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Public commenter warns 60% vote threshold could give minority veto over Aspen projects
Summary
A resident urging caution about a petition to change open-space vote rules said a 60% threshold risks allowing a 40% minority to block projects including transit and evacuation-route upgrades. Council debated keeping an 'entrance to Aspen' survey open longer for more voter input.
Rachel Richards, an Aspen resident, used the public-comment period to criticize a citizen petition that would change the vote standard for uses of open space to require 60% approval. She told the council the petition "seeks to put a question on the March ballot that would cede total control of the entrance to Aspen solution to CDOT," and warned it could empower a minority to block safety improvements.
"Allowing a minority control outcome sends a harmful message that we don't trust our community to make sound decisions," Richards said. She also said some residents feel excluded from the poll because of annexation boundaries and asked council to consider fairness in who can participate. The council discussed whether to keep the entrance-survey open; staff reported more than 300 responses and explained mailers with individual QR codes were sent starting Nov. 18.
Council members exchanged views about whether the survey should be kept open longer for participation or closed once the pollster reached target demographics. Councilor Bill (council member at the table) urged caution on signing petitions that might transfer implementation authority to CDOT; others favored extending the poll through the Bridal weekend to allow more responses. Staff contact for the poll was identified as jenn.ooton@aspen.gov.
