Basalt council’s review of Skico housing plan to be tabled until June 25

A hearing on Aspen Skiing Co.’s request to build an affordable-housing project at Willits Town Center is scheduled to be tabled at tonight’s Basalt Town Council meeting until June 25.

Skico officials asked the town June 4 to table the hearing for reasons that weren’t identified in a letter to the town staff.

“We would like to bring the application in front of council for a vote June 25,” said the letter from Skico project manager Philip Jeffreys.

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The town has put the tabling request on the consent agenda.

Skico’s preferred alternative is for 36 housing units with 148 bedrooms. The units would range from one to six bedrooms. While most of the housing would be for Skico employees, eight units would go to workers outside the company. A priority would be given to child care workers.

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Skico wanted to address parking obligations by building 34 off-street spaces on its property and buying 33 units on public streets that it would buy from the town for $202,000.

At a May 14 meeting, some council members said they wanted the project changed to provide more parking and a unit mix more in character with Willits. Skico submitted an alternative proposal prior to a May 28 meeting, but then announced at the hearing that the alternative wasn’t economically feasible.

The council was deadlocked 2-2 on the project, so it failed to earn approval. The proposal was tabled to a later meeting so that more council members could participate in the vote. Councilwomen Jennifer Riffle and Katie Schwoerer couldn’t attend the May 28 meeting. Councilman Auden Schendler has recused himself from voting on the proposal because he works for Skico.