Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Managing Growth

Imagine it is 2018. You have been the Grand Poobah of Growth Management, with complete control of approving land use applications and handing out building permits in the Aspen area. What has been your biggest accomplishment? Have you set a tough limit on the number of building permits issued, to make sure construction impacts don’t denigrate the quality of life? Have you allowed the free market to do what it wants? Or somewhere in the middle?

8 comments:

jay cali said...

The conversation that we held in small groups on managing growth was very productive and allowed for everybody to have a say in what they think should be done.

One idea that I contributed to the group was the idea of building a bowling alley in Aspen. I think this would be a great addition to the city because it would increase revenue dramatically. Not only would families and individuals be able to ski but they would also enjoy their time after by bowling.

This addition would also bring to Aspen more tourists and locals from down valley. It would also be great in that it would attract people of all age groups. This way Aspen is more diverse in attracting a good population of the youth which we don't see much of in Aspen.

Jesse Garcia
Aspen High School

Unknown said...

In the status quo we live in a free America. There are few regulations on growth which in my view is beneficial to the whole. However in Aspen we see a lot of government intervention. If the free market was allowed to work unchecked then we would see higher social costs (ie. pollution, or environmental deterioration). By contrast a government controlled economy would leave very little room for innovation and a lack of supply to meet an unknown demand.

So my idea would be a market system / growth management model that would allow for the most beneficial growth possible. This model would represent a mainly capitalist system. In this utopia demand would be able to be meet as fast as production time would allow. For example building projects would be started as soon as the market demanded them. Government road blocks to this would be limited to an extent in which safety and laborer's rights would be at the top of their priorities list. There would no longer be emotionally placed moratoriums on building projects that are only effective in frustrating builders and developers.

My vision of this utopia would allow both decreased social costs, allowing for workers to make the money that would be needed to sustain their way of life. But also beautiful homes would be created that would put Aspen on the cutting edge of brilliant architecture and innovation.

Anonymous said...

As a student attending Aspen High School, I am concerned about Aspen's future. A large percent of the high school have witnessed the drastic expansion. Our goal is to keep Aspen as historic as possible.
There are several ways to keep Aspen the same. We don't need the excess shopping centers and entertainment facilities. Glennwood and Denver are close enough to purchase the necessities. I think the less added to Aspen the better.
One important factor to keep in mind is the balance between Aspen's image and the locals. Aspen needs the high-end stores to attract tourists and to maintain "the reputation". Besides those stores we have enough local stores to even it out.
I fear that when we come back in a couple years Aspen will not look the same. Our town is fine the way it is. We need to manage Aspen's growth.
Brooke Gordon

Anonymous said...

In our small groups we talked about managing growth in Aspen. What I thought about was people and their second homes. I think there should be restrictions and rules for people building their second homes in Aspen. With Aspen being 90% built out there needs to be rules on how big your house can be based on the number of people in your family and how long you will be there out of the year. I think the growth in Aspen should really focus on the locals needs because those are the people that really matter in this town.

Shelby Butler
Aspen High School

Anonymous said...

when i think of managing growth in the Aspen area i think of 10 years down the road, what will it look like?one thing i don't want to see is sky scrapers like in a city. i know that wont happen but i am worried some pretty big buildings could be built. aspen is a small town and should stay that way. it is what gives aspen its charm.
although there is a large demand for land in aspen, i don't think that we need to accommodate for all of the want. i think that if we keep aspen secluded and exclusive then more people will want to come and there always will be a want to come.
i want to see aspen stay small. it is something that makes life in aspen special.

Anonymous said...

While I found the topic "Managing Growth" extremely insightful and informative, I cannot help but say that it's hypocritical. The Community Vision for the Aspen committee says it wants to preserve the idea and environment of aspen, but it's impossible to pull that off if surrounding land is being constantly developed into cheap subdivisions. As for building permits and expanded mass transit, it's a kiss of death. They're invitations for hordes of people, when we are already starting to become overpopulated. People are flooding to the Roaring Fork Valley because "its clean, and quiet and it's the country" Yes, but these masses are not bothering to keep it that way. Littering and pollution has increased tenfold since 2000. If land continues to be developed and mass transportation expanded, Aspen will soon become the dirty, loud, crowded, polluted city that people were fleeing from in the first place.

Anonymous said...

I understand that growth is necessary and good in a resort town like Aspen but I think that it is necessary to make sure that the expansion of the town is controlled to some extent. I think that building on the mountains should be limited. It is ruining pristine views that make Aspen unique. I also would like future buliding projects to be small.

Anonymous said...

Currently, the Aspen/Snowmass area is undergoing a massive change in its appearancce through the Base Village Project in Snowmass and the Lift 1A Expansion in Aspen. While I believe that expansion for the betterment of an area is beneficial, change for the sake of change is a hinderance on the area. Base village is especially harmful to the immage of Aspen as a "Small Mountain Town". The buildings currently under construction are more than that, and have only contributed to the costly side of the area. For this reason, all of the current expansion projects in the area should be re-evaluated and lessened, with the money being applied throughout the community to upgrade what we already have if anything.

-Dane K