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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-08-25 Town Council MinutesMrowNOF�AIL 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 970-479-2100 FAX 970-479-2157 TM MEDIA ADVISORY August 26, 1998 Contact: Suzanne Silverthorn, 479-2115 Community Information Office VAIL TOWN COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS FOR AUGUST 25 Work Session Briefs Council members present: Armour, Arnett, Foley, Ford, Jewett, Kurz (Sybil) Navas is in Australia representing the Town of Vail) --Employee Recognition The Council recognized Cooter Overcash, a fire technician in the Fire Department and Brian Canepa, a carpenter in the Public Works Department, for 20 and 15 years of service, respectively. --Vail Valley Community TV Update Next, the Council heard an overview from representatives of Channel 5 regarding the station's programming as well as attempts to increase the station's revenue sources through corporate sponsorships. The station operates on an annual budget of about $100,000, which includes $45,000 in TCI cable franchise fees collected in Vail and passed on to the station. The Town of Vail contributes 2% of the 5% franchise fee to Channel 5. Corporate support from TCI has decreased in the last three years, they said, due to new franchise agreements with the towns of Vail and Avon. This has resulted in the need for increased revenues for equipment replacement and other operational costs. Channel 5 board members Brian Hall and Steve Miller said they wanted to make sure Councilmembers thought the station was providing a valuable service to the area. Assuming it is, they said they'd continue pursuing revenue sources to keep the station afloat. The Town Council continues to discuss the status of the current franchise agreement which provided for a total fiber optic build out. TCI has already put the town on notice that it has selected a digital technology approach, instead, and this state-of-the-art upgrade no longer requires a total fiber optic build out. The current franchise agreement calls for significant penalties for violations of the agreement's requirements. --PEC/DRB Report During a review of the recent Planning and Environmental Commission and Design Review Board meetings, the Council received updates on a plan to expand Timber Falls, as well as a development request that would create 21 employee housing units, 15 fractional fee units and 11 accommodation units on the site at Cascade Village known as "the ruins." Updates also were provided on: a request to remodel the front entryway of the Vail Village Club; a request to use the tennis facility at Vail Cascade Hotel and Club for special events and conference facilities; a request to expand Dobson Ice Arena for locker rooms and a gymnastics facility; a request to revise the west entry at the Mountain Haus; a request for site improvements at the (more) IL�� RECYCLEDPAPER Add 1/TOV Council Highlights/8-25-98 Vista Bahn ski yard; and a request for the placement of mechanical equipment on the roof of the to Glen Lyon Office Building. For details, contact Dominic Mauriello in the Community Development Department at 479-2148. --Red Sandstone Lottery The Council gave final approval to the criteria for the upcoming public lottery on the Red Sandstone affordable housing development. Six units will be made available for purchase by the public. The lottery criteria includes the following: equal consideration will be given to length of employment within the Town of Vail as well as length of time living within the Town of Vail; duration of residency within the Town of Vail will have to be verifiable (voter registration, former leases, utility bills, etc.); people both working and residing within the Town of Vail will be given higher priority than those just living within the town, based on the structure of the lottery which combines points from both of these categories; the lottery will be open to all who currently do not own a home within Eagle County (prior home ownership will not be a factor); the business community will be invited to purchase or lease units in larger and/or seasonal housing projects, but will not be allowed in this lottery. The lottery drawing for the six units will be held Nov. 5. The remaining 12 units will be controlled by Town of Vail and its project partner, the Eagle River Water and Sanitation District. For additional details, please refer to the news release issued earlier today, or call Andy Knudtsen in the Community Development Department at 479-2440. --Village Core Construction Update Larry Grafel, public works/transportation director, gave an overview on the Village construction projects. Seibert Circle is nearly complete with clean-up scheduled for this weekend. Sculpture pieces will arrive after Labor Day. The snowmelt project at the Transportation Center will be about 98 percent complete by next week. The Slifer Plaza project will be nearly complete by the end of next week with the in -town bus route resuming normal operations by Labor Day weekend. Also, there's been a one -day delay in the asphalt overlay project on the West Vail bus routes due to equipment problems, Grafel said. Public Works underpass project is running about two weeks behind schedule, also due to equipment problems, in addition to problems associated with unstable soil. In addition, the town is in the process of receiving approval from the Federal Highway Administration for construction of the "button hook" turn at the 1-70 eastbound onramp just east of -the- Main Vail roundabout on South Frontage Rd. The Colorado Department of Transportation has already given approval, Grafel said. Also yesterday, in response to a question from Kevin Foley, Bob McLaurin explained the status of a drainage pipe associated with expansion of the Gasthof Gramshammer. --Common Ground/List of Ideas and Concepts The Council reviewed a list of 60-plus affordable housing ideas that have been offered throughout the Common Ground process and asked members of the audience to add additional ideas to the list. This is in preparation for the next community discussion on Common Ground which has been scheduled for Sept. 15. At that time, the list, along with a staff,analysis, would serve as the basis for presentation and discussion. During yesterday's session, Farrow Hitt, a resident of the Intermountain neighborhood, asked Council to consider scheduiing time beyond the Sept. 15 discussion for a continued dialogue on the ideas. Diana Donovan, a resident of the Golf Course neighborhood, submitted a list of additional ideas to be added to the list. She said she was looking forward to working with the Council and that she was optimistic that the ideas could meet the Council's housing goals without "stepping on anyone's toes." She suggested Council provide a forum for discussion of complicated ideas and to allow citizens an opportunity to explain why a previously dismissed idea still has merit. While the submission of new ideas is 4W welcome any time, Councilmembers asked that ideas to be discussed on Sept. 15 be submitted to the town by Sept. 3. Information packets for the Sept. 15 discussion will be available to (more) M Add 2/T0V Council Highlights/8-25�98 members of the public by 2 p.m. on Sept. 11. The packets will be available at the information desk in the Vail Municipal Building. Also yesterday, Paul Rondeau, a resident of the Golf Course neighborhood, presented his thoughts regarding additional compromises that are in order to move the Common Ground process forward without being tied up in the courts. Rondeau offered suggestions for behavior improvements among those who have spoken out against the plan, those who are actively in support of the plan and members of the Town Council. --Information Update In preparation for a joint meeting with the Vail Recreation District Board on Sept. 15, Councilmembers were asked to review a list of discussion topics. --Council Reports Kevin Foley gave an update on the most recent activities of the Eagle County Regional Transportation Authority in which a new name (ECO) has been introduced. Foley also expressed frustration that an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the authority and the Town of Vail took longer to complete than anticipated. The IGA is for operation of the Dotsero- to-Vail bus service. In addition, Foley suggested scheduling a Council discussion on the Town of Vail's future contractual involvement in operation of the Dotsero-to-Gypsum route. The Town launched the route in.partnership with Eagle County in 1994 prior to passage of the half -cent countywide transportation sales tax and before the transit authority was formed. Town Manager Bob McLaurin has said operation of the outlying route stretches the town's capability to provide quality bus service within the town's boundaries. Also yesterday, Foley, after representing the Council at a meeting of the Vail Recreation District, expressed concerns about the VRD's expansion plans for Dobson Arena, indicating the expansion has turned into a much larger project than originally planned. He also said the VRD would address concerns expressed by a 40 neighbor at the Golf Course regarding use of speakers during the early morning hours. Bob Armour reported on a recent meeting of the Vail 99 Organizing Committee, as well as a Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) meeting in Gunnison. The CAST meeting featured comments from representatives of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, the Office of Business Development, Colorado Travel and Tourism and the state chapter of the American Planning Association. Also at the meeting, Armour learned that Vail stands to receive $216,00.0 for local transportation projects if voters approve a statewide ballot issue to retain excess revenues. Those revenues would be distributed throughout the state for education and transportation projects. Michael Arnett attended a board meeting of the Vail Valley Tourism and Convention Bureau in which there was a discussion regarding the likelihood of "tourism -friendly" candidates for the Avon Town Council. Camp Jeep's success also was discussed, as well as an update on the Vail Oktoberfest event and an interest by the VVTCB to close the Lionshead Information Center. Also, Arnett said he was concerned that a non-member business owner has reported difficulty in receiving referrals from the VVTCB information center. He said representatives from the VVTCB have assured him that non-members are treated fairly by the VVTCB and that an aggressive employee training program would be launched immediately. --Other After describing the town's inability to enforce the use of helmets at the skatepark in the Lionshead parking structure, Town Attorney Tom Moorhead received the go-ahead from Council to pursue an emergency ordinance that would require use of helmets at the skatepark along with 40 any other enforcement measures suggested by the Vail Recreation District. The emergency ordinance will be considered at next Tuesday's evening Council meeting. Despite posted signs and verbal requests from skatepark supervisors, Moorhead said the supervisors are having (more) Add 3/TOV Council Highlights/8-25-98 difficulty getting about 90 percent of the users to wear their helmets. He said an ordinance requiring helmet use will provide an enforcement tool that currently doesn't exist. During discussion, Councilman Michael Jewett expressed interest in limiting the scope of the helmet ordinance to the skatepark, itself. Bob Armour thanked those who participated in the Rescue Rangers event last Saturday at Ford Bark. Michael Jewett received clarification from Town Attorney Tom Moorhead regarding the status of the Common Ground lawsuits.' Moorhead said the town has been served and has responded to 3 lawsuits. At Jewett's request, the town's response will be routed to Councilmembers. Kevin Foley also expressed appreciation to organizers of the Rescue Rangers program. He also: noted the ultra marathon race went well; thanked Ludwig Kurz and Rob Ford for sponsorship of his participation in a bike race fund-raiser; asked that more chairs be added to the Council Chambers for overflow crowds; shared a constituent request that the North Trail be renamed in memory of Lyndon 'Ellefson; suggested moving forward on a Council training program for use of Internet e-mail; noted that Fire Chief Dick Duran had been mentioned in Golf Digest for a hole -in -one shot in Rifle; suggested the Town Council voice mail system be adjusted to enable messages to be routed to all Council members with one phone call, as well as an ability to return to the main menu after leaving a message; asked that the Town consider a proactive campaign to address the need for residents and bears to co -exist; suggested the need to revisit the Dowd Junction recreation path closure schedule (the path is closed during elk and deer migration season at the direction of the Colorado Division of Wildlife); asked about the status of the daycare facility at Vail Commons to replace the Bright Horizons operation (there will be interruption of service, but City Market is in contact with several qualified daycare providers); inquired about the status of rebuilding the playground equipment at Stephens Park (materials will be delivered in mid September); and inquired about the possibility of re-establishing a tot lot for the Lionshead area. Lastly, Joanne Glenn, a former staff member of the Vail Valley Tourism & Convention Bureau, distributed a letter to Councilmembers explaining her allegation of questionable practices associated with the distribution of lodging reservations throughout the valley by the VVTCB. UPCOMING DISCUSSION TOPICS September 1 Work Session Multi -Family GRFA Discussion Glen Lyon Office Building September 1 Evening Meeting Second Reading, Bond Refinancing Emergency Ordinance Requiring Use of Helmets at the Skatepark Facility on the Lionshead Parking Structure September S Work Session DRB Review Discussion of Model Traffic Code Park Free After 3 Discussion Second Quarter Financial Report 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 970-479-2100 FAX 970-479-2157 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 26, 1998 TM Contact: Andy Knudtsen, 479-2440 TOV Senior Housing Policy Planner INFORMATION PACKETS AVAILABLE SEPT.1 FOR RED SANDSTONE HOUSING LOTTERY; APPLICATIONS DUE OCT. 1 (Vail) --Information packets will be available beginning Sept. 1 for those interested in becoming future home owners of a unit in Vail's Red Sandstone Creek housing complex. The packets, available from the Town of Vail Community Development Department, contain floor plans for the 00 new development as well as qualifications and procedures that will be used in deciding who will live there. Construction of the 18-unit for -sale development began in July and will be completed this spring. Six units will be distributed to qualified buyers through a public lottery drawing on Nov. 5. The units include 4 two -bedroom units for $138,500 each and 2 three -bedroom units for $178,500 each. The projected sales prices for the units are 40 percent below market rates for comparable units of similar quality and location. Lottery applications are due Oct. 1. Eligibility requirements for prospective home buyers include the following: must currently own no other real estate in Eagle County, plan to use the residence as an owner -occupied primary home and work a minimum of 30 hours over the course of the year, and plan to continue working that same amount until the sale of the property or retirement. Longevity of employment in Vail and residency will be used to rank candidates. This will allow participation from downvalley residents, but will give Vail locals an edge. The larger 40 units will be set aside for families with children. Resale of the property will be capped at three p p Y pp (more) RECYCLEAPAPER Red Sandstone Lottery/Add 1 percent annual appreciation, Already, community interest in the six Red Sandstone units is high, with over 35 inquiries, said Andy Knudtsen, project manager. Of the remaining 12 Red Sandstone units,.two have been allocated to be purchased by critical Town of Vail employees. The Eagle River Water and Sanitation District will acquire four units to be rented to its employees, with four more units to be sold directly to water district employees. The remaining two units, which are ADA accessible, will be sold by the Water District to the Mountain Valley Corporation, which provides local services to developmentally disabled local residents. The Town of Vail and the Water District are partners in the $2,6 million development, each contributing land, coordination and project financing. The Red Sandstone drawing in November will mark Vail's second housing lottery. In 1996, 75 applicants competed for 53 for -sale units at Vail Commons. Those units have since remained within their original ownership, which reflects the town's goal of providing opportunities for people to "put down roots" in'Vail, Knudtsen said. For more information on the Red Sandstone lottery, contact Knudtsen at 479-2440. ft C'