HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09-16 Town Council MinutesVail Town Council Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
6:00 P.M.
Vail Town Council Chambers
The regular meeting of the Vail Town Council was called to order at
approximately 6:00 P.M. by Mayor Dick Cleveland.
Members present: Dick Cleveland, Mayor
Mark Gordon
Farrow Hitt
Kevin Foley
Kim Newbury
Margaret Rogers
Andy Daly
Staff Members: Stan Zemler, Town Manager
Matt Mire, Town Attorney
Pam Brandmeyer, Assistant Town Manager
The first item on the agenda was Citizen Input
Mike Dantas spoke in opposition of the way the voter -approved construction use tax is
collected. He asked that the tax be collected at the end of the construction cycle as
opposed to the beginning. Council agreed to discuss the issue.
Colorado State House District 56 candidate Ali Hassan introduced himself and informed
the Town Council he was not accepting campaign funds from lobbyists.
George Ruther introduced the town's first Environmental Sustainability Coordinator
Kristen Bertuglia. Ruther then announced the town had successfully installed a
cardboard compactor in the recycling area.
Chris Jarnot provided Council with the latest edition of Ski Magazine which included the
latest Resort Guide rankings.
The second item on the agenda was a Commission on Special Events (CSE)
Appointment.
There was one vacancy on the CSE. The Town received five applications for the
vacancy. The Council interviewed the applicants at the work session and was asked to
appoint one applicant to the CSE in the Evening. The applicants were as follows:
Samantha Bogash
Stephen Connolly
Kerry Donovan
Tom Gorman
David O. Williams
The applicants were required to be residents of the Town of Vail, own real property
within the Town of Vail, own a business in the Town of Vail, or be employed within the
Town of Vail. The term of the new member shall be until December 31, 2009, to fill the
term vacated by Scott Stoughton who had to resign due to other commitments which will
not allow for him to attend the meetings. Members of the CSE shall serve at the will of
Council. The CSE supports Council's goals and objectives and make decisions in
alignment with the Council's marketing direction. The mission of the CSE is to support
street entertainment and special events for vitality, year-round fun, sense of community
and increased quality of experience for guests and residents. The functions and/or
duties of CSE shall include, but are not limited to: hiring and overseeing a director and/or
staff, as well as event producers and/or promoters; creating, funding and seeking special
events for the Town of Vail; evaluating event applications and event success; submitting
an annual budget for operations and events; coordinating the community calendar for
special events; seeking out additional funding for special events through sponsorships
and donations; evaluating and executing contracts for special events; and all other
functions as directed by the Town Council. Daly moved to appoint Kerrry Donovan to
the CSE with Foley seconding. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The third item on the agenda was the Town Manager's Report.
Nothing was reported.
The fourth item on the agenda was approval of the recommendations of the Parking
Task Force for the 2008-2009 winter season.
Public Works Director Greg Hall stated Council directed the task force to address
potential impacts related to the new Epic season ski pass as well as address the
overflow days during the winter of 2007-08 in forwarding their annual recommendations
to the council. Council established the parking task force to provide direction regarding
parking operation policies for each year. The task force is represented by members of
the Vail Town Council, Vail Resorts, the retail business community, as well as a citizen -
at -large representative. During the 2007-08 ski season Frontage Road parking occurred
48 times. Hall explained the goal of the parking plan is to simplify (avoiding different
rates on different days) and be revenue neutral with the ultimate goal of reducing
Frontage Road parking to ten days per year. Through the upcoming ski season the town
currently anticipates 1,500 construction workers. "What we have tried to do is balance
the supply and reduce the demand." Hall said he believed the Vail Mountain Club
Parking Structure and the Arrabelle at Vail Square Parking Club would slightly lessen
demand. The town is currently examining construction site parking requirements. "We
are asking how do they (construction firms) use their parking facilities earlier than after
they receive a Certificate of Occupancy." Vail Mountain Chief Operating Officer Chris
Jarnot said Vail Resorts would be opening its 100 space Arrabelle at Vail Square parking
club to the public during the upcoming ski season to maximize parking facilities. "I am
comfortable with the proposed prices for our Front Range guests .... They are normally
riding three to four to a car and splitting the cost...I generally agree with the
concept... Other ski resorts charge around $25 for a day of close -in, covered parking."
During a pause for public comment, Tom Steinberg suggested using the road that leads
from the South Frontage Robd to Ford Amphitheater for parallel parking. He then
encouraged local residents to allow skier parking in their driveways and spoke in support
of developing a subterranean parking structure at Ford Park. Mitch Imber, a Wolcott
resident, asked Council to reinstate a Value Card discount for Eagle County residents.
Galen Aaslan spoke in support of expanding eligibility to employees of all business
license holders within the town for pink and green passes as opposed to employees of
business license holders in Vail Village and LionsHead. Transportation Manager Mike
Rose explained wide-ranging winter bus service was provided in the West Vail area
every fifteen to twenty minutes. Hitt commented, "We are purposely trying to discourage
people from driving in ... Americans are in love with our cars ... We need to find a way to
change people's habits." Rogers encouraged bus ridership by subsidizing the costs of
regional bus passes. Hitt and Daly emphasized recognizing the capacity issues of the
Eagle County Regional Transportation Authority (ECO). A sales tax funded, free
countywide bus system was then discussed. Foley, also an ECO board member, stated,
"ECO is in dire straits in terms of capacity." Cleveland said he was concerned about the
nation's economic climate and that he did not want to drive locals to Beaver Creek. "The
increase seems to be too much at one time...I understand the rationale behind it."
Rogers moved to approve the recommended parking program with two modifications: 1)
expand the pink and green parking pass employee eligibility and 2) direct staff to work
with ECO in the development of a master plan for additional park and ride facilities
throughout the county. Daly seconded the motion. Former Mayor Bob Armour reminded
Council the additional revenue would barely cover the cost of rising fuel costs. Hall
added, "That's kind of getting back to that revenue neutral goal." The motion passed 6-
1, with Cleveland opposed. The approved recommendations are as follows:
➢ CLOSE -IN PARKING
Vail Village & LionsHead structures, 2,500 spaces
Hourly Parking
Pay Upon Exit
Rates Good 7 Days A Week
Less than 1'/2 hours
1'/2 to 2 hrs
2 to 3 hrs
3to4hrs
4 to 24 hrs
Free
$10
$15
$20
$25 All Day cap
Short -Term Metered parking (recommended for 2 1/2 hours or less, or late arrivals)
• Pre -Paid Metered Rates
Rates Fees Good 7 Days A Week Both Structures
0 to 2 1/2 hrs. $15
60 Spaces on top deck in Vail Village for short-term parking only.
25 spaces available on the middle deck of LionsHead.
Available on a first -come, first -served basis.
0-24 hours in the remaining 160 spaces, $25.
Program will be strictly enforced.
Pre -paid meters accept credit cards and cash.
Free Parking Programs for Vail Village, LionsHead Structures
• Free 90 minute parking
• Free entry after Three (free parking in both structures for entries from 3 p.m. to 3
a.m.)
Parking Passes
Premier Parking
• Gold parking Pass, $3250. Good in all lots all the time. Guaranteed space. Come
and go privileges.
Business License Holder
• Silver Pass, $1800. All the privileges of a gold pass for one structure. Limited to 50
at each structure. One per business license holder restricted to the structure the
business is located at. Will be available first -come, first -served. If after December 5,
2008, additional passes are available in the LionsHead structure, Village merchants
may purchase the remaining allocation for use in the LionsHead parking structure.
Employee/Locals Parking
• Blue Parking Pass, $1100. Good 7 days a week LionsHead, Ford Park, and Soccer
Field.
Mon — Thurs Vail Village.
• Green Parking Pass, $500. Good Mon-Thurs LionsHead only. We are reviewing the
ability to isolate the use to an area of the structure that is less desirable to our
guests. Good 7 days a week in Soccer Field, Ford Park. Available to Vail business
license holder employees, minimum of 30 hours per week with each pass purchase.
• Debit Card, $12. For Vail residents, Vail business holder employees and Vail
property owners for use Mon through Thurs in Vail Village structure; $20 on peak
days which include Fri, Sat and Sun, December 19-January 4, and the two national
holidays Martin Luther King Day and Presidents Day.
No Eagle County resident/property owner rate.
Debit card holders will use an inventory of 160 metered spaces on the top deck of
the Village Parking Structure, and 75 spaces on the southern middle deck of
LionsHead. All spaces are allocated on a first -come, first -served basis.
Permit -Only Employee Parking
East Ford Park Lot, Soccer Field, 250 spaces.
4
• Employee Parking Pink Pass, $100. Enables access to gated lots for Vail
business license holder employees 30+hr/wk.
Ford Park and Soccer Field serviced by the existing transportation system.
Vanpool Spaces
Any employee vanpool (vehicles with 5 or more commuters) registered with the
Town of Vail can get either a free Pink pass or access for free parking to an
outlying LionsHead Lot, or receive discounted guaranteed debit card spaces at
the discounted price of $8 and $15 for the non peak and peak periods.
Free Outlying parking for all 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
All areas listed below are serviced by existing Town of Vail transportation system.
Frequency varies from 15 min. during peak to 1 hr. non -peak.
Available all days
• Red Sandstone Park, 15 spaces
• Stephens Park, 15 spaces
• East Vail Interchange Trailhead, 12 spaces
• Spraddle Creek Trailhead, 18 spaces
• North Trail Trailhead, 6 spaces
• Wendy's Lot, 65 spaces
Available on non event days
• Donovan Park, 70-90 spaces
Available all peak days
• North Frontage Road in West Vail, 180 spaces
The fifth item on the agenda was a review of project plan for the North Day Lot and
provide a decision to commit to the project and proceed to next steps.
Public Works Director Greg Hall asked Council to listen to the presentation and use the
goals and policies of the LionsHead Master Plan, the adopted Vail Reinvestment Plan
and the update on the transportation plan regarding the future needs, assessments and
recommendations and decide to commit to jointly develop the North Day Lot Transit
Center in conjunction with the Vail Resorts Development Company (VRDC) employee
housing requirements for the Arrabelle at Vail Square. Council had earlier directed staff
to move forward with the design of a transit center project on the North Day Lot providing
for all modes on the site. Use Tax increment funds as the major method of financing the
project and:
➢ Refine the design.
➢ Work with the surrounding properties to mitigate impacts.
➢ Refine the cost estimates to reflect the design and schedule revisions.
➢ Modify the VRDC Arrabelle at Vail Square housing agreement to adjust the
schedule as appropriate.
➢ Prepare an agreement with VRDC for Council authorizing the town's intent to
move the project forward.
➢ Hall then explained the next steps necessary to move the project forward:
➢ Proceed through the project entitlement review and approval process,
➢ Perform the necessary environmental review of the project.
➢ Enter into a contract with the Federal Transit Administration to commit the 5309
federal transit dollars to the North Day Lot project.
➢ Agree to a cost sharing proposal for the entitlement process with the VRDC.
➢ Prepare a formal agreement with VRDC which provides the division of the total
project cost sharing, construction administration, project timing, and long term
operating and capital replacement costs.
➢ Prepare an annual operating budget for the project.
Hall introduced the design team and then described the proposal. Various design
schemes were studied to provide additional hotel shuttle and skier drop off as well move
the buses farther away from the adjacent south property line. In many of these scenarios
we were not successful because of traffic conflicts and future congestion resulted in the
failure of the operation. In addition, there were significant costs associated in order to
keep options open for developing the east side. The design features four 40 foot transit
bays, two hotel shuttle spaces and nine skier drop off spaces. Buses and transit enter
from the west side off West LionsHead Circle and exit to the South Frontage Road. Skier
drop off and employee housing enter off the frontage road and exit onto West LionsHead
Circle. The circulation patterns optimize traffic operations by dividing the movements in
opposite directions. Transit center facilities such as restrooms, heated waiting area and
vending space are provided. In addition, a 32 car surface lot (future development site) is
on the east portion of the site. A 120 bed employee housing project on four floors above
the transit center is on the western portion of the site as well as underground parking
required for the employee housing development. All the necessary frontage road and
pedestrian improvements and site landscaping improvements, modifications to the
pedestrian overpass south landings, utilities relocations and an Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) connections from the North Day Lot to the LionsHead Mall are
included. Transit center operations are enclosed to the south except for the drive
entrances and exits and the pedestrian exit. The transit center amenities are placed in a
manner to screen the operations to or from the east. This project design proposal
requires no variances from the LionsHead Master Plan. Hall explained the existing
facilities (East LionsHead Circle & Concert Hall Plaza) are not conducive to enhanced
mass transit. "You must remain competitive (enhanced skier drop-off & pedestrian
access) in a resort market community." It was also explained that securing a site next to
the Frontage Road with close access to a pedestrian overpass is critical to future mass
transit (fixed guide -way system). "Somewhere you have to have an interface with the
community... This is one of those interfaces... Where those future systems connect to our
community is very important... Any future advanced guideway systems will be located in
the 1-70 median." Traffic Engineer Curtis Roe described the project's proposed traffic
and flow patterns. "Skier drop-off is anticipated to turn over every five minutes or so."
Project architect Will Hentchel then reviewed the total project design. Gordon said he
was very impressed with the work of the planning team. "It was not an easy task that
you had." Ruther provided Council and the audience a timeline of the meetings
(process) undertaken to develop the proposal. Vail Resorts representative Tom Miller
explained how land costs in regard to the estimated project cost were determined. Hall
clarified any federal funds received must be used for a mass transit facility. Landmark
Condominium Association legal representative Dan Wolfe said his clients supported
development of the North Day Lot. "The only thing we take issue with is the large
buses ... The impacts (from large buses) have not been sufficiently mitigated in the
proposed plan." Wolfe encouraged all mass transit in the area be included in the
proposed LionsHead parking structure redevelopment. "Why is this happening at the
North Day Lot besides the fact that it can?" Landmark representatives then provided two
alternative site plans where bus loading/unloading takes place on the north edge of the
South Frontage Road. Daly said he appreciated the effort and energy that went into
developing the alternative proposals. Rogers said, "At least I am willing to look at this
more closely...I would like our people to give this some serious conversation."
Cleveland said he was intrigued although expressed serious concern that the first
scenario presented did not allow for westbound buses. "Scheme B seems to have some
possibilities in my mind." Foley questioned the adequacy of pedestrian flow for both of
the proposed alternative site plans. Zemler commented, "There would be a lot to
undertake to look at this plan... We head pretty strongly down the path if you approve
staff's proposal...I don't want to diminish this, but it is not a minor undertaking."
Newbury then moved to follow the staff recommendation findings in the staff
memorandum dated September 16, 2008 with Rogers seconding. Former Landmark
condominium owner John Goode said the location was not conducive to pedestrian flow.
Westwind Condominium Association (adjacent property owners) President Bob Wainger
president said he was not opposed to redevelopment of the site but did not agree with
mass transit. Former Councilman and current Vail Homeowners Association
representative Kent Logan remarked, "This is a project that has been overwhelmed by
larger macroeconomic events... The financial machine in this country is not functioning...
The next 18 months will be more difficult than any time we have dealt with since the
Great Depression... Fiscal conservatism should be paramount ... A transit center has
never risen to be the number -one or two priority of this town." Landmark Condominium
Association board member AI Harmon said it's hard to understand why Vail needs three
transit centers. "We have a board that is unanimously opposed to big diesel buses on
the North Day Lot." Landmark Condominium Association board member Tim Evans
mentioned, "Just because we have a master plan doesn't make it a rationalization for
bad ideas... We are trying to do much with too little property at too much expense." Scott
Proper asked Council to consider the concerns of the property's neighbors. Michelle
Kobelan said she believed the money would be better spent on other priorities. Hitt said
he was concerned about timing and finances although he thought the project was a good
one. Rogers spoke in support of the project and following the LionsHead Redevelopment
Master Plan. "We should follow the process." Gordon said the town should not be short -
sited when viewing the national economy. Newbury said she believed the process
should move forward. Daly said he believed there were more significant uses for limited
town funds. Cleveland said he did not believe there was definitive demand for the project
to warrant the cost. The motion by Newbury failed, 2-5, with Newbury and Rogers voting
in favor. Gordon moved to proceed with planning on the North Day Lot with
consideration of a shuttle bus drop-off component and the VRDC obligations with Daly
seconding. Tom Steinberg said he believed skier drop-off and shuttle bus facilities were
the responsibility of Vail Resorts. The motion passed 6-1, with Hitt opposed. Hitt said he
believed shuttle drop off should occur in Concert Hall Plaza and East LionsHead Circle.
Gordon then moved to explore the feasibility of utilizing federal funds in alternate areas
with Daly seconding. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The sixth item on the agenda was the first reading of Ordinance No. 19, Series of 2008,
An Ordinance making supplemental appropriations to the Town of Vail General Fund,
Capital Projects Fund, Real Estate Transfer Tax Fund, Heavy Equipment Fund, Dispatch
Services Fund and Debt Service Fund of the 2008 Budget for the Town of Vail,
Colorado; and authorizing the expenditures of said appropriations.
Budget and Financial Reporting Manager Kathleen Halloran introduced the item. She
explained budgeted revenues would be increased by $3.9 million and budgeted
expenditures would increase by $2.2 million. Newbury moved to approve the ordinance
with Hitt seconding. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The seventh item on the agenda was the second reading of Ordinance No. 20, Series of
2008, an ordinance authorizing the issuance of the Town of Vail, Colorado Sales Tax
Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series of 2008.
Council voted 7-0 to authorize the refinancing of the town's existing 1998A sales tax
revenue bonds by issuance of new 2008 sales tax revenue bonds at an estimated net
savings of $188,000 with no increase in the principal amount or the final maturity of
bonds outstanding. Finance Director Judy Camp explained the ordinance had been
amended for second reading to incorporate certain language relating to the bond reserve
insurance policy for all outstanding sales tax revenue bonds. Daly moved to approve the
ordinance with Foley seconding.
The eighth item on the agenda was Resolution No. 23, Series of 2008, a resolution
updating the Vail Village Master Plan, pursuant to the process and procedures outlined
in Section VIII-B, Adoption, Extensions and Amendments of the Vail Village Master Plan.
Community Development Director George Ruther announced that on January 22, 2008,
Council instructed staff to prepare an update to the Vail Village Master Plan. The
purpose of the update is to address the six major goals outlined in the master plan,
acknowledge the action steps that have been completed in keeping with the master plan,
and to identify the next series of action steps needed to further implement the goals,
objectives and policies of the master plan. Daly moved to approve the resolution with
Newbury seconding. The motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
The ninth item on the agenda was Adjournment.
Newbury moved to adjourn with Foley seconding at approximately 10:32 p.m. The
motion passed unanimously, 7-0.
1�,�
Dick Cleveland, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Lorelei Donaldson, Town Clerk