installing gas
fireplaces in the majority of Vail homes wouldn't be a problem. He
said they would work with the Town to create a funding package of some
sort to help encourage people to switch from wood -burning to gas -
burning fireplaces and would try to prepare the package before the
February 5, 1991, meeting. This package would include an education
program that outlines the environmental and health problems associated
with wood -burning. Susan stated the staff recommendations would
include a complete inventory, suggest a three-year time period to
require complete conversion or removal of wood -burning units,
implementation of a rebate program and establishment of a fund base
for that program to encourage early conversion, and provision of safe
and proper conversion permits. There were some special circumstances
that would need to be considered, i.e., wood -burning in a commercial
venture and wood -burning as a primary source of heat in a residence.
Commercial circumstances would include Vail restaurants that have up-
keep broilers, wood -burning pizza ovens, and similar devices, that
create a financial income for the Town through sales tax revenues.
Contributing to pollution would be auto emissions, wood -burning, and
sand from the road. The Staff said health impacts depend on each
person's individual health and outlook. Visual problems due to brown
haze are also a personal issue as well as a Town issue. Mayor Rose
asked Susan one technical question regarding a memo about carbon
monoxide buildup in Steamboat, i.e., what caused a buildup of carbon
monoxide in the units with a gas log retrofit? Susan referred the
question to Gary Hall. Gary said a properly fired gas burning
appliance should not have carbon monoxide buildup. Susan said initial
conversions might have been improperly drafted. Gerry Bonser,
District Manager for Public Service, said that the issue in Steamboat
was prompted by down drafts. Wood combustion would produce more
carbon monoxide than gas combustion. Chris Neuswanger, a resident of
Vail, expressed numerous concerns, including cost of conversion,
running new lines, fireplaces that are electrically heated, minimum
charges when no use occurs, damper welding, enforcement, inspections,
and education. Builder Pat Dauphinais stated the Town should ban new
wood -burning fireplaces. Gas appliances are aesthetically inadequate.
Class A fireplaces with a good gas log burning device can be just as
aesthetically pleasing as a wood burning fireplace. Charging for a
fireplace with a set expiration would be inappropriate. Mayor Rose
said we should halt the construction of all new wood -burning
fireplaces and stoves within the Town of Vail. We should allow Class
A Units to be properly installed within structures with retrofit gas
burning log systems. We should try to establish a voluntary program
and some educational types of things to get people to convert, and we
should try voluntary conversion systems for a period of one year and
then review. During that first year, we should find the funds to help
people convert existing fireplaces up to one-half of the conversion or
$500, whichever is less. He would like to see us work with the County
on unincorporated areas on a similar proposal. Kristan Pritz restated
the purpose of this meeting was to allow for public discussion and to
bring this ordinance back on February 5, 1991, for the evening
meeting.
Item No. 4 on the agenda was Resolution No. 25, Series of 1990, a
resolution declaring the need for a housing authority in the Town of
Vail, Colorado. Kristan Pritz requested approval of the resolution.
Larry Eskwith had been asked if there was a way to control bonding
issues by the Housing Authority. He stated there was nothing in the
statute. He suggested entering into an intergovernmental agreement
with the authority to provide certain restrictions on what they can
do, which is perfectly legitimate. Another option would be to place
certain covenant restrictions on the property. Rob LeVine move to
approve the motion with a second by Mery Lapin. A vote was taken, and
the motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
. The fifth item on the agenda was a letter to the Department of
Wildlife concerning trapping in the Vail Valley. Blondie Vucich,
President of the Eagle Humane Society, thanked the Council for
addressing the issue. Her sole suggestion was that the letter be
addressed to Perry Olson, Director of the Colorado Division of
Wildlife in Denver, with a copy going to the Wildlife Commission and
also a copy going to Bill Andree. Following discussion, Mery Lapin
moved the Town send the letter to Perry Olson with copies to Bill
Andree and the Wildlife Commission. This motion was seconded by Jim
Gibson. There was no further discussion, a vote was taken, and the
motion passed unanimously, 5-0.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:30
p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
6 ATTEST:
Pamela A. BrTown Town Clerk
Minutes taken by Janet Cassady
E
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Kent R. Rose, Mayor