There is group of individuals working with the Planning Department staff to make a proposal to modify the Land Use Code as it pertains to the Allowable Building Area – more commonly referred to as FAR! This is a great idea for Snowmass Village. It will protect the integrity of the Town and it will stop Homeowners from illegally expanding square footage within properties that otherwise have maximums that are already met. From this process, we would be hopeful that Brokers would not be allowed to “List” properties with statements of “illegal” square footage, and that TRUE Price Per Square Foot Scenarios are met and upheld.
It is very early in the process, but the committee is discussing a wide variety of ideas from floating three dimensional building envelopes to overhangs and decks to exemptions for some amount of below grade space. I am hopeful that this process will help to alleviate the endless problems that come up in the sales and redevelopment of the residential properties within our community.
The committee and staff are working toward revisions that will make it easier to administer, accomplish the goal of maintaining reasonable control over the mass and scale of the houses and assuring the safety of the occupants.
Over the next couple of months, the Council sanctioned committee will be making a proposal to the Planning Commission who will then forward it to the Town Council for consideration …. And hopefully approval. It will be very important for the community to outwardly support the changes – I am of course assuming the result of our efforts will be positive.
I think that this is a very long overdue discussion and I am encouraging as much conversation within the community as is possible. This opportunity to improve the way we do business and to resolve irrational and minimally enforced portions of the Land Use Code does not come up very often.
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