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Home My WebLink About2002-07-02 Town Council Minutes. TOWN COUNCIL EVENING MEETING TUESDAY, July 2, 2002 6:00 P.M. TOV COUNCIL CHAMBERS The Town Council opened their meeting at 6:00 p.m. sitting as the Vail Local_ Marketing District. MEMBERS PRESENT: Ludwig Kurz, Mayor Rod Slifer, Mayor Pro-Tem Dick Cleveland Diana Donovan Bill Jewitt Greg Moffet* Chuck Ogilby* *Arrived late STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob McLaurin, Town Manager Matt Mire, Town Attorney . Pam Brandmeyer, Asst. Town Mgr. 0 Sitting as the Vail Local Marketing District (VLMD), the Council heard a presentation by Bill Siegel, president of Longwoods International, a tourism -based research firm. The company was hired to explore the effectiveness of Vail's summer marketing messages, nationally and on the Front Range. Siegel showed the advantages of how Vail should work to position itself as an upscale, all -season mountain resort with fine dining and accommodations, plus a wide variety of things to see and do. The messages will attract what Siegel described as the "country resort" market, comprised of older, more affluent guests. Previous marketing campaigns had focused on an outdoor adventure market, which attracts younger, less affluent guests. Siegel also encouraged Vail's marketing campaign to think long-term by developing an effective positioning campaign and sticking with it. In addition, Siegel advised resolving the local political and funding issues which have contributed to a Vail -only focus, which limits the ability to market a wide variety of things to see and do, according to Siegel. When the budget permits, Siegel cited a huge opportunity to market nationally. For the short-term, Siegel emphasized a focus on regional markets, especially within Colorado. During the discussion, Beth Slifer, chair of the Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council, said the group would continue to build marketing strategies around a Vail -only theme unless otherwise directed by the Council. F:maaster/min/2002/070202 The Town Council then returned to its regularly scheduled evening meeting at approximately 7:15 P.M. Mayor Kurz stated Item #4 on the agenda (Lodging Conference Committee Request to Put Lodging Tax on November Ballot) had been tabled at the request of the applicant and would be scheduled at a later date. Due to the length of the prior presentation, Mayor Kurz requested Citizen Participation be heard as the next item on the agenda. Paul Rondeau, local resident, addressed the Council regarding wildland fires. Rondeau complimented the town for raising community awareness about wildfire protection. Paul asked the town to help neighborhoods take the offense when it came to providing a defensible space for properties surrounding the perimeter of the national forest. He also suggested the need to take a proactive approach in converting wood shake shingles to fire resistant shingles, over time. Rondeau also asked that a firehouse be added to the north side of 1-70, noting that Vail's existing fire stations were located on the south side of 1-70. Rondeau offered to volunteer in any way he could. Michelle Hall, West Vail resident, presented the Council with a petition of 36 signatures of residents in favor of a West Vail fire house. Hall stated she started with an article in Vail Daily suggesting a lack of community interest in the issue. After a small fire at Stephens Park, which was then followed by the Chamonix fire, Hall became more active to show the residents support for a fire station in West Vail. Hall stated she would be collecting additional signatures the following week. Mayor Kurz acknowledged receiving the petitions containing the 36 signatures. The second item on the agenda was the Audit Presentation. Steve Thompson, acting finance director, introduced Mike Jenkins of McMahan and Associates, the town's auditing firm, who presented the report to the Council. Jenkins stated the town had a clean audit report, and attributed the town's savings of $739,000 in the operating budget to conservative budging and unfilled staffing vacancies. Jenkins thanked the Council for allowing the use of town administration and department heads. The third item on the agenda was the 2002 Community Survey Results. Suzanne Silverthorn, Community Information Officer, introduced Chris Cares from RRC Associates, who presented the results to the Council. Cares expressed his appreciation of being able to work with Silverthorn on these surveys, noting her professionalism and insight in preparing these documents. Cares stated over the past 15 years, the town has conducted an annual community survey to measure satisfaction levels for town services and to identify areas of community concern. The 2002 survey was conducted in April with responses from 422 participants. Cares stated that overall, citizen satisfaction ratings trended in a positive direction, noting 11 areas of improvement within the town. Cares stated the survey was conducted 100% by telephone calls, identical to the 1999 survey, • and stated a sense of community had improved with older residents. Cares also stated the F:mcaster/min/2002/070202 2 . tone of comments had changed to a nicer flavor from 4-5 years ago. Town Manager Bob McLaurin stated he was proud of this organization moving the needle on making the town cleaner and felt the town as a whole was moving in a positive direction. McLaurin also complimented Mayor Kurz for the improved scores. Jim Lamont, Vail Village Homeowners Association, also expressed his association's feelings the town was headed in the right direction. The fourth item on the agenda (Lodging Conference Committee Request to Put Lodging Tax Question on November Ballot) was tabled until further notice. The fifth item on the agenda was Ordinance #14, Series of 2002, 1' Reading, SDD#6, Conversion of hotel rooms to Employee Housing Units at the Vail Village Inn (Vail Plaza Hotel.) Russ Forrest, Director of Community Development, presented the ordinance to the Council stating this was to allow for the conversion of 40 hotel rooms to employee housing units. This ordinance would allow the conversion of rooms until May 2003, at which time the approval for the employee housing units and the most recently approved development plan for th Vail Plaza Hotel will expire. Forrest reminded Council they had approved the conversion of 56 hotel rooms last year, but due to fire and building code issues in one of the buildings, and increased parking demands associated with the opening of Club Chelsea, the number had been reduced to 40. Connie Dorsey, representing the applicant, stated the plans to move forward on the redevelopment would begin before the • development approval lapsed. Greg Moffet moved to approve Ordinance #14 on.first reading. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. Moffet amended his motion to reference findings on page 7 and criteria on page 9 of the ordinance. Jewitt amended his second. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The sixth item on the agenda was Ordinance #15, Series of 2002, 1It reading, rezoning of the Lodge at Lionshead to Lionshead Mixed Use I. Russ Forrest presented the ordinance to Council stating this was part of a recommendation in the 1998 Lionshead Redevelopment Master Plan. Forrest stated the adjacent property owners had initially been reluctant to take part in an earlier rezoning process of other Lionshead properties, expressing their need to learn more about the zone district. However, the property owners were now more comfortable with the zone district and had requested the town proceed with the process. Greg Moffet moved to approve Ordinance #15 on first reading. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. Moffet then amended his motion to include the findings on page 9 of the staff memo. Jewitt amended his second. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The seventh item on the agenda was Ordinance #18, Commission on Special Events, Repealing and Reenacting Ord. #7 and Ord. #13, Series of 2002. Town Attorney Matt Mire presented the ordinance to the Council stating this was another housekeeping ordinance to address recitation errors in two previously approved ordinances establishing the Special • Events Commission. Rod Slifer moved to approve Ordinance #18 on first reading. Dick F:mcaster/min/2002/070202 3 Cleveland seconded the ordinance. Greg Moffet stated for the record he had voted against the original ordinance. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The eighth item on the agenda was Ordinance #6, Series of 202, second reading, an ordinance relating to off -site advertising at the West Vail exit, #173, to permit certain advertising in the Town of Vail. George Ruther, head of planning, presented the ordinance to the Council, noting a slight correction on page 3 in regard to eligibility. Greg Moffet then moved to approve Ordinance #6 on second reading. Rod Slifer seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 4-3, Cleveland, Kurz, and Donovan opposing. The ninth item on the agenda was Ordinance #11, Series of 2002, 2nd reading, an ordinance making supplemental appropriations to the Town of Vail General Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Heavy Equipment Fund, Real Estate Transfer Tax Fund, and the Dispatch Services Fund of the 2002 Budget for the Town of Vail, and authorizing the expenditures of said appropriations. Mayor Kurz read the ordinance into the record. Town Manager McLaurin stated there were no changes to the ordinance from first reading. Dick Cleveland moved to approve Ordinance #11 on second reading. Greg Moffet seconded the ordinance. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The tenth item on the agenda was Resolution #5, Series of 2002, a resolution identifying • qualifying cultural events for town funding consideration. Town Attorney Mire presented the resolution to the Council stating Section 2.B. of Ordinance No. 18, Series of 2002, states that the Town Council shall establish by Resolution a non-exclusive list of Qualifying Cultural Events. Discussion followed regarding the need to clarify the Vail Jazz Festival as the Labor Day event and Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival. Greg Moffet then moved to adopt Resolution #5. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The eleventh item on the agenda was the Town Manager's Report. Town Manager Mclaurin stated the town had a request from Vail Mountain School to go through the town's development review process to consider a proposal to use town -owned land for two youth soccer/recreation fields near the school. One being proposed would be located at the current tennis court site at Booth Creek Park. The other parcel being proposed would be located on an adjacent town -owned site known as the "Par 3" property. Diana Donovan expressed opposition, saying it would be a bad precedent to allow a private entity to take over public lands. Further discussion followed. Greg Moffet then moved to allow the Vail Mountain School to proceed through the process. Chuck Ogilby seconded the motion. A vote was taken and the motion passed 6-1, Donovan opposing. McLaurin also advised the Council of two ordinances being brought before them on the July 16th meeting for second reading to refinance the debt with a significant savings in is interest. F:mcaater/min/2002/070202 4 • Greg Moffet made a motion to ratify Chris Jarnot as a non -voting honorary advisory member to the Commission on Special Events. Bill Jewitt seconded the motion and the motion passed unanimously, 7-0. Greg Moffet then made a motion to appoint Scott McCormick and Stephen Connolly as advisory members on special events. Dick Cleveland seconded the motion. Discussion followed, at which time Rod Slifer and Bill Jewitt did not feel it was necessary to have that many people on the board and felt it best to keep the board to a smaller group. A vote was taken on the motion and the motion passed 5-2, Jewitt and Slifer opposing. As there was no further business Greg Moffet moved to adjourn. Rod Slifer seconded the motion, A vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 8:50 P.M. • ATTE T: oreleiDonaldson, Town Clerk C] Minutes taken by Mary A. Caster F:mcaster/Min/20o2/o7o2o2 Respectfully submitted, Ludwig Kur� Mayor