An application for the construction of a residential and commercial storage development at 555 Basalt Ave. has, after many alterations at the behest of Town Council, been approved for a second reading and public hearing on Aug. 25. After an hour of deliberation on Tuesday, the council approved the application on first reading by a narrow vote of 4-3.
The application has changed significantly over the course of its first five readings. Since the previous meeting on July 14, the applicant has amended its application at the request of Basalt Town Council to increase the proportion of deed-restricted units to 64% and include proposals to provide approximately $350,000 to make improvements to two roads adjacent to the development property.
“I do think this project has come a long way, and I think that it could be a good fit for the neighborhood,” Councilor Angela Anderson said.
In total, the application consists of 42 commercial storage units, 30 residential units, 12 live/work units and two community-serving commercial spaces. The increase in the proportion of deed-restricted units was achieved by changing the live/work units all to be primary resident units.
Deed-restricted units will be offered first to Basalt workers or residents according to a phased-in priority system. For the first 60 days of the pre-sale period, priority will be given exclusively to Town of Basalt employees. For the following sixty days, priority will open up to full-time employees within Basalt. After that, sale will open to the general market.
Improvements to nearby Fiou and Cody Lane have become a significant aspect of the application process as it has changed over the past several months. In order to meet both the existing and potentially increasing demands of traffic in the area, the applicant plans to offer $175,000 to rebuild the intersection between Fiou and Alexander Lane. In addition, the applicant will construct access road and pedestrian sidewalk connections on East Cody Lane, as well as offer $180,000 to correct an existing drainage issue on that road.
Councilor Anderson supported the applicant’s amendments to provide funding for the improvements to Fiou and Cody Lane, which she saw as improvements to the neighborhood as a whole.
Councilor Elyse Hottel also supported the application as presented but suggested that one of the two units in the 800 square feet of commercial space in the current application be dedicated to a bodega or small food market such that residents in the Southside neighborhood can have easy access to basic groceries without needing to travel on Highway 82.
Mayor David Knight and Councilor Greg Shaffran agreed that the development simply did not fit with the surrounding area.
“I love affordable housing, but I don’t think this is the right place to do this project,” Knight said. “I see this being detrimental to the overall Southside neighborhood.”
Councilors Anderson, Angele Dupre-Butchart, Elyse Hottel, and Hannah Berman voted in favor of the application. Mayor Knight and councilors Greg Shaffran and Rick Stevens voted against the application.
Town to commemorate Dallenbach Park
In other news, the Town of Basalt has proclaimed the official dedication of Dallenbach Park on what is currently colloquially known as Codger’s Corner in a ceremony slated for this weekend.
The new Dallenbach Park, to be located on the corner between Basalt Alpine Bank and Thunder River Market, is dedicated to Basalt residents Wally and Peppy Dallenbach. The park commemorates their generosity and dedication to volunteerism, and their legacy of philanthropy to Basalt and beyond will be celebrated with a parade and dedication ceremony at 2pm on Saturday, August 15.
Motorsports legend Wally Dallenbach Sr. and his wife Peppy Dallenbach resided on their ranch in the Frying Pan Valley for 49 years where they raised their three children. In that time, Wally Dallenbach served as the president of the Colorado 500 motorcycle charity ride, which over the course of 50 years has both raised approximately $3.5 million in charity support for small town communities including Basalt and become the longest-running charity motorcycle event in the country. The parade will proceed from Basalt Elementary School, and the dedication ceremony will feature riders from the Colorado 500 along with vintage cars and Basalt’s first ambulance, which Wally Dallenbach purchased for the town in 1976.