ASPEN — —Saying he wanted to end the pattern of “gun and puppy politics” that’s tainted negotiations between developers and the city in recent years, Aspen Mayor Mick Ireland on Monday night pushed for a resolution that sets a future tone of severe restrictions on free-market residential development downtown.
Council members voted, 3-2, to approve the resolution and two of its Ireland-sponsored amendments, which in effect give Community Development Department staff the direction for crafting an ordinance that will create code changes to give the item’s intent the force of law.
After more than two hours of debate at Monday night’s regular meeting, Ireland and Councilmen Torre and Steve Skadron voted to approve the resolution; Councilmen Adam Frisch and Derek Johnson opposed it.
Ireland said several times Monday night that he’s tired of seeing developers propose third-floor penthouse projects with their commercial building applications while also threatening to take away some other community amenity if they don’t get their way. Luxury free-market residences are driving development downtown and in the zoned district immediately east of it to the detriment of the area’s vitality, the mayor argued.
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