Haines Borough staff is working with the new Aspen Hotel to address an issue with the development’s lack of required parking space.
According to code, the building requires 38 spots, though only 27 have been developed, said planning and zoning technician Tracy Cui.
Cui said she investigated the site after hearing rumors of an insufficient number of spaces. Cui concluded the recently completed development was built inconsistently with the original site plan submitted to the borough in 2014.
“Staff conducted a site visit on June 22, and determined the actual building plan is not in accordance with the parking regulations,” Cui said.
The Aspen parking issue raised enforcement questions at last week’s Planning Commission meeting, with commissioner Heather Lende asking what Cui’s process is for identifying violations around town.
Cui said during the busy summer months, when there isn’t usually enough time or resources to go around actively searching for violations, citizen complaints are what trigger site visits and enforcement.
In winter, Cui said she can spend one to two hours per week looking for issues like nuisance violations, buildings being constructed in violation of setback regulations and ongoing construction being done without filed permit applications.
Lende clarified, asking Cui if it was standard practice to visit a development once it is completed to make sure it followed the site plan it submitted. “Not usually,” Cui said.
Manager David Sosa met with Aspen Hotels owner George Swift to discuss the issue. “(Swift) is aware of the borough requirement and understands that action can be taken should the facility not meet the requirements of code,” Sosa said.
Because of a signed contract called a Reverter Agreement, the municipality can’t technically cite Aspen at this point, Sosa said. The agreement set an April 2016 date for the project’s completion, and stipulated the company spend at least $3 million on the hotel.
“Once the developer provides details on expenditures I will have the information I need to lift the reverter, so the borough will be able to address any code violations at that time,” Sosa said.