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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC120035 SUPPORTING DOCSApplica’on  for  Condi’onal  Use  Permit  for  a  Gondola Original  Applica,on  March  2007 Re-­‐Submi:ed    September  2012
 By David Rhoades at 12:58 pm, Sep 24, 2012 Table of Contents ..................................................................................................................................I.  EVER  VAIL  UPDATE  3 ...........................................................................II.  LIONSHEAD  REDEVELOPMENT  MASTER  PLAN  POLICIES  3 ......................................................................................................III.  CONDITIONAL  USE  PERMIT  REQUEST  6 ............................................................................IV.  CONDITIONAL  USE  PERMIT  -­‐  PURPOSE  AND  CRITERIA  9 A.    PURPOSE ........................................................................................................................................................  9 B.  REVIEW  CRITERIA  FOR  A  CONDITIONAL  USE  PERMIT.................................................................................................  9 ........................................................................................V.  PROPOSED  PEC  FINDINGS  AND  CONDITIONS  11 ..........................................................................................................................VI.  ADJACENT  ADDRESSES  11 Ever  Vail  Gondola      2 I.  Ever  Vail  Update Ever  Vail,  LLC,  an  affiliate  of  Vail  Resort  Development  Company  (the  Applicant)  is  proposing  a  CondiEonal  Use   Permit  (CUP)  applicaEon  for  the  gondola  that  has  been  reviewed  and  studied  throughout  the  Ever  Vail  project   review  which  began  in  2007.    In  November  of  2011  the  Town  of  Vail  adopted  amendments  to  the  Lionshead   Redevelopment  Master  Plan  which  provide  a  summary  of  the  Ever  Vail  project  and  the  policy  direcEon  for  future   development  of  the  properEes  included  in  the  Ever  Vail  project  boundaries.    Currently  pending  before  the  Town   Council  are  the  rezoning  applicaEon,  rezoning  a  porEon  of  the  property  to  the  Lionshead  Mixed  Use  2  zone   district  (porEons  of  rights-­‐of-­‐way  and  those  lands  located  west  of  Red  Sandstone  Creek),  a  Preliminary   Subdivision  Plan,  an  SDD  amendment  to  rezone  the  Glen  Lyon  Office  Building  Property,  a  text  amendment  to   include  Ever  Vail  in  the  Core  Area  Parking  zone,  and  a  Development  Agreement  between  the  Applicant  and  the   Town  of  Vail.     The  PEC  has  reviewed  the  enEre  Ever  Vail  project  extensively  over  the  last  5  years.    This  PEC  review  was  based     on  the  gondola  being  a  central  part  of  the  project  along  with  the  provision  of  400  parking  spaces  above  the   parking  requirements  for  the  project  to  address  skier  access  to  Vail  Mountain  and  the  shi[ing  of  the  demand  due   to  its  locaEon  as  a  new  portal  to  the  mountain  west  of  Lionshead.    Throughout  this  review  by  the  PEC  there  was   never  a  concern  expressed  or  comment  made  by  the  PEC  or  anyone  else  for  that  ma\er  that  there  would  be  an   addiEonal  parking  requirement  beyond  what  was  proposed  with  the  400  parking  spaces  and  all  of  the  other   required  parking  provided  onsite.    The  condiEonal  use  permit  is  being  submi\ed  now  to  accommodate  a  request   from  Town  Council  that  the  PEC  confirm  the  number  of  parking  spaces  under  the  zoning  regulaEons  and  the   Applicant  would  like  to  have  that  determinaEon  made  at  the  same  Eme  as  the  project  approvals  are  being   finalized.    In  order  to  address  this  request  and  ensure  that  the  Applicant  and  the  Town  are  operaEng  under  the   same  premise,  the  PEC  is  being  asked  to  affirmaEvely  make  this  finding.    Further,  it  has  been  suggested  by  the   Town  that  a  porEon  of  these  400  parking  spaces,  since  they  serve  skiers  accessing  the  mountain,  could  be   located  elsewhere  in  Lionshead.    The  Applicant  is  also  requesEng  that,  upon  agreement  of  the  Applicant  and  the   Town,  relocaEng  a  porEon  of  these  parking  spaces  offsite  to  serve  the  same  skier  populaEon  is  appropriate  and   approved  as  part  of  this  permit.  The  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan,  as  amended  in  2011,  supports   these  finding  as  well  as  demonstrated  below. II.  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan  Policies Below  are  the  relevant  secEons  of  the  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan  that  provide  direcEon  in  the   proposal  for  a  ski  li[  or  gondola  at  Ever  Vail  and  its  relaEonship  to  parking.    These  policies  recognize  the   provision  for  a  gondola  and  that  400  parking  spaces  above  the  parking  required  for  the  project  are  intended  to   provide  parking  for  skiers  to  address  the  shi[ing  demand  for  parking. Gondola  and  ShiCing  Parking  Demand Related  to  the  issue  of  transportaEon,  Chapter  4  of  the  LRMP  provides  direcEon  on  Public  Parking  and  potenEal   locaEons,  including  the  following:  (Sec.  4.8.3.3.) West  Lionshead The  construc1on  of  a  new  public  parking  facility  at  the  west  end  of  Lionshead  has  been  a  planning   considera1on  since  the  comple1on  of  the  Vail  Transporta1on  Master  plan  in  1991.    This  site  is  currently   undeveloped  (except  for  the  Vail  Associates  maintenance  yard)  and  is  large  enough  to  meet  projected   parking  demand.    It  is  well  located  in  rela1on  to  the  poten1al  new  eastbound  I-­‐70  access  ramps.    The   viability  of  a  new  public  parking  facility  in  this  loca1on  would  be  enhanced  by  bringing  liJ  service  to  this   area.    The  construc,on  of  a  new  public  parking  facility  would  address  the  exis,ng  deficiency  of  off-­‐ street  parking  on  peak  days  and  the  shi<ing  demand  of  parking  created  by  the  introduc,on  of  a  new   ski  li<  in  West  Lionshead.    It  is  an,cipated  that  the  new  public  parking  structure  would  contain   approximately  400  public  parking  spaces,  which  would  be  in  excess  of  any  parking  requirements   Ever  Vail  Gondola      3 generated  by  proposed  development.    The  update  of  the  Vail  Transporta1on  Plan  should  provide  final   direc1on  on  the  loca1on  and  quan1ty  of  addi1onal  public  parking  spaces  in  the  Town  of  Vail.    The   loca1on  of  addi1onal  public  parking  should  consider  where  parking  is  most  op1mal  for  both  guests  and   employees,  year  round  u1liza1on,  mountain  opera1ons,  and  overall  traffic  circula1on.     Given  the  loca1on  for  this  parking  facility,  it  had  been  assumed  that  regular  transit  or  shuRle  service   would  be  necessary  because  of  its  distance  from  the  retail  core  area  and  the  ski  yard  (greater  than  a   1200-­‐foot  walking  radius).    However,  the  loca1on  of  the  parking  structure  would  be  proximate  to  the  new   liJ  and  as  such  the  need  for  regular  shuRle  service  would  be  minimized.    However,  some  provisions  for   bus  stops  and/or  a  transit  facility  should  be  considered  for  the  parking  structure. The  Applicant  is  proposing  to  not  only  accommodate  the  400  public  skier  parking  spaces,  in  compliance  with  the   recommendaEons  of  the  Plan,  but  to  construct  and  operate  these  publicly  available  spaces  at  no  cost  to  the   Town  of  Vail.    The  policy  is  clear  that  these  400  parking  spaces  address  the  “shi[ing  demand  of  parking  created   by  the  introducEon  of  a  new  ski  li[  in  West  Lionshead”  (aka,  Ever  Vail). LocaJon  of  Gondola  RelaJve  to  TransportaJon  FaciliJes Chapter  4  also  includes  the  following  secEon  on  public  transportaEon:    (Sec.  4.5.1) Connec1on  to  West  Lionshead West  Lionshead  consists  of  the  Vail  Associates  Service  Yard,  Holy  Cross  site,  Vail  Professional  Building  site,   Cascade  Crossing  site,  Glen  Lyon  Office  Building  site,  former  gas  sta1on  site,  and  the  Eagle  River  Water   and  Sanita1on  site.    Because  it  is  an  area  of  poten1ally  significant  growth,  it  is  important  that  it  be  fully   integrated  into  the  Town  of  Vail  transit  system.  The  West  Lionshead  proper1es  are  at  the  outside  edge  of   the  acceptable  walking  distance  to  the  ski  yard  (1200  feet).  With  a  mixed  use  development  in  the  area   which  integrates  a  ski  portal,  retail  space,  office  space  and  residen1al  development,  transit  service  to  this   area  and  interconnec1ons  to  other  portals  will  be  cri1cal  to  develop  in  the  future.  In  addi1on,  the  update   of  the  Vail  Transporta1on  Master  Plan  shall  provide  direc1on  on  the  ul1mate  loca1on  of  a  Lionshead   Transit  Facility  along  with  needed  interconnec1ons  between  ski  portals,  regional  transit  stops,  and  other   transporta1on  modes.  The  addi,on  of  a  ski  li<  in  this  area  would  make  this  area  more  viable  to   redevelopment  as  it  would  be  within  the  acceptable  walking  distance  of  a  li<  (1,200  feet).          (Sec.  4.5.2.1) Relocate  the  Regional  Transit  Stop It  is  recommended  that  the  Lionshead  regional  transit  stop,  currently  located  at  the  Lionshead  Place  cul-­‐ de-­‐sac,  be  relocated  to  the  proposed  North  Day  Lot,  the  Lionshead  parking  structure,  and  West   Lionshead.  This  will  provide  a  Lionshead  connec1on  between  the  regional  transit  system  and  the  Town  of   Vail  transit  system.  In  addi1on,  visitors  and  employees  coming  to  Lionshead  by  regional  bus  will  arrive  at   a  defined  portal  instead  of  the  current  “back  door”  on  Lionshead  Place.  Finally,  this  will  remove  the  large   regional  buses  from  West  Lionshead  Circle  and  Lionshead  Place.  It  may  be  possible  to  locate  elements  of   a  regional  transit  stop  in  the  West  Lionshead  area  in  conjunc,on  with  a  new  ski  li<  and  parking   facility.  However,  given  its  loca1on  on  the  periphery  of  Lionshead,  this  area  may  not  be  the  most  viable   loca1on  for  a  regional  transit  stop.  Notwithstanding  the  above,  facili,es  for  skier  drop-­‐off,  private   shuMle  vans  and  Town  of  Vail  in-­‐town  buses  should  be  included  in  the  design  of  the  ski  li<  and  parking   facility.  In  2006,  the  Town  of  Vail  ini1ated  an  update  of  the  Vail  Transporta1on  Master  Plan.  In  addi1on,   the  Town  ini1ated  a  development  compe11on  for  the  Lionshead  Parking  Structure  redevelopment,  which   would  include  a  transit  facility.  It  is  an1cipated  that  the  Transporta1on  Master  Plan  update  along  with   the  conclusion  of  the  Lionshead  Parking  Structure  redevelopment  process  will  provide  direc1on  on  the   ul1mate  loca1on  for  a  Lionshead  Transit  Facility  and/or  the  type  of  transit  facili1es  that  may  be   necessary  in  West  Lionshead. As  this  secEon  indicates,  redevelopment  of  Ever  Vail  would  be  challenging  without  the  addiEon  of  a  li[.    All  areas   of  Ever  Vail  will  be  within  1,200  [.  of  the  proposed  gondola,  while  public  parking  and  skier  drop-­‐off  are  within   Ever  Vail  Gondola      4 500  [.    This  gondola  has  been  designed  to  be  central  to  the  site,  to  maximize  accessibility.    In  addiEon,  the  intent   is  to  maximize  public  transit  and  bus  access  to  the  site,  and  faciliEes  have  been  provided  for  skier  drop-­‐off,   private  shu\le  vans,  and  regional/in-­‐town  buses.   2011  Amended  Master  Plan  Language  (Gondola  and  Parking  in  Ever  Vail) Chapter  5  of  the  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan  includes  SecEon  5.17  which  provides  a  vision  for  the   Ever  Vail  property.    There  are  two  secEons  which  discuss  the  gondola  and  parking  in  relaEonship  to  the  gondola.     These  secEons  are  shown  below:  (Sec.  5.17.3  and  5.17.5) 5.17.3  Parking:  Ever  Vail  shall  be  developed  as  a  commercial  core  that  includes  mixed  use  development,   pedestrian  streets  and  plazas,  direct  access  to  transit  op1ons,  bicycle  and  pedestrian  connec1ons  and   access  to  Vail  Mountain.  As  a  commercial  core,  Ever  Vail  should  be  incorporated  into  the  Town’s  adopted   commercial  core  parking  areas,  which  allow  for  reduced  parking  requirements  due  to  proximity  to  mixed   use  development.  Ever  Vail  shall  meet  the  parking  requirements  of  the  Vail  Town  Code.  The  appropriate parking  requirements  for  ski  li<s  and  other  poten,al  land  uses  that  do  not  have  a  specified  parking   requirement  will  be  determined  by  the  Planning  and  Environmental  Commission. Sec1on  2.4:  Ground  Rules  for  the  Master  Planning  Process,  states  that  there  shall  be  no  net  loss  of   parking  spaces  now  exis1ng  in  Lionshead.  Ever  Vail  must  include  parking  spaces  to  offset  displaced   exis1ng  parking  from  the  former  gas  sta1on  site  and  Maintenance  Yard/  Holy  Cross  Site  in  accordance   with  sec1on  4.8.1.  These  spaces  are  in  addi1on  to  parking  required  by  the  Vail  Town  Code  and  any  public   parking  spaces  provided  by  Ever  Vail. Without  including  parking  spaces  required  for  the  proposed  gondola,  as  determined  by  the  Planning   and  Environmental  Commission,  if  any,  Ever  Vail  shall  include  an  addi,onal  400  public  parking  spaces,   as  iden,fied  in  sec,on  4.1.5:  West  Lionshead  –  Residen,al/Mixed  Use  Hub.  These  spaces  will  address   long-­‐term  public  parking  needs,  including  the  Town's  goal  to  eliminate  parking  from  the  South   Frontage  Road  as  further  detailed  in  Sec,on  4.8.3.3b  of  this  master  plan.  During  development  and   phasing  of  Ever  Vail,  there  will  be  periods  of  1me  when  surface  parking  lots  and  staging  areas  may  be   necessary  to  meet  skier  parking  and  construc1on  needs.  Surface  parking  lots  shall  not  be  maintained  as  a   long-­‐term  solu1on  to  mee1ng  parking  demand.  The  construc,on  of  a  por,on  of  the  addi,onal  400   parking  spaces  should  be  explored  by  Vail  Resorts  and  the  Town  of  Vail,  within  Lionshead,  in   conjunc,on  with  the  Ever  Vail  development.  Skier  drop-­‐off  is  an  essen1al  component  of  a  successful  ski   portal.  Skier  drop-­‐off  at  Ever  Vail  improves  the  guest’s  and  local’s  experience.  The  transit  facility  in  Ever   Vail  should  accommodate  10  to  14  short-­‐term  or  skier  drop-­‐off  parking  spaces.  Short-­‐term  parking  is  a   key  aspect  to  community  commercial  uses,  allowing  customers  to  quickly  and  conveniently  patronize   establishments.  Outside  of  skier  drop-­‐off  and  pick-­‐up  during  peak  periods,  these  spaces  could  be  u1lized   as  short-­‐term  parking  serving  the  commercial  uses  in  close  proximity,  such  as  the  grocery  store. Skier  drop-­‐off  spaces  are  also  envisioned  in  the  parking  structure  on  the  west  side  of  Ever  Vail.   Approximately  50  parking  spaces  should  be  available  for  short-­‐term  parking  and  skier  drop-­‐off  when  not   in  use  for  children’s  ski  school  ac1vi1es,  which  tradi1onally  occur  one  day  per  week  in  the  winter.  These   short-­‐term  parking  spaces,  given  their  loca1on  approximately  500  feet  from  the  gondola,  would  provide   skier  dropoff  capacity  in  the  event  the  short-­‐term  spaces  in  the  transit  facility  are  displaced  due  to   expansion  of  bus  ac1vity. 5.17.5:  Gondola  and  Vail  Mountain  Portal:  Ever  Vail  shall  include  a  gondola,  which  will  transport  visitors,   guests,  and  residents  to  Vail  Mountain.  A  gondola  will  make  Ever  Vail  a  mountain  portal  and  will  enhance   the  benefits  of  Ever  Vail  to  guests,  locals  and  employees.  The  gondola  will  be  located  adjacent  to  Gore   Creek  and  will  generally  travel  to  the  base  of  the  current  Chair  26  where  a  new  mid-­‐sta1on  will  be   located.  The  gondola  will  replace  Chair  26  and  generally  terminate  in  the  Eagle’s  Nest  area  of  Vail   Ever  Vail  Gondola      5 Mountain.  The  gondola  route  will  likely  require  easements  and  other  approvals  from  the  Town  of  Vail   when  the  route  crosses  Town-­‐owned  proper1es. These  secEons  of  the  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan  recognize  that  the  PEC  will  determine  if  there  is  a   specific  parking  requirement  for  the  gondola.    The  Applicant  conEnues  to  maintain  that  the  parking  being   provided  onsite  addresses  the  parking  needs  to  serve  the  project  and  the  gondola.    The  proposed  400  parking   spaces  above  the  parking  requirement  are  intended  to  address  skier  parking  to  serve  Vail  Mountain.    This  secEon   also  indicates  that  a  porEon  of  the  400  parking  spaces  could  be  located  offsite  but  within  the  Lionshead  area  as   they  serve  skier  parking  demand  for  Vail  Mountain.    During  the  last  five  years  in  the  review  process,  the  PEC  has   indicated  that  it  was  in  support  of  these  policies  and  the  parking  plan  for  the  project  and  the  gondola. III.  Condi,onal  Use  Permit  Request The  Applicant  is  requesEng  a  condiEonal  use  permit  to  allow  the  operaEon  of  a  gondola  to  transport  primarily   skiers  and  snowboarders  to  Vail  Mountain.    The  operaEon  of  a  gondola  is  one  of  many  condiEonal  uses  that  will   ulEmately  be  requested  with  specific  development  applicaEons  (Major  Exterior  AlteraEon  applicaEons)  however   a  gondola  is  an  unique  applicaEon  as  there  is  no  specific  parking  requirement  in  the  Town  Code  for  a  gondola   and  therefore  the  PEC  will  determine  a  parking  requirement,  if  any,  in  the  specific  context  of  the  Ever  Vail   project,  as  currently  proposed  and  envisioned.    Also  unique  with  this  request  is  that  there  is  no  specific   development  plan  or  building  plan  proposed.    The  PEC  is  simply  being  asked  to  approve  the  use  and  operaEon  of   a  gondola  and  make  a  parking  determinaEon  with  the  understanding  that  any  specific  development  proposal  for   the  physical  structure  will  require  review  and  approval  of  the  PEC  by  virtue  of  a  Major  Exterior  AlteraEon   applicaEon  that  is  required  before  any  development  may  occur  on  the  property. The  Gondola The  new  Ever  Vail  gondola  is  currently  proposed  to  be  a  high-­‐speed  gondola  with  cabins  holding  up  to  8   occupants.    The  new  gondola  will  have  the  capacity  of  moving  2,000  skiers  per  hour.  The  gondola  will  transport   skiers  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  at  Eagles  Nest  but  will  also  have  an  upload  and  download  locaEon  at  the   current  base  of  chair  26  (Pride  Express).  Chair  26  will  be  removed  to  accommodate  the  new  gondola.  To  return   to  Ever  Vail,  skiers  will  be  able  download  the  gondola  at  this  locaEon  for  a  3.5-­‐minute  ride  back  to  Ever  Vail.    A   skier  access  and  parking  report  was  prepared  in  2010  and  presented  to  both  the  PEC  and  Town  Council.    This   report  is  a\ached  for  reference.    This  study  predicts  skier  access  and  behavior  based  upon  the  envisioned  Ever   Vail  project  which  provides  approximately  1,450  parking  spaces,  400  of  which  are  new  publicly  accessible  spaces,   above  and  beyond  parking  requirements,  and  another  270  spaces  are  specifically  required  for  commercial   acEviEes  on  the  property  and  operate  similarly  to  the  Vail  Village  and  Lionshead  parking  structures  (i.e.,  these   structures  serve  skiers  and  other  commercial  consumers).    Therefore  there  are  670  spaces  that  serve  commercial   consumers  and  skiers  at  Ever  Vail. The  gondola  is  envisioned  as  single  structure  well  under  the  average  height  of  70’  allowed  by  the  Lionshead   Mixed  Use  -­‐  2  zone  district.    The  final  building  design,  bulk  and  mass,  orientaEon,  and  height  will  be  determined   during  the  review  of  a  Major  Exterior  AlteraEon  applicaEon  by  the  PEC  and  the  Design  Review  Board. Parking  and  Transit  Improvements  In  Ever  Vail As  discussed  above,  the  total  parking  picture  envisioned  for  Ever  Vail  breaks  down  as  follows:  Private  residenEal  +  hotel      513  spaces  Commercial/retail        270  spaces  Employee  parking  replacement      289  spaces  Skier  parking  (excess  of  required)    400  spaces  Surplus  parking          7  spaces  Total:          1,478  spaces Ever  Vail  Gondola      6 In  addiEon  to  the  parking   provided  above,  there  are  13   skier  drop-­‐off  spaces  provided   within  the  proposed  transit   facility  in  close  proximity  to  the   proposed  gondola.    AddiEonally,   there  are  50  parking  spaces  on   the  west  of  the  project  that  will   be  managed  for  skier  drop  off,   DEVO  drop-­‐off,    or  other  short   term  use  (i.e.,  30  minute   parking)  during  weekends  and   other  peak  periods. The  Ever  Vail  project  is  also   providing  the  Town  with  a  new   transit  facility  of  approximately   25,000  sq.  [  which  iniEally  will   provide  four  bus  spaces  under   cover  with  expandability  up  to  9  spaces  with  use  of  a  frontage  road  pull-­‐out  area.    The  in-­‐town  shu\le  is   accommodated  on  the  far  east  end  of  the  project  with  a  designated  bus  stop.    Hotel  shu\les  are  accommodated   in  the  courtyard  on  the  west  side  of  the  project. LocaJon  and  Accessibility The  gondola  is  located  at  the  south  end  of  the  primary  pedestrian  and  retail  corridor  within  Ever  Vail.     Pedestrians  are  led  past  most  of  the  retail  and  commercial  offerings  from  points  east  of  the  project  or  from  the   transit  facility  located  within  the  project  along  the  South  Frontage  Road.  The  rendering  below  provides  a  glimpse   of  the  gondola  at  the  end  of  this  street. Ever  Vail  Gondola      7 The  relaEonship  of  the  transit  facility  and  parking  provided  within  the  project  to  the  gondola  is  significantly  more   proximate  than  that  of  either  the  Vail  Village  or  the  Lionshead  portals  as  shown  on  the  graphic  below.    Most  of   the  parking  is  located  within  500’  of  the  gondola  whereas  Vail  Village  and  Lionshead  parking  structures  are   located  between  500’  and  1,000’  from  the  li[s  and  gondolas  at  these  portals. Gondola  and  Parking  Demand Demand  generated  for  skier  and  snowboarders  to  visit  and  enjoy  Vail  comes  from  the  mountain  itself  and  the   other  offerings  provided  by  retailers,  the  lodging  community,  and  special  events.    In  the  case  of  Vail,  where  li[s   already  provide  access  to  the  mountain,  the  provision  of  a  new  li[  at  a  new  portal  does  not  in  and  of  itself   “generate”  parking  demand.    As  discussed  in  the  skier  parking  report  (a\ached)  there  is  a  shi[ing  of  demand   created  by  the  incremental  provision  of  parking,  availability  of  transit,  and  the  uses  within  Ever  Vail  that  generate   demand  for  parking.      This  conclusion  is  supported  by  our  traffic  engineer  in  a  le\er  dated  November  10,  2010   and  a\ached  to  this  document.    He  states  the  following  in  this  le\er: All  that  said,  as  previously  discussed  in  this  document,  there  will  be  a  minimum  of  400  parking  spaces  available   to  the  public  regardless  of  what  is  otherwise  constructed  on  the  property  in  addiEon  to  the  skier  drop  off  and   transit  faciliEes  provided  onsite.    As  suggested  in  the  amendment  master  plan  language  from  2011  (see  secEon   5.17.3  in  SecEon  III  of  this  document),  the  Town  included  a  provision  that  could  allow  a  porEon  of  400  parking   Ever  Vail  Gondola      8 spaces  to  be  located  elsewhere  in  Lionshead  to  serve  the  same  purpose:    publicly  accessible  parking  for  skiers/ boarders. IV.  Condi,onal  Use  Permit  -­‐  Purpose  and  Criteria A.    Purpose The  property  where  the  gondola  is  proposed  is  currently  zoned  Lionshead  Mixed  Use  -­‐  2  and  has  been  since  the   original  zoning  of  the  Lionshead  area  in  2000. A  condiEonal  use  is  further  regulated  by  Chapter  16,  CondiEonal  Use  Permits,  Vail  Town  Code.    The  purpose  of   this  chapter  is  as  follows: 12-­‐16-­‐1:  PURPOSE;  LIMITATIONS:   In  order  to  provide  the  flexibility  necessary  to  achieve  the  objec1ves  of  this  1tle,  specified  uses  are   permiRed  in  certain  districts  subject  to  the  gran1ng  of  a  condi1onal  use  permit.  Because  of  their  unusual   or  special  characteris1cs,  condi1onal  uses  require  review  and  evalua1on  so  that  they  may  be  located   properly  with  respect  to  the  purposes  of  this  1tle  and  with  respect  to  their  effects  on  surrounding   proper1es.  The  review  process  prescribed  in  this  chapter  is  intended  to  assure  compa1bility  and   harmonious  development  between  condi1onal  uses  and  surrounding  proper1es  and  the  town  at  large.   Uses  listed  as  condi1onal  uses  in  the  various  districts  may  be  permiRed  subject  to  such  condi1ons  and   limita1ons  as  the  town  may  prescribe  to  ensure  that  the  loca1on  and  opera1on  of  the  condi1onal  uses   will  be  in  accordance  with  development  objec1ves  of  the  town  and  will  not  be  detrimental  to  other  uses   or  proper1es.  Where  condi1ons  cannot  be  devised  to  achieve  these  objec1ves,  applica1ons  for   condi1onal  use  permits  shall  be  denied.   B.  Review  Criteria  for  a  Condi6onal  Use  Permit 1.    RelaJonship  and  impact  of  the  use  on  development  objecJves  of  the  town.   Our  Analysis: As  is  evidenced  from  the  recent  adopEon  of  amendments  to  the  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan,   the  proposed  use  and  operaEon  of  a  gondola  is  consistent  with  the  vision  of  the  Town.    The  provisions  of   the  master  plan  (a\ached)  clearly  demonstrate  that  a  gondola  is  anEcipated  in  this  area  and  consistent   with  the  Town’s  vision  and  goals  for  the  area.   2.    Effect  of  the  use  on  light  and  air,  distribuJon  of  populaJon,  transportaJon  faciliJes,  uJliJes,  schools,   parks  and  recreaJon  faciliJes,  and  other  public  faciliJes  and  public  faciliJes  needs.   Our  Analysis: The  addiEon  of  a  new  portal  through  the  new  gondola  onto  the  ski  mountain  will  serve  to  disperse   skiers,  allowing  addiEonal  choices  for  their  point  of  entry  onto  the  mountain,  as  the  study  of  skier   distribuEon  indicates.    The  new  gondola  and  the  parking  structure  are  integral  in  the  ability  to  serve  the   populaEon  by  providing  both  a  new  li[  and  the  parking  necessary  to  serve  the  new  li[.    In  addiEon,  this   will  help  to  alleviate  congesEon  in  li[  lines  in  the  Village  and  Lionshead,  by  providing  skiers  with  an   addiEonal  choice  to  park  to  access  the  mountain  as  well  as  substanEally  reducing  parking  which  occurs   on  the  Frontage  Road.   Ever  Vail  Gondola      9 3.    Effect  upon  traffic,  with  parJcular  reference  to  congesJon,  automoJve  and  pedestrian  safety  and   convenience,  traffic  flow  and  control,  access,  maneuverability,  and  removal  of  snow  from  the  streets   and  parking  areas.   Our  Analysis: The  Applicant  and  the  Town  of  Vail  are  working  with  CDOT  in  the  re-­‐alignment  of  the  Frontage  Road  and   CDOT  is  very  supporEve  of  the  proposed  re-­‐alignment.    In  addiEon,  the  Applicant  is  providing  several   transit  stops  both  within  the  proposed  transit  center  and  at  the  street  level  in  front  of  the  proposed   market  to  serve  the  parking  and  the  overall  West  Lionshead  area.    The  ski  li[  will  be  in  close  proximity  to   the  proposed  parking  structure,  allowing  for  skiers  to  safely  walk  from  the  parking  structure  to  the   proposed  ski  li[.    Having  a  gondola  to  service  the  skiers  parked  in  the  public  parking  structure  allows  for   less  impact  on  the  Town’s  transportaEon  system.    The  Lionshead  Redevelopment  Master  Plan  clearly   demonstrates  that  the  400  proposed  publicly  accessible  parking  spaces  are  adequate  to  address  the   shi[ing  demand  created  the  introducEon  of  the  proposed  Ever  Vail  gondola.    The  Lionshead   Redevelopment  Master  Plan  also  indicates  that  it  may  be  appropriate  to  locate  a  porEon  of  these  400   parking  spaces  outside  of  the  Ever  Vail  project  subject  to  agreement  between  the  Town  and  the   Applicant. 4.    Effect  upon  the  character  of  the  area  in  which  the  proposed  use  is  to  be  located,  including  the  scale   and  bulk  of  the  proposed  use  in  relaJon  to  surrounding  uses.   Our  Analysis: The  proposed  gondola  and  parking  structure  is  an  integral  part  of  the  proposed  mixed-­‐use  hub  that  Ever   Vail  is  envisioned  to  become.  The  proposed  gondola  will  be  integrated  into  Ever  Vail,  and  have  no  impact   on  increasing  the  scale  and  bulk  of  the  project.    The  review  of  the  gondola  structure  will  occur  during  the   Major  Exterior  AlteraEon  applicaEon  process  by  the  PEC  and  that  review  process  will  ensure  the  overall   capability  with  surrounding  buildings  and  uses.       Ever  Vail  Gondola      10 V.  Proposed  PEC  Findings  and  Condi,ons The  Applicant  recommends  the  following  findings  and  condiEons  with  any  moEon  for  approval  of  the  CondiEonal   Use  Permit  for  the  gondola. The  Planning  and  Environmental  Commission  finds  that: 1.That  the  proposed  locaEon  of  the  gondola  is  in  accordance  with  the  purposes  of  this  Etle   and  the  purposes  of  the  zone  district  in  which  the  site  is  located.    Further  the  Planning  and   Environmental  Commission  (PEC)  finds  that  the  proposed  parking  plan  for  Ever  Vail,  which   includes  the  provision  of  400  parking  space  above  the  parking  requirement  to  serve  demand   related  to  the  ski  mountain,  is  adequate  to  serve  the  gondola  with  no  addiEonal  parking   requirement  for  the  gondola.    Further  the  PEC  finds  that  a  porEon  of  the  400  parking  spaces   provided  above  the  parking  requirements  may  be  located  outside  of  Ever  Vail  at  other   portals  within  the  Lionshead  area. 2.That  the  proposed  locaEon  of  the  use  and  the  condiEons  under  which  it  would  be  operated   or  maintained  will  not  be  detrimental  to  the  public  health,  safety,  or  welfare,  or  materially   injurious  to  properEes  or  improvements  in  the  vicinity. 3.That  the  proposed  use  will  comply  with  each  of  the  applicable  provisions  of  this  Etle.   Any  approval  is  subject  to  the  following  condiEon: A  development  plan  shall  be  required  for  the  proposed  gondola  which  includes  floor  plans,   architectural  plans,  and  building  height  plans  at  a  minimum.    The  development  plan  will  be  approved   as  part  of  a  Major  Exterior  AlteraEon  applicaEon  as  required  by  the  Zoning  RegulaEons.   VI.  Adjacent  Addresses VAIL  CORP   THE  FIXED  ASSETS  DEPARTMENT   390  INTERLOCKEN  CRESCENT  STE  1000   BROOMFIELD,  CO    80021         EAGLE  RIVER  WATER  &  SANITATION  DIST   846  FOREST  RD   VAIL    CO  81657         TOWN  OF  VAIL   FINANCE  DEPT   75  S  FRONTAGE  RD   VAIL,  CO    81657       GLEN  LYON  OFFICE  BUILDING   VAIL  CORP    -­‐  THE  FIXED  ASSETS  DEPARTMENT   390  INTERLOCKEN  CRESCENT  STE  1000   BROOMFIELD,  CO    80021 CDOT 4201  E.  ARKANSAS  AVENUE DENVER,  CO  80222 Ever  Vail  Gondola      11