News Flash

Lift One Corridor Plan Ballot Issue Information

Learn more about the ballot issue for the March 5 election here.

Applications Available for Food Tax Refund

Aspen residents who lived within city limits for the entire year of 2018 and who have been registered to vote since at least January 1, 2018 are eligible to apply for a $55 food tax refund, which is now available as an online application here: https://www...

Aspen City Office Building Project to Begin February 4 after 6 Years of Planning

Aspen City Office Building Project to Begin February 4 after 6 Years of PlanningOn February 4, the City of Aspen is scheduled to begin initial utilities work and minor demolition activities on the site of its new office building at 425 Rio Grande Place. &...

Owl Creek Chase Nordic Ski Race February 10

Owl Creek Chase 21K Nordic Ski Race February 10, 2019

The Owl Creek Chase has been one of Colorado’s premier cross-country ski races since 1985. The challenging course from Snowmass Village to the Aspen Cross Country Center presents the ...

Council Appoints Sara Ott as Interim City Manager

Aspen City Council has appointed Sara Ott as its Interim City Manager while council members work with the City's Human Resources team to select a recruitment firm to execute a national search for Aspen's next City Manager.  Sara Ott's appointment...

Free Christmas Tree Composting Through February 14

Free Christmas Tree CompostingStill have your Christmas tree?  Compost it for free at the Rio Grande Recycling Center.  Bring trees with no lights or decorations to the Christmas tree corral.  Christmas tree lights can be recycl...

Environmental Health and Sustainability Department Has Moved to Old Powerhouse Building

You can now find the City's Environmental Health and Sustainability Department on the 2nd Floor of the Old Powerhouse Building, 590 North Mill Street.  Stop by for all of your environmental health and sustainability needs including restaurant lic...

The City's Building Department is now located in City Hall

Independence Pass Closed for the Season

Independence Pass is closed for the season.  Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) crews will keep the Aspen and Twin Lakes winter gates closed for the season. Crews have recorded over a foot of snow that fell along the pass from the storm...

City Council and Opposers Reach Settlement on Conditional Water Storage Rights

PRESS RELEASE 

City Council and Opposers Reach Settlement
on Conditional Water Storage Rights on Maroon and Castle Creeks

TheAspen City Council has reached settlement agreements with all opposers to
Aspen’s two pending water court cases regarding its conditional storage rightson Castle and Maroon Creeks. The settlement stipulations are a result of
negotiations between the City and all parties over the proposed sites of thefuture reservoirs.  The next steps will
be obtaining water court approval of the stipulations and entry of decreescontinuing the conditional water rights for another six-year period. 

“This
is a great example illustrating that collaboration and working toward common goalscreated a water storage solution that is better for all parties involved,” said
Margaret Medellin, City of Aspen Utilities Portfolio Manager.  “There is great reason to celebrate when youbegin a process at opposite ends of the spectrum and end the process in
agreement.  This is a big win for ourcommunity.”

Throughout
this process, the City’s primary concern, in concert with its commitment toenvironmental values, has been to safeguard its water storage rights to meet
the needs of its water customers with a sufficient, legal, and reliable watersupply, now and into the future, despite future risks and uncertainty, most
notably from climate change.

Overthe last few months the City of Aspen reached agreements with opposers
including Wilderness Workshop, Western Resource Advocates, American Rivers,Trout Unlimited, Pitkin County, the U.S. Forest Service and private land
owners.  Last week, the City reached anagreement with the final opposing party. 

Forthe last year and a half, the City has been working with these parties to find
a suitable resolution where the City’s water storage rights would be protectedwhile also providing environmental protections for these delicate areas.  

“The
City of Aspen has always had the interest of its water customers and community in the forefront of itsgoals to ensure Aspen could deliver adequate and safe water to its residents
and visitors,” said Mayor Steve Skadron.

“Throughout thisprocess, City Council was acting in the best interest of its current and future
water customers as part of prudent water management. I am proud we were able tosafeguard our future water storage needs while also collaborating to protect
sensitive wilderness areas,” he added.

Inaccordance with the stipulations, Aspen will file a water court application to
transfer both of its water storage rights to one or more locations that are notin wilderness areas.  The new storage
locations include City-owned land in the Woody Creek area, the Aspen GolfCourse, Cozy Point Ranch, Zoline Open Space, Vagneur Gravel Quarry and/or any
other location agreed to in writing by the City and the parties opposing thecurrent cases. In addition, Aspen has agreed to limit the total amount diverted
annually to storage to a total of 8,500 acre-feet.

Aspenhas held its conditional water storage rights on Maroon Creek and Castle Creek
since 1965.  Over decades, Aspen CityCouncil has protected its water storage rights in order to be responsible
stewards of the water supply needed for Aspen’s utility customers, now and intothe future.   In 2016, as required by
law, Aspen filed applications with the Division 5 Water Court to continue theseconditional water storage rights for another six-year period.  A total of ten parties filed statements of
opposition to one or both applications.  

Afterthe stipulations have been approved and the decrees entered in the current cases,
Aspen can begin planning and engineering work and developing a water courtapplication to change the location of the storage rights to one or more of the
new sites outside of the Wilderness Area. 

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Ballot Fact Sheets

Click here for these fact sheets: 2B- Charter Amendment for Enterprise Fund Bonding; 2C - Charter Amendment for Franchise Agreements; 2D - City Office Space Location

Stormwater Cleaning Work - October 15-November 1

Stormwater Cleaning Work

The City of Aspen is conducting necessary work to clean the underground storm drains throughout Aspen during the month of October.  The work is an essential part of maintaining the City’s stormwater infrastructur...

Community Forest Management Plan Open Houses - October 10 abd 17

Community Forest Management Plan Open Houses

October 10 and 17

The City of Aspen Forestry Department has just completed an update of the Community Forest Management Plan.  The public is invited to learn about the plan and ask questions at...

City and CORE Offering Free Home Energy Assessments for Aspen Residents

City and CORE Offering Free Home Energy Assessments for Aspen Residents

Contact: Laura Armstrong, Climate and Sustainability Programs Associate at 970.920.5104 or laura.armstrong@cityofaspen.com.

Aspen, Colorado – October 3, 2018 &nda...

Free Residential E-Waste Day - Saturday, October 6, 2018

Free E-Waste Residential Recycling Day.  Saturday, October 6 from 9am-1:30pm at Pitkin County Landfill.  Come by and recycle your electronics.  Examples of items you CAN recycle include: TVs, laptops, keyboards, desktop computer...

Shining Mountains Film Festival - October 7 and 8

As a celebration of Native American culture and history, The Shining Mountain Film Festival will debut nine dynamic and diverse films on October 7th and 8th 2018. This date commemorates Indigenous People’s Day which, as of last year, the City of...

Bicycle Friendly Community Survey

Did you know that the City of Aspen has a silver rating from The League of American Bicyclists program called Bicycle Friendly Community?  See our report card here.  How do you think we are doing as a bike friendly city?  This s...

Open House for Stage 2 Water Shortage

City of Aspen Stage 2 Water Shortage Open House

We invite you to attend an open house to learn more about what Stage 2 means for you, your business, and our community.  City water managers and conservation staff will be present to answer your ques...

City of Aspen Enacts Stage 2 Water Shortage

City of Aspen Enacts Stage 2 Water Shortage Aspen City Council voted to enacted a Stage 2 Water Shortage in the City of Aspen due to extremely low water levels due to low snowpack and little summer precipitation. The goal of Stage 2 is to protect...

Electric Vehicle Sales EVent Offers Discounts on Plug-In Cars

Electric Vehicle Sales EVent offers discounts on plug-in cars

Six local auto dealers showing gas-electric hybrids, all-electric models

The Electric Vehicle Sales Event, aimed at drivers in Garfield, Eagle and Pitkin counties, will offer discounts ...

Community Picnic - August 15 at Red Brick Center for the Arts

Aspen City Council’s annual picnic for the community will take place on Wednesday, August 15 from 4:30-7pm at the Red Brick Center for the Arts lawn.  The picnic, which provides free locally-sourced food for the first 750 people, will f...

Castle Creek Bridge/Hallam Street Project Construction Phase Three Date Pushed to September 4

Phase Three date Pushed to September 4 for Castle Creek Bridge / Hallam Street Project

Power Plant detours to resume following Labor Day weekend

Aspen, CO – The City of Aspen announces that phase three construction and detours for the Castle Creek...

New Bike Lockers for Rent at Buttermilk Parking Lot

New Bike Lockers for Rent at Buttermilk Parking Lot

The City of Aspen Parks and Open Space Department has just installed 20 new bike lockers at the Buttermilk parking lot in an effort to help commuters who take the bus or drive up valley switch to bikes fo...

City Seeking Community Input on Potential City/JAS Partnership

The City of Aspen has been invited by Jazz Aspen Snowmass to partner in purchasing a downtown building that includes the benefit of offering subsidized performance, rehearsal, event, and meeting space for community non-profits to use as well as the City a...

FAQ on Lake Christine WIldfire and City of Aspen Impacts

https://bit.ly/2u9xSzB

Air Quality Health Information for Wildfire Smoke

Air Quality Health Information for Wildfire Smoke

 Due to the Lake Christine Wildfire in Basalt, it is possible that those with compromised health are experiencing challenges with smoke in the air. If smoke is thick or becomes thick in your neighb...

Lake Christine Wildfire, Aspen Power Outage, and Update Information

The City of Aspen may experience a power outage of approximately 72-hours due to the Lake Christine Wildfire in Basalt.  Depending on wind direction, the flames may reach the transformers that supply power to the upper Roaring Fork Valley includi...

City Council Monday Worksessions Now Begin at 4pm

City Council Monday Worksessions Now Begin at 4pm

Aspen City Council Monday worksessions will now be held at 4pm instead of 5pm starting Monday, July 2.   This change provides consistency with worksession times weekly as Tuesday worksessions also ...

City of Aspen Signs Contract to Purchase 517 E. Hopkins for Office Space

City of Aspen Signs Contract to Purchase 517 E. Hopkins for Office Space

Aspen’s city manager Steve Barwick has signed a real estate contract to purchase the building at 517 E. Hopkins (the old Aspen Daily News Building) for $23 million from Aspen area dev...

Pitkin County Sheriff announces Stage 1 Fire Restrictions

Pitkin County Sheriff announces Stage 1 Fire RestrictionsThe Pitkin County Sheriff, with the support of all Fire Chiefs of Aspen, Snowmass, Basalt, and Carbondale, is imposing Stage 1 fire restrictions due to the unseasonably warm weather and lack of mois...

The Aspen Citizens Academy is now open for applications.

The Aspen Citizens Academy is now open for applications.

Have you ever wondered how Aspen’s local government operates? Apply to be in the Aspen Citizens Academy!

The Aspen Citizens Academy is a community program designed to inform and empower resi...

City Council Votes to Support Moving Conditional Water Rights off Wilderness Areas

City Council Votes to Support Moving Conditional Water Rights off Wilderness Areas

The Aspen City Council voted unanimously at its meeting tonight, May 29, to approve a resolution supporting settlements reached with several opposers to Aspen’s tw...

Colorado Supreme Court Upholds Aspen’s Bag Fee

Colorado Supreme Court Upholds Aspen’s Bag Fee

The City of Aspen is pleased to report that the Colorado Supreme Court has decided to uphold the city-wide bag fee in Aspen grocery stores. This decision is consistent with those of the lower courts,...

Aspen City Council Enacts Stage 1 Water Shortage

Aspen City Council Enacts Stage 1 Water ShortageAspen City Council voted unanimously at its meeting Monday, May 14 to enact a Stage 1 Water Shortage due to low snowpack and drought conditions in the Aspen area. The goal of enacting a Stage 1 Water Shortag...

City of Aspen Unveils New Brand and Logo

City of Aspen Unveils New Brand and LogoThe City of Aspen is proud to announce that it has developed a new brand and logo for the organization.   The goal of the new design is to create more cohesion within the government and to communicate a uni...

New Traffic Pattern Begins April 30 for Castle Creek Bridge/Hallam Street Improvement Project

Phase II Detour Begins April 30 for Castle Creek Bridge / Hallam Street Improvement Project New traffic pattern begins April 30, 2018Aspen, CO – Modified phase II detours for the Castle Creek Bridge / Hallam Street Improvement Project will begin...

Electronic Waste Collection Events

Business E-Waste

By appointment now through May

Make your appointment for pick-up by emailing john.meier@ERIdirect.com

Pricing is at a per pound rate with a minimum of $100 per location

Personal E-Wastae

Free drop off for personal e-waste

Saturday, May 12 9am-1...

Free Training for the Public on MAP ASPEN

MAP ASPEN, the City of Aspen’s Open Data Site, provides public access to GIS information from the City of Aspen free of charge.  Please join the GIS Program to discover how to navigate MAP ASPEN at the Pitkin County Library Meeting Room...

Castle Creek Bridge/Hallam Street Project Update

This configuration will be day, night and weekend.  

Outbound traffic will turn on North 5^th St. then turn left on West Hallam and head out of town on the Castle Creek Bridge. Inbound traffic will stay on Castle Creek Bridge and continue on Hallam...

Eddy Out: A Pause in the Fast Flow of Information

Join us for a series of casual conversations about water issues in Aspen.  Water affects all of our lives, yet we rarely have the opportunity for dialogue on the subject with approachable experts who can offer insight and interesting information....

Talk about Parking and Transit in the Aspen Core with City Staff

Talk about Parking and Transit in the Aspen Core with City Staff

Come for coffee and conversation to talk about parking and transit in the Aspen core with City of Aspen staff.  Wednesday, April 4 at the Pitkin County Library Meeting Room at 10am, ...

Historic Preservation Benefits Survey Available Now

The City of Aspen Community Development department has created a survey to understand the community’s perception of the Historic Preservation Program and its benefits.  Survey results will be used in a decision-making process, which will begin wi...

Aspen Ascent Experience

Aspen Ascent Experience:

March 31 from 9am – 3pm at Buttermilk

In partnership with Aspen Skiing Company and the City of Aspen, The Aspen Ascent Buttermilk Uphill Festival will return for the second year in a row with gear demos, vendors, uphill cl...

What Do You Think of E-Bikes on the Rio Grande Trail?

The City of Aspen Parks Department, along with valley wide partners, is engaged in a public outreach effort to gather public opinion regarding e-bike use on paved trails. In addition, a series of April events will allow anyone who's interested to demo an ...

Aspen Golf Simulator Open House

Aspen Golf Simulator Open HouseFree Swings, Food & Fun

Wednesday March 14, 2pm – 7pm

Join us to demo our Full Swing Golf Simulator and get ready for the upcoming Golf Season at the Aspen Golf Club. Play famous courses, hit the driving range or...

Opening Reception at Red Brick Center for the Arts

Color of EmotionOpening Reception with the ArtistsRed Brick Center for the ArtsThursday, March 15th from 5-7pm

This exhibits theme is Color of Emotion, come see the work and meet the selected local artists.

Featuring Artists: Sherly Smith Bogatz I Katalin D...

Castle Creek Bridge / Hallam Street Improvement Project Outreach Begins

Castle Creek Bridge / Hallam Street Improvement Project Outreach BeginsConstruction Begins April 2, 2018The City of Aspen invites the Aspen and Roaring Fork Valley communities to visit the updated project website for the Castle Creek Bridge / Hallam Stree...

Changes in Tobacco Law and Taxes Coming to Aspen

Changes in Tobacco Law and Taxes Coming to Aspen

In November 2017, Aspen voters elected to put an additional $3 sales tax per 20-pack of cigarettes in City limits and change the purchase age of tobacco from 18 to 21 years old starting January 1, 2018. The ...

Aspen Community Saves $1.6 Million in Energy Costs Over Two Years Through Aspen Energy Challenge

The City of Aspen and the Community Office for Resource Efficiency are pleased to announce that the organizations helped facilitate $1.6 million in energy savings in the community, compared to a 2013 through 2014 baseline in partnership Holy Cross Energy ...

What Does "Locally Serving Restaurant" Mean to You?

In the past, the rent for the restaurant has been subsidized in an effort to serve and attract local diners, including those attending Wheeler events. But what does "locally serving" really mean? We want to hear your opinions so we have a broad ...