Commission approves conceptual plan for Wild Fig site with amended height and finish conditions

The Aspen Historic Preservation Commission on July 8 approved a conceptual review for renovations at 305–307 South Mill Street, a commercial property that houses the Wild Fig restaurant and a neighboring tenant. Applicant representative Garrett Larimer said the proposal would enclose a courtyard and a walkway to add about 790 net leasable square feet, provide a roof over the popcorn wagon and install a louvered awning over the existing pergola to allow more reliable outdoor dining.

Staff planning director Dan Fulcom said that after a site visit staff found the project "does not materially alter an observer's ability to see the preserved view of the reference point, which in this point is Aspen Mountain" but recommended a small reduction in one proposed height where the new entry would be enclosed. The applicant argued the 8-inch louver system is the smallest commercially available unit and that reducing the height would require altering or replacing the existing pergola and could make retention unviable. "If we have to reduce the height of the pergola, we're gonna have to alter the existing pergola to a point that it may no longer be viable to maintain the pergola," the owner said.

Commissioners and staff agreed to amend the draft resolution to reference the applicant's drawing exhibits with exact dimensions and to treat materials and lighting as matters to be reviewed and approved at final design. The project team also committed to required mitigation: affordable-housing allotments, payment of pedestrian-amenity cash-in-lieu, and transportation mitigation for 5.6 trips via a contribution to WeCycle for a docking station on Monarch Street. A motion to approve the conceptual plan as amended passed on a recorded voice/roll-call vote of the commissioners present.