HomeMy WebLinkAboutVista Bahn Gondola Administrative Approval 011112/
Department of Community Development
75 South Frontage Road
Vail, CO 81657
PH: 970-479-2138
FAX: 970-479-2452
www.vailgov.com
January 11, 2012
Re: A report to the Planning and
Environmental Commission of an administrative action approving a request for a minor amendment to an approved development plan,
pursuant to Sections 12-8E-6, Development Plan, and 12-8E-18,
Amendment Procedures, Vail Town Code, and an amendment to a conditional use permit, pursuant to Sections 12-8A-3, Conditional Uses, and 12-16-10, Amendment Procedures, Vail Town Code,
to allow for amendments to a ski lift and tow (i.e. replacement of the Vista Bahn chair lift with a new gondola), located adjacent to 250 Vail Lane/Tract A, Front Door Three Dimensional
Subdivision, and Tract E, Vail Village 5th Filing, and setting forth details in regard thereto (PEC120001, PEC120002).
Applicant: Vail Corporation, represented by Mauriello Planning
Group
Planner: Warren Campbell
Dear Planning and Environmental Commission members and adjacent property owners:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the public hearing
on January 23, 2011 will not occur due to a publishing error of the Vail Daily. In order to address the noticing requirements of Sections 12-3-6, Hearings, and 12-8E-18, Amendment Procedures,
Vail Town Code, the previous applications were made void (PEC110064 and PEC110065) and new applications (PEC120001 and PEC120002) were submitted. There was no change to the requests
made in the resubmitted applications. As a result the date of Staff’s final approval action regarding these applications is January 11, 2012, with the report to the Planning and Environmental
Commission to occur on January 30, 2012.
Furthermore, the purpose of this letter is to inform you that the Town of Vail Staff has administratively approved a minor amendment to the
approved development plan for the Vista Bahn ski yard and an amendment to the approved conditional use permit for the Vista Bahn ski lift to replace the ski lift with a new gondola.
The review was completed pursuant to the development review procedures outlined in Section 12-16-10, Amendment Procedures, Vail Town Code.
The proposal is to replace the existing
Vista Bahn ski lift and operator shelter with a new gondola and operator shelter. The height and width of the new gondola terminal is the same height (22.3 feet) and width (28 feet)
as the existing terminal. The new terminal will be one foot longer in length (96 feet total) than the existing terminal. Additionally, the new gondola terminal moves 65 feet north
along the existing lift line, and has a heated paver plaza attached to the existing pavers in the skier plaza. A new 10 foot by 15 foot (150 square foot) operator shelter will be constructed
at the southwest corner of the new paver plaza.
The new terminal and heated paver plaza design provides skier access on either side of the new terminal for those wishing to ski to
Tract E on the east side of the Vista Bahn building.
Operation of the new gondola will function as the Vista Bahn quad lift has since 1985 with regard to hours of operation and queuing occurring on the west side of the terminal. The new
terminal utilizes state of the art technology and is a quieter operation than the existing lift.
The upload capacity will be increased with the new gondola. It is anticipated that
a portion of guests will shift their preferred access portal to Vail Village. Research and study has determined that the new gondola may result in an approximate 1% increase (5,000
skiers) in skier visits which arrive by vehicle. Studies have shown that guests arriving by vehicle average 2.5 to 3 persons per vehicle (5,000 skiers/2.5 =2,000 vehicles). This results
in a potential increase in parking demand of approximately 20 parking spaces (1% of 2,000 vehicles). The increased parking demand can be accommodated within the parking supply currently
available. Staff does not believe there is a need to assess/construct additional parking with this new gondola upgrade.
Staff finds that the new gondola addresses the goals of
the Vail Village Master Plan highlighting the need for:
“the upgrading and redevelopment of ….. commercial facilities”,
fostering of a “strong tourist industry”, and
the need to
“Increase and improve the capacity, efficiency, and aesthetics of the transportation and circulation systems throughout the village.”
A site plan and elevations of the proposed gondola
terminal are attached for reference. Larger scale plans and the applicant’s written submittal are available for inspection at the Town of Vail Community Development Department during
regular business hours or on line at http://www.vailgov.com/subpage.asp?dept_id=60 under current projects.
This administrative approval of an amended development plan and conditional
use permit amendment will be forwarded to the Town of Vail Planning and Environmental Commission at its public hearing on Monday, January 30, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. in the Vail Town Council
Chambers, located at 75 South Frontage Road West.
Staff approved the amended development plan and conditional use permit amendment with the following conditions:
1. Vail Corporation
shall submit a complete design review application, pursuant to Chapter 12-11, Design Review, Vail Town Code, to the Town of Vail Community Development Department, for review and approval,
by no later than 5:00 pm February 15, 2012.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at 970-479-2148 or attend the Planning and Environmental Commission
meeting on January, 23, 2012.
Sincerely,
Warren Campbell, AICP, LEED AP
Chief of Planning
Attachments:
Approved Site Plan dated January 2012
Approved Gondola Elevations