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Open space stalls Edwards condos

Melanie Wong
Vail, CO Colorado
Special to the DailyA rendering of how the Edwards Condominium buildings would look behind the Edwards Corner shopping center.
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EDWARDS ” Proposals for the Edwards Condominiums project in downtown Edwards were stalled after a legal dispute arose as to whether or not the land is open space.

Developers from Remonov and Co. presented the plans to the Eagle County Planning Commission Wednesday, but issues regarding the legal status of the land need to be cleared up before the commission can decide on the project, said county attorney Bob Morris.

Another problem was that the project, which garnered attention because of its modern exterior designed by high-profile architect Daniel Libeskind, did not include an affordable housing component. However, developers said the original plans did include a proposal for affordable homes.



The area the condos would be built in allows for commercial building, but the specific parcel, called “Tract T,” has restrictions that designate the land as open space. In order for the developers to build there, the county board of commissioners have to vote to lift the restrictions, said Planning Commissioner Pat Hammon.

According to Eagle County guidelines, that change can only be made if the area has changed, and if the new use is of public benefit, or if there is a demonstrated community need for the land. Remonov and Co. has until Dec. 5, when the project comes before the planning commission again, to resolve the disputes.

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Remonov and Co. partner Rick Mueller said the disputes surprised the developers. The area is zoned for commercial use, and the project fits with Edwards community planning guidelines, he said.

The next step will be to apply for the land-use change, Mueller said.

“This is just an effort to stall our program,” he said. “We’ve been upfront all along that this (restriction) was there.”

Developer Bob Warner, who owned the land and wrote the restrictions for “Tract T” when the land was dedicated in 1985, said the restrictions are there for a reason. The land was sold to Remonov and Co. in 1994.

“It’s normal on commercial land to provide buffers for open space,” he said. “Just because a zone is commercial doesn’t mean you should build on 100 percent of it.”

The land was intended for “non-structure recreation,” he said, meaning trails, or basketball courts could be built on it, but not buildings.

The county commissioners can change that restriction based on the argument that the area has changed since 1985, but Warner said he does not think they should.

“This would be a dangerous precedent to set,” he said. “You could make that same argument for Central Park, that it should be developed because the land around it has changed.”

He also said “Tract K” ” the land behind the Edwards ambulance station and the post office where developers had planned to build affordable homes ” should not be developed.

The land is designed to be a buffer between homes and shops, as well as a drainage area, he said.

Also, the project cannot be approved until the developers include an affordable housing component, planning commissioners said.

The developers had planned for about 36 affordable homes to be built on Tract K, but when the project was submitted, county officials told developers they needed to submit the plans for the condos and the affordable homes separately, Mueller said.

“(The county) said it would only take one of the proposals. It’s alright though, because we have time to get the affordable housing plans submitted,” Mueller said.

Hammon said the planning commission has other questions about the project that would be addressed later.

“There may be other issues, but nothing can go forward until (the land restrictions and affordable housing) issues are handled,” she said.

Mueller said the delay has been frustrating.

“You could see that the planning commission had no interest in hearing our case. It kind of sets the tone, but we’re still positive about it. It’s all part of the building process,” he said.

Staff Writer Melanie Wong can be reached at 748-2928 or mwong@vaildaily.com.


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