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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-03-01 Town Council MinutesVail Town Council Evening Meeting Minutes Tuesday, March 1, 2005 6:00 P.M. Vail Town Council Chambers The regular meeting of the Vail Town Council was called to order at approximately 6:05 P.M. by Mayor Rod Slifer. Members present: Rod Slifer, Mayor Dick Cleveland, Mayor Pro-Tem Diana Donovan Farrow Hitt Kent Logan Greg Moffet Kim Ruotolo Staff Members: Stan Zemler, Town Manager Matt Mire, Town Attorney Pam Brandmeyer, Asst. Town Manager The first item on the agenda was Citizen Input. Code Enforcement Officer Moses Gonzales updated Council on the "Freedom Rock Tour." Gonzales reported a piece of the Pentagon damaged in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C., would become a part of Freedom Park in Edwards. Prior to arriving in Edwards, the building fragment will be paraded and displayed throughout the county. The second item on the agenda was the Consent Agenda. Council unanimously approved the 02.01.05 and 02.15.05 minutes with no modifications. Cleveland moved and Moffet seconded a motion to approve. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The third item on the agenda was the award of a bus bid. Fleet Manager Todd Scholl reported the town sent out nine Request For Proposals (RFP) to bus manufacturers on November 30, 2004, and received one proposal on the due date of January 21, 2005, from Gillig Corporation. The Gillig proposal was reported to be responsive to the bid requirements. Staff negotiated with Gillig over requests for deviations from the technical specifications which resulted in a final price of $282,850 per bus. The total cost for the bus bid was $1,758,000; however, a federal 80/20 split grant led to the reported final price to the town. Cleveland clarified the expense was budgeted and all town buses are now Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. Zemler asked Scholl to update Council on the integration of hybrid buses into the town's transit fleet. Scholl stated it (hybrid technology) was an evolving industry, and the town would progressively grow the fleet, as more analysis of the vehicle's performance became available. Moffet moved and Logan seconded a motion to approve. Council unanimously approved the Gillig proposal, 7-0. The fourth item on the agenda was a Conference Center Update. Community Development Director Russ Forrest announced the purpose of the update was to review progress of the design of the Conference Center as well as the projected costs and 1 • 0 7 budget for the construction of the conference center. Kurt Fentress, representing Fentress Bradburn, lead project designers, provided an overview of: • Floor Plans • Building Sections • Design Process • Ballroom Configuration • Advisory Committee Design Direction Following the building elevation update, Chris Squadra, representing Architectural Research Consultants (ARC), project coordinators, provided a budget overview. Squadra reported Piper Jaffray, project bond counsel, estimated $45,940,000 would be available for the project, $2 million more than originally anticipated. Squadra then presented industry standard contingency estimates and five construction estimates that had been reconciled to one number. Squadra assured Council ARC had received detailed schedules, and the project could be built in 20 months. Unresolved capital budget issues were then outlined. Cost escalation, interest rates, sustainable design or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, affordable housing, Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) approval of South Frontage Road right-of-way and building code/zoning Issues were reported to remain as unresolved capital issues. Ruotolo asked how affordable housing would be tied to the project. Forrest responded the issue would first be brought to the Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC) and Design Review Board (DRB), and also stated options may exist for "pay -in -lieu," and the consideration of a further town investment in Timber Ridge and Middle Creek (affordable housing projects). In reviewing the architectural design, Ruotolo expressed concern about the transition from the LionsHead parking garage to the west side of the conference center. Moffet and Slifer commended the Conference Center Advisory Committee for the immense amount of time spent on the project. Moffet offered support for the design, saying it is dynamic and goes with the town. Donovan noted her continued objections to the design style, saying it won't meet approval by the DRB or PEC. She also expressed her philosophical opposition to the project, saying it would compete with the "glut" of conference centers existing in the United States. Hitt asked to see financial projections prior to Council presentations, although he did articulate he liked the direction the project design is taking. Logan stated the advisory committee had the months of March and April to clear up significant questions. He also reported the committee had slowed the project down to review the operating model and is now receiving bids and proposals from entities proposing to operate the facility, as opposed to only consultant studies. Forrest then asked for approval to hold a series of community update meetings. These would occur at the upcoming Vail Valley Chamber and Tourism Bureau (VVCTB) and Vail Chamber and Business Association (VCBA) meetings, as well as a community meeting to be held at the Vail Public Library. Forrest then asked for approval to return to Council on March 15 for presentation of a request to take the design to contractors to receive actual bids. Donovan asked about the type of and subject matter of the proposed public meetings, saying they must have more substance than what has been presented in the past. She said citizens need to have a clear understanding of what the purpose of the conference center is and how it will function, such as the food and beverage component. Logan requested a fact sheet be compiled defining specific project goals and the document receive wider circulation than to just those who show up to the meetings. Council ultimately directed staff to move forward as requested. The fifth item on the agenda was the Vail Village Streetscape Phase 2 Construction Contract. Public Works Director Greg Hall requested permission from Council to forego competitive bidding and to negotiate the construction price for the Phase 2 Vail Village Streetscape improvements with B&B Excavating and change order that work into the current Phase 1 construction contract. The general contractor for Phase 1 of the Vail Village Streetscape Project, B&B Excavating, completed the first year of the two-year construction contract. Hall noted the town was pleased with the performance of B&B Excavating and would like to accelerate a portion of the work scheduled for 2006 into the 2005 construction season. The Phase 2 improvements include the following areas: • Children's Fountain. • Gore Creek Drive, Children's Fountain to (but not including) Checkpoint Charlie. • Gore Creek Promenade. Hitt, Cleveland, and Logan asked if the town received a negotiated, competitive or per square foot cost. Hall stated B&B's original 2004 bid had been very competitive and the town continued to negotiate terms based on the past year's costs and performance. Logan asked for a schedule to be provided, outlining the budget/actual costs of the 2004 streetscape improvements. Moffet moved and Logan seconded a motion to approve. Hall then clarified the recommended approval dealt with a 2005-06 contract. Council unanimously approved, 7-0, the request to grant permission to negotiate a contract. The sixth item on the agenda was the second reading of Ordinance No. #3, Series of 2005, an ordinance amending Section 12-11-4, Material To Be Submitted; Procedure, Vail Town Code, Chapter 14-2, Definitions, Vail Town Code, and Chapter 14-6, Grading Standards, Vail Town Code. On November 8, 2004, the PEC voted 7-0 to forward a recommendation of approval for the proposed text amendments. On February 1, 2005, the Council approved the first reading of Ordinance No. 3, Series of 2005, by a vote of 7- 0. Cleveland requested staff provide a separate summary or highlights be provided in Council memorandums documenting requested changes to ordinances between first and second readings of ordinances. Hitt questioned the difference between new construction and redevelopment. Mire clarified the ordinance referenced a development plan which applied to both new and redevelopment. Cleveland emphasized the ordinance would give the town standards regarding erosion control, "We aren't regulating anything differently than we are already doing." Moffet asked who would enforce the ordinance and what is the applicant's appeal process if a permit is not approved. Forrest responded normal code enforcement measures/procedures/personnel would be utilized. Donovan asked why the ordinance was needed at this point and time. Town Environmental Officer Bill Carlson stated federal clean water standards are becoming more stringent. Carlson also emphasized the town pays the Eagle River Watershed Council (ERWC) more than $100,000 per year to protect Gore Creek and the ordinance would enhance water quality protection efforts. Moffet moved and Cleveland seconded a motion to approve. The ordinance passed, 6-1, with Slifer opposed. Slifer was concerned the ordinance would serve as a hindrance to the building permitting process. Slifer concluded, "I'm afraid we are just creating another layer of cost and delay." The seventh item on the agenda was the second reading of Ordinance No. #6, Series of 2005, an ordinance adopting a revised approved development plan for Special Development District (SDD) No. 6, Vail Village Inn (WI), Phase I, to allow for modifications to Units 16, 17 and 29, Vail Village Plaza Condominiums, pursuant to Section 12-9A-10, Amendment Procedures, Vail Town Code, located at 100 East Meadow Drive (Vail Village Inn), Lots M and O, Block 5D, Vail Village 1st Filing. On Jan. 24, 2005, the PEC forwarded a recommendation of approval, with conditions, to the 3 Council for the proposed major amendment to SDD No. 6, WI. Town Planner Bill Gibson clarified a parking issue and the related condition of approval that surfaced during first reading of the ordinance. Gibson stated there is currently a parking deficiency at the WI, which will be resolved with the construction of the Vail Plaza Hotel. This request by the applicant Luc Meyer will reduce the parking requirement for this site by one parking space. Bill Pierce, representing the applicant, noted that Meyer has agreed to tie the title of an existing parking space to the new condominium to further address any concerns about parking. Moffet moved and Ruotolo seconded a motion to approve. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0. The eighth item on the agenda was the second reading, Ord. #7, Series of 2005. An ordinance to designate 21 parcels of land (16 areas) in the Town of Vail as open space as per section 13.11 of the Town of Vail Charter. Due to a publication error, staff recommended Ord. #7, Series of 2005, be tabled until the March 15 Evening Session meeting. Cleveland moved and Moffet seconded a motion to approve. Council unanimously approved the recommendation, 7-0. Hitt asked about the designation of three separate parcels as parks. Mire stated, if the Council chooses to do so, he would advise Council to use the ordinance process for park designation. The ninth item on the agenda was the Town Manager's Report. There was no report. The tenth item on the agenda was Adjournment. Moffet moved and Cleveland seconded a motion to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:20 p.m. 0 Respectfully Submitted, Rodney E. Slifer, Mayor ATTEST: } C"SEAL or 6 LorL�ei Donaldson, Town Clerk • Minutes provided by Corey Swisher.