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Historic commission limits walkway at 920 E. Hyman to 36 inches; directs staff to review material and pattern
Summary
After debate over material and width, the commission approved the walkway replacement at 920 E. Hyman conditioned on keeping the width at 36 inches and requiring staff-and-monitor preapproval of paving material and a simplified, historically appropriate layout; bluestone was left as a potential option only if those conditions are met.
The Aspen Historic Preservation Commission voted to approve a revised walkway plan at 920 East Hyman by requiring the new front path be limited to 36 inches and directing staff and the assigned monitor to review and approve the final paving material and layout with a directive toward a simpler, more historically compatible pattern.
The owners had sought a 48-inch wide bluestone walkway with an integrated snow-melt system. Applicant representatives argued the additional six inches would match common local precedents and improve accessibility for a family with young children. They presented examples around the city of wider, modern walkways and said the proposed stone is a consistent medium gray that would be historically unobtrusive. Staff recommended denial under Historic Preservation Design Guideline 1.6, citing concerns about width and the patterning shown in the application, and reminded the commission of a prior approval that required bringing a previous 48-inch serpentine walk into compliance.
Commissioners weighed several factors: the guideline’s recommendation that residential walkways generally be three feet or less, the prior project approvals and preservation benefits tied to earlier concessions, the applicant’s accessibility needs and whether bluestone is a historically appropriate material for Aspen. Several commissioners expressed skepticism about bluestone’s historicity in Aspen; one member noted that bluestone shipments would be unlikely in the 1890s. Others said a monochromatic, larger-format stone laid without prominent grout lines could be acceptable if simplified. After debate the commission adopted a motion to approve the application with the walkway width set at 36 inches and with the final material and simplified pattern to be reviewed and approved by staff and the assigned monitor before installation.
The motion passed 5–2. Commissioners who voted in favor said the direction leaves room for a sympathetic contemporary solution while preserving a consistent approach to scale for miner’s-cottage resources; commissioners in opposition said they did not find bluestone historically appropriate and opposed relaxing width guidance. Staff will work with the applicant on a simplified pattern and material sample for staff-and-monitor approval before work proceeds in the right-of-way; engineering approval will also be required for the portion that encroaches into the public right-of-way.
Next steps: applicant to submit final samples and patterning to staff for review; staff will confirm any required encroachment permits with engineering.
