HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-04-28 Town Council Minutes75 South Frontage Road
Vail, Colorado 81657
970-479-2100
FAX 970-479-2157
MEDIA ADVISORY
April 29, 1998
Contact: Suzanne Silverthorn, 479-2115
Community Information Office
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS FOR APRIL 28
Please note: The start time for the evening meeting has been changed to 7 p. m.,
30 minutes earlier than the previous start time.
Work Session Briefs
Council members present: Armour, Arnett, Foley, Ford, Jewett, Kurz, Navas
--Presentation of Silver Wreath of Valor to Michael Heydon
. Michael Heydon, a seasonal Town of Vail bus driver, was presented with an award for bravery by
the Vail Police Department at yesterday's meeting. Heydon received the Silver Wreath of Valor,
the highest award that can be bestowed upon a civilian, for rescuing a 3-year-old toddler from a
car that was dangling over a 10-foot-high retaining wall. The incident happened last Jan. 15 in
the Matterhorn neighborhood when the child was left unattended in the family's parked car. The
toddler apparently moved the gear shift to neutral allowing the car to roll up and over a retaining
wall, where it came to rest at a 45 degree angle. Heydon, who was on his bus route, noticed the
incident and ran to the rescue pulling the child from the dangling car, according to police reports.
Heydon said he was surprised and honored to receive the award from Division Commander Jeff
Layman of the Vail PD. Please note: He_vdon's name was misspelled in the news release issued April
27. We regret the error.
--PEC Review
During a recap of Monday's Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC) meeting,
Councilmembers reviewed PEC approval of the town's request for a conditional use permit to
resurrect a skatepark on the top deck of the Lionshead parking structure. The approval is valid
during May through October and will not be subject to annual review unless there are complaints
or objections in the future. The skatepark is a joint project supported by the Vail Recreation
District, Vail Associates, the Town of Vail and numerous volunteers. Also, yesterday
Councilmembers learned that the developer of the "ruins" property at 1325 Westhaven Dr. in
Cascade Village, will agree to a one-year timetable for development (the town's code allows a
three-year time frame). In the past, Councilmembers, frustrated by the lack of progress in
completing the development, have called the property an eyesore.
--Presentation of Multiple Use Indoor Event Center and Indoor Ice Rink
The Council heard from Terrill Knight, Joan Harned and Dan Godec, each are representatives of
a citizens group that hope to advance the concept of a multiple use indoor event center and
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TOV Council Highlights/April 28, 19981Add1 •
indoor ice rink at the Eagle County Fairgrounds in Eagle. The group is approaching each of the
towns within the county to explore interest and potential support for a facility that would be
modeled after the National Western Events Center in Denver. Uses could include concerts,
equestrian events, winter rodeos, indoor soccer, shows, meetings and an ice surface, among
others. The facility also could house a teen center, they said. The concept calls for private
dollars to build the facility, with operations governed by an authority. The representatives said
the site is one of the last remaining opportunities to create a facility in which all residents of the
county would benefit. Reaction by the Town Council was generally supportive, although several
Councilmembers wondered if Vail would, indeed, see a direct benefit from such a facility.
Councilman Michael Arnett suggested the group make a similar presentation to the Vail
Recreation District, while Councilman Bob Armour asked about the impact a facility would have
on the equestrian center at the Berry Creek Fifth property in Edwards. Mayor Rob Ford stressed
the importance of providing recreation facilities for locals at the site, such as an affordable golf
course. He also expressed support for creating equestrian -based facilities that would augment
Eagle's western ranching theme, but said an ice rink or convention center concept would be
more appropriate if located in Vail. Councilmember Sybill Navas advised the group not to
overlook the asset of the Eagle River within the plan. She also said such a facility would likely
serve as another magnet to lure long-time residents away Vail, which would be unfortunate.
--Presentation of the Year End Financial and the First Interim Financial Report of 1998
Next, Steve Thompson, finance director, presented an overview of revenues and expenditures
during 1997. Revenues exceeded the amount budgeted last year in the following categories:
sales tax collections, up $545,000; Real Estate Transfer Tax, up $1.3 million; construction fees,
up $243,000; and parking -pay -in -lieu fees, up $528,000. Only two revenue categories were
under budget, he said: ski lift tax, down $46,000 and daily parking revenues, down $112,000. On •
the expenditure side, Thompson said general fund spending was under budget by $759,000.
The financial score sheet for 1998 is not as strong, however. Sales tax collections are currently
running about $200,000 behind last year's pace and daily parking revenues will be about
$400,000 under previous collections, he said. The parking loss is attributed to the Park Free
After 3 program (this was the first time the program had been offered season -long). Mayor Rob
Ford suggested putting the community on notice that come June, the Council will need to
seriously evaluate the program to determine if the benefits outweigh the costs.
Also yesterday, Councilmembers reviewed. details of a proposed $8 million supplemental
appropriation to the 1998 budget. Most of the changes involve rolling forward unspent 1997
appropriations ($2.1 million) and expenditures related to employee housing projects ($4.5
million). The supplemental will be considered for first reading at the May 19 evening meeting.
--Capital Projects
After a heated discussion, the Council authorized an additional $26,483 to the Seibert Circle
project, increasing the project's cost from $634,500 to $690,983. Staff members said the bid
from B&B Construction had been value -engineered to its fullest and was still running 4 percent
over budget. Councilmembers Armour and Arnett advocated use of pavers rather than
aggregate concrete at the project's periphery to help lower the cost, while Councilmembers
Foley, Kurz, Navas and Ford said they didn't want to short-change the project. Councilman
Michael Jewett made a motion to discontinue the project, but the motion failed due to lack of a
second. The shortfall will come from fund balance.
Also yesterday, Councilmembers agreed to authorize the transportation snowmelt project, which
had been budgeted at $1.3 million. The bid from Yampah Construction is about $100,000 over
budget. A $400,000 sales tax collection surplus from 1997 will be used to fund the difference.
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--Mayors'/Managers' Update
Town Manager Bob McLaurin said a subcommittee had met to draft a letter to the Eagle County
Planning Commission in support of recommendations from the Roaring Fork Valley Planning
Commission regarding a proposed county moratorium. McLaurin said the letter would be
presented to the full group at a meeting on Wednesday this week. He said the group also is
working on a grant request to hold a planning retreat that would include representation from each
of the towns and the county.
--Information Update
Councilmembers received a copy of a letter from the Community Development Department that
asks City Market to remove a "Vail Commons" sign on the property by May 15. The sign is in
violation of the town's sign code.
Announcements included: Councilmembers will have access to Internet e-mail within the next
few weeks at a dedicated terminal within the Municipal Building; the second meeting to discuss
Vail Village construction projects was productive with another meeting to follow this Thursday at
10 a.m. at the Red Lion; a matrix from the Common Ground public workshops has been
compiled with distribution underway; and Mike Mollica, assistant director of the Community
Development Department, has resigned after nearly 10 years with the town to take a planning job
with a community in Connecticut.
Also yesterday, Councilmembers agreed to modify approval of a development request to improve
the Mountain Haus entrance based on a recommendation from the Fire Department.
. --Council Reports
Kevin Foley said the Trails Committee has just completed a half -day retreat. He said questions
still remain about the current closure of the Dowd Junction recreation path by the Division of
Wildlife when the same area is currently being accessed for fishing. Foley also reminded
everyone about Tuesday's Vail Recreation District election. Absentee ballots are available for
those who will be leaving town. In addition, Hermann Staufer has stepped down from the VRD
after eight years, Foley said. The VRD also will be approaching the town attorney soon,
according to Foley, to ask for help in enforcing distribution of in -district golf passes, which are
currently being abused.
Ludwig Kurz reported on a recent meeting of the board of directors for Channel 5. He said
Channel 5 has forged a partnership with the Vail Valley Foundation for consideration in becoming
the local broadcast station for the World Championships. Channel 5 also is collaborating with
the Steadman Hawkins clinic and is committed to improving its programming efforts.
Bob Armour said the Colorado Association of Ski Towns is continuing to lobby for passage of
several bills in the state legislature and is also lobbying for non-stop flights by British Airways out
of D IA.
Sybill Navas reported on a meeting of the Special Events Commission in which about $15,000 is
being set aside to help fund an event in Vail Village the weekend of Aug. 29.
Town Attorney Tom Moorhead said that he and Assistant Town Manager Pam Brandmeyer had
attended a recent meeting of the Eagle County Recreation Authority at the Council's request.
_-Other
Sybill Navas asked if a new house in Spraddle Creek is in compliance with the town's light
ordinance. Staff will follow up.
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TOV Council Highlights/April 28, 1998/Add3
Bob Armour noted that garage sale signs had been posted on the roundabout signs in West Vail
last week.
Kevin Foley continued to express concerns about the lack of late night bus service on Vail's
outlying routes during the off-season.
Due to the cancellation of meetings on May 5 and May 12, Councilmembers clarified possible
call-up procedures that would be associated with the next PEG and DRB meetings.
UPCOMING DISCUSSION TOPICS
May 5 Work Session & Evening Meetings
Cancelled due to lack of quorum
May 12 Work Session
Cancelled due to lack of quorum
May 19 Work Session
PEC Review
Liquor Board Interviews
Discussion and Review of Budget Calendar
May 19 Evening Meeting
Liquor Board Appointments
First Reading, Ordinance #4, Red Sandstone SDD
First Reading, Ordinance #8, Supplemental Appropriations
May 26 Work Session
DRB Review
Year-end and First Quarter Financial Report
Review of DRB Red Sandstone Decision
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