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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018.08.02 OSTB_COAOS_Joint Reg Minutes_S MINUTES OPEN SPACE AND TRAILS BOARD and CITY OF ASPEN OPEN SPACE BOARD JOINT REGULAR SESSION August 2, 2018 Aspen Firehouse 420 E. Hopkins Ave.,Aspen OSTB Present: Graeme Means Howie Mallory Amy Barrow Michael Kinsley Wayne Ives Dist.1, Chair Dist. 2 Dist. 3 Dist. 4 Dist. 5 City of Aspen Open Space Board Present: Charlie Eckhart (chair), Jim Stark, Erik Skarvan, Howie Mallory(appointee to both city and county boards) BOCC Present: Greg Poschman Pitkin County Staff Present: Gary Tennenbaum, Dale Will, Richard Neiley, Janet Urquhart, Gerald Fielding, Jessie Young, Lindsey Utter COA Staff Present: Austin Weiss, Ben Carlson, Brian Long, Simon Longacre, Jake Moe Graeme Means called the meeting to order at 12:10 p.m. Castle Creek Corridor Improvement Project Gary Tennenbaum explained the latest project revisions for a modified, east-side Castle Creek Trail design. It reduces costs, provides significant safety improvements and minimizes east-side impacts by shifting impacts to the west side of the road, he said. The design includes speed tables on either side of the Aspen Music School/Aspen Country Day School driveway. On the west side, a paved shoulder varies from 2 to 4 feet in width. The highest wall on the west side of the road is 8 feet, 2 inches; the only east-side retaining wall is at the planned new housing near Marolt, which allows for additional vegetative screening between the road and the housing. The estimated cost is $2.6 million, compared to $3.8 million for the original east-side design, Tennenbaum said. A total of 79 trees would be removed. The separate cost of wire mesh where the slope has eroded above the road on the west side is estimated at $344,000 and OST will look to Pitkin County Public Works to pay that cost, along with $114,000 to mill and repave Castle Creek Road, including a wider west-side shoulder in the project area, Tennenbaum said. The next step is to seek 2019 budget approval for the project from the Board of County Commissioners and Aspen City Council. The current design incorporates input from Pitkin County Road and Bridge, said Gerald Fielding, county engineer. The design work is now at 30 percent. A design/build contract is envisioned that allows an engineer and construction contractor work together to complete the design and construction plan, Tennenbaum said. There is also a"robust" sign plan. The new features should not present surprises for bicyclists, Tennenbaum said. Among public comments on the plan,property owner Eddie Wachs questioned the lack of retaining walls on the east side in some areas. With the road shifted to the west and the use of 08/02/2018 OSTB-COAOSB Joint Regular Session Minutes Page 1 of 3 concrete for an east-side trail, a retaining wall is not needed in those areas, Tennenbaum said. Wachs' driveways will be unchanged, he said. Simon Penniger asked how many trees would be lost on the east side. Twenty-three, Tennenbaum said. Joe Wells called the latest designs a significant improvement. He urged limiting one-way traffic during construction to periods of active construction. He suggested subsurface drainage on the west side of Castle Creek Road to allow for a 4-foot shoulder throughout the project and asked that the east-side railing be as open as possible and constructed of earth-tone colors. He also advocated earth-tone delineators between the trail and road. Alan Fletcher,president of the Aspen Music Festival and School, complimented the latest design plans. Among board comments, Michael Kinsley asked if west-side swales could be covered to increase the width of the paved shoulder so it is a uniform 4 feet, as Wells suggested. It is feasible but expensive, Fielding said. The contractor can address it at final design to determine if it can be done at an acceptable cost, Tennenbaum said. Howie Mallory asked about speed limits and flashers. Flashers are included in the project at the school driveway. Speed limits are up to the BOCC but speed tables will help, Tennenbaum said. The design proposes reducing speed limits to 25 mph, he said. Mallory also asked if vegetation can be used to stabilize the eroding slope on the west side. That isn't county property and funding is limited, Tennenbaum said. The slope angle may make it infeasible, Fielding added. Erik Skarvan asked if a more substantial barrier than delineators could be placed between the road and the trail, and removed in winter. An absolute barrier would trap road riders on the road, Austin Weiss said. A speed reduction lessens the need for the barrier, he added. Skarvan asked if road bikers weaving on and off the trail is actually desired. That ability is part of the design, Weiss said. A hard barrier would have to be removed in winter, Fielding said. There is no plan to remove snow from the trail in winter, Tennenbaum added. Amy Barrow said she likes the delineators, or bollards, while Graeme Means advocated a different kind of separator and called for limited railing on the outer edge of the trail. He said he is willing to spend more to improve aesthetics. He asked if manhole covers could be made as flush with the road pavement as possible. Michael Kinsley asked if a road biker hitting a bollard would crash. Yes was the answer. Charlie Eckhardt suggested a double yellow line to separate road and trail. A double-yellow line or greater spacing between delineators can be looked at in the design-build process, Tennenbaum said. Eckhart also expressed concern about the changing width of the west side shoulder and called for a consistent width. Howie Mallory asked if construction in 2019 is the goal. Yes, if it is possible, Tennenbaum responded. 08/02/2018 OSTB-COAOSB Joint Regular Session Minutes Page 2 of 3 BOARD ACTION Castle Creek Corridor Improvement Project Howie Mallory moved to recommend to the BOCC that the Castle Creek Corridor Improvement Project be budgeted for a design/build contract in 2019. Wayne Ives seconded. The motion passed(5-0). Jim Stark moved to recommend to the Aspen City Council that the Castle Creek Corridor Improvement Project be budgeted for a design/build contract in 2019. Erik Skarvan seconded. The motion passed(3-0). EXECUTIVE SESSION The Pitkin County Open Space and Trails Board and City of Aspen Open Space Board moved to enter executive session in accordance with CRS 24-6-402(4) (a) for the purpose of discussing acquisitions at 1:30 p.m. The OSTB and City of Aspen Open Space Board adjourned executive session at 1:58 p.m. ADJOURN The OSTB Regular Session and Joint City of Aspen Open Space Board Regular and Joint Executive Session meetings of August 2, 2018 adjourned at 1:58 p.m. Approved: Attest: 67641" Gr e Means, Chair Ja t Urquhart Pitkin County Open Space &Trails Board itkin County Open Space &Trails Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator 08/02/2018 OSTB-COAOSB Joint Regular Session Minutes Page 3 of 3