HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC110054 Ski Storage 092611
To: Planning and Environmental Commission
From: Community Development Department
Date: September 26, 2011
Subject: A request for a recommendation to the Vail Town Council for prescribed
regulation amendments to Title 12, Zoning Regulations, Vail Town Code,
pursuant to Section 12-3-7, Amendment, Vail Town Code, to amend the
regulation of indoor and outdoor ski storage, and setting forth details in regard
thereto. (PEC110054)
Applicant: Town of Vail
Planner: Rachel Dimond
I. SUMMARY
The purpose of this work session is to discuss indoor and outdoor ski storage, including
ski concierge services, basket storage and commercial ski storage. Staff requests that
the Planning and Environmental Commission listen to the presentation, ask pertinent
questions and provide input on the discussion items outlined in Section V. Further, Staff
requests the PEC tables this item to the October 10, 2011 hearing.
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE REQUEST
Problem Statement
Hotels have introduced ski concierge services in close proximity to ski lifts to improve
customer service. These ski concierge services often include the temporary outdoor
storage of skis and snowboards on rolling racks to facilitate distribution of equipment to
guests. Ski concierge services are not contemplated by the Vail Town Code, as this
type of service did not exist when the current regulations were adopted. The use has
been permitted on the interior as part of accessory lodge, commercial ski storage and
retail. As a result, the Town has no underlying policy direction on this subject, and thus,
Staff cannot make a determination on how to address this use. Without clear policy
direction, interpretations by Staff results in arbitrary rulings, inequities, unfairness or
inconsistencies.
Goal
Improve customer service and the guest experience by providing opportunities for
guests to store their ski equipment and/or boots after on-mountain activity, thus
enhancing vibrancy in the commercial cores.
Town of Vail Page 2
Council Direction
The Vail Town Council has established a goal of improving the guest experience and
providing exceptional customer service. In order to achieve this goal, the Vail Town
Council has directed Staff to amend the Zoning Regulations with the ultimate objective
being to get skis out of guests hands. The ability for guests to walk around without skis
and boots would also strengthen the vitality of the commercial cores by increasing the
critical mass of people present after on-mountain activities. There are two different
aspects to this, with hourly ski valet and overnight ski valet, as well as services for boot
storage.
III. BACKGROUND
On September 16, 1975, the Vail Town Council adopted Ordinance No. 16, Series of
1975, An Ordinance Amending Zoning Ordinance by Imposing Horizontal Zoning in
CCI. The purpose of this ordinance was “…to maintain and preserve the character of
the Vail commercial area”, “…to continue the balance between the many commercial
and residential uses permitted in the Commercial Core 1 District”, and “…to promote a
variety of retail shops at the pedestrian level.”
Ordinance No. 26, Series of 1989 was adopted to amend the Zoning Regulations to
allow commercial ski storage as a permitted use only in the basement and garden level
of buildings in CCI and CCII. In 1999, along with the adoption of the Lionshead Mixed
Use 1 and Lionshead Mixed Use 2 Districts, commercial ski storage became a
permitted use only on lower levels in order to allow for retail and restaurant uses on the
street level.
Horizontal zoning was implemented in the commercial core areas in part to allow
primarily retail and restaurant on the first floor of Vail Village and Lionshead. These are
uses that promote a lively commercial core, and also promote the collection of sales tax.
These uses create a certain feel for visitors that give them shopping and eating
experiences that lead to a positive visit. The Vail Town Code also limits other profitable
uses such as real estate offices to prevent the displacement of these publicly desirable
retail and restaurant uses. Commercial ski storage was prohibited in first floor spaces
because they do not provide a major sales tax flow, and because of their profitability,
they would displace other desirable uses.
However, the difference between ski storage and real estate offices is that ski storage
provides an amenity to guests that real estate offices do not provide. Ski storage is an
essential service in a ski town and thus promotes the guest experience. While limiting
them to lower levels had positive intent to meet desired outcomes, the lack of lower
level spaces available for use makes ski storage facilities sparse. The lack of storage
facilities then drives up the price of this use. Instead of paying a limited amount for a
small area to store skis, visitors may spend a large amount of money on storage that
they could potentially spend in a retail establishment or restaurant. The lack of ski
storage facilities also causes some people to immediately leave the commercial cores
because they have to carry their skis and boots or risk theft by leaving them outside.
Town of Vail Page 3
When people leave the commercial cores after skiing, they no longer add to the
vibrancy of the area and do not contribute to sales tax collection.
In 2001, an application was submitted by the Town of Vail, with Council direction, to
allow commercial ski storage as a conditional use on the first and second floors of
buildings in the Lionshead Mixed Use 1 and Lionshead Mixed Use 2 zone districts. The
application was withdrawn, with Council direction, after the PEC recommended denial of
the proposed amendment. Council directed Staff to clarify the definitions of “basement
and garden level” and “first floor street level.” According to the minutes from the August
28, 2001 Vail Town Council meeting, “the issue was raised last spring by Tom Neyens
of Ski Valet, who called the town to express concerns about possible violations by other
businesses in Lionshead. Neyens has testified against expansion of ski storage to the
first floor. Instead, he has advocated strict enforcement of existing regulations and
consistent interpretation of the town code.”
In 2009, the Vail Town Council instructed Staff to provide additional information on
commercial ski storage.
Staff returned to the Vail Town Council on July 6, 2010 with policy options for
commercial ski storage. The Vail Town Council stated that commercial ski storage
should continue to be a prohibited use on the first floor within Vail Village and
Lionshead.
Staff was then instructed to meet with ski storage and ski shop business owners to get
feedback on this issue. The following comments were received from those interviewed:
• On whether commercial ski storage should be permitted on the first floor:
It should be permitted as accessory to retail and skier services
It should not be allowed or viewable on the first floor at all
It should be allowed in marginal spaces
• On how the regulations should be amended:
All businesses should be treated fairly, with equal rights to ski storage
The regulations need to be cleared up, to close loopholes and give clear
expectations
• On what customers want:
Guests want easy access and cheap storage close to the mountain
Guests do not want to walk up and down stairs in ski boots
Guests want to store clothes and shoes during the day, and boots and ski
gear at night
The Four Season’s ski concierge service is located in the Hong Kong Building and was
approved by the Town Council on July 21, 2009, as an off-site accessory use to a
lodge. All guest-owned skis and guest rentals are stored on site below grade and are
placed outside on a ramp in the right-of-way to distribute and collect during the day. A
rack and employee are also stationed at the edge of snow to retrieve guest skis at the
end of the day.
Town of Vail Page 4
The Sebastian opened Base Camp in the Vista Bahn Building below Tap Room. This
retail establishment with ski rentals is open to the public and provides basket storage
and ski storage to Sebastian guests for their own skis and rentals. Skis owned by
Sebastian guests are either tuned overnight at Base Camp or are brought back to the
Sebastian for overnight storage due to limitations of commercial ski storage.
The Sonnenalp contracts with the Ski Haus and Tommy’s Tunes to provide ski rental to
guests and storage below grade overnight. Ski equipment is placed under a pop-up
tent on private property during the day for guest pickup and drop off.
Vail Resorts, via Specialty Sports Vail, operates public storage at Mountain Plaza and
Lionshead ski yards. Pop-up tents with signage have been used to temporarily store
skis, which are placed below grade overnight.
The Arrabelle, being one the only hotels on the ski yard, along with the private Arrabelle
Club, provides ski storage for guests, with skis brought to the ski yard upon a guest’s
arrival to the underground ski lockers.
Ski concierge services, as identified above in various forms, may include the following
elements:
• Individual business location or operation within existing ski shops
• Locker rooms for hotel guests or basket storage
• Food and beverage components
• Outdoor ski storage on rolling racks, ranging from one rack to 12 racks, both on
private property and in the right-of-way
• Pop-up tents
• Signage directing guests to their ski equipment
• Employees both inside and outside the business providing services to guests
• Equipment movers, such as bicycle-drawn trailers, typically driven or walked
through pedestrian areas
• Loading & Delivery issues
• Overnight ski storage indoors that may or may not block emergency access
On August 2, 2011, the Vail Town Council directed Staff to work on adopting regulations
to allow ski concierge services and similar businesses to use outdoor space on private
property for ski distribution and collection in order to improve the guest experience.
Further, the Vail Town Council suggested Staff continue to explore ways to get skis out
of guests’ hands to enhance customer service.
IV. APPLICABLE PLANNING DOCUMENTS
ARTICLE 12-7B. COMMERCIAL CORE 1 (CC1) DISTRICT
12-7B-2: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES; BASEMENT OR GARDEN LEVEL:
A. Permitted Uses: The following uses shall be permitted in basement or garden levels
within a structure:
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1. Retail shops and establishments, including the following:
Sporting goods stores.
2. Personal services and repair shops, including the following:
Commercial ski storage.
6. Additional uses determined to be similar to permitted uses described in subsections
A1 through A5 of this section, in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this
title so long as they do not encourage vehicular traffic.
7. Lodges.
12-7B-3: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES; FIRST FLOOR OR STREET LEVEL:
A. Permitted Uses: The following uses shall be permitted on the first floor or street level
within a structure:
1. Retail stores and establishments, including the following:
Sporting goods stores.
3. Lodges.
5. Additional uses determined to be similar to permitted uses described in subsections
A1 and A2 of this section in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title
so long as they do not encourage vehicular traffic.
12-7B-9: ACCESSORY USES:
The following accessory uses shall be permitted in the CC1 district:
Other uses customarily incidental and accessory to permitted or conditional uses, and
necessary for the operation thereof.
12-7B-18: LOCATION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
A. Limitations; Exception: All offices, businesses, and services permitted by sections 12-
7B-2 through 12-7B-5 of this article, shall be operated and conducted entirely within a
building, except for permitted unenclosed parking or loading areas and the outdoor
display of goods.
B. Outdoor Displays: The area to be used for outdoor display must be located directly in
front of the establishment displaying the goods and entirely upon the establishment's
own property. Sidewalks, building entrances and exits, driveways and streets shall not
be obstructed by outdoor display.
ARTICLE 12-7H. LIONSHEAD MIXED USE 1 (LMU-1) DISTRICT
12-7H-2: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES; BASEMENT OR GARDEN LEVEL:
A. Permitted Uses: The following uses shall be permitted in basement or garden levels
within a structure:
Commercial ski storage.
Eating and drinking establishments.
Public or private lockers and storage.
Retail establishments.
Town of Vail Page 6
Skier ticketing, ski school and skier services.
Additional uses determined to be similar to permitted uses described in this subsection,
in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title.
12-7H-3: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES; FIRST FLOOR OR STREET
LEVEL:
A. Permitted Uses: The following uses shall be permitted on the first floor or street level
within a structure:
Retail stores and establishments.
Skier ticketing, ski school and skier services.
Additional uses determined to be similar to permitted uses described in this subsection,
in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title.
B. Conditional Uses: The following uses shall be permitted on the first floor or street
level floor within a structure, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit in
accordance with the provisions of chapter 16 of this title:
Lodges.
Additional uses determined to be similar to conditional uses described in this
subsection, in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title.
12-7H-6: ACCESSORY USES:
The following accessory uses shall be permitted in the Lionshead mixed use 1 district:
Offices, lobbies, laundry, and other facilities customarily incidental and accessory to
hotels, lodges, and multiple-family uses.
Other uses customarily incidental and accessory to permitted or conditional uses, and
necessary for the operation thereof.
12-7H-17: LOCATION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
A. Limitations; Exception: All offices, businesses and services permitted by zone district
shall be operated and conducted entirely within a building, except for permitted
unenclosed parking or loading areas, the outdoor display of goods, or outdoor
restaurant seating.
B. Outdoor Displays: The area to be used for outdoor display must be located directly in
front of the establishment displaying the goods and entirely upon the establishment's
own property. Sidewalks, building entrances and exits, driveways and streets shall not
be obstructed by outdoor display.
ARTICLE I. LIONSHEAD MIXED USE 2 (LMU-2) DISTRICT
12-7I-2: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES; BASEMENT OR GARDEN LEVEL:
A. Permitted Uses: The following uses shall be permitted in basement or garden levels
within a structure:
Commercial ski storage.
Public or private lockers and storage.
Town of Vail Page 7
Retail establishments.
Skier ticketing, ski school and skier services.
Additional uses determined to be similar to permitted uses described in this subsection,
in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title.
B. Conditional Uses: The following uses shall be permitted in basement or garden levels
within a structure, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with the
provisions of chapter 16 of this title:
Lodges and accommodation units.
Additional uses determined to be similar to conditional uses described in this
subsection, in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title.
12-7I-3: PERMITTED AND CONDITIONAL USES; FIRST FLOOR OR STREET LEVEL:
A. Permitted Uses: The following uses shall be permitted on the first floor or street level
within a structure:
Retail stores and establishments.
Skier ticketing, ski school and skier services.
Additional uses determined to be similar to permitted uses described in this subsection,
in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title.
B. Conditional Uses: The following uses shall be permitted on the first floor or street
level floor within a structure, subject to issuance of a conditional use permit in
accordance with the provisions of chapter 16 of this title:
Lodges and accommodation units.
Additional uses determined to be similar to conditional uses described in this
subsection, in accordance with the provisions of section 12-3-4 of this title
12-7I-6: ACCESSORY USES:
The following accessory uses shall be permitted in the Lionshead mixed use 2 district:
Offices, lobbies, laundry, and other facilities customarily incidental and accessory to
hotels, lodges, and multiple-family uses.
Other uses customarily incidental and accessory to permitted or conditional uses, and
necessary for the operation thereof.
12-7I-17: LOCATION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
A. Limitations; Exception: All offices, businesses and services permitted by zone district,
shall be operated and conducted entirely within a building, except for permitted
unenclosed parking or loading areas, the outdoor display of goods, or outdoor
restaurant seating.
B. Outdoor Displays: The area to be used for outdoor display must be located directly in
front of the establishment displaying the goods and entirely upon the establishment's
own property. Sidewalks, building entrances and exits, driveways and streets shall not
be obstructed by outdoor display.
ARTICLE 12-8D. SKI BASE/RECREATION (SBR) DISTRICT
12-8D-2: PERMITTED USES:
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A. Within Main Lodge: The following uses shall be permitted within the main base lodge
building in the ski base/recreation district:
Basket rental.
Ski lockers/employee locker rooms.
Ski repair, rental, sales and accessories.
E. Outside Of Lodge: The following uses shall be permitted outside the main base lodge
and children's ski school buildings as shown on the approved development plan zoned
ski base/recreation district:
Indoor and outdoor ski storage.
12-8D-3: CONDITIONAL USES:
The following conditional uses shall be permitted in the ski base/recreation district,
subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 16 of this title:
Public, private or quasi-public clubs.
12-8D-4: ACCESSORY USES:
The following accessory uses shall be permitted in the ski base/recreation district:
Accessory uses customarily incidental to permitted and conditional uses and necessary
for the operation thereof.
12-8D-5: LOCATION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
All offices and retail sales conducted in the ski base/recreation district shall be operated
and conducted entirely within a building except for approved special events and food
and beverage vending.
ARTICLE E. SKI BASE/RECREATION 2 (SBR2) DISTRICT
12-8E-2: PERMITTED USES:
Ski base oriented uses including the following:
Commercial ski storage on the basement or garden level of a building.
Retail stores and establishments.
Skier and guest services including, but not limited to, uses such as basket rental,
lockers, ski repair, ski rental, lift ticket sales, public restrooms, information/activity desk.
12-8E-3: CONDITIONAL USES:
The following conditional uses shall be permitted in the ski base/recreation 2 district,
subject to the issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with the provisions
of chapter 16 of this title:
Private and public clubs.
12-8E-4: ACCESSORY USES:
The following accessory uses shall be permitted in the ski base/recreation 2 district:
Accessory uses customarily incidental to permitted and conditional uses and necessary
for the operation thereof.
Town of Vail Page 9
Skier and guest service employee offices, locker rooms, and meeting rooms.
12-8E-5: LOCATION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITY:
A. Limitations; Exception: All offices, retail sales, and commercial ski storage conducted
in the ski base/recreation 2 (SBR2) district shall be operated and conducted entirely
within a building, except for approved special community events, outdoor display of
goods and outdoor restaurant seating.
B. Outdoor Displays: The area to be used for outdoor display must be located directly in
front of the establishment displaying the goods and entirely upon the establishment's
own property. Sidewalks, building entrances and exits, driveways and streets shall not
be obstructed by outdoor display.
12-14-21: OUTDOOR DISPLAY OF GOODS:
1. Purpose: The purpose of this section is to establish regulations for the outdoor
display of goods by retail establishments.
2. Applicability: Outdoor display of goods shall be permitted by retail establishments in
the following zone districts and shall be prohibited in all zone districts not listed:
1. Housing (H) district;
2. Commercial core 1 (CC1) district;
3. Commercial core 2 (CC2) district;
4. Commercial core 3 (CC3) district;
5. Commercial service center (CSC) district;
6. Lionshead mixed use 1 (LMU-1) district;
7. Lionshead mixed use 2 (LMU-2) district;
8. Ski base/recreation 2 (SBR2) district.
3. Permit Not Required: Outdoor display on private property, where permitted by the
provisions of this title, are not subject to design review. A permit is required to
obtain a license to utilize town owned property for outdoor display of goods by retail
establishments, per title 8, chapter 7 of this code.
4. Requirements For Outdoor Display: Where permitted, outdoor display shall be
subject to the following limitations:
1. Location: The area used for an outdoor display shall be located directly in
front of the retail establishment displaying the goods. Outdoor display shall be
entirely upon the establishment's own property unless the retail establishment
is permitted to utilize town owned property, per the requirements in title 8,
chapter 7 of this code.
2. Circulation: Outdoor display shall not impede circulation and thus, shall not
block or encroach upon the required ingress/egress of doorways, walkways,
stairways, and parking or loading/delivery spaces.
3. Street And Sidewalk Width: A minimum street width of twenty two feet (22')
shall be maintained in order to allow for emergency vehicle access. Sidewalks
shall remain a minimum width of six feet (6'). Connection of exit discharge to
the public way, as required by the adopted building code, shall not be
blocked.
4. Public Safety: Outdoor display shall not pose any risks to public safety, shall
not block or encroach upon any fire lane, and shall maintain a minimum
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distance to fire hydrants of seven feet (7') to side or rear, and fourteen feet
(14') to the front.
5. Aesthetics: Outdoor display shall not negatively impact established view
corridors or acknowledged "postcard" images and shall not visually detract
from or block storefront or shop window.
6. Outdoor Display Fixtures: Outdoor display fixtures shall be freestanding,
temporary in nature, and shall be removed from the exterior location when the
business is closed.
7. Height: No part of any outdoor display shall extend more than six feet (6')
above existing grade.
8. Signage: Sale signs may be permitted on outdoor displays, as regulated by
subsection 11-6-3F of this code. No other signage is permitted on or adjacent
to outdoor displays that is not otherwise approved by the administrator,
subject to the regulations of title 11 of this code.
9. Cardboard Boxes Prohibited: Outdoor display of goods shall not include any
cardboard boxes, unless part of individual packaging of goods.
10. Code Compliance: All aspects of the outdoor display shall remain in
compliance with this code and the Vail comprehensive plan.
V. DISCUSSION ITEMS
1. How is the storage of guest ski equipment currently regulated by the Zoning
Regulations?
• Commercial ski storage: Commercial Ski Storage is defined in Section 12-2-2,
Definitions, Enumerated, as follows: “Storage for equipment (skis, snowboards,
boots and poles) and/or clothing used in skiing related sports, which is available
to the public or members, operated by a business, club or government
organization, and where a fee is charged for hourly, daily, monthly, seasonal or
annual usage. Ski storage that is part of a lodge, or dwelling unit, in which a fee
is not charged, is not considered commercial ski storage.” Commercial ski
storage is listed as a type of personal service permitted on the garden or
basement level in the Commercial Core 1 District. Commercial ski storage is
listed separately from personal services as a permitted use on the garden or
basement level in the Lionshead Mixed Use 1 and 2 Districts. Commercial ski
storage is permitted in the basement or garden level of the Ski Base Recreation
2 District. Examples include Sonnenalp and Tommy’s Tunes in the basement of
the Ski Haus, Double Diamond ski lockers in the basement of Lionshead Center,
Vista Bahn Ski Rentals in the basement of the Bridge Street Building, Ski Valet at
Concert Hall Plaza)
• Indoor and outdoor ski storage is listed as a permitted use outside of the lodge in
the Ski Base Recreation District. Also listed as a permitted use in the Ski Base
Recreation District is basket rental, which could be deemed as a more limited
form of storage for all items but skis.
• Determination of similar use to a restaurant: The Vail Town Council determined
that a locker room with food service for Cordillera Club members was similar to a
restaurant on the second floor at the Vista Bahn Building.
Town of Vail Page 11
• Accessory to a lodge: The Vail Town Council determined that ski lockers for
hotel guests is an accessory use to a lodge, whether on or off-site. The Four
Seasons in the Hong Kong Building is an example of off-site lodge accessory
use, while the Arrabelle ski storage in some aspects is considered accessory to
the lodge. The Marriot has outdoor on-site ski storage that are considered
accessory to the lodge.
• Private Club: There are numerous private clubs, including the Vail Mountain
Club and Arrabelle Club that offer ski lockers below grade as part of club
amenities.
• Accessory to Retail/ rental establishments: There are existing businesses in
Town that are primarily ski rental and/or ski repair and as an accessory use, offer
overnight commercial ski storage. Examples of other types of businesses/ land
uses that offer storage include: businesses that rent and tune skis for periods as
short as overnight or as long as the ski season with storage provided for the
length of the paid services. In this case, businesses advertise as ski storage
facilities, but maintain to the Town of Vail that this is incidental to the ski tuning
business, such as Ski Valet in Lionshead Center. Other rental businesses
provide nightly ski storage for those renting skis, such as Gorsuch and Pepi’s.
The Sebastian has their own ski shop in the Vista Bahn Building that serves hotel
guests and the public, and tunes guest skis each night to provide overnight
storage. If skis are not tuned, they are stored at the Sebastian. Most ski rental
businesses provide basket storage for no fee to renters.
• Skier Services: “Skier and guest services including, but not limited to, uses such
as basket rental, lockers…” is permitted on all levels of the Ski Base Recreation
2 District. Skier services is a permitted use on the garden or basement level and
first floor street level and a conditional use on the second floor or above in
Lionshead Mixed Use 1 and 2 Districts. Examples of ski storage as part of skier
services includes the Children’s Ski School, and ski lockers in the Lionshead ski
yard.
• Basket rental: Basket rental is permitted as a stand alone use in the SBR and
SBR 2 Districts. These districts both have lockers that function as basket rental.
In other districts, basket rental is considered accessory to rental businesses for
use by rental clients.
• Boot Check: Some businesses have boot check to provide guest comfort and
protect floor surfaces. An example is Bol in Solaris, which checks ski boots at
the door and provides slippers to guests. Staff considers this accessory to the
bowling alley and not part of any ski or basket storage.
• Location of business activities: In CC1, LMU-1, LMU-2, SBR and SBR-2, there
are provisions that require all business activity to occur indoors, with few
exceptions. See discussion item #3 for further discussion of indoor vs. outdoor
activity.
2. What activity is not regulated by the Zoning Regulations?
The following are activities that are not regulated by the Zoning Regulations and/or
are not part of this specific ski storage/concierge discussion:
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• Ski concierge services that bring you skis to your home or hotel for fitting then
meet you with skis at the ski yard.
• Hotel shuttle services
• Public unmanned, free ski racks that provide temporary ski storage
3. What activity is occurring that is not clearly regulated in the Vail Town Code?
• Ski storage is occurring in approved locations, but the collection and distribution
of skis is occurring outside of the business and/or at the ski yard. The
regulations for location of business activity state that all business activity must
occur indoors; however, operators suggest staging skis outside for easy
dissemination and collection of skis is not actual business activity, but rather an
essential customer service enhancement to the approved ski storage.
o The Four Season’s ski concierge service places all ski equipment outside on
a ramp in the right-of-way to distribute and collect during the day. A rack and
employee are also stationed at the edge of snow to retrieve guest skis at the
end of the day.
o Sebastian Base Camp in the Vista Bahn Building below Tap Room brings ski
equipment outside for guest pick up and drop off.
o The Sonnenalp Ski Concierge at the Ski Haus provides ski rental to guests
and storage below grade overnight. Ski equipment is placed under a pop-up
tent on private property during the day for guest pickup and drop off.
o Vail Resorts, via Specialty Sports Vail, operates public storage at Mountain
Plaza and Lionshead ski yards. Pop-up tents with signage have been used to
temporarily store skis, which are placed below grade overnight.
o The Arrabelle, being one of the only hotels on the ski yard, along with the
private Arrabelle Club, provides ski storage for guests, with skis brought to
the ski yard upon a guest’s arrival to the underground ski lockers.
4. Should outdoor staging of skis be permitted in some form within the Town of
Vail?
There are a number of pros and cons to outdoor staging of skis, including the
following:
• Pros:
o Provide enhanced service to guests by ensuring skis are ready for pickup and
drop off outside
o Improves the guest experience by limiting guests having to go up and down
stairs carrying skis
• Cons:
o Congests pedestrian and ski yard areas
o Can contribute to visual clutter and degradation of the controlled aesthetic
qualities of village cores
Staff believes the following factors should be considered when contemplating
outdoor staging and/or storage of skis:
• Applicable zone districts
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• Whether ski equipment should be permitted outside during the daytime,
nighttime, or both
• Permit requirements
• Location on private property and/or in the right-of-way
• Relationship to storefront windows
• Types of businesses to be permitted to have this outdoor activity
• Pop-up tents, fencing and/or barricades
• Signage identifying activity and associated businesses
• Employee presence for facilitation of distribution and receipt
• Standards for rack design
5. If skis must be brought indoors at night, can they be stored on the first floor
while the business is closed or must they be stored in a location that already
permits commercial ski storage (below grade)?
• Town Council said no changes to horizontal zoning in order to protect the vitality
of the retail/restaurant mix.
• Pros: Storage at night on the first floor might give the ability for more businesses
to provide ski storage.
• Cons: It could lead to the erosion of retail on the first floor to make room for the
skis at night.
6. Should basket storage not associated with ski rentals be permitted as an
accessory use to retail businesses?
• Staff has determined that the current regulations allow boot and/or clothing
storage related to ski rental. However, there is an identified need for boot
storage not associated with ski rentals within retail establishments.
• Pros: Boot and clothing storage has been identified as a desired guest service.
Allowing a portion of retail to provide this service would improve guest services
and allow people to linger in the commercial core to shop and eat after skiing. It
would also make the regulations more enforceable, as there would be no
difference in who could use baskets.
• Cons: It could lead to the erosion of retail floor area on the first floor.
7. Should hourly ski storage be permitted outside?
• While most of the discussion centers around overnight ski storage, another way
to enhance the guest experience is to provide hourly ski storage for people
eating or shopping on ski days.
• Pros: Hourly ski storage would allow people to walk around and/or eat in
restaurants while their skis are securely stored.
• Cons: Outdoor ski storage, whether hourly or overnight, can contribute to visual
clutter and degradation of the controlled aesthetic qualities of village cores. It
could also create congestion in narrower streets.
Town of Vail Page 14
VI. STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff requests that the Planning and Environmental Commission listen to the
presentation, ask pertinent questions and provide input on the discussion items outlined
in Section V. Further, Staff requests the PEC tables this item to the October 10, 2011
hearing.
VII. ATTACHMENTS
A. Photos of ski concierge services