Overreactive label is wrong

I would like to respond to the letter written by Jouko Rissanen last week in your paper.

I have a real hard time listening to someone from Snowmass talk about a property in Aspen he is probably not even familiar with. I have gone to all the Planning and Zoning meetings that regard this property, as have a lot of the neighbors. I would not categorize these people as crybabies at all ” just people that have concerns about how a project this size can affect their surrounding area.

All of these people are aware that something was going to go on that property all along, but that doesn’t mean they have to agree to a building that will be 60 some feet high and without the proper setbacks. Why would anyone want that?

There are already a couple of spas in town, we have tons and tons of timesharing, and hotel rooms that are very seldom filled to 100 percent occupancy. He mentions how this large development will have such a positive impact on our small community. How does he figure that?

Mr. Rissanen’s letter refers to how the neighbors couldn’t afford the more desirable parcel of land. This is not even the issue. The main point here is that developers need to build within our current codes. We have these codes for a reason.

I believe Mr. Rissanen should look into matters like this with a little more depth before he starts labeling the neighbors of this proposed development as overreactive people. These are the ones who really should be concerned and involved with this process ” not some pro-developer from Snowmass.

Mary E. Upton

Aspen