Chaffee Planning and Zoning Revisits Aspire Tours Tonight

A drawing from the Chaffee County Planning and Zoning staff report shows the site plan proposed by Aspire Mountain Tours.

The Chaffee County Planning and Zoning Commission will continue the public hearing for the Aspire Tours proposed land-use changes today at 6 pm.

The riverfront property consists of 44 rural-zoned acres off of County Road 190W, which is accessed from Highway 291.  

Kathrin Troxler of Wheatridge owns the property and co-owns Aspire Tours with Brian Erdner, also of Wheatridge. Troxler submitted an application for the project, characterized as a “business development” in the county’s public notice for the hearing. Troxler declined to comment for this story.   

RELATED: A year later, Aspire land-use hearing continues; neighbors still opposed

Residents near the proposed development expressed opposition to the project when it was first proposed and continue to oppose the development, which, they contend, does not fit in with the character of their rural neighborhood.   

Additional concerns include hazards from increased traffic on County Road 190W and the sustainability of the aquifer that supplies residential wells in the area.   

The Aspire application describes a 36-month process to construct infrastructure, roads, commercial gathering areas, 10 campsites, eight cabins, two comfort stations, an outfitter post, an agricultural barn, a residential dwelling, and an auxiliary dwelling unit for a total occupancy of 84—77 commercial and 7 residential.   

The application also proposes workshops for yoga, painting, fly-tying and meditation, adventure tourism, including rafting, hiking, mountain biking and fishing, public boat access to the Arkansas River, a commercial parking lot, concerts and weddings.  

Dan R