HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC17-0005 Letter from Johannes Feassler.pdf ti
Planning and Environmental Commission
Town of Vail
April 10, 2017
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Thank you for considering the Solar Vail Employee Housing Proposal at today's meeting. I am sorry that I
cannot attend in person, but would like to offer a few comments as you consider our proposal.
Employee Housing has and remains an essential part for our business,the Sonnenalp Hotel,to operate
and succeed. It is, in my opinion, critical to not only be able to offer employee housing as an employer
and as a community, but also offer the type of housing solutions that support the level of talent we seek
and require in a World Class resort town. Location of housing, rental rates, and overall quality of
provided housing are important elements.
After now decades of wrestling with employee housing challenges,the Sonnenalp has succeeded in
accumulating a variety of housing options for our employees.The Solar Vail property(24 one bedroom
apartments) is an important part of our housing portfolio. The Solar Vail structure has outlived its useful
life and needs to be replaced. In order to approve and finance a project that can become a reality,we
need some latitude from your commission in particular on requirements related onsite parking.
Otherwise, it will simply not be possible (for Sonnenalp anyway) to construct employee housing in this
location. I urge you to approach our proposal with an open mind and an understanding that the Solar
Project will not meet current Vail requirements for parking (and requires other variances) and that we
have to collaboratively find creative solutions outside the established zoning code to build and
successfully operate this project.
The proposed Solar Vail project has 68 units with 110 beds. 45-50 of those units are designed for
seasonal employee (3 months),J-1 Visa employees (12 months),and 4-Visa employees (15 months) and
other employees we hire for the winter or summer season periods.The most critical elements for
successful housing for these employees are proximity to the workplace and their rent expense.This
group of employees has cars only in the rarest of instances. We would propose to house this group of
employees at Solar Vail with the condition that no cars are permitted. For employees in that group with
a car we would offer alternate housing at either our Bighorn or Hamlet properties(both properties have
ample parking options). I feel very confident that this approach makes sense based on our many years of
experience. During the winter season 2016/17 we housed 46 employees at Solar Vail. Only 4 employees
have cars. In fact, we assigned 4 parking spaces at Solar Vail for employees housed at other rental
properties. Further, we regularly park several Sonnenalp Hotel vehicles at Solar Vail to make room at the
hotel for onsite parking, and we use Solar Vail parking for our employees commuting from further down
valley to make use of the otherwise unneeded parking on the current site.
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We have several other options to reduce parking need at Solar Vail under the proposal in front of you in
the event the current seasonal employee profile changes and the parking demand of Solar Vail residents
increases in the future.Some of those are as follows:
(1) Proposed office use—this use triggers a required 7 parking spaces. If it became necessary to
have those spaces for residential tenants,we would be able to offer a shuttle service for our
office employees to and from Solar Vail from either Edwards or other down valley parking areas.
We already operate a shuttle between the Sonnenalp Club and Vail and could easily modify the
schedule to meet those needs. We also see opportunity to use those spaces for both office use
during the day and residents use at night.
(2) We have the option to prioritize employees (other than seasonal employees)without cars to
Solar Vail as we offer other units in East Vail and West Vail with parking options.
(3) We can offer parking for Solar Vail Residents in off-site location (i.e. Bighorn Lodge)with
significant parking availability.Solar Vail employees do not need a car to travel from and to
work. Having a car available for their off-days in an off-site location is a workable option.
(4) We are considering a Solar Vail shuttle bus operated by on-site management to further
encourage and facilitate tenants without cars.This shuttle could be used for runs to various
shopping outlets,to work places other than Sonnenalp (walking distance),to support other car
trip saving functions, and other similar uses.
(5) We are brainstorming(although have not yet found a good solution)the option of a car sharing
option for a project such as Solar Vail. While this option looks difficult at this time, I believe it
will become a possible alternative in the future.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to your comments and insights as we attempt
to take an important step to help solve the employee housing problem in our community. Employee
housing has been a problem as long as I remember; it will not go away and, if anything,will only worsen
in the years to come without positive co-ordination between Town and private owners.
Sin erel , /
45
Jo' .tnnes Faessler