For the second installment of this candidate-profile series introducing the eight Aspen City Council candidates to readers, we dive deeper into the everyday issues facing Aspen’s residents, workforce and visitors.
Seven of the eight council candidates responded to our survey asking their priorities if elected, their thoughts on specific issues and some insights into who they are and what they love about town. Candidate Jimbo Stockton did not reply to repeated requests to participate through multiple channels.
Election Day is March 2; ballots will be mailed beginning next week and can be dropped at the secure drop box in front of city hall. In-person paper ballot voting begins Feb. 12 at city hall. To request an absentee ballot, residents can call the City Clerk at 429-2686 or email Elections@cityofaspen.com. Citizens that need to register to vote may do so at govotecolorado.com.
Yesterday’s article included top priorities, unique attributes and budgeting tactics from the candidates. Today, we look at their thoughts on housing, the environment, traffic and the business community. For fairness, the candidates’ names were picked at random to determine the order their answers are presented here, and that order will rotate each day. Answers may have been edited for clarity.
Aspen Daily News: Should Aspen be building more affordable housing?
Casey Endsley: Yes.
Sam Rose: The density at the Lumberyard needs to be settled, and we need to work with our regional elected partners on exploring housing solutions from Aspen to Parachute. Affordable housing needs to be strategically placed so that it is along public transportation routes and is built in areas that don’t interfere with our open space. APCHA and the business community also need to be worked with on exploring housing solutions. It is better to solve a problem if we consult with the business owners and employees that struggle with affordable housing issues everyday. Lastly, we need to build more category 1 and 2 housing ownership opportunities to create access to Aspen for those in need. Ultimately, the entire community needs a voice in shaping employee housing for the current and future generations. Complicated problems like this do not have simple solutions, but if we work with each other, we will find something that works to make Aspen’s housing sustainable.
Kimbo Brown-Schirato: Yes, we all agree that we need to build more housing. I will push for density — where appropriate and with great design — to chip away at our deficit. As we pursue this, we have to agree upon the percentage of our workforce we are going to attempt to house. The Aspen Area Community Plan from roughly 20 years ago stated a 60% goal. Today, that number cannot be located in the plan. Goals must be measurable to be attainable, and it’s irresponsible of us to not have a number to work toward.
That being said, building can only be part of the solution. We cannot build our way out. First, we must create new housing without development whenever possible. There are creative solutions out there and some examples include: optimizing current inventory through incentives, converting free-market to deed-restricted units with down payment assistance and exploring more public-private partnerships — Habitat for Humanity and more [units] like the recently completed Aspen Housing Partners complexes.
Finally, if we don’t have the will to agree on a number and a set timeframe in which to reach it, we need to be honest and admit that we do not house a sufficient number of our workers to make a dent in our workforce needs.
Mark Reece: Absolutely.
Ward Hauenstein: Yes. I am an enthusiastic advocate for workforce housing. While I have served on the council, we have approved and constructed the three Aspen Housing Partners projects. We have moved BGIII (Burlingame Three) toward construction. The modular units for BGIII are on order. We have moved the Lumberyard (LY) project forward. We purchased the Aspen Mini Storage adjacent to the LY to be included in the project.
The LY is moving through conceptual design. The city has conducted extensive public outreach to inform the design and density of the project. I support financing the LY project to build and deliver housing sooner. Waiting for the housing fund (150 Fund) to have the cash to build is a losing strategy.
Construction inflation is higher than debt financing. Every year we wait, we can build less for the same investment. I support PPP: Public-Private Partnerships. The more sources of funding we have, the sooner we can build. The LY is projected to be $220 million at this point. Building in phases will be needed as it was for BG.
My first choice for housing mitigation is to build on-site.
John Doyle: Yes. As the conversion of residential units into second homes, investment vehicles and vacation rentals continues, we will need housing just to replace those losses. We cannot provide a unit to everyone who wants one. We must provide a mix of rental and ownership units so that our residents and workers can move up within the system as they start families and downsize when less space is needed.
Erin Smiddy: Absolutely, I think that is something that needs to be continuous. If we had never implemented the affordable housing program in Aspen, this community would be void of any locals and would lose its character completely. We would’ve all been out-priced and forced to move out of Aspen because no real working class individual could afford to live here. Affordable housing is priority No. 1 to keep this community functioning.
ADN: In what ways should council address climate change?
Endsley: I think we have much bigger issues currently. While I do believe this is an issue worth talking about, realistically this is a very “green” community.
Rose: Aspen has been a trailblazer in addressing climate change and should continue serving as an example to other rural and resort communities. We should continue with the climate action plan we are currently on to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to invest in more environmentally friendly practices. I agree with the city of Aspen policy agenda when it says “we will investigate and support efforts and policies that offset and reduce carbon in meaningful and measurable ways.” Aspen’s economy is largely dependent on a stable climate and our natural resources, so I would look to continue and expand low- and zero-emission transportation, waste reduction — specifically composting of food waste — and energy reduction in buildings. I would also expand on new and innovative energy storage, local renewable energy generation, and other emerging technologies that help address community needs, enhance energy choices and respond to emergency preparedness on our local scale. Innovation, leadership and strong action are what will help Aspen best address climate change.
Brown-Schirato: As a native of South Africa, I have witnessed the dire effects of drought; these issues are not abstract to me. We are lucky to live in a community that recognized that climate was an issue in the early 1990s and started working toward solutions. Aspen’s commercial core being 100% renewable is an example of that forward thinking. That was 16 years ago, and we can do more and be better.
Just this week, city council agreed to move away from fossil-fuel investments, but more can be done. We should be more aggressively leveraging the Aspen brand to lobby national and international climate change legislation — something we can only do when we are walking the walk.
Reece: The progress city council has made in addressing climate change has been very positive and needs to be continued. The current progress needs to be moved forward by any candidate who may hold a seat in the future.
Hauenstein: The city does a lot to address climate change. The city has a climate action plan to identify carbon producers and move toward net-zero carbon. Our building codes stress energy efficiency and carbon reduction. We have the REMP fee that offsets excessive energy usage. I am the city of Aspen representative on the CORE board of directors. CORE’s mission is aligned with our energy efficiency and carbon reduction policies. We are divesting investments in companies that contribute to carbon creation. We have initiated a benchmarking program to record energy usage and to gauge the effectiveness of mitigation attempts on older buildings. Our electricity is 100% renewable.
I think we need to start targeting older buildings for carbon reduction. Perhaps the REMP fund can help finance old building envelope retrofits.
Doyle: We can lead by example. New building material breakthroughs can result in less emissions both in construction and use of structures. We can work with the county to require more reuse of materials from demolished residential and commercial structures. And we can create housing in the city that averts millions of miles in commuting.
Smiddy: I believe the city of Aspen and council has done a nice job when it comes to climate initiatives. It would of course be nice to see less vehicles on our highways, but with that comes less jobs, as so many of said vehicles are coming to Aspen to work on our endless construction and developments in progress. Many years ago, when the city enforced a building moratorium for several years and construction slowed down, it was a nice change — but again, it would be detrimental to the workforce, so it’s a tricky situation. I like the idea of encouraging developers and homeowners to use more solar power if possible, and maybe providing more of an incentive to do so.
ADN: What are your thoughts about transportation and parking in Aspen?
Endsley: Until we have enough affordable housing for people that work here, it is only going to get worse. Most of the actual workforce drives or buses up. I feel like the easiest way to solve the traffic issues is to reduce the amount of people commuting. Although city council cannot do much about this, I also feel like the HOV lane on Highway 82 causes more problems than it solves. At the least move it to the left lane so faster traffic can move; at the best, get rid of it.
Rose: While technology will play a role in addressing issues of transportation and parking in Aspen, public transit, cycling, walking and ride-sharing must continue to be heavily encouraged and subsidized. Once again, we need to work with our local and regional partners to solve a problem that stretches beyond the Aspen city limits. There are many unintended consequences to changes in transportation and parking, but we need to fix these problems as best we can. We will need to think critically about transportation and parking, especially after the pandemic is over and new traffic patterns begin.
Brown-Schirato: The city of Aspen and RFTA have created a phenomenal local public transportation system, both within city limits and up and down the valley and out onto the I-70 corridor. I lived in Carbondale for 10 years and endured the morning and evening rush hour traffic on a daily basis. Admittedly, public transportation didn’t always work for my specific circumstance at the time, but we are lucky it is an option for so many commuters.
Housing the workforce and transportation are inextricably linked. We are unwilling, as it currently stands, to look to a long-term, more capital-intensive solution that would serve the entire Highway 82 corridor. Now that I live in town, it’s easy to forget that every day, people seemingly magically show up to service our town and businesses.
Parking is always going to be a four-letter word in our town. Our visitors and residents should be able to access our local businesses, and our pedestrians need to be able to walk around the core safely. We must make better use of our parking garage with incentives and proper wayfinding. Too many people don’t even know it’s an option. I will work with our community business leaders to find ways to experiment with a variety of parking/pedestrian options that work for everyone.
Reece: Our public transportation is excellent — encouraging more people to use it should be addressed. I have a lot to say about parking in Aspen; it just depends on where and when I’m trying to park.
Hauenstein: COVID-19 has set us back on reducing traffic. RFTA buses have been operating at levels between 25% and 50% per public health orders. I serve on the RFTA board as an alternate. RFTA has done a commendable job during the pandemic. I sat on the Aspen Institute forum on upper valley mobility. That was a 15-month process. I fully support the conclusion of the group. There are no silver bullets for solving our transportation problems. I believe in induced demand that says you cannot build your way out of congestion.
I think Aspen is more tourist- and pedestrian-friendly with less traffic in the core.
When COVID-19 restrictions are over, we need to again focus on fewer single-occupancy vehicles coming into town. The more vehicles that park at the Intercept Lot and take improved free and comfortable transit into town the better. The Intercept Lot is going to be improved. It is approved and funded by the EOTC (Elected Officials Transportation Committee).
The parking rates in the core are designed to encourage turnover and availability.
Doyle: Aspen-area traffic levels have stabilized despite our growth due to our excellent public transportation system. We can start moving to voluntary auto pay of parking charges — the way California and E-470 bill automatically — rather than each time we move our cars. Under that system, we can allow 30 minutes of free parking per day for system users. The technology already exists. The parking fees we hate paying pay for things we enjoy, like the crosstown shuttle, WeCycle, the Downtowner and the parking garage.
Smiddy: RFTA is a great resource we already have for transportation. Parking has always been a point of frustration. I did not agree with the downtown parking fee increases. It felt like it became less appealing for the average person to drive downtown and utilize the businesses because parking has become so expensive. I myself have never utilizing the Downtowner because I live at the base of Smuggler and it’s such a nice walk to town. I see how it would be a benefit to those who can’t walk as easily or need to transport something, but I struggle with the $1,000 per day bill that comes with it that the city pays. RFTA literally goes by or very close to most neighborhoods and is very convenient for most people.
ADN: Should council be supporting the business community? In what ways?
Endsley: Absolutely. Business is what makes every economy grow. Especially local ones. Keeping them open would be a great start. I would also like to see incentives for local businesses to contribute to mental health, youth activities, things like that. Most of them actually do already.
Rose: The best way for Aspen City Council to support the business community would be through advocating for smart development. Aspen doesn’t need more new holes in the ground as much as it needs to show up for who and what is here already. Smart development to me is development that positively impacts local business owners and workers. Too many people I have spoken with have said that too many businesses downtown are not for them. I would like to support the business community by approving projects that keep businesses like Big Wrap and the Grateful Deli open for lunch. I would like to approve projects that keep a place like Replay Sports open for the people that live here and need affordably priced sports gear. Most of the restaurants that have been here long term are locally owned and operated, which should be commended. Council should be supporting the business community by standing up for smart development that keeps Aspen quirky in the way we love and allows locals to eat and shop in our downtown.
Brown-Schirato: My husband and I own a small business, Aspen Custom Vans. I have done outreach to local business owners, and the perception of many is that it is very difficult to open a business within the city of Aspen. Adding to the already burdensome task of simply starting a business anywhere, this is unacceptable. Our businesses serve Aspen! We need to flip this script. We should support the business community by making it efficient and welcoming to open a new business. We should incentivize locally serving small businesses where possible and invest in the future we want to see. We should frequently check in with each business owner to find efficiencies and create long-term goodwill. And finally, once businesses are open, we should get out of the way so they can do what they know best: run their own businesses.
Reece: I think the city council does support the local business community. I truly believe I can be a major asset to both the council and the businesses who are affected by council’s decisions. The city, along with local businesses, would be greatly bolstered by having a local business owner such as myself on the council.
Hauenstein: The stability and stainability of Aspen’s economy depends on the survival of local businesses. When businesses are open, employees are working and incomes support families. In unprecedented times, the government should establish programs to use tax dollars to assist businesses.
The city created a $6 million assistance package [to help recover from the economic disruption caused by COVID-19]. There is a revolving loan program and a rent relief grant program. The rent grant program required the landlord to participate. We borrowed $2.5 million from the Wheeler Fund to be repaid from the general fund over 10 years. We consciously encumbered the general fund for the future to provide aid to businesses and citizens now. We will have to rein in future spending in an attempt to save our economy.
Spending city funds should be the last resort. Federal, state and private assistance should be the first source of funding. The city has cooperated and coordinated with the county and state to optimize available funds. We have funded the county programs and worked with the Aspen Community Foundation to deliver assistance.
Doyle: The city should not allow residential to usurp commercial uses. The problems posed by VRBOs and vacation rentals must be addressed: 1,000 units of lodging have emerged without any real thought to their impacts on housing needs and traffic. Would we approve a 1,000-unit lodge that provided no housing, no public amenities and didn’t pay taxes? Our small lodges cannot dodge sales tax and income tax, while more than 90% of our vacation rentals provide no public benefits — housing, composting, parking, solar power, etc. — and very, very few pay sales tax.
Smiddy: The current council has done a nice job navigating these tough times brought on by COVID-19. I don’t want to judge from the sidelines how it could have been handled better because it has been such a unique challenge no one could possibly prepare for. I would like to see the restaurants and employees protected more, as they have been the businesses that have taken the hardest hit. It has been frustrating to read how real estate has been killing it this year with so many new renters, buyers and developers moving in, yet the restaurants keep being forced to close. This summer was overwhelming how many people flocked to Aspen to escape COVID in their hometowns, just to see that those volumes of people have negatively impacted the restaurant industry the most. It would be nice to reallocate more funds to help the small businesses and restaurants get through this. With rents as high as they are in downtown, I’d rather spend funds on helping them survive versus building new city buildings and wider sidewalks.
Grab your gavel
Our election coverage resumes tomorrow, with complete biographies of the candidates for Aspen City Council. The city clerk’s office is seeking election judges to help with the upcoming elections. Judges must be registered to vote in Aspen and can contact Wes Graham at 429-3687 or wes.graham@cityofaspen.com.
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Continuing the discourse with Aspen City Council candidates - Aspen Daily News
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