This fall, voters in Aspen will decide if they’ll approve $3 million in bonds to purchase land in Woody Creek. City Council intends to buy the land regardless of the outcome of the vote.
The property has been identified as a potential spot for a reservoir. The City of Aspen hopes to move its conditional water rights from Castle and Maroon creeks to this location. City staff has been looking for alternatives to using those rights, which are for water storage in two pristine valleys, and said a reservoir in Woody Creek, near the gravel pit, is the best option.
At a meeting Tuesday, council member Ann Mullins said the city has done its due diligence and should find another financing option if the bond measure does not pass.
“I look at the vote in November as a vote on what’s the most efficient economical type of financing," Mullins said. "This is something we need to do, and so we’ll just decide what financing package works best.”
Council will consider a resolution at a meeting this month.