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What Burlingame homeowners get out of the deal

Carolyn Sackariason
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO Colorado

ASPEN – The majority of Aspen voters last fall approved developing up to 300 units at Burlingame rather than the originally envisioned 236. Ever since, city officials have been attempting to get consensus from homeowners to create more density there.

Earlier this year, city officials offered several concessions in exchange for homeowners’ blessings. Through negotiations and feedback from homeowners individually, the city agreed to more than what was originally offered.

“It’s a result of give-and-take over several months,” said Assistant City Manager Barry Crook.



Under the agreement approved by homeowners, the changes include:

• The parking ratio will be increased from 1.67 to two spaces per unit, and the city will construct 28 new spaces in the phase one area, with those spaces to be allocated by the HOA.




• The city will eliminate the $60 a month per unit mobility fee and the additional services that accompany that, which include membership in CarToGo, taxi vouchers and the mobility allowance. That translates into a loss of revenue to the city of about $60,000 a year, which is roughly the same price to offer those amenities, Crook said.

He added that bus service will remain at Burlingame, although it will now be funded solely out of the city’s transportation fund, which is experiencing declines as a result of the failing economy. Bus service on existing routes in town has been cut as a result. More cuts could occur if sales tax revenue collections don’t improve.

“The $60 a month gets eliminated and you get treated just like everyone else in town and so does their bus service,” Crook said.

• The city will retroactively forgive the Burlingame Ranch I Condominium Association Inc. and the Burlingame Ranch Affordable Housing Association Inc. all unpaid mobility fees, which under a mutual agreement have been held in abeyance during the negotiations. Crook said that after October, that amount will be about $105,000. It’s up to the HOA to decide what to do with that money. For example, it could go directly into the association’s capital reserves fund, or it could be put into landscaping or reimbursed to homeowners.

“Theoretically, the HOA has been collecting those dues and it’s in the bank,” Crook said.

• The city will relinquish to the HOA all rights to revenue associated with parking space rental income – if homeowners choose to rent out additional unassigned spaces. The city, which has not been collecting any parking revenue, will turn over enforcement of parking rules to the HOA.

• The city will make a contribution of $25,000 to finish the interior of the HOA commons building.

• The city will construct a stairway/ramp to the parking lot on Callahan Court from Mining Stock Parkway. Crook said the current cost estimate to complete that amenity is $40,000 but officials consider that “wildly too high.” He said he hopes it costs $10,000.

• When designing where the buildings will go, the city will emphasize open space in phases two and three. Specifically, buildings will be clustered around courtyards, and create a minimum of 100 square feet of usable open space for every 1,000 square feet of living area.

• The city will complete the already-planned connector trail from Burlingame Ranch to the Airport Business Center. The city also will provide a direct route to the Roaring Fork River and the Rio Grande Trail. The improvements depend on whether the city’s parks and open space capital improvement fund can financially support the construction.

csack@aspentimes.com

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