HomeMy WebLinkAboutPesentation - Glen Horn - Woody Creek Commune Davis R•
PLANNING & REAL ESTATE CONSULTING
November 29,2021
Board of County Commissioners
Tami Kochen,Planner
Pitkin County Community Development Department
530 East Main Street, Suite 205
Aspen, Colorado 81611
RE:Circle R Ranch Land Use Application—Request of 10 Year Vested Property Right
Term Pursuant to Section 2-20-170(c)(2)of the Land Use Code
Dear Board Members and Ms. Kochen:
As you know,we represent Woody Creek Commune 1, LLC; Woody Creek Commune 2,LLC;
Woody Creek Commune 3, LLC and Woody Creek Commune 4, LLC(collectively
"Applicant"). In connection with its pending land use application,Applicant respectfully
requests the County enter into a Development Agreement to award the Applicant a ten year
vested property rights term pursuant to Section 2-20-170(c)(2)of the Code. Section 2-20- 170
(c)(2)reads as follows:
"(2) Development Agreements
A vested right, as defined in C.R.S. 24-68-101 et. seq., may be vested for a period
longer than three(3)years through the use of a development agreement. A
development agreement is an agreement between the County and the property
owner providing that vested rights will be granted for a longer term in return for
additional certainty or benefits granted by the property owner to the County
regarding a specific final development of the property. For example,vested
right for periods longer than the statutory three(3)year period may be
considered if(a)the applicant makes commitments that the property will
protect significantly more open space,or will provide significantly more
AUCE DAVIS MCP I GLENN HORN AICP
215 SOUTH MONARCH ST. • SUITE 104•ASPEN,COLORADO 81611 • 970/925-6587 • FAX:970/925-5180
odavis@rof.net ghcrn@rof.net
affordable housing,than would otherwise be required by this Land Use Code,or
(b)the proposed development will be completed in phases,and the County and
applicant wish to agree on the timing of those phases and related infrastructure
requirements. Development agreements shall not be used simply to extend the
three(3)year vesting period when significant additional contributions of open
space or affordable housing(beyond the requirement of this Land Use Code)are
not made,and a phased development is not involved,or simply to provide
additional flexibility in the timing of development"(emphasis added).
The Board of County Commissioners granted the original Circle R Ranch approvals to the Wyly
family in 2001. No grant of conservation easement was requested by the County or offered by
the original applicant at that time.The mechanism used in connection with the protection of
open space lands on the Ranch was to obtain from the owner and record a voluntary declaration
of negative covenant precluding further subdivision of the Ranch property(the"Negative
Covenant"). The enforceability of the Negative Covenant,in its recorded form,as against a
subsequent owner has been raised and remains in question.The original applicant was forced to
sell the Ranch at auction in 2018 and the purchaser at auction filed the current land use
application in 2019,which application proposed to grant a conservation easement encumbering
45 acres of steep hillside on the north side of Woody Creek Road(see Attachment 1).Virtually
all of such land originally proposed for conservation contained slopes in excess of 30 percent
which is generally unsuitable for development under the Pitkin County Land Use Code(see
Attachment 2).
The current Applicant now proposes to grant a conservation easement encumbering
approximately 134 acres of land,which is more than one-half of the entire Ranch acreage. The
conservation easement will encumber the area west,southwest and south of activity envelopes 1,
2 and 4 which is heavily used by elk during transition periods and productive agricultural lands.
The land in this area is not protected against development by the Land Use Code and the land is
suitable for development
Additionally,the Applicant is proposing to relocate envelope 5 which is located in a heavily
vegetated portion of the Ranch along Woody Creek and proposes to include this riparian land
and conifer forest in the conservation easement. The proposed conservation easement will
ensure the perpetual conservation of significant open space lands as well as wildlife,riparian and
forest habitat.
Summary
The Applicant's commitment to encumber 134 acres of the Ranch property in a perpetual
conservation easement far exceeds the Land Use Code requirements. Further,Applicant is
willing to enter into a clarification of the Negative Covenant that will ensure the 244 acre Ranch
is not subdivided and ensuring that this restriction runs with the land. These protections warrant
the award to the Applicant of a long term vested property rights term. We look forward to
discussing this proposal at the continued hearing on December 1,2021.
Thank you for your continued efforts in our clients' behalf.
Sincerely,
DAVIS HORN INCORPORATED
GLENN HORN AICP
WOOD PEARCE NELSON,LLC
1/06CD
JOSL .WOOD,Attorney for Applicant
13 N
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