HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-20 Town Council MinutesVAIL TOWN COUNCIL - MINUTES
TUESDAY, June 20, 2000
7:00 P.M.
The regular meeting of the Vail Town Council was held in the Town Council Chambers on
Tuesday, June 20, 2000. The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:00 P.M.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Ludwig Kurz, Mayor
Sybill Navas, Mayor Pro-Tem
Chuck Ogilby
Diana Donovan
Kevin Foley
Rod Slifer
Greg Moffet
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob McLaurin, Town Manager
Tom Moorhead, Town Attorney
Pam Brandmeyer, Assistant Town Manager
The first item on the agenda was Citizen Participation. Joe Staufer, a Town of Vail business
owner and resident, stated he was concerned about an article in the local newspaper regarding
the possibility of the Town of Vail considering the use of an Urban Renewal Authority financing
vehicle for public improvements in the Lionshead area. He said this avenue would require
some Lionshead condominiums to be designated as "blighted". He warned the Council this
would be a mistake and said these condominiums could not be considered "blighted" when they
are million dollar condominiums. He felt this route would negatively impact property values and
the town.
Glen Davis, representing the Vail Jr. Hockey Association, informed the Council of the
association's efforts to place a temporary sheet of ice at the Vail golf course practice range this
winter. He also stated that a private donor has spoken with Russ Forrest and said they were
willing to spend $400,000 needed to purchase equipment for the rink with three conditions. The
three conditions are 1) the approval of a repayment plan of $60,000 per year for ten years; 2)
the Vail Recreation District would be the primary scheduling agent for the new facility; and 3)
the new facility would be the primary hockey facility for the Vail Jr. Hockey Association and they
would use the Dobson Ice Arena as a secondary facility for overflow practice time.
Eileen Connors, a Vail resident, asked the Town Council for help in her efforts to be
accommodated in the work place with her employers. She stated she needs to wear special
glasses due to her sensitivity to sunlight and other lights in businesses. She said the employers
are not willing to allow her to wear the special glasses and she cannot work anywhere in town.
She said the Town Council should tell all E.,mployers about the American's with Disabilities Act
(ADA) and its requirements of employee accommodation. She also criticized Vail Resorts for
participating in the National Ski Area Association's environmental platform. She said they
misrepresented themselves and said it was a deception to lure people to Vail. She also said
that the employee -housing problem would not go away until the businesses start paying an
affordable wage to their employees.
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Bob McLaurin, Town Manager, stated she should get in touch with the P-EOC and Department
. of Justice for her employer issues.
Joe Staufer, a Vail business owner, stated he is an employer and he says most employers pay
way above minimum wage, with benefits and subsidized housing. He said the statements
previously made by Eileen Connor were based on someone who is upset and not a reality.
The second item on the agenda was the first reading of Ordinance No. 12, Series 2000 - The
Designation of Ten Properties as Open Space. On May 2, 2000, the Open Space Board of
Trustees met and unanimously agreed to recommend ten properties for designation.
Russ Forrest, Director of Community Development, stated the Open Space Board of Trustees
is recommending ten properties to be designated open space. He reviewed the memorandum
sent to the Council, the ten properties that were recommended and the criteria that qualifies a
property for open space. According to the Vail Town Charter, land that is designated as open
space must be maintained as open space in perpetuity unless voters agree to change the use.
The ten properties recommended are 1) Stephens Park; 2) Buffehr Creek Park, Lot 34; 3) the
upper bench of Donovan Park; 4) a parcel of land above Sandstone Drive (which is steep and
approximately 6.3 acres); 5) a small property where Buffehr Creek runs through it that is part of
the North Trail; 6) Tract A, Vail Potato Patch; 7) Tract D, Vail Potato Patch; 8) a portion of 525
Forest Road, owned by the town; 9) land in East Vail, east of Pitkin Creek Meadows
Townhomes, which is a steep hillside and winter range for bighorn habitat; and 10) a parcel in
East Vail, Tract C, Bighorn Townhomes Subdivision, which is in an avalanche zone.
The addition of these parcels would increase the amount of designated open space in Vail from
396 acres to 444 acres.
Council member, Chuck Ogilby, asked where the boundary is on the stream tract parcel.
Russ clarified the boundary area.
Council member Greg Moffet made a motion to approve on first reading, Ordinance No. 12,
Series of 2000, and Council member Kevin Foley seconded the motion.
Guy Aurault, a local resident, thanked the Open Space Board of Trustees for their
recommendations and stated open space is very important now and for our future.
Mayor Ludwig Kurz thanked the Open Space Board of Trustees and those that were involved in
this process for their efforts.
A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
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The third item on the agenda was the first reading of Ordinance No. 14, Series 2000 -
. Supplemental Appropriation and Budget Adjustments,
Chris Stouder, Finance Manager, stated she was standing in for Steve Thompson. She stated
there were a couple of corrections to the supplemental appropriation that was given to the
Council.
The schedule of proposed supplemental appropriations and budget adjustments provides
additional detail and justification. The supplemental amount of $2.2 million seems excessive in
and of itself. However, please note that $1.9 million of the $2.2 million appropriation is directly
reimbursed to cover costs. The balance of the supplemental appropriation is to fund additional
costs needed for various programs. The net impact of the supplemental appropriations and
adjustments to revenue budgets amounts to a use of fund balance of $738,511 in the various
funds. We may be able offset this deficit in 2000 by having expenditures coming in under
budget as we have in past years. However, at this time it is to early too estimate this potential
savings.
Council member, Greg Moffet made a motion to approve on first reading Ordinance No. 14,
Series of 2000, and Council member, Sybill Navas seconded the motion.
A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The fourth item on the agenda was the Vail Community Chamber Web -Site Presentation.
At the request of Mr. Joe Staufer, representing the Vail Community Chamber, this item was
4D tabled to the July 18 meeting.
The fifth item on the agenda was the Town Manager's Report.
Bob McLaurin, Town Manager, stated construction season is in full swing in town. He also
reviewed a recommendation presented to Council in his report to eliminate consideration of
condemnation as an implementation tool for construction of the Lionshead "Hub" site.
Further discussion ensued.
Bob stated the Council and staff had a conversation about Phase III and there was never any
intention for the Council to take any private property. The fact is that Council directed staff to
formally take the condemnation off the table. The Council is inviting the neighbors to meet
frequently and have the neighbors participate in the process.
Mayor Ludwig Kurz clarified for the community that the Council had directed design teams to
come up with ideas to review for this site. He said one of the design teams plans showed one
idea that would have needed to infringe upon private property that was currently in Lionshead.
He reiterated this Council has never said they agreed with that particular plan, and had not
considered or discussed condemnation as part of the community facilities planning process. He
stated it was unfortunate the prospect of condemnation had been raised prematurely by owners
of a twelve -unit condominium complex and that this position has never been taken by this
Council. The Council has never said it stood for condemnation and wanted to make that quite
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clear. He said he hopes this statement will diffuse any further condemnation discussions and
not sidetrack pending decisions on a site plan for the Hub site.
The Council members directed staff to prepare and issue a news release reflecting its position.
As there was no further business, a motion was made by Council member Greg Moffet to
adjourn the meeting and Council member Kevin Foley seconded the motion. A vote was taken
and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:35 p.m.
ATTffST: Lorelei Donaldson, Town Clerk
Minutes taken by Lorelei Donaldson
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Res'pOctfully submitted,
Ludwig Kuril
Mayor
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