An advisory committee established by the Board of Pitkin County Commissioners may seek to restrict the size of new homes erected in the area, citing environmental and quality of life problems arising from the construction of more local mega mansions.
Limiting the size of new homes in unincorporated Pitkin County was discussed favorably at a recent meeting of the Community Growth Advisory Committee on November 30. However, no decisions have been made at this time. If the committee does decide to suggest a restriction, it will likely be 5,750 square feet, or about a third of the present cap of 15,000.
If new buildings in the unorganized areas around Aspen were limited to 5,750 square feet in size, fewer enormous homes would be built there.
About 14% of the residences in unincorporated Pitkin County were more than 5,750 square feet as of 2019. Between 2010 and 2020, the average size of a new development in unincorporated Pitkin County was 5,120 square feet, with a year-over-year increase rate of.75 percent, or 7.7 percent, in total square footage.
The saving of local resources, which are typically consumed at a higher level by larger dwellings, is an important argument in favor of reducing the size cap.
Smaller dwellings have much less of an effect on the environment in terms of energy use and trash production. It is anticipated that 109.25 tons of waste will be generated during the construction of a 5,750 square foot home in unincorporated Pitkin County, while the waste generated during the construction of a 15,000 square foot home will be 285 tons. After completion, the 5,750 square foot house consumes around 407,427 kilowatt-hours per year in energy, while the 15,000 square foot house consumes around 1,421,870 kilowatt-hours per year in energy.
As the conversation continues, it is uncertain when a final recommendation will be made.
How do you feel about putting a limit on the square footage of houses?
