Rob Ittner called the questions “complex

Gunnison —Rob Ittner called the questions “complex.”

That was the honest answer.

Pitkin County voters will pick their next two commissioners on Nov. 3. The race is tight. The issues are messy. The community is split.

The Aspen Times reported that the four candidates met the public on Thursday night. Susan Taylor, moderator for the Woody Creek Caucus, led the questioning. Former Commissioner Michael Kinsley kept the peace. The crowd was small but loud.

The event happened hours after the current board approved a new Comprehensive Plan. That timing was not an accident.

For many Woody Creek residents, the new plan misses the mark. They worry about the Home Rural Charter. They fear unchecked development. They are angry about the expansion of alpine ski areas.

The candidates were forced to answer hard questions. Should the caucuses have the final say on the Comprehensive Plan? What rules should control rural growth? Does ski expansion need to follow the Master Plans?

John Doyle had the strongest stance against change. He praised the board for cutting the maximum house size from 15,000 square feet to 9,250. He said that wasn’t enough.

Doyle called himself an “airport skepticist.” He believes the valley is in a “climate emergency.” To him, bigger planes mean more growth. The valley is “near our limit.”

When asked about ski expansion, Doyle didn’t hesitate.

“Hard no,” he said.

He pointed out that rural and remote zones shouldn’t allow commercial uses. Yet there is a ski lift there now. Doyle owns a cabin on the backside of Aspen Mountain. He is frustrated by the Pandora Expansion. In 2019, commissioners approved a rezoning of 137 acres of rural land. That decision led to the Hero’s Lift, which opened in the 2023/2024 season.

Hero’s Lift is part of Aspen One’s climate strategy. It offers north-facing, high-altitude skiing. That terrain holds snow better. It helps the industry survive a changing climate.

Ted Mahon, the incumbent, took a different view. He has served on the board since March. He knows the pressure. He acknowledged the constraints. But he argued for flexibility.

Commissioners need the room “to make decisions that are best for the county,” Mahon said.

This year, the board overruled two Planning and Zoning recommendations. One was a May decision about the airport. The other was a separate issue. Mahon believes that independence is vital.

Emily Kolbe ran against Mahon for the District 2 seat. Ittner and Doyle contested District 1. All four agreed on one thing: growth threatens the community’s character.

They disagreed on the cure.

Doyle wants strict limits. Mahon wants discretion. Ittner sees complexity. Kolbe seeks balance.

The voters decide.

The Comprehensive Plan is approved. The ski lift is open. The house size cap is lower. The airport debate continues.

The community is watching.

Make no mistake, this election matters.

The short version: Pick your commissioner.

Read that again.