The city of Aspen is planning to roll out to the public details surrounding the Burlingame density increase question that will be decided on Nov. 4.
Aspen voters are being asked to weigh in with an advisory vote as to whether the affordable housing project across Highway 82 from the Buttermilk ski area should be enlarged from 236 units to 293 units, as recommended by a group of construction experts advising the city on cost-saving measures.
The city went into cost-saving mode on Burlingame last spring after the public was surprised by revelations that the project’s price tag was higher than originally proposed to voters.
But before upping the density levels at Burlingame, which was already a contentious debate in two previous votes on the project, the city is asking the public for an advisory vote. It must also get approval from two-thirds of the Burlingame homeowners, since upping the density would require an amendment to the covenants enacted when the project was first built.
The homeowners vote has not been scheduled, although it appears likely that it will come after the Nov. 4 advisory vote.
Besides increasing the density by 57 units, the city — in taking up the recommendations of the construction experts group — is also proposing other cost-saving measures for the build out at Burlingame. These include using modular construction, building thinner walls between units, using less heavy timber and cutting back on aesthetic features that mark many of the buildings in the already-completed 84 units of Phase I.
A preliminary analysis by the construction experts group found that the city’s per-unit subsidy costs probably wouldn’t go down with the extra units.
But the experts group also estimates that building the 57 extra units would save $9 million, the estimated cost to purchase land and go through a separate planning process to build 57 units.
“Those would be some of the least expensive units compared to our other options throughout the community and the rest of the upper valley,” Councilman Dwayne Romero said. Increasing the density is a “wonderful option” so long as overall quality of life at Burlingame is not undermined, Romero said.
Mayor Mick Ireland said that the increased density plan would have more standardized unit sizes, but that the units would not be significantly smaller than what was built in Phase I.
Councilman Steve Skadron said he was more concerned about the big picture of more units’ effect on the neighborhood.
“What do we sacrifice in terms of quality of life and livability” by building 293 units versus 236, Skadron asked.
City business process manager Barry Crook said these are the discussions he is having with the Burlingame homeowners association board of directors, who are also pressing the city to “button up” some remaining issues from Phase I. Crook said he has met with the board three times to talk about density and other issues.
Crook is working on a list of the homeowners’ issues with the 293 plan, which would be the beginning of an effort to make palatable the increased density.
Prior to the public vote, council directed staff to prepare either an open house or some other forum where the city can present all its information about the increased density plan to the public. This presentation would include all the architectural renderings and analysis already done by the city and the construction experts group.
Per state election law, the city must not actively campaign for or against the density plan. It can, however, share with the public what it knows.
Education is fine, as long as the city doesn’t advocate, City Attorney John Worcester said.
“The city doesn’t come to a grinding halt because of an election,” Worcester said. “Voters are entitled to the information that you have.”
curtis@aspendailynews.com
