On Wednesday the Historic Preservation Commission will consider a plan, apparently endorsed by city staff, to grant outrageous variances for overdevelopment of a property at 301 Lake Ave. — in return for Aspen Modern Historic status. Gaining historic status would be desirable in itself, but not at such great cost to the neighborhood and adjoining houses, one of which is historic.

As near neighbors, living two blocks away in the West End, we object especially to the placement of bulky structures in violation of zoned setback rules. For example a 15-foot-tall garage with setback of only 18 inches! The object of historic preservation is to preserve the character of the neighborhood and the city, rather than to violate the character of the neighborhood by granting excessive variances that impinge on the surrounding houses by creating oversize structures much too close to their surroundings.

Jane and Bill Frazer

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Aspen