HomeMy WebLinkAboutTown of Vail 2008 Year-in-Review FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2008
Contact: Stan Zemler, 479-2105 Dick Cleveland, 479-1860
Vail Town Manager Vail Mayor
TOWN OF VAIL 2008 YEAR-IN-REVIEW
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL ADDRESSING ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST
(Vail)—After identifying three areas of strategic focus during a goal-setting session last
January, the Vail Town Council brings 2008 to a close with significant progress in laying
the groundwork for Vail's continued success as a resort and community. An 18-month
work plan was developed during the year that outlines specific initiatives to address the
town's three priorities: 1) Housing; 2) Transportation/Parking; and 3) Environment. As
the year was coming to a close, heightened levels of concern emerged as the
community joined together to create new strategies and alliances to help weather
uncertain economic conditions following years of robust growth. A list of
accomplishments and activities of community interest are presented below in the Town
of Vail's 2008 Year-in-Review.
3 AREAS OF STRATEGIC FOCUS
HOUSING
Regulations Clarify On-Site Employee Housing Preference
• In May, the Town Council modified the town's year-old employee housing
regulations to clarify their preference for on-site housing. In this case, at least half
of the required housing must be provided on-site as of May 30, 2008, for all new
construction and demo-rebuilds. Up until the change, developers could choose
any method or combination of inethods to meet a project's employee housing
requirement, including on-site; off-site within the town; a fee-in-lieu payment; by
the conveyance of on-site property to the town; or by conveyance of off-site
property within Vail's boundaries to the town. On-site housing was determined by
the Town Council to be the most beneficial option because it provides the most
reliable delivery of employee housing simultaneous with the new demand. In
addition, it reduces impact on the town's infrastructure and offers the most
environmentally friendly location. Developers are required to provide housing for
20 percent of net new employees generated by new commercial development
and 10 percent of net new square feet for residential projects located in the
designated zone districts. Future development projects including the Ever Vail
development will be subject to the new requirements.
Housing Strategic Plan Adopted
• Adoption of Vail's Employee Housing Strategic Plan took place in September
following months of research and information-gathering. The plan addresses
policies, regulations, funding sources and public and private development
opportunities to meet a goal of housing at least 30% of Vail's workforce within the
town boundaries. The plan contains specific actions for implementation over the
next five years.
First Use of Housing Fee-In-Lieu Fund
• In October, proceeds from the town's new housing fee-in-lieu fund were used for
the first time to help purchase two housing units in Vail. By then, the town had
collected $417,000 in its housing fund. Another$100,000 from the town's
ongoing housing buy-down program was added to the balance for a total
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purchase price of$290,000 and $309,000, respectively, for the two Gore Range
Condominium units in West Vail. The purchases increased the town's deed
restricted housing inventory to 657 units. Of those, the town controls 44 units as
rental for employees living in the town. Since initiating its buy-down program in
1999, the town has purchased 8 units in which a property is purchased on the
open market, followed by the placement of a deed restriction on the property.
Once the deed restriction is in place, the property is sold to a qualified applicant
at a subsidized price to keep the unit affordable for buyers.
Bell Tower Housing Swap Sets Stage for Employee Housing Unit Exchange Policy
• After agreeing to release two deed restricted employee housing units at the Bell
Tower building in Vail Village in exchange for a substantially larger deed
restricted unit at the Altair Vail Inn, 4192 Spruce Way in East Vail, the Council set
its sights on approving a town wide exchange policy. Following recommendations
offered by the Vail Local Housing Authority, the Council gave preliminary
approval to create an employee housing unit exchange program to satisfy dual
needs in the community. The purpose of the deed-restriction exchange program
is to allow certain owners of deed-restricted employee housing units to exchange
their existing deed-restricted rental unit for another for-sale unit elsewhere in the
Town of Vail. The program applies to all non-appreciation capped, deed-
restricted employee housing units in the town that are attached to a private
residence and are not required by the town's zoning regulations. The goal is to
generate the greatest number of occupied employee housing units throughout
the community. Until now, owners of many of the deed-restricted units had no
incentive to do anything other than to leave their units unoccupied. The new
exchange policy provides ample incentives for homeowners to increase the value
of their property while contributing to the town's employee housing goals.
Adoption of equitable exchange rates for the properties was the last course of
action required for approval with consideration taking place in December. The
Altair Vail Inn unit, meanwhile, was sold to a buyer on the town's master resale
lottery list for $178,650. It was originally purchased by the town for$420,000,
which represents a buy-down subsidy of$241,300 to keep the deed-restricted
unit affordable in the future. The unit was priced to be comparable with a Vail
Commons unit, per square foot, a price which has proven to remain affordable to
local employees.
Master Plan Update for Chamonix Property
• Several key decisions were made during the year as the master planning
process for the town-owned Chamonix property in West Vail awaits Town
Council approval. The largest undeveloped site remaining in Vail has been
identified to meet the critical community needs of a West Vail fire station and
employee housing. After identifying 11 development goals and design
parameters, the Council approved a medium density option that would place
approximately 58 dwelling units on the site. The property has since been rezoned
from the Two-Family Primary/Secondary Zone District to the Housing District,
while the adjacent former Wendy's restaurant site has been rezoned from the
Commercial Core 3 Zone District to the General Use Zone District to
accommodate a fire station. Construction cost estimates for the proposed
dwelling units are currently being confirmed to determine if the project can be
delivered for the area median income range Town Council has chosen to target.
If the estimates are favorable, an amendment to the Chamonix Master Plan will
be presented to the Planning and Environmental Commission and Town Council
for approval. This is anticipated to occur in the coming weeks. Also, a request for
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proposals for architectural and engineering services is currently being developed
for the West Vail fire station. It is anticipated that an architectural firm will be
chosen early in 2009 to design the new fire station.
Developers Eye Timber Ridge for Housing Solutions
• The redevelopment of Timber Ridge, the 198-unit apartment complex owned by
the town, was the focus of much attention during the year as the Town Council
pursued several courses of action. In January, the Council attempted to negotiate
a redevelopment agreement with Open Hospitality/Hillwood Capital Partners but
voted in March to discontinue talks following an impasse. At the time, most
council members said they would be unwilling to sell the land to the developer as
proposed. Additional complexities were identified that caused the council to
express concern over the long-term affordability of the rental rate structure and
the overall financing of the project. The proposal had included the construction of
316 units for a total of 1,264 deed-restricted beds. Timber Ridge was built in
1980 and is the largest rental development in Vail. It was purchased by the town
for $20 million in 2003 to preserve the property as affordable rental housing for
local employees. Then in April, the Town Council voted to form the Timber Ridge
Redevelopment Advisory Committee to help establish the framework for
redevelopment parameters to be used to evaluate proposals for redevelopment
of the property. Based on the Committee's recommendations in November, the
Town Council directed the town manager to launch a Request for Qualifications
(RFQ) process to select a development team for half of the 10-acre complex,
after rejecting a suggestion by the town manager to negotiate exclusively with
Vail Resorts. Six redevelopment goals were presented by the Timber Ridge
Redevelopment Advisory Committee and adopted by the Town Council: the town
should maintain ownership of the land; the project should be phased; the first
phase should consist of affordable deed-restricted rental beds; a minimum of 600
beds should be provided in the first phase; the town's debt should be eliminated
on the 5.04 acres being redeveloped; and deed restrictions should stay with the
project and not be available to fulfill developers' employee housing requirements.
The RFQ was released on Dec. 18 with proposals due Jan. 29, 2009.
Housing lottery applications for TOV Master Purchaser List
• For the seventh year, the town created a TOV Master Purchaser List for housing
lottery applications to streamline purchases. The 2008 list included 18 potential
purchasers. To date, there has not been a new opportunity to purchase a unit.
Resales have historically occurred in the late spring and summer months.
ENVIRONMENT
Vail's First-Ever Environmental Sustainability Coordinator Hired
• In September, Kristen Bertuglia was welcomed as Vail's first-ever environmental
sustainability coordinator. The position was created after input from both
residents and the Town Council indicated environmental stewardship should be a
top priority for the town.
Vail Environmental Sustainability Plan Adopted
• As Vail's new environmental sustainability coordinator, Bertuglia will be
implementing a long list of actions associated with a new Environmental
Sustainability Plan which was adopted by the Town Council in December. The
plan identifies six goals: solid waste stream reduction and recycling; energy
efficiency and green building; ecosystem health; sustainable economic and social
development; public education and communication; and transportation.
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Environmental Events Invite Community Participation
• Three community events were sponsored during the year:
o Spring Clean-Up Day
The community collected 8 tons of material during the annual Clean-Up
Day which had to be rescheduled for the first time in recent memory due
to snow. The town reinstated a $25 donation that was awarded to one of
42 eligible non-profits for each of the 125 volunteers who participated.
o Get the Lead Out Electronics Recycling Event
Spring cleaning continued in June with an electronics recycling event,
sponsored by the town and the Eagle Valley Alliance for Sustainability.
The activity included the shredding of 3,500 pounds of paper and the
collection of computers and other electronics.
o Free Recycling of Old Skis, Snowboards, Boots and Poles
In November, the town partnered with Vail Sports, Vail Resorts and
SnowSports Industries America for recycling of unwanted ski and
snowboard gear.
Recycling Center Improves
• Installation of a cardboard compactor at Vail's recycling center in September was
completed and is already paying off. Compacted cardboard improves efficiency
because it reduces the need for cardboard hauling and related fuel and energy
costs. The device is the first compactor of its type available for public use within
the county.
Noxious Weeds Campaign
• Work to remove noxious weeds from Vail's public lands continued. Treatment
methods included hand-pulling, cutting and herbicides. The town is responsible
for treatment on 250 acres of open space, along 32 miles of residential
roadways, 11 miles of frontage road areas, 12 miles of recreation paths and in
natural areas of Vail's parks. The town also offered free on-site consultations to
help property owners and residents identify noxious weeds growing on their
property.
Lighting Ordinance Approved
• In November, Council approved an ordinance amending Vail's lighting ordinance.
Key components include adherence to the Dark Skies Initiative guidelines and
recommendations for energy efficient lighting fixtures.
Holiday Lights go Green
• Vail's holiday-tree decorations were transformed during the season with the
conversion of traditional incandescent light strands to LEDs (light emitting diode).
The energy-efficient lights were used to string more than 25 miles of lights,
including Vail's roundabouts, plazas and other public spaces. The lights will use
an estimated 75 to 80 percent less energy than in previous years.
Biomass Heat Plant Feasibility
• The town continued to explore the possibility of developing a biomass heat plant
in Vail. In these discussions it was made clear by energy experts that the system
the town uses for melting snow was designed and is being operated as a very
energy efficient system.
Employee Environmental Focus Group
• The Town of Vail Employee Environmental Focus Group (EFG), which began in
2006 and represents a cross-section of departments, continued its pursuit of
identifying new ways to save energy, reduce waste, increase efficiency and
reduce environmental hazards. The group began by focusing on turning off lights
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and computers when not in use, switching to eco-friendly food and beverage
service and cleaning products and implementing a spill prevention system. Public
Works also now uses waste oil from fleet maintenance to heat the Public Works
shops. The group is working with the town's environmental team to increase
recycling in town facilities and villages, promote paper and waste reduction,
implement a no idling policy, increase education through signage and set up
workshops and brown-bag lunch seminars on sustainable practices. The group
has also begun work to identify ways to achieve a 5% fuel reduction in 2009 by
promoting combining trips and using an appropriate vehicle for the job.
TRANSPORTATION/PARKING
Council Passes on North Day Lot Transit Center
• Citing the high cost involved in its construction, site constraints and an uncertain
economy, the Town Council decided to withdraw any further consideration of
building a transit center on the North Day lot in LionsHead. The Council had been
presented with conceptual drawings and cost estimates for an $18.6 million
transit facility that would have been added to a plan developed by Vail Resorts to
build 120 housing beds and nine skier drop off spaces on the company-owned
property. The project is needed to fulfill a requirement tied to development of the
Arrabelle at Vail Square. The decision enables Vail Resorts to continue through
the town's development review process with a revised site plan.
Parking
• Several circumstances put the town in a difficult position as demand for public
parking spaces exceeded supply during the year. This happened 48 times during
the 2007-08 winter season, causing the Town Council to ask Vail Resorts to
assist in the development of a contingency plan to offset potential parking
impacts related to the newly announced Epic Pass. It was during the month of
June, however, that parking shortages caused the town to implement summer
management strategies for the first time in history to ensure adequate parking for
guests while providing equitable parking opportunities for residents, merchants
and employees. A pilot program was launched that capped the number of early
morning spaces in the Village parking structure with additional spaces opening
up later in the morning for visitors and later-arriving employees. Vail Resorts also
contributed to the solution by creating a 180-space temporary parking lot near
Golden Peak which was assigned for use by Manor Vail construction workers.
During the fall, winter parking rates and related policies were approved by the
Town Council as recommended by the Vail Parking Task Force. The goal of the
Task Force was to identify expanded parking options and additional
transportation management strategies to limit the number of overflow parking
days on the frontage roads during the winter season. The recommendations
included increases in mass transit as well as increased bus stops along the
South Frontage Road for use during peak times. A proposal to create a
temporary parking lot on the Chamonix property was rejected by the Town
Council due to neighborhood opposition. As an alternative, the town began
working on other ways to redistribute outlying parking for use by construction
workers, including vanpooling and use of private parking lots to accommodate
construction worker carpooling. While these proposals are short-term, the
Council has established a goal to address the parking situation with selection of
the first phase of a permanent parking expansion. This will include evaluation of
Ford Park as one of the proposed sites for parking. During its most recent
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parking discussions, the Council confirmed a $4.3 million parking commitment
from Vail Resorts offered in 2003 has no expiration date.
CDOT Initiatives on Interstate 70
• The Town of Vail worked to enlist the support of the Colorado Department of
Transportation which invested in significant improvements along the Interstate 70
corridor. Among them:
o An overlay of I-70 from Dowd Junction to the East Vail exit was
completed during the summer. At the request of the town, all work took
place in the evenings to avoid long traffic delays encountered during the
2007 construction season. The overlay consisted of a smaller aggregate
pavement to create less road noise. Recent noise measurements show
the new surface has reduced highway noise by an average of 2 decibels
compared to noise measurements taken in 2006. The project also
included construction of a chain down station on westbound I-70 at mile
marker 179.
o A noise berm along I-70 adjacent to the Bald Mountain neighborhood
continued to take shape when 15,000 cubic yards of traction sand were
added to the existing berm during the year. The ongoing project is
collaboration between CDOT and the Town of Vail. The berm is designed
to be 44,000 cubic yards in size. Town of Vail engineers are working on a
drainage design for yet another noise berm west of the existing berm.
o A construction project to install a fiber optic network along I-70 was
extended from the west side of Vail Pass to the Town of Vail shops
across from the golf course as a result of a partnership between the town,
CDOT and Eagle County. The 9-mile extension enables the town to
expand its communication capability in managing closures of I-70 at least
one year ahead of the original schedule. The network allows the town to
view in real time and control existing and future I-70 cameras as well as
having access to variable message signs from Denver to Grand Junction.
o Following a record 43 closures of Vail Pass during the winter, including a
22-hour closure in February and a fatality associated with a 60-car pileup
in March, the town worked with CDOT to develop an incident
management plan that enlists the help and cooperation of multiple
agencies along I-70 from Dotsero to Vail. The goal of the new plan is to
reduce gridlock in Vail and other areas that have historically been
impacted by the prolonged highway closures. A major component of the
plan requires eastbound semi-trucks to exit at Dotsero during prolonged
closures of Vail Pass with variable message signs directing other vehicles
to use exits farther west when Vail becomes "full." The plan represents a
new level of cooperation among local and state agencies.
o CDOT investments grew to more than $3 million in improvements along
the I-70 corridor with 14 new skyline variable message signs that offer
expanded messaging capability; installation of a new gate at the Main Vail
eastbound on-ramp; and new electronic speed limit signs at approaches
to the eastbound chain-up station and westbound chain-down station that
will lower the speed limit to 55 mph when the chain law is in effect. CDOT
has also arranged for vendors to provide roadside assistance for truckers
who need help with their chain-up requirements.
East Vail Vehicle Placards
• To improve access to East Vail neighborhoods during I-70 closures, East Vail
vehicle placards were introduced by the police department. The placards are to
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be displayed by those traveling to neighborhoods east of Aspen Lane to help
facilitate the flow of local traffic when roadblocks are established on the South
Frontage Road near Ford Park.
Loading and Delivery
• In November, the Council approved a 60-day trial period beginning Jan. 9, 2009,
that will restrict the amount of time allowed for on-street deliveries in Vail Village
now that a new loading and delivery facility is available for community use at
Mountain Plaza. In LionsHead, public loading and delivery bays opened during
the summer for use at the Arrabelle at Vail Square. The town is an ongoing
partner in both operations.
Rocky Mountain Rail Authority
• The town was an active participant in the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority during
the year. The authority is undertaking a high speed rail feasibility study for
Colorado, which includes a route along the I-70 corridor from Denver
International Airport to Grand Junction. The study will be completed in the
summer of 2009. Funding has been provided by the Colorado Department of
Transportation and the 40-plus member agencies, including the Town of Vail.
I -70 Collaborative Effort/Coalition
• Also during the year, the town of Vail participated in the Federal Highway
Administration and Colorado Department of Transportation Collaborative Effort
which is a 27-member group representing varied interests. The group was tasked
with reaching consensus on a recommended transportation solution for the I -70
mountain corridor. The recommendation for the corridor is a multi-model solution
including non-infrastructure components, a commitment to evaluation and
implementation of an Advanced Guideway System (AGS) and highway
improvements. Meanwhile, members of the I-70 Coalition undertook a transit
land use plan to assist the corridor communities with land use planning for transit
stations and transit oriented development along the corridor. This land use plan
will be completed in early 2009. In addition, the I-70 Coalition hired a travel
demand project manager to develop and implement travel demand strategies
identified by the coalition.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Addressing the Volatile Economy
• With the world economy becoming more unpredictable than ever before during
the fourth quarter of the year, the community took unprecedented steps to retain
its competitive edge through increased partnerships and alignments never before
seen in Vail. Following a decision by the Vail Town Council to contribute
$550,000 to supplement the winter marketing campaign led by Vail Resorts,
representatives from the lodging, retail and restaurant sectors, more than 100 in
all, eagerly joined the "Vail. All the Love." campaign to increase multi-night stays
for Front Range pass holders and loyal customers. The winter marketing push
was an outgrowth of a series of economic stimulus ideas that had been
sponsored by community and industry leaders to address the soft economy, with
oversight by the Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council. In October, a
town-sponsored panel discussion moderated by Town Manager Stan Zemler
featured comments from Rob Katz, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts; Dick
Cleveland, mayor; Kent Logan, a former council member and retired investment
banker representing Vail Citizens for Action; and Ralf Garrison, founder and
senior analyst of MTRiP, the Mountain Travel Research Program.
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Economic Sustainability
• A long-term strategy for Vail's economic success was developed during the year
and approved by the Town Council. The Economic Development Strategic Plan
includes six goals: 1) Build a strong relationship between the Town of Vail and
the Vail business community; 2) Increase the Town of Vail's economic activity as
measured by sales tax revenue to, at a minimum, keep pace with annual
inflation; 3) Focus on building a year-round economy; reduce economic
seasonality by growing the summer at a rate greater than the winter economy; 4)
Provide input to support a quality workforce delivering world-class service to
positively impact Vail's economy; 5) Provide input for sustaining, upgrading and
maintaining Vail's capital assets as it relates to sustainable economic health; and
6) Support the stimulation of diversity of services and businesses located in the
Town of Vail. The plan was developed by the town's new Economic Development
division with help from the Vail Economic Advisory Council, Vail Local Marketing
District Advisory Council, Commission on Special Events and Planning and
Environmental Commission.
• A new economic indicator was developed with introduction of the Same Lodge &
Store Sales Comparison report. In reviewing the hotel occupancy patterns and
sales tax trends, the most notable result showed businesses in LionsHead with
significant gains in sales tax collections during the most recent ski season while
business in Vail Village was flat.
• Other indicators that are used to track Vail's economic sustainability showed
signs of weakening during the fourth quarter of 2008. Although sales tax
collections are on target to meet the full-year budget, September and October
were down from the record collections of 2007. A slowing of construction and real
estate activity is noticeable in construction permit fee revenue and real estate
transfer tax collections where transactions not related to redevelopment projects
have fallen significantly.
• In November 2007, residents passed a 4 percent construction use tax to diversity
the town's tax base and provide a new source of revenue for capital projects. The
new tax is expected to generate approximately $600,000 of revenue in its first
year.
• A plan to refinance $6.3 million in town debt became stalled in October with the
collapse of the financial markets. However, the bond sale was successfully
completed in December when the town refinanced at an average rate of 2.7
percent compared with 4.5 percent on the old bonds. Investment bankers have
estimated a net savings of$171,000 in interest payments over the next four
years.
• In September after hearing Vail Valley Medical Center CEO John Cassin
describe the hospital's preliminary intention to relocate many of its services to a
larger campus outside the town's boundaries, the Town Council formed a
committee to explore what could be done to retain the hospital's presence in Vail.
The work is to include a study of the hospital's economic impact on the
community.
Redevelopment Milestones
• Five major development projects were completed during the year to include:
Manor Vail, valued at $50 million with 15 new units; Arrabelle at Vail Square,
valued at $120 million with 67 dwelling units and 85 accommodation units; One
Willow Bridge, valued at $22 million with 10 dwelling units and 12 fractional fee
units; Vail Mountain View Residences, valued at $34 million and 18 dwelling
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units; and The Willows, valued at $25 million with 9 dwelling units, 9 fractional fee
units and 5 accommodation units. Vail's Front Door (Mountain Plaza) is almost
complete, and is expected to be finished in early 2009. Also under construction
are Solaris, the Four Seasons Residences, the Ritz-Carlton Residences and the
Landmark Condominiums.
• Meanwhile, ground was broken on two major projects in 2008 to include Lions
Square Lodge North, to be completed in 2010 and the Rucksack to be completed
in late 2008. In addition, the West Meadow Drive streetscape project was
initiated in the fall with drainage improvements, a new asphalt roadway, new
street lights and sidewalks. Once complete, the project will serve as a critical link
between Vail Village and LionsHead.
• Strata, the redevelopment of the Lionshead Inn and the Fabulous Vail Glo Lodge,
was approved in 2008 and is pending construction.
Conference Center Funds
• In February, the Town Council voted to defer a ballot question on reallocation of
the conference center funds until at least 2009. A November 2005 election
rescinded a .5 percent sales tax and a 1.5 percent lodging tax that had been put
into place in 2002 to build and operate a conference center. All future uses of the
estimated $10 million must be authorized by a vote of Vail's electorate.
Special Events
• The Vail Commission on Special Events allocated $765,206 in funding for 25
events in 2008 including the Teva Mountain Games at Vail, Snow Daze, Spring
Back to Vail, Oktoberfest, Vail America Days, the Vail Film Festival, Vail Farmers'
Market and Gourmet on Gore. In addition, the Council contributed $294,250 in
cash sponsorships to several "culturally designated events," including the Bravo!
Vail Valley Music Festival, the Vail International Dance Festival, Hot Summer
Nights, Bud Lite Street Beat Concert series and the Vail Jazz Foundation, as well
as providing for over$50,000 for in-kind support for a number of events in the
form of traffic control, police service and Public Works assistance. It is estimated
that special events attracted more than a half a million visitors to Vail in 2008.
• There was disappointment following an announcement by the Vail Valley
Foundation that it was forced to cancel the inaugural Colorado Stage
International Cycle Classic which had been scheduled for August 22-24 due to
lack of a presenting sponsor. The event required a budget of$2 million; the town
had committed $150,000. Colorado Stage was to be a three-stage cycling race to
include a 135-mile road race from Breckenridge to Beaver Creek, a 72-mile
circuit race in and around Vail Village and a 10-mile individual time trial from Vail
Village to East Vail. It is anticipated that the economic conditions will improve to
allow the event to occur in 2010.
• Later in the year the Vail Valley Foundation announced it had purchased the
rights to the Teva Mountain Games, ensuring this major event will remain in Vail
into the future. The town has been a leading sponsor of the games through its
special events funding.
• In February, the Town Council approved a resolution establishing a Special
Business Promotion Permit process to accommodate requests from the business
community. This permit allows individual businesses to hold promotional events
that include activities outside of day-to-day business.
Resort Enhancements
• The town's Art in Public Places program elevated its programming during the
year with winter and summer activities to complement Vail's many cultural
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offerings. In January there was the debut of the 2009 Triumph Winterfest Verdant
Meadows art event which featured 17 outdoor ice sculptures along the Gore
Creek Promenade. Later in the month artists from across the country came to
Vail to cast iron and bronze at a free public outdoor event that drew dozens of
fascinated spectators for the "Heavy Metal Weekend." Also, free walking tours
were held during the winter and summer to profile some of the well known public
art sculptures in Vail. In June artists joined in the celebration of the Betty Ford
Alpine Garden's 20t" Anniversary with an outdoor painting competition. Also
during the year, AIPP received approvals for installation of an entry feature on
East Meadow Drive. The entry feature is comprised of two 18' high bronze and
steel sculptures that will flank East Meadow Drive near the intersection of Vail
Road.
• A grand opening for Vail's Whitewater Park was held in June following installation
of a computer controlled system that automatically adjusts water levels so
freestyle kayakers can enjoy the park for a longer duration in the summer. The
venue is among the growing number of athletic events featured during the Teva
Mountain Games.
• The LionsHead Skatepark returned for a second year in June. The temporary
facility included a half-pipe, pyramid, multiple ramps, transitions, rails and banks,
plus a street course for younger or less experienced riders to hone their skills.
The park was disassembled and ended for the season in October. The park will
return in the spring next year and will continue as a temporary park until a
permanent location can be found.
• Town officials and members of the public joined Vail Resorts at Mountain Plaza
on July 3 as they unveiled The Edge, a larger than life bronze sculpture with a
stunning pewter patina. Vail Resorts commissioned the $500,000 sculpture to
help meet its $1 million public art obligation. Art in Public Places introduced Vail
Resorts to the Colorado artist, who is well known for her skill in depicting sports
figures.
• After months of delays caused by complications in its design and construction,
the fire and ice fountain at Seibert Circle was completed and is drawing curious
spectators during its performances. The fountain is the only one of its type in the
world and complements streetscape features already in place on Bridge Street,
Gore Creek Drive, Wall Street, Hanson Ranch Road, Willow Bridge Road and
East Meadow Drive.
• In July, the town completed work on the renovation of the Katsos Ranch section
of the Gore Valley Trail. The popular two-mile section of recreation path received
new paving, picnic areas, and minor realignments. In addition, numerous small
scale recreation path projects were completed throughout town including bridge
maintenance, pavement repair and new guardrails.
MASTER PLANNING
Vail Village Master Plan Update
• An update to the Vail Village Master Plan was approved in September by the
Town Council. The update addresses the six major goals outlined in the plan,
acknowledges the action steps that have been completed in keeping with the
master plan and identifies the next series of action steps needed to further
implement the goals, objectives and policies of the master plan. The update is a
prelude to upcoming discussions on a proposal to develop a berm on the south
side of the parking structure in Vail Village.
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DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
• The town processed over 1,246 building permits as of Dec. 11, exceeding $307
million in valuation, but marking the end of five consecutive years of record-
breaking valuations. The highest number was set in 2007 with $400 million in
permit valuations. Also in 2008, 73 Planning and Environmental Commission
and 613 Design Review Board applications were processed. Major project
submittals included Strata, Rucksack, Ever Vail, Chamonix, Timber Ridge and
Evergreen.
• More than 8,025 building inspections took place during the year to ensure Vail's
construction projects are handled with the utmost attention to public safety. On
any given day, as many as 33 building inspections are performed within the
town.
LionsHead Parking Structure Redevelopment
• The proposal for a mixed-use development to be built on the LionsHead parking
structure took a step forward in August with approval of the developer's project
plan by the Vail Town Council. The Council also amended a development
improvement agreement approved in October 2007 that gives Open Hospitality
Partners/Hillwood Capital Partners until March 17, 2009, to work with Vail
Resorts to address a current-deed restriction which requires the land to be used
for parking. The town also has the option to grant additional extensions up to
nine months beyond the March deadline to resolve the deed-restriction issue.
The original agreement had required the deed-restriction hurdle to be addressed
satisfactorily prior to town approval of the project plan. Council members had
asked for the deadlines so as not to tie up the land indefinitely. Approval of the
project plan enables the developer to submit a formal development application to
the town for review by the Planning and Environmental Commission and Design
Review Board at the developer's risk pending an eventual outcome on the deed-
restriction. The redevelopment proposal includes 240 hotel rooms, 130
condominium residences, 25 fractional fee units, 77,000 sq. ft. retail-restaurant
space, a transit center to include space for 5 ECO regional buses and 3 hotel
shuttle buses, 6 underground loading and delivery bays; Visitor Information
Center; and improvements to South Frontage Road and East Lionshead Circle.
The Town Council has been discussing redevelopment of the LionsHead parking
structure since May 2006 when it issued a request for proposals.
Ever Vail
• The largest and most ambitious development proposal in Vail's history began
working its way through the town's development review process in December.
That's when a comprehensive presentation outlining the Ever Vail project was
shown to members of the Town Council, Planning and Environmental
Commission and Design Review Board by the project's sponsor, Vail Resorts
Development Company. The joint meeting was the first such meeting of the three
boards since submittal of the Arrabelle at Vail Square development in 2004. As
proposed, Ever Vail would become Vail's fifth mountain portal with chairlift
access, public parking and a newly-built neighborhood offering a mix of
residential and commercial space built on the nearly eleven acre property,
located in West LionsHead. The plans also include a proposal to realign the
South Frontage Road for additional continuity. The project is being represented
as one of the largest "green" environmentally sustainable resort development
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projects in North America. The project design has received a Platinum rating by
the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Neighborhood Development Program.
The town's development review process will take many months and includes
numerous phases. The initial milestones include the review of an application to
realign the South Frontage Road and other vehicular and pedestrian circulation
systems, consideration of an application to subdivide and reconfigure the
property lines affecting the development site, and a review of an application to
rezone a portion of the development site to the LionsHead Mixed Use - 2 zone
district.
Vail Village Parking Structure Berm Development Proposal
• In February, the council voted 4-2 to allow Triumph Development to proceed
through the development review process with an application to amend the Vail
Village Master Plan to allow for mixed-use development on the south side of the
Vail Transportation Center. The property is currently used as a berm to provide
an aesthetic buffer between I-70, the parking structure and Vail Village. The
interested developer, Steve Virostek of Triumph Development, had approached
town officials earlier in the year with a proposal to build high-end affordable
housing, retail and office space on the property. The master plan amendment
proposal was later voluntarily withdrawn to allow for a town-initiated update of the
Vail Village Master Plan. That update has since been completed and approved
by the Town Council and Triumph has resubmitted its application which is
undergoing review by the Planning and Environmental Commission.
Public Art
• An ordinance was approved by the Town Council in May establishing procedures
for approving public art in private development. Since 2005, the town has
accepted $4.1 million in public art commitments as public benefits. Examples
include The Edge at Mountain Plaza, Maypole at Arrabelle, Verdant Meadows
Illuminated Ice Sculptures and a contribution towards the new fountain at Seibert
Circle.
PUBLIC SAFETY & SECURITY
Vail Valley Forest Health
• For the fourth consecutive year, the town partnered with the U.S. Forest Service,
the Colorado State Forest Service, Eagle County, Upper Eagle Regional Water
District and Eagle River Water and Sanitation District to cut, pile and burn or
remove dead and diseased lodgepole pines in areas that are most at risk for
wildfire. The Vail Valley Forest Health work also includes the treatment of aspen
stands to rejuvenate the forest. The town again hired a six-person seasonal
wildfire mitigation crew to assist with the Forest Health effort, which was
launched in 2005 in response to the unprecedented pine beetle outbreak. Nine
project areas were targeted in 2008 on 233 acres of public land in and around
Vail. The work included a helicopter operation in June in which 1,000 lodgepole
pines were removed from water district property. The logs were trucked to a plant
in Kremmling to be recycled into wood pellets. In September, the town began
implementation of the first phase of a townwide inspection process to facilitate
the removal of dead trees on private property. Wildfire crew members canvassed
419 properties in neighborhoods in East Vail and Intermountain that are most at
risk for wildfire. Property owners who were found to have dead or diseased trees
on their land were notified of a town regulation that requires removal of the
hazardous trees within 30 days. If the trees cannot be removed within 30 days, a
town-approved mitigation plan and schedule is required of the property owner. A
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year-end summary presented to the Town Council in November identified 835
trees that were removed from town property. Crews also conducted 58 free
FireWise property inspections, up from 18 in 2007, and began burning the first of
1,500 slash piles.
Fire Staffing & Training
• Four firefighters were hired by the town during the year. Three of the positions
were new and represent a step toward staffing a West Vail fire station. The fourth
position replaces a department vacancy, bringing the total number of department
personnel to 23 full-time paid staff inembers, six seasonal wildland mitigation
members and 12 resident firefighters.
• Three firefighters received valuable first-hand experience in July when they
joined national relief efforts in California where crews had been battling hundreds
of wildfires throughout the state.
Fire Incidents
• Fire calls kept crews busy during the winter season. In January, firefighters were
dispatched to a boiler fire on Tahoe Drive in the Highland Meadows
neighborhood as well as a pool shed fire at Timber Falls Condominiums in East
Vail. With the season's significant snowfall, the department found itself asking
property owners and managers to make arrangements to remove hazardous ice
and snow accumulations that could endanger public safety. Despite the
warnings, those conditions caused natural gas leaks at the Vail Cascade Resort
& Spa, the Windstream Condominiums and a duplex in East Vail, among dozens
of others. Fire alarm systems installed at the newly opened Arrabelle at Vail
Square in LionsHead worked as designed when a small fire in the wall of a ski
valet area was discovered in February. The fire was extinguished quickly due to
firefighters/employees efforts using extinguishers in the inner wall spaces that
were involved. In October, an arson fire caused extensive damage to an
apartment complex at the Middle Creek housing development, but was quickly
extinguished by the activation of a single sprinkler head. The Thanksgiving Day
holiday proved challenging due to a massive water main break that threatened
several structures in the Vail Village.
In December, a fire caused eight occupants to be displaced and the complete
loss of a home due to an apparent unapproved installation of fireplace glass
doors. Total incidents for the fire department have increased approximately 32
percent over 2007, due to motor vehicle accidents, gas leaks, false alarms, fires,
etc.
Police K-9
• In February, the Police Department welcomed its newest member, K-9 Star, a
mixed breed of Belgian Malinois and German shepherd. She's been assisting the
department in finding missing persons, tracking criminals and narcotic detection,
plus she's available to assist Vail Mountain Rescue with missing person
searches. Her handler is Officer Ryan Millbern. Star was rescued by a Humane
Society in North Carolina and received training at the Highland Canine Training
center in North Carolina. She was donated to Vail by the Paul LeBlanc Memorial
Police Dog Donation program.
Noteworthy Incidents
• In what was determined to be one of the worst accidents on record, Vail's
emergency responders joined other local agencies in responding to the scene of
a 60-car pile up on Vail Pass in March. Sadly, the incident claimed the life of a
motorist and caused numerous injuries. It also helped serve as a catalyst in
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beginning the process to create an incident management plan for the I-70
corridor. (See Transportation/Parking section on page 6).
• A portion of the North Frontage Road was closed, buses were rerouted and
evacuations took place at the Vail Gymnastics Center and Red Sandstone
Elementary School in March as police investigated a possible bomb scare. The
investigation isolated the incident to a GPS tracking unit which had been
attached to a vehicle. Police said the device was placed on the vehicle by a
private investigator who was involved in a divorce case. The 52-year-old
investigator was later arrested and charged with criminal tampering.
• In the spring, residents were again asked to be diligent about keeping their
garbage stored properly with bear season underway. The town's wildlife resistant
container policies enacted the year before contributed to a peaceful bear season
with no reports of human-bear encounters.
• Tragedy struck a vacationing family in July when emergency personnel
responded to the Eagle Point Resort where a 3-year-old Kansas girl had fallen
into a swimming pool. The child was pulled from the pool by a guest and later
transported to Children's Hospital in Denver via a Flight for Life helicopter where
she died. A Vail Police investigation concluded the circumstances were
accidental.
• Interstate 70 was the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident that took the life of a
Fruita man in August when his westbound van hit an oil truck as the truck was
attempting to use an emergency turnaround near the East Vail exit. The driver of
the oil truck was later charged with careless driving causing bodily injury or
death. He was working for A&S Construction Co. of Canon City on the CDOT I-
70 overlay project at the time of the accident.
• A spring snowstorm endangered the safety of a police officer in May when his
patrol car was struck on I-70 as it was parked on the shoulder to assist with traffic
control during a Vail Pass closure. The officer was in the vehicle when it was
struck by an Avon man who approached the closure at an excessive rate of
speed and was unable to stop. The officer was treated and released.
• There was great relief from emergency responders when no injuries were
reported after a mobile construction crane toppled across the South Frontage
Road in July. The boom truck had been in use at the Vail Spa Condominiums in
LionsHead. Both lanes of the South Frontage Road were closed for
approximately 8 hours while emergency responders worked to cut the crane's
boom into pieces and remove the material from the road. Traffic was rerouted
onto West Lionshead Circle during the clean up. The crane company was later
cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for failing to fully
extend the crane's outriggers.
• In September the search for a 67-year-old East Vail man ended successfully
when the man was found unharmed after spending the night outdoors. More than
100 volunteers joined in the search to canvass Vail's neighborhoods before the
man, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was found.
• A record 190,000 pounds of food was collected during the Vail Police
Department's eighth annual Make a Difference food drive in October. Moses
Gonzales, a code enforcement officer, helped organize the drive, which resulted
in a 30,000 pound increase over the 160,000 pounds collected the previous year.
PARTNERSHIP & COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Vail Recreation District
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• In July, the VRD and Town of Vail defined next steps for recreational
programming following what both Vail Town Manager Stan Zemler and VRD
Executive Director Mike Ortiz called an historic agreement between the two
organizations. The 10-year agreement outlines repairs and replacement needs
for the facilities and areas including the Vail Golf Club, Tennis Center, Ford Park
athletic fields and VRD Youth Services in the LionsHead parking structure. The
agreement also continues to allow the VRD to operate programs and services
out of the town-owned facilities. A five-year capital plan is being used by both
entities to outline next steps for moving forward. Based on needs identified in the
plan, the VRD will contribute 48 percent and the town 52 percent through 2012.
Once capital plan items are completed, cost-share for projects is anticipated to
result in an annual 69 percent contribution by the VRD and 31 percent
contribution by the town.
• The Town Council and Vail Recreation District (VRD) finalized master facilities
lease agreements for recreation facilities owned by the town and operated by
VRD (with exception of the Vail gymnastics facilities lease). The agreements
signified a new spirit of cooperation between the two organizations.
Peer Resort Tour
• In April, a delegation from Vail headed to Park City for a peer resort visit, the first
such tour since 2000. The fact-finding trip was used to learn about Vail's
competition and best practices. Areas of focus included affordable housing,
transportation and parking, environmental sustainability, redevelopment,
wayfinding systems, recreational facilities and programs, customer service, and
special events and amenities. During a report-out to the community, attendees
said they were impressed with the quality of the for-sale and rental housing they
toured; the positive relationship between the municipality and the ski company;
and the arrangement of special events funding and coordination which is handled
by the chamber. The delegation, which included representation from the Town
Council, recommended continuing the trips as they were found to be valuable
and enlightening.
Vail Brain Bank
• During the Fourth of July holiday, the town announced creation of a new
outreach program designed to call upon the talents of those who are willing to
assist the town on complex matters. Names, expertise and time commitments
were then collected from interested volunteers. Vail Brain Bank volunteers may
continue to register at www.vailqov.com.
Community Picnic Series
• Donovan Pavilion, Bighorn Park and Ellefson Park were the settings for the
town's ninth annual neighborhood picnic series. The free summer picnics provide
an opportunity to offer comments and suggestions about community issues to
members of the Town Council and town staff.
Vail Town Meeting
• The Town of Vail Annual meeting was held for the eighth consecutive year to
showcase community priorities. The winter event has become a Vail tradition with
its part-business, part-social gathering format.
TOWN FINANCES AND SERVICES
Incremental Property Tax
• With property tax revenues exceeding 2008 budget estimates by approximately
$450,000 to $650,000 due to higher than estimated assessed valuations, the
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Council on April 15 (tax day) decided to direct the unanticipated revenue into the
Capital Projects Fund. Rebating was explored and rejected. In directing the
revenue to the Capital Projects Fund, the council noted the community's
awareness of projected shortfalls in the fund within the next five years. Property
taxes totaled $4.25 million for the year, or about 8 percent of the town's total
revenues.
2009 Budget
• In adopting a $51 million budget for 2009, the Town Council directed the town
manager and his staff to closely monitor expenditures and incoming revenue in
the event additional adjustments are needed. The budget reflects a transfer of
$750,000 from the General Fund to the Capital Projects Fund in recognition of
the need to sustain Vail's world class infrastructure. The transfer was made
possible by an $800,000 cut in the General Fund as directed by the Town
Council.
Street Maintenance
• Asphalt overlays were completed on portions of roads in East Vail and the West
Vail roundabouts. Street maintenance work also included an asphalt mill and
overlay of Vail Valley Drive and asphalt patching on East LionsHead Circle and
Vail Road. The East Vail Fire Station parking lot, as well as the recycle lot behind
the Community Development Building, were rebuilt and repaved in 2008.
Parks
• In January, the town held an open house to collect community input on
improvements to Red Sandstone Park. The work has been scheduled to take
place in the spring of 2009. Red Sandstone is one of nine Vail parks that feature
artistically inspired, custom-built play structures. In 2000 the town began the
process of upgrading equipment in all its parks to meet or exceed current
playground safety guidelines. Upgrades are complete in seven play areas, with
Red Sandstone and Booth Creek Park remaining.
Technology
• The computer system in the parking structures experienced a malfunction which
caused multiple credit card charges for the same transaction. Once alerted to the
errors, the town staff took immediate steps to reimburse customers for the
excess charges as well as any penalties incurred. A system bypass was installed
to prevent future duplicate charges.
• The town issued a Request for Proposals from entities interested in redesigning
the town's municipal web site. The firm Mitchell &Associates was selected from
among 35 proposals. The work is currently underway.
Employee Retention
• In August, Human Resources Director John Power reported the town would have
no returning seasonal international workers (that have left the country) for the
winter season due to federal government restrictions on H2B Visas. Action steps
to remedy the problem included recruiting trips to Yosemite and Mesa Verde
National Parks, exploring the Puerto Rican market, as well as increased web-
based advertising. Contacts were also established at summer resort areas
including Grand Canyon, Denali and Lake Powell for employee sharing
opportunities. The labor market improved dramatically several months later as a
result of the worsening economy.
• Recognizing the importance of retaining municipal employees, a housing equity
loan program was created for employees funded initially by $375,000 from the
2009 budget.
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Library
• Revised membership policies were introduced by Town Librarian Lori A. Barnes
to encourage immediate use by seasonal residents and others. Currently there
are 8,724 library patrons, including residents, seasonals and guests. The number
has grown by 1,517 patrons since July 30, 2008, when there were only 7,207
patrons. Other activities during the year included a celebration of the library's 25`n
anniversary, expansion of the summer reading program, introduction of a
reservation system for convenient access to the library's personal computers and
new program offerings for adults and families.
PEOPLE NEWS
• Throughout the year, 24 citizens were newly-appointed or reappointed to town
boards as follows: Roland Kjesbo, William Pierce, Sarah Robinson Paladino and
Susie Tjossem to the Planning and Environmental Commission; Michael Dantas,
Peter Dunning and Elizabeth Plante to the Design Review Board; Cookie Flaum,
Susan Frampson, James Poppell, Kathy Langenwalter and Steven DeWitt to Art
in Public Places Board; Kathy Langenwalter, Rich Seth and Lynne Fritzlen to the
Building & Fire Code Appeals Board; Jamie Gunion, Bob Llewellyn, Beth Slifer,
Adam Sutner and Mia Vilar to the Vail Local Marketing District Advisory Council;
and Kerry Donovan, Dave Chapin, Meggen Kirkham and Heather Trub to the
Commission on Special Events.
• The town also mourned the passing of Pete Burnett, a retired employee who had
served as the town's first street and roads superintendent during his 24 years
with the town. Pete was a long-time resident of Minturn.
• Mark Miller, Vail's new fire chief, began his first day of employment on Jan. 8.
Miller previously served as chief of the Hartford Fire Department in White River
Junction, Vt. The Colorado native also spent 25 years with the Loveland Fire and
Rescue Department, serving as chief from 2001 to 2005.
• Town Manager Stan Zemler participated in an Urban Land Institute Advisory
Panel to provide the town of Nantucket, Mass., with strategic advice regarding
sustainable development for its downtown. Zemler joined seven other panelists
from across the country in October for the 5-day session which included
interviews with community leaders and site visits across the island. Zemler was
selected to join the panel due to his expertise in the areas of economic
sustainability, resort planning and environmental protection.
RECOGNITION & AWARDS
• The town was recognized for its construction management programs by the
Colorado Chapter of the American Public Works Association. Recognition came
in two categories: Engineering/construction management; and Building Code
Administration.
• Recipients of the Vail Youth Recognition Awards were announced in May: Tony
Ryerson from Vail Mountain School and Olivia Fauland from Battle Mountain
High School.
• In the spring, the Town of Vail was named CIRSA's 2007 Safety Champion of the
Year for the second year in a row. The award represents innovative programs in
risk management. CIRSA is the Colorado Intergovernmental Risk Sharing
Agency which is a cooperative public entity self-insurance pool representing 250
of Colorado's municipalities. Vail is the only Colorado agency to receive this
award two years in a row.
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• Vail received national recognition when its Windmill Project was named among
the top 45 best public art works in the U.S. at the 2008 Americans for the Arts
annual convention held in June in Philadelphia. Denver was the second and the
only other Colorado city honored. The Windmill project was recognized as the
world's largest wind-powered environmental sculpture. It was displayed in spring
2007.
• The town's Wildlife Protection regulations, which require bear-proof and/or bear-
resistant containers in residential and commercial areas, continued to be
applauded as a model program by state wildlife officials due to its high
neighborhood compliance rate of 90 percent and the lack of human-bear
conflicts. As a result, the "Get a Nicer Can" campaign that was used to generate
community awareness earned the International Summit Creative Award. The
award was presented to Vail Police Officer Ryan Millbern, who serves as the
point of contact for the Wildlife Protection program during an August council
meeting.
• In November, the Vail Police Department was a recipient of a Community
Policing Finalist Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Of
the nearly 100 police agencies from across the country and world who were
nominated, only three agencies, including Vail, were selected for this special
recognition for departments serving populations of less than 20,000. Vail's
department was honored for its community partnership to manage the New
Year's Eve and Fourth of July visitors which was undertaken in 2001 after crowds
grew to 10,000 mostly underage revelers.
• In December, the ECO Trails Committee selected the Town of Vail to receive one
of its four annual Trail Supporter Awards for the numerous upgrades throughout
Vail's recreation path system over the past several years.
Appeals Court Upholds Vail Horizontal Zoning Case
• In October, the Colorado Court of Appeals issued a ruling in favor of the town
following a lawsuit challenging the town's interpretation of its zoning code. The
lawsuit had been filed by Covered Bridge, Inc., following a finding by the town
that a unit within the Covered Bridge Building was a "first floor" or "street level"
unit for purposes of zoning. Under the town's zoning code, buildings on Bridge
Street are subject to "horizontal zoning," which restricts uses based upon the
location of a unit within a structure relative to street level or grade. The plaintiff
had sought to lease the unit for uses only permitted in properties situated on the
second floor or above.
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