Aspen Considers New Lodging Incentives
Aspen City Council has decided to once again move forward with trying to improve lodging in the resort. At a special meeting last night, elected officials decided to go with a much more mild version than previously.
Small lodges were one of the key themes of the night, with several people speaking in favor of making it easier for those establishments to freshen up their interiors or get a facelift. Marcia Goshorn made this public comment about the importance of making sure small lodges don’t disappear.
“There’s still a lot of tour groups, like the Germans, Australians, and some of those that love coming to the small properties. They don’t want the big fancy hotels, they’ve never asked for that. They have money, they don’t want to spend it.”
The Council asked city planners to write up an ordinance that would make easier for those businesses to go through the permitting process for renovations. That will go before the Council in a week, and will be the second time Aspen’s elected officials will decide whether to allow changes to boost lodging in town.
Garfield Co. Offer Options on Thompson Divide Haul Routes
The Garfield County Commissioners are suggesting alternate haul routes to access oil and gas leases on the contested Thompson Divide.
The BLM is reviewing 65 oil and gas leases on the White River National Forest that stretch over parts of Pitkin, Garfield, Mesa and Rio Blanco Counties. The Bureau is working to determine whether the leases should be voided, reaffirmed or modified.
In their letter, the commissioners reiterate their position against using County Road 117 or “Four Mile Road” as a haul route to reach undeveloped leases on the Thompson Divide. Instead, they’ve mapped out five alternate routes for leaseholders. Under the preferred route, Commissioner Tom Jankovsky says trucks would use West Divide Creek Road and then move through Mesa County.
“There is a trail through there and there would have to be a connector back through into what’s considered Twin Peaks and the Wolf Creek unit. There’s probably a couple miles of trails and a road would have to be built in there.”
The commissioners’ stance on drilling in the Divide is to support the efforts of the Thompson Divide Coalition, which is working to get legislation passed that would protect the area from energy development.
The commissioners anticipate the BLM will look over their latest letter at its next meeting with cooperating agencies like Garfield County on December 15th.
Garfield County Approves 2015 Budget
Yesterday, the Garfield County Commissioners adopted the county’s 2015 budget. The county will use nearly $128 million for spending.
The county expects an 8% increase in revenue over 2014. The growth is due to increased property and sales tax collections.
Aspen Airport Works on Wait Times
Officials at the Aspen Pitkin County Airport say they’re working on how to handle lines during the busy holiday travel season. This after a security line at Chicago’s Midway Airport stretched over a mile long after Thanksgiving.
In Aspen, airport staff will coordinate with TSA and the airlines to best expedite people through the screening process and onto their flights.
One problem is the secure waiting area can only hold 316 people. Airport officials are advising travelers to arrive two hours ahead of their departure time.
Highway 82 Rock Slide Victim Out of ICU
A Grand Junction man hurt in a rock slide on Highway 82 is recovering at a Denver hospital. The Glenwood Springs Post Independent reports 49-year-old David Pixler is out of the intensive care unit after undergoing surgery last week.
Pixler was one of two people injured when several large rocks fell onto the highway near Carbondale during rush hour last Monday.
Geologists from the Colorado Department of Transportation are looking at the slope this week to gauge the risk of more slides in that area.
Grand Junction Works on Methane Capture
Officials in Grand Junction plan to convert methane gas from their waste water treatment plant into fuel for a city fleet. A groundbreaking will be held today for the first of its kind project in Colorado.
A pipeline will send the gas to the city’s maintenance facility, where it will be converted into compressed natural gas to fuel 38 vehicles and buses.
City money and a half million dollar state grant are being used to help pay for the $2.8 million project.
