HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOCC.packet 06112014 - GOVT 33 LLCMEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Regular Me�etii �Ommumty une It, 2014
THRU: Cindy Holi'be'n Development Director
FROM: Suzanne Wolff, Senior Planner
RE: GOVT 33 LLC Extension of Vested Rights
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 2 -20 -170, the Applicant is seeking a three year (or longer) extension
of the vested right to construct a single family residence. The Applicant has constructed residences on
two adjacent parcels over the last seven years, and asserts that the extension would give the neighbors a
reprieve from more construction. Staff recommended denial of the request.
As noted at the March 12 meeting, the Applicant submitted a complete building permit on March 27,
2012, prior to the expiration of the vested rights. The building permit was issued on March 27, 2013, and
was due to expire on March 27, 2014. The Applicant obtained a building inspection on March 12,
therefore, the permit is active for 180 days from that date.
The BOCC continued the hearing on March 12, 2014 (minutes attached). The Applicant submitted an
amended proposal on June 2, 2014 (attached) that is discussed below. A letter submitted by neighbor
Peter >~ornell after the March 12 hearing is also attached.
APPLICANT: GOVT 33 LLC
REPRESENTATIVE: Mitch Haas
LOCATION: 877 Spruce Street
ZONING/LOT SIZE: The parcel contains 1.581 acres and is nonconforming in size in the TR -2 zone
district.
STAFF COMMENTS:
UPDATED PROPOSAL: The Applicant has met with Open Space and Trails staff to discuss pursuing an
open space subdivision exemption, in order to divide off the upper portions of the three parcels owned by
the Applicant at the top of Spruce Street and convey those lands to the County for open space purposes.
The properties are all adjacent to the Smuggler Mountain Open Space. Open Space staff is amenable to
the proposal, and will be available at the meeting to respond to questions. The proposal has been
forwarded to the neighbors for their review.
If the BOCC is interested in the Applicant's proposal, then the Applicant is requesting that the BOCC
give him two months to pursue the subdivision exemption. While the subdivision exemption would not
be completed within two months (due to noticing requirements, etc.), mid - August would be the latest
opportunity for the Applicant to re -start work to keep the permit alive, if necessary. Therefore, in
August, the BOCC would either (1) deny the extension of vested rights (and the Applicant would act on
I of to
the building permit); (2) approve the extension of vested rights, subject to final approval of the
subdivision exemption, or (3) continue the extension of vested rights for final approval concurrent with
approval of the subdivision exemption.
RECOMMENDATION:
• If the BOCC is interested in the Applicant's proposal, staff recommends that the BOCC continue the
request for an extension of vested rights to August 13, 2014.
• If the BOCC is not interested in the Applicant's proposal, staff recommends that the BOCC adopt a
"motion to deny the GOVT 33 LLC Extension of Vested Rights, subject to the attached Resolution."
Attachments
A. 3112114 BOCC Minutes
B. 612114 Proposal from Applicant
C. Peter Fornell letter
a
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF PITKIN COUNTY,
COLORADO, DENYING THE GOVT 33 LLC
EXTENSION OF VESTED REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Resolution No. -2014
RECITALS
GOVT 33 LLC ( "Applicant ") has applied to the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners
('BOCC ") to request a three year (or more) extension of the vested rights to construct a single family
residence on the property. The Applicant requests that the extension allow for the development to
continue to be governed by the Land Use Code ( "Code ") that was in effect at the time of the original
approval (the 2000 Code).
2. The property is located at 877 Spruce Street, and is more specifically described in Exhibit A.
3. The property contains 1.581 acres and is nonconforming in the TR -2 zone district.
4. The Hearing Officer denied a request for 1041 Hazard Review and Conceptual Submission approval,
pursuant to Determination No. 25 -2004, based on the finding that the entire parcel is encumbered by
slopes in excess of 30 %, where development was prohibited by the Code. The BOCC then
determined that the denial constituted a taking, and remediated the taking by granting approval for
development of a single family residence, pursuant to Resolution No. 006 -2005.
The BOCC subsequently extended the vested rights for seven years until April 13, 2012, pursuant to
Resolution No. 044 -2005. A seven year extension was found to be appropriate, given the Applicant's
commitment to limit the house size to 5,750 square feet. The 1041 Hazard Review Site Plan is
recorded in Plat Book 73 at Page 73.
6. The Hearing Officer granted Scenic Overlay Review approval for a driveway to serve the GOVT 33
LLC parcel and the adjacent Smuggler C LLC parcel (888 Spruce Street), pursuant to Determination
No. 15 -2004. The owner subsequently obtained an access permit and constructed the driveway.
7. The Hearing Officer granted Scenic View Protection Review approval for the residence, pursuant to
Determination No. 2 -2012. The Board of Adjustment granted variances to the front and side yard
setbacks, pursuant to Resolution No. 03-2012.
8. The Applicant submitted a complete building permit on March 27, 2012, prior to the expiration of the
vested rights. The building permit was issued on March 27, 2013, and will expire on March 27, 2014
unless a building inspection is obtained prior to that date in order to keep the permit active.
The BOCC considered the application at regular meetings on March 12 and June 11, 2014, at which
times evidence and testimony were presented with respect to this application.
Resolution No. -2014
Page 2
10. The BOCC finds that the Applicant has had nine years to proceed with the development approved in
2005. During that time the property was rezoned from AR -10 to TR -1, which limits the intensity and
scale of development to small sized buildings and structures.
11. The BOCC finds that the needs of the County would not be served by granting an extension of vested
rights that would allow for the development to continue to be governed by the Code that was in effect
at the time of the original approval (the 2000 Code), as requested by the Applicant, and that the needs
of the County would only be served by an extension of the vested rights, if the Applicant was required
to comply with the current TR -1 zoning of the property.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners
that it does hereby deny the GOVT 33 LLC Extension of Vested Rights.
DENIED on the 11 `h day of June, 2014.
ATTEST:
Jeanette Jones,
Deputy Clerk and Recorder
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
John Ely,
County Attorney
Case 4PO09 -14
PID 273707100040
Ll
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF PITKIN COUNTY, COLORADO
Robert A. Ittner, Jr., Chair
Date:
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
an4 Houben,
Community Development Director
The Board of County Commissioners shall be notified by their staff at the next
scheduled Work Session or Regular Meeting of any violations that staff finds of
these terms and conditions.
N E. Commissioner Richards informed the applicant that the owner of this business
has stantial investments already here and that he could lose the ability to operate
the bus ss in the way it was intended if these stipulations and conditions are not lived
up to.
Commissioner wman seconded the motion. Motion passed 4 to 0 with
Commissioners Itt r, Richards, Owsley and Newman voting aye and Commissioner
Child not present.
14-
ne A1atennae — MOTION TO
Staff: Mike Kraemer, Planner
Applicant: Burkholder Investments L Nerizon Wireless
Representative: Brad Johnson, Consult t for Verizon Wireless
Action: Commissioner Newman moved to prove the Resolution Granting Approval
for the Burkholder Investments LTDIVerizon ireless Special Review for Building
Mounted Cellular Telephone Antennae. Com ' sioner Owsley seconded the motion.
Motion passed 4 to 0 with Commissioners Ittner, ichards, Owsley and Newman voting
aye and Commissioner Child not present.
LAND USE ACTIONS:
F ding of Resolution Denying the GOVT 33 LLC Extension of Vested Real
ert Ri hts — MOTION TO CONTINUE TO MAY 14 2014
ff: Suzanne Wolff, Senior Planner
licant: GOVT 33 LLC
Representative: Mitch Haas
First Action: Commissioner Owsley moved to approve the Extension of Vested Real
Property Rights for GOVT 33, LLC for three years (with the contribution of $106,000.00
towards the Spruce Street improvements). Commissioner Richards seconded the
motion. Motion FAILED 2 -2 with Commissioners Richards and Ittner voting aye and
Commissioners Owsley and Newman voting nay and Commissioner Child not present.
Second Action: Commissioner Ittner moved to continue the Reading of Resolution
Denying the GOVT 33 LLC Extension of Vested Real Property Rights for one year.
MOTION FAILED FOR LACK OF A SECOND.
Third Action: Commissioner Ittner moved to continue the Reading of Resolution
Denying the GOVT 33 LLC to April 9, 2014, MOTION FAILED FOR LACK OF A
SECOND.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 5 REGULAR MEETING MARCH 12, 2014
Fourth Action: Commissioner Richards moved to continue the Reading of Resolution
Denying the GOVT 33, LLC to May 14, 2014. Commissioner Ittner seconded the
motion. Motion passed 4 to 0 with Commissioners Ittner, Richards, Owsley and
Newman voting aye and Commissioner Child not present.
There was n
ADJOURNMENT:
Discussion held today.
Action: Commissioner Newm djourned the Regular Meeting at 3:45 PM.
Commissioner Richards seconded motion. Motion passed 4 to 0 with
Commissioners Ittner, Richards, Owsley Newman voting aye and Commissioner
Child not present.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 6 REGULAR MEETING MARCH 12, 2014
u
Suzanne Wolff
From: Mitch Haas
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2014 4:26 PM
To: Suzanne Wolff; Gary Tennenbaum (gary.tennenbaum @pitkincounty.com); Matt Adeletti;
Dale Will
Cc: Shaun Kennedy; Robert G. Sinclair (rob @rgsarchitecture.com); Warren Lichtenstein
Subject: Gov't Lot 33 "Proposal" Relative to Vested Rights Extension
Attachments: OS Donation Map- llxl7.pdf; Untitled attachment 00238.htm
Dear Suzanne, Gary, Matt and Dale:
Please consider this email as an update to our proposal and request for an extension of the vested rights
associated with Gov't Lot 33. As a follow -up to our conversations and site visit, I've spoken with my client,
Warren Lichtenstein, and he is glad to pursue asking the BOCC for our Gov't Lot 33 vested rights extension
(we're asking for a permanent vested right) in exchange for completing a subdivision exemption that would
create three new open space parcels, in essence to enable our separating out all lands above his building
envelopes on each of his three parcels for an unrestricted and permanent donation of these lands to Pitkin
County OST for passive uses. To be clear, Warren has agreed to donate the lands for the vested rights
with no other conditions or restrictions on how OST might use and manage the lands in the future
provided such use and management is always carried out in accordance with OST's typical philosophy,
rules, vision and management practices for passive use lands. In other words, these parcels would be
treated no differently than would any other passive use OST parcel. The county would receive the open
space land donations on a permanent basis and without restrictions, and Warren would preserve his
existing development right permanently and subject only to the restrictions that are outlined in his
previous approvals (Activity Envelope, Scenic Review, and Board of Adjustment) as well as any
additional restrictions that might be duly adopted by the County as rules of general applicability.
I envision going back to the BOCC on June 11 to ask that they "bless" the concept and grant us a 2 -month stay
on the vested rights associated with the active building permit to demonstrate that we are diligently pursuing the
open space subdivision and donation. At the end of the two months, we would check back in with the BOCC to
show that the Open Space and Trails Board supports the donations and that we are diligently pursuing the
subdivision exemption to make it happen. Assuming the OST Board is supportive, at the time of the two month
check -in with the BOCC, they would grant another stay on the building permit expiration to allow us time to
complete the subdivision exemption process or, better yet, they would formally agree that simultaneous with
final approval, plat recordation for the subdivision and completion of the donation of the lands to PitCo OST,
we would start a new and permanent vested rights period. If, on the other hand, we learn during those 2 months
that the OST Board is not supportive for whatever reason, and the BOCC no longer wants to pursue the open
space donation, then the BOCC could simply deny the vested rights extension and we'd be forced to
immediately act on the building permit and pursue completion of the approved development. Anything longer
than this 2 -month timeframe would leave us at risk of losing the necessary amount of time to complete the next
phase of construction before the ground freezes, thereby jeopardizing our active building permit and associated
rights. Basically, we cannot afford to drag the process and any uncertainty out past the middle of August.
That about outlines the basics of the plan/deal as I see it. Of course, we'd want you (Gary, Matt or Dale) at the
BOCC on June ll to explain the "public benefit" and, hopefully, your desire for the BOCC to accept this deal
-- or at least a memo from you to this effect. I think it would also be prudent for Gary, Matt or Dale, as a PitCo
OST representative, to explain to the BOCC why you'd prefer the land donation to a conservation easement as I
suspect they'd ask this question. Finally, I also suspect the BOCC would ask why the land donation provides an
important public benefit given that the land areas to be donated are above /outside of the approved activity
envelopes and cannot be developed anyway. I could provide responses to these questions, but I am certain the
responses would carry a good deal more weight coming from you guys than they would coming from me.
Lastly, I worked with Bridgette at the GIS Department to put together the attached map. Please have a look at it
and let me know if you feet it conveys the concept well enough in relation to all of your other /surrounding open
space parcels. If you think I should be showing something additional or differently, by all means, please let me
know. The land areas shown are estimates and would be made more precise with surveying work to be done in
association with a subdivision application. On all three parcels, I will build in adequate setbacks from the back
of the developed area to the open space donation parcel. On Gov't 33, I'll need the subdivision to incorporate
some rear yard setback variance provision to accommodate development in the envelope and also to
accommodate the soil nails that would eventually extend into the open space donation parcel/hillside above (but
underground). Otherwise, I could slide that boundary line 25 or so feet (horizontally) further up the hillside to
provide the needed setback and soil nailing capability, If all this setback stuff seems too complicated, I could
— as an alternative — simply ask as part of the subdivision process that the top of the donated open space
pieces still be considered the rear yard/rear property line for each of 777, Gov't 33 and Smuggler C with respect
to each's setback requirements.
Please get back to me at your earliest convenience with any thoughts. Many thanks!
Best regards,
Mitch
Mitch Haas
Haas Land Planning, LLC
420 East Main Street, Suite 10 -B
Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: (970) 925 -7819
Email. mitch @hJpaspen.com
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