SNOWMASS VILLAGE — Following what’s believed to be the most exhaustive review of a sketch plan application in the history of Snowmass Village, the town’s planning commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to recommend Related Colorado’s base area project move to the next phase.
It took five long meetings over the course of six weeks for the commission, which is chaired by Tom Goode, to complete its review.
“I think our board has done an exceptional job meeting once a week for four hours at time,” he said. “We’re trying to represent the people of the village.”
While Goode said, “We don’t want to be the ones to hold up a crane being put up on the hill,” it remains highly unlikely the developer and its partners will be able to break ground on Base Village during 2015.
“Based on the required public notices, there’s not enough time to start this year,” said Related Colorado attorney Joe Krabacher.
Rethinking some project elements
When Related originally submitted its application to the Snowmass Village community development department last October, it was hoping for full approval by May 31. That was before a new Town Council determined the changes to the original, 2004 approval warranted a three-step, rather than a two-phase review.
In late January, the planning commission went to work on the application, with what at times appeared to be a fine tooth comb.
“It’s the most thorough (sketch plan) review I’ve ever seen,” said longtime planning commissioner Donna Aiken, who was among the five “yes” votes on Wednesday (Jim Gustafson was recused and Patrick Keelty had an excused absence).
Goode agreed. “This has been a very detailed sketch plan review, but we wanted to get the ball moving.”
While Dwayne Romero, the president of Related Colorado said “it was good for the planning commission to examine some of the aspects of our submission, we still believe this all could have occurred during the preliminary plan, as submitted.”
Romero added, “Absent an entitlement or a full approval, it impacts whether those deals occur” with potential partners Aspen Skiing Co. and Sunrise Company, which are under contract to buy key parcels in the base area.
“With additional time comes additional risk,” Romero said.
Krabacher noted that the possibility of rising interest rates could also threaten whether these partnerships are consummated.
Romero did allow that the commission’s review was valuable in identifying issues that the community probably wouldn’t swallow.
“Moving into the preliminary plan will require a series of meetings with the planning commission and the town council,” Romero said. “Before that starts, we’ll have some reflection and possible adjustments to the master plan.”
The developers heard loud and clear that, “there’s not a lot of broad support for the proposed location of the Discovery Center as well as a relocated aqua center.”
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