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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-07-06 Support Documentation Town Council Evening Session PART 2 OF 2 UZI~~~ ~ . . > :n> . : Gas tax, lottery monies. Sponsorship bad idea Would always be looking for Alternative activities for tourist and teens a a newsponsors politically correct sponsor. Better concert/meeting venue a/b a,b or c Should not rely on one funding source Would like to see a sheet of ice residents and visitors could skate without Civic Center a/b b scheduling. We need to have places for workers to live but should not scariHce Vairs Community Theater (3) a/b b precious arks and open aces I don't see why there has to be a "single" funding source. This Is a loaded Conference facility (4) a/b b question. Absolutely will organize and campaign against fundlnng for any project which Convention Center a/b undecided alters Gore Creek, remaining natural areas and mountain abiance. Golfcourse b b A public vote will defeat the proposals Green ace/ en Space (2) b b Keep Vail pristine, natural, exclusive, peaceful G stic ,(3) b b Preserve mountain atmosphere Housdi (2) b b The whole idea is absurd. Hub area - ldb -Dobson b b I really uestion the need for such a facility. Learning center b b It's time for a little realtionazy thinking on the part of our town. Ubrary (2) b b,a Do we really need to grow more? Take a lesson from some of the truly great desinations. (Alta, St. Barts, Low densi buildings b b/c Nantucket) Whatever use comes of this land, I hope the TOV citizens have the right to vote Multi use ace-functional, changeable (2) b b/c on it. Must fit the exlstin architectural designs in Vail b c Must respect citizens b c b c b c b c b c c (wk in Vail) c -former Vail res. need all 3 (2) . Add% ? a ) fi' uJia y s i?a>ii iY'it ist lik%'i'i `<i' i ii' £2{ i! `y t 'a € i j <''ii 5 Second Ice Sheet (11) Something new - learning ctr, event or adventure Transportation (2) Vail/Uonshead connection (3) Whatever generates the most activity X-strearn concept Youth / farritly friendly activities (3) Youth Center (3) Skate board facilities Nature walks Cafes Parks with playground facilities Kee as natural as possible Leave Gore Creek and wetlands as nature reserve Plaza - gathering space (2) Recreational Facilities (ice skate, bike, climbing, swlmmin)(2) None are in the best interest of Vail Natural Beau Ltmited Access Wildlife access to Gore Creek Pedestrian streets Green arks Creekside path Must respect views Parkin Performing Arts Team Evaluations Site Uses: a) excellent b)ySatisfacto c) Unsatisfacto Numbers in (]indicate multi le res onses. ii`s' ; ?y' Ci `''?;9::!i siiii; e . IX. I like that they took a big bite, almost too 4» much to chew, how incredible to if we can a (8) don't miss judge just b/c of "across the river" Ideas Very Creative Impossible to implement manse to. swallow. "Fusion of community & resort" - great b (4) Unique approach Facilities tied together Swim in East Vail statement Thought it through, said what they thought c (11) Understand Vail Ice Palace Bun condo in Lionshead?? not what we wanted to hear. Too big & overwhelming Donovan Park remained Park would like to hear more Loved approach and entry Don't seem as connected to our community, would they really understand as they work All in one place Overall view Ubrary addition _ with TOV? Stuff across the river would be farther from parking and hard to get Broad concept, specifies not covered Aspen corridor (4) to with families/ rou s Not as easily approachable Doesn't touch on "bad" past of LK makes worse Trying to make a community Not in Vail character The "Big" thinking this project needs Very poor - removal of lodging unacceptable Intensity of hub Too grandiose Too fankee it simple visionary Attention to creek (2) Overwhelming Keep to of structure for transportation Plans should not remove limited green space Ignored need for conference space nor should they require condemnation of Weakest proposal Grandness of the idea completely private properties. guestion the need of many of the proposed facilities when local retail, restaurants are Poor (2) Connection to river Imax - ridiculous use struggling. Great Sense of arrival Too much like a city Use evergreens instead of aspens in corridor Condemnation will create higher cost and delays; trying to take homes away fmm long time second owners & locals will create divisiveness, hostility Instead of community Too concentrated in one place Town Centers Probably impossible solution harmony- The Green Team's concepts are very L.A. In nature, essentially creation of a glitzy inner Doesn't appear to connect to existing city environment in Lionshead, ignoring other Stupid reliance on condemnation Creek as focal point facilities as well as the others. arts of town. If this team says skier visits are flat now - they will assure this trend with more development. Young Very hard to conceptualize - could The team's heavy reliance on condemnation of families will not come to Vail to stay. Vail will have used more visual - 3 residential private property for realization of become another Estes Park catering to T-Shirts. Financials seem well thought out dimensional or model their plans seems unwise. right to condemn the properties in question, the cost in dollars and ill-will among the Development of wetlands south side owners of those properties is likely to be very Ok Solves problems of Gore Creek high. There is nothing remotely related to mountain Love the arrival experience 1-70 screen Gets into wetlands in Lionshead llvi . iy`% li> i? .::...::::::;:a::::::::::::::::: o::;n;;xi!o:o:::::;:::o;::;::•:.::\,w:..•::::..•:::. ~:::::::::::::o:o-;:!o. <;a:;:o::::.::::::m::r ; • .:.::;:.:;::.:.'i::::: r::::::: ! <:i3`i: ...!!F!! . 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T iF #E>def Phase approach -Kept hub site for guest & height, does it fit the rest of Vail's Seemed to understand the 1lonshead a [8) Well done Comm architecture Maste lan & community transparent/glass open areas, mtn remodel of Dobson, build over not Too much emphasis on what decision makers b (2) don't like idea of spreading out trademark in plaza destroy historical design - wanted to hear and able to be done in pieces if c (6) Network of facilities and ideas for replacement More passive as you move out from hub necessary Good mix of people first choice Connection to natural environment Ice Idea - bnT Understand all the co lexltles / flexlbflf Good to have Design Wkshp on team, Cutting off Dobson roof and reroofing Glass peak roofs knowledge of Idonshead Master Plan Doesn't touch on 'bad" LH past, makes worse Better walkway from Uonshead to Ubrary Doesn't allow for future expansion talk to. Good use of exlstin bld s Ice Plaza and all the windows Not comprehensive Use of exlstln bld s unremarkable, expected Multi purpose area Too much chrorne/glass Phased implementation good Concept shows too much development on arks Gymnastic area close to parking design Too fan keep its le Appears to be well suited into the existing Drawings not conducive to Vail, structures Ties into environmental hub concept representative of another area Keep to of structure for transportation are not as compatible with the residential structures across the Very good Modi~ Dobson for other uses street. No uniqueness to Vail Converting Dobson will result in primary use other than skating Too much development - needs to be more Poor Flexible space I.e. youth ctr facility. This is a serious flaw in the discriminating Great Golf Club, multi use Overview appears "Disney like". (2) Views are greatly acted Would not stand the test of time - Creative use of eadstin facilities Plaza very much a theme ark look. Seems to be the most creative Spreading facilities around town and creating them with parks and recreational paths revitalizes whole Thank you for finding ways to use Dobson the whole community Tlers Design of architecture Arena and not taking way our residences! Phasing development with stand alone phasing is smart, economical and allows for future flexibility needs changes Climbing wall Gets into wetlands Poor use of space above parking center. Design should be more classical, traditional Allows for more diversity of funding sources Ability to phase in Nothing and lasting. The Colonnade is cold, obtrusive and could be easily situated in Manhattan or Chicago - Don't people Question need for meeting rooms as already The "Ice Palace" is an abberatlon. Difficulty following plan come to Vail to escape the ci ! supplied b local hotels. Very much against using Dobson for more Who needs a climbing wall in the mountains when concerts & other venues - we need two sheets one can do the same at an REI store in Denver. Sitin / hasabili Too man brld es across Gore Creek ' of ice for hock & figure skating now. Grand Promenade is too mechanical A model of each would have been much easier Better of the three if it must be good architecture - SAFE and Disn sh for the non-architect, non-planner. Heard several people commenting on lack of Too massive Concept of the entire Town being used concepts from all teams. Best concept of linking facilities, activities to Please keep the theme of Vail in mind, do not Directed more toward community & TOV nature & creating places where locals and destroy what we have. residents visitors can intemdn e e a 00 <; €i:? "'::fea abant fh s#Itesi?€ This is supposed to be a quaint Ice palace is imaginative integration of Bavarian IMage...that is what indoors and out attracts guest to Vail. Liked their approach and ideas. Creates informal gathering places for social Seemed to understand Vail and its future activities & impromteau. meetings needs. Spreading new public facilities throughout the valley and using existing facilities as the basis A ttve reuse for new ones seems like the right way to o. The modular approach to planning,-with each new or upgraded facility being independent of others, seems like a pragmatic Nothing and workable approach. Everyd-Ang Would like to see this team chosen. Urnited What are you thlnicin . add to our attraction? NOTHING ~ . , o± . ka€ s: IE ai?ea.. : . co wal€ ~ mar ; Kay river reminded of pool complex `>!s.`•s'°'.#' that was voted down. More than a (4) Don't like reads stuff all around Connects Lionshead/Vail what the coaanun! asked for. Seemed more guest than community oriented "People love to come to share there is a sense of community" very good_ quote, very wise to L1ke the Adventure Center on South side of LH keep "next generation" in mind, something this -b (6) parldng structure flexible "2nd ice" area, outside goes in make a dense corridor more dense valley has forgotten. Racquet club would be good upgrade but would Residential always ends up in c (6) people use it? "next generation!' positive phrase conflict with public uses I.e. Red Lion Fire station at Town shop Residential needs separate location Push out single homeowners? I don't think so. X-stream adventure center or component on edge. Out of box thinking, flexibility Liked linking everything together Combination of nature and culture Buying Ltonshead Lodge, etc. Good rapport between team members good Connection to Dobson Very 70's in style listen and understand community good - future minded Convention center where Subway is'located Boxy architecture Very organized/concise/well planned resent Concept: ok as long as existing neighbors welcome the construction Tram/walkway Tle the across the creek area in better Thought more about the cash and feasibiliHousing, if not a Mtn. Bell site should be What happened to existing residential units? Lighting Removal of s/f homes questionable mainly employee "homogenous" architecture - strip creates excellent flow and connection Architectural points of reference . mail meets Vail Mon Phase I ok Phase II bad en airy structures Too much like Beaver Creek Too fancy k its le Integration of Lionshead/Vafl to form core Top of LH structure should, be for Excellent tram/pedestrian connection No housing here transportation Adventure architectural design & materials This team is on the right track, but don't want Ok to enhance character No definition of Vail to look like Dallas (chrome/ s) Great Multi use facilities / Too much chrome/ glass B far the strongest concept. Do we really want a tram in Vail for Too concentrated in one lace Conference aces such short distances? Best use of space Same stupid reliance on condemnation as Green Team Housing on parking structure Do not take away residential units. Excellent flow and integration. To ruin the last natural pristine area of Gore Creek Question the need for duplication of civic with a kayak course and natural trail is ridiculous. center and meeting rooms already provided by We already have this at Ford Park Good master planning Phase Il local hotels. Kayak river reminded of pool complex that was voted down. More than Too massive Housing in Town what the community asked for. Expensive and seasonal Seems like there is a betteruse than Respect for arks kayaking Vail already too crowded Question the need for additional hotels, retail. pretty ictures Access to Lode at Lionshead restaurants when man in town are struggling. Phase II requires condemnation of private Meets the largest number of goals. Nothing property which I strongly oppose. Traditional/lasting Too urban, especially train Question hotel where condos are. Too much big new building without No one will really use it. People can kayak or the tram - streetcar concept (2) use of existing facilltfes walk thm the meadow as it is now. ;l '`21^''>j`E??£`< s :;;x se::., ; : i8 : % !:iN:::£:: >:.i:::::::....... i 3 ' `;sjg; ,::.::.;:;::.;::;Sf 2i i8 i i5:2 !::i : Li:2%:.; ..<;;:;r.::.'..;:.:::.:r:.;•:~:.;:: ,r:•z ;i :::i::<: iki: < i :i::: : Large civic center is too institutional, Condemnation will create higher cost, delays; provides no integration with natural trying to take away homes from long time Promenade environment second homeowners & locals No informal areas where locals and Will create divisiveness& hostility instead of EveWthing visitors can intermingle community harmony The Grand Promenade looks exacly The plans weren't as heavily centered around like Disneyland. Will the Golden Bear Uonshead as the Green Team's but thought sell "stuffed animals - Golden Bears" the emphasis was still too heavy around Civic Center and rest of Phase I ? Uonshead. Think the condemnation of property is a bad None Too much, ass, Hollywood idea. Kayak course another alternative for skiers Tram made little sense, don't see how it would and locals provided cost is kept down. be better than the existingbus service. Please do not take away the family homes on West Meadow Drive - these are true old timers Nothin - what happened to our Swiss Villa of Vail. sac.. 4::......,..o...... 8 c tom.; Shouldn't think in terms of massive structures but ones that fl t the topography and geography Need to build on our existing village (tymlean) creatively and come u with unique desi s. Vail needs to be defined by its citizens and this should be communicated to the. architects All of these proposals - the whole concept is self defeating. Tourists want natural mountain beauty and sports - Residents want sports - real sports - not contrived real reock climbing, kayaking etc. Don't we already have enough of this available in Ford Park? Do we really need to attract more people than are now visiting in summer or winter? How about an emphasis on quality not quantity. TShirt shops are already In over supply Let's stop new construction for at least some period to et a grip. Liked the consultant who said to be who we are - hope we concentrate on our successes as In the past , ~y TOWN OF VAIL Office of the Town Manager 75 South Frontage Road, Vail, Colorado 81657 970-479-2105/Fax 970-479-2157 TM MEMORANDUM TO: Vail Town Council FROM: Robert W. McLaurin, Town Manager DATE: July 2, 1999 SUBJECT: Town Manager's Report WE Finding _Signa e Project As we have discussed, we are in the process of trying to improve our direction signage in the Vail Village and Lionshead. Several weeks ago we sent a request for proposals to a number of firms which work in this area. We received seven responses to our RFP and are in the process of evaluating them. We hope to select a firm next week and begin this work immediately. As we have discussed, our intention is to improve directional signage from I-70 to the parking structures and throughout the commercial cores. It is our intention to have this work complete by the 1999- 2000 ski season. Slifer Plaza Fountain The repairs at Slifer fountain are now complete and the fountain will be operating effective Friday, July 2, 1999. July 4`' Holiday We are expecting a large crowd during the July 4"' holiday and as last year have hire additional law enforcement officers to help with traffic control and crowd control. We believe that we are well positioned to deal with these crowds. Holy Cross Power Upgrade Holy Cross Energy intends to upgrade approximately 13,500 lineal feet of power transmission lines in the West Vail area later this summer. As indicated on the attached map, the project has been broken into two phases. Within the first phase, the project will begin at the location "A" on the map, and will terminate at location "C" on the map. The second phase of this project will begin at location "C" and will terminate at location "D." Holy Cross is proposing to construct the section between "B" and "C" underground and eliminate the overhead transmission lines. They are proposing to replace the overhead transmission lines in Section A-B with overhead transmission lines. ~Aptt RECYCLEDPAPER Through the Town of Vail's franchise agreement with Holy Cross, a 1% "Community Enhancement Fee" is generated. It was anticipated that these Community Enhancement Funds would be used to help offset to cost of undergrounding utilities and other beautification projects. As indicated on the cost table attached to the map, the additional money required to underground this section (B to C) is $237,000. These costs to be offset by the Community Enhancement Fund. If the Town desires section A-B be reconstructed underground, the additional cost would be $441,000. This would require a contribution from the Town of Vail Capital Projects Fund. It is my recommendation we proceed with the underground of section B-C and section A-B would be reconstructed using overhead lines. I do not believe it is cost effective to spend this much money on 3000 linear feet of underground utilities. UPCOMING MEETINGS PEC/DRB report Executive Session - personnel matters Discuss Parking Rates Review budget calendar Discussion of PA zone district amendments 7/20/99 WS Pine Beetle presentation Employee generation potential plan 7/20/99 TC 1't read Ord. No. , re: PA zone district amendments 2"d read Ord. No. 10, Marriott 2"d read Ord. No. 16, open space designation 2"d read Ord. No. 17, re: sale of Red Sandstone property Proclamation No. re: Colorado Cares PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION . PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE Monday,-June 28, 1999 FINAL AGENDA Project Orientation / PEC LUNCH - Community Development Department 11:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT John Schofield Galen Aasland Diane Golden Brian Doyon Tom Weber Chas Bernhardt Doug Cahill Site Visits : 12:30 p.m. 1. A & G Development - 5166 Black Gore Drive 2. Boniface - 2038 Sunburst Drive 3. Bergey - 2427 Chamonix Lane 4. Huerta - 3003 Bellflower Drive Driver: George NOTE: If the PEC hearing extends until 6:00 p.m., the board will break for dinner from 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Public Hearing - Town Council Chambers 2:00 p.m. 1. A request for a minor subdivision, to vacate a common lot line creating a new lot, and a variance, to allow for the establishment of an access easement less than 40' in width, located at 5166 Black Gore Drive / Lots 4 and 5, block 1, Gore Creek Subdivision. Applicant: A & G Development Partners Planner: Brent Wilson MOTION: Chas Bernardt SECOND: Galen Aasland VOTE: 7-0 APPROVED NEW LOT LINE WITH 1 CONDITION: 1. The proposed new access easements must be recorded with the Eagle County Clerk and Recorder's Office prior to the recording of the proposed amended plat. The easement will be recorded on all affected lots. If these access easements are not recorded; the amended plat shall not be recorded and become void. 1 TOWNOFVAIL MOTION: Doug Cahill SECOND: Chas Bernhardt - VOTE: 7-0" APPROVED VARIANCE WITH 1 CONDITION: 1. The proposed new access easements must be recorded with the Eagle County Clerk and Recorder's Office prior to the recording of the proposed amended plat. The easement will be recorded on all affected lots. If these access easements are not recorded, the amended plat shall not be recorded and become void. 2. A request for a side setback variance, from Section 12-6D-6, to allow for a bathroom and closet addition, located at 2427 Chamonix Ln. / Lot 21, Block A, Vail Das Schone 1St. Applicant: John and Karen Bergey Planner: Dominic Mauriello - MOTION.: Doug Cahill SECOND: Chas Bernhardt VOTE: 7-0 APPROVED WITH 1 CONDITION: 1. That the DRB review and approve the parking improvements, prior to the issuance of a building permit. 3. A request for a rear setback variance, from Section 12-6D-6, to allow for a deck enclosure, located at 2038 Sunburst Drive / Lot 17, Vail Valley 3rd' Applicant: B. R. and Roxanne Boniface, represented by Leslie Davis of RDC Planner: Allison.Ochs MOTION: Galen Aasland SECOND: Doug Cahill VOTE: 7-0 APPROVED WITH 1 CONDITION: 1. That prior to Design Review Board approval, the applicant shall submit an exterior lighting plan which brings the lot into conformance with Section 12-11-5J (Exterior Lighting) of the Town Code.. 4. A request for a variance from Section 12-6D-6 of the Town of Vail Municipal Code, to allow for an encroachment into the required side and front setbacks, located at 3003 Bellflower Drive / Lot 9, Block 6, Vail Intermountain. Applicant: Mr. Guillermo Huerta Planner: George Ruther MOTION: Brian Doyon SECOND: Doug Cahill VOTE: 7-0 APPROVED VARIANCE FOR FRONT SETBACK MOTION: Brian Doyon SECOND: Chas Bernhardt VOTE: 7-0 DENIED VARIANCE FOR SIDE SETBACK 5. A request for a final review of a proposal to amend the Town's "Public Accommodation Zone District," Chapter 7 and amendments to Chapter 15, Gross Residential Floor Area (GRFA), Town of Vail Municipal Code. Applicant: Johannes Faessler, represented by Braun Associates, Inc. Planner: George Ruther MOTION: Galen Aasland SECOND: Brian Doyon VOTE: 7-0 2 RECOMMEND TO TOWN COUNCIL WITH ADDITIONS: 1. That no surface parking be allowed in the front setback. 2. That below-grade parking be allowed in the setback, and if additional parking be required on lots, it be at the descretion of the PEC. 3. That a section be added similar to 12-A-6, with text added to delineate parking with the exception of item #2 from the staff memo. 4. That short-term guest parking be allowed in the setback. 5. That a variance or SDD not be needed for parking deficiencies on lots under a'/2 acre. 6. A request for the establishment of Special Development District No. 37 (Antlers), to allow for the construction of 24 new condominiums, 7 new employee housing units and a new, parking structure level, located at 680 W. Lionshead Place (the Antlers)/ Lot 3, Block 1, Lionshead Third Filing. Applicant: Antlers Condominium Association, represented by Robert LeVine Planner: George Ruther MOTION: Diane Golden SECOND: Galen Aasland VOTE: 7-0 TABLED UNTIL JULY 12, 1999 7. A request for a final recommendation to the Vail Town Council of the Development Standards Handbook. Applicant: Town of Vail Planner: Allison Ochs MOTION: Galen Aasland SECOND: Doug Cahill VOTE: 7-0 TABLED UNTIL JULY 12, 1999 (to allow for text changes) 8. A request for a minor subdivision, to vacate common lot lines to create a new lot, located at 2477, 2485, 2487, 2497 Garmisch / Lots 1-4, Block H, Vail Das Schone #2. Applicant: Town of Vail, represented by Nina Timm Planner: Allison Ochs TABLED UNTIL JULY 12,1999 9. A request for a conditional use permit, to allow for the construction of a Type II employee housing unit, located at 265 Forest Road / Lot 21, Block 7, Vail Village 1St Filing. Applicant: Lawrence Flinn, represented by Mitchell Studio, LLC Planner: Allison Ochs TABLED UNTIL JULY 12, 1999 10. A request for a final review of a proposed locker room expansion and loading dock addition to the Dobson Ice Arena, located at 321 E. Lionshead Circle/Lot 1, Block 1, Vail Lionshead 2nd Filing. Applicant: Vail Recreation District Planner: George Ruther TABLED UNTIL JULY 12, 1999 3 11. A request for a variance from Section 12-6D-6, to allow for a building encroachment into` a rear setback, located at 2657 Arosa Drive / Lot 8, Block-D, Vail Ridge. Applicant: Town of Vail, Planner: Allison Ochs TABLED UNTIL JULY 12,1999 12. Information Update ? "Conflicts of Interest" -Tom Moorhead 13. Approval of June 14, 1999 minutes. The applications and information about the proposals are available for public inspection during regular office hours in the project planner's office located at the Town of Vail Community Development Department, 75 South Frontage Road. Please call 479-2138 for information. Sign language interpretation available upon request with 24 hour notification. Please call 479-2356, Telephone for the Hearing Impaired, for information. Community Development Department 4 $ * 92017 R • X= 25-27, 1999 Protesters plan anti- Vail Vigil Earth First! to train in forest protection techniques in Vail BY ROBERT KELLY-Goss Daily Trail Staff As bulldozers roll and trees fall in Vail Resorts' Category III construc- tion zone, green sympathizers will be - out en masse to protest the ski compa- ny's permitted, 885-acre ski area expansion. Robert Alsobrook, spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Vail Expansion, said that, beginning Thursday, July 1, protesters will gather near the Vista _ Bahn chairlift at the top of Vail's Bridge Street to educate and support local, independent businesses that might be feeling the sting of. Vail Special to The Daily Trail Resorts' ski area and business expan- Vail security crews will be on alert next week as demonstrators protest the sion efforts. beginning of Category III expansion construction on July 1. Officials hope to' "We must continue to punish Vail avoid a repeat of last fall's costly arson attack on Two Elk restaurant protest- Resorts for this project," Alsobrook ing the ski area expansion. said. "Expose the deceit, spread the truth and give Vail Resorts a bad name For Vail Resorts' part, senior vice tion" will be available for participants in the ski industry. president of public affairs Porter at the Two Elk camp ground near "With the help of locals and busi- Wharton said the group can go about Minturn. ness owners who are reeling under its business - as long as its business "If, however, their plans interfere Vail Resorts attempt to secure more of does not interfere with the ski compa- with our ability to do business or the tourist dollar, perhaps we can ny begin construction, the authorities financially shackle this corporation." "If what they're planning is peace- will be called to deal with it," Vail Resorts was given the green ful and does not obstruct our con- Wharton said. light last summer by the United States struction activities, we are strong Wharton added that if the group is Forest Service to move forward with advocates of First Amendment rights," determined to launch a strong cam- plans to clear trees for ski runs and paign of words, Vail Resorts will take erect chairlifts in the Back Bowl action and "set the record straight." expansion. However, environmental "If what they're planning is Category III construction is expect- groups argued that the Forest peaceful and does not ed to last through the fall. Workers Service's decision was not grounded will be clearing in fact, and they sued the agency. obstruct our construction w g ski runs and erecting A U.S. District Court judge ruled in activities, we are strong chairlifts. Wharton said that while the opening - favor of the Forest Service last fall, advocates of First date for the ski area is set for the but the environmental groups Amendment rights." 2000-2001 ski season, the possibility appealed to the IOth Circuit Court of of opening sooner exists if construc- Appeals. The ruling is still pending. - porter Wharton tion schedules move forward without Alsobrook said the group's goal is on planned protests interruption. to keep up the political pressure on Last fall, a fringe eco-terrorist Vail Resorts in hopes that the publicly group calling itself the Earth held corporation will "sell the resort Wharton said. or Liberation Front claimed responsibili- scrap the expansion." Alsobrook does not mention acts of ty- for the worst act of environmental The coalition's plans to protest the civil disobedience as part of the terrorism on U.S. soil: a $12 million expansion will begin on Thursday, group's efforts, but some Earth First! arson attack on Vail Mountain in the July 1, with a demonstration. It will supporters from a recent "ren- name of the endangered Canada lynx. continue through the Fourth of July dezvous" are expected to attend, and Vail Resorts stepped up security in the weekend with educational forums and ,training in the art of forest protec- wake of the Oct. 19 attack, but no more demonstrations. k Page Ar 7h&Vsily, Friday, June 18,1999.- 97GS494655 SECTION • STUDENT UNION MEETING, A3 ' TRANSIT GROWTH, A4 • CHURCH ON A MISSION, AS June 18, 1999 Protests plan'ned for July''.1 at Vail' By Bob, Environmentalists bitterly fought Y Berwyn Su the expansion proposal every step of mmit Daiy N. the way, first appealing the USFS Environmental activists opposed OK through administrative chan- to Vail Resorts' Cat III terrain addi nels, and then with a lawsuit in fed- _ tion say they will intensify their eral court. But they have lost every campaign to block that expansion - round thus far, with a final appeals just as the July 1 start of the on- court decision still outstanding. mountain construction season The debate over Cat III reached a approaches. flash point last autumn when a group A coalition of green groups, calling itself the Earth Liberation including Ancient Forest Rescue Front took credit for a costly and and Colorado Wild, plan a number dangerous arson attack atop Vail of public protests and demonstra- Mountain, claiming the fires were tions both on the Front Range and in set on behalf of the lynx. the Vail area during the coming Now, the green groups have weeks. vowed to take their opposition to the . The Cat III expansion - more streets, planning a series of public _ than 800 acres of north-facing ter- protests they say are designed to rain directly across Two Elk Creek educate the public about the impacts from Vail's existing back bowls - of the Vail's expansion plan-and _ was approved by the U.S. Forest to tannish the public image of the Dally Rle photo Service last year, followin ears of Environmental groups plan several protests this summer for the Canada lx. Y g years resort conglomerate. Yn environmental review. The approval The environmental groups requires the resort to implement launched the activist phase their Wildlife service delays lynx decision extensive mitigation measures to campaign with a staged protest this protect what environmental groups week, when Ancient Forest Rescue say is the last best patch of habitat member Ben Doon was arrested It will be another six months before the U.S. Fish and "on behalf of the lynx." Federal investigators have not for lynx - a secretive feline that after occupying a 20-foot-tall tripod Wildlife Service decides whether to fist the Canada lynx been able to verify the origin of the e-mail message, and will likely soon be listed as threat- in front of the state capitol in Den- as a threatened species. the arson case remains unsolved. ened or endangered under federal ver. Doon says he was protesting the With an original deadline of July 8, the regional With the U.S. Forest Service's approval of Catego- law' corporate destruction of Colorado's office of the Fish and Wildlife Service needed more ry III granted last fall, the ski company plan to contin- Green groups say the expansion wildlands time to evaluate a lynx study being conducted by a team ue tree-cutting July 1. will slice through the core of the Doon remained on the structure of scientists, according to Diane Katzenberger, spokes- After the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed last Two Elks roadless area which they until a cherry picker arrived to pluck woman for the service. The new deadline is Jan. 8, July to list the lynx as threatened under the Endangered consider a vital biological fink him down. He was promptly arrest- 2000. Species Act, the Forest Service's Rocky Mountain between the Eagles Nest Wilderness ed by the Denver police. "Because there's so much disagreement, we really Research Station formed a scientific team to evaluate to the north and the Holy Cross feel we need to review and evaluate this report before Wilderness to the south. They claim Another protest is planned this the lynx ecosystem and habitat. The new information, } we make a decision," Katzenberger said. hundreds of acres of old growth for- coming week at the U.S. Fish & The Endangered Species Act allows a six-month forKarzsting t er said could atened, o n the biological basis lynx est will be lost, and that the ex an- Wildlife Service's regional head- extension in making final determinations on listing pro- listing the aw is threatened rit could lead the ser- sion will exacerbate roblemsPike quarters at the Federal Center in vice to withdraw its proposal. the lack of affordable ble housing, 1- Lakewood. The green groups have posals when there is substantial disagreement regarding "Extensions for final decisions are rarely granted, so Po the sufficiency or accuracy of the available data. The lution and urban sprawl in the Vail accused the agency - responsible regional office received the federal Fish and Wildlife obviously the Washington office felt there was sub- Valley. for managing threatened and endan- Service office's approval for the extension Thursday. stantial information to warrant an extension," Katzen- Resort and Forest Service offi- gered species and their habitat- of "This is just one more example of the fact that the berger said. cials counter that the new terrain - caving in to political pressure by Fish and Wildlife Service has had to be dragged kick- The Fish and Wildlife Service has its own team of which faces north and thus holds the establishing a policy that effectively ing and screaming to do anything to protect the lynx," biologists, but the study being conducted by the sorest snow well - will help meet the writes offColoradoas potential3ynx said Ted Zukoski, attomey for the Land and Water Service's group will "probably (be) the most co-npre- demand for intermediate terrain at habitat. - . Fund. `*While they're extending the listing period, lynx hensive assessment of the lynx there is," Katzenterger Vail Mountain. Resort officials also More protests are planned for. habitat,will continue to be destroved."' said. argue that ski areas only use a tiny July 1 in Vail - the day, eonstriic= Although officials have not confitmcdirecent lynx "Unfortunately. we have a limited amount of man- percentage of all the Forest Service tion crews head toward the Cat llt siehtings in Vail, environmentalists believe the roadless power.- she said. "So when you get a team of sci;ntists land in the state. with only minimal area. The protesters will gather near areas of Vail Mountain to be prime lynx habitat - a that are. experienced in lynx ecology and biology, it impact to natural resources. And the Vail's base area to signal their dis- point of contention that has sparked protests and law- does signify important information that we need to look extensive mitigation aareed to by may with the 'project. Vail suits against Vail Resorts' 885-acre Category III at." the resort will ensure the integrity of spokesman Paul Witt says construe- : expansion plan. Katzenberger anticipates receiving the scientists' lynx habitat in the area. Vail con- tion on Cat III will indeed com- Two days after last fall's arson fires atop Vail Moun- report by the end of July. The report will then be made tributed more than $200,000 to a mence July 1. and that authorities, in rain that caused S12 million in damage, an underground available to the public, and the public comment period lynx reintroduction effort, now light of last year's arson, will activist group called Earth Liberation Front purported- wilCbe.re-opened for 30 days, under way in the San luans. undoubtedly beef up security. ly claimed responsibility via e-mail for the destruction, - Elizabeth Maitem DEAN O. MORTON REcE111ED JUN 2 8 19/y~y 25857 WESTWIND WAY LOS ALTOS HILLS, CALIFORNIA 94022 TELEPHONE: (650) 941-2971 FACSIMILE: (650) 941 -6243 June 24, 1999 Mr. Greg Hall Director Town of Vail Department of Public Works/Transportation 1309 Elkhorn Drive Vail, CO 81657 Dear Mr. Hall: I was pleased and gratified to receive your recent letter telling me of your plans to enact a screening fence on the south side of the Lionshead Charter Bus Lot. I very much appreciate your response to our request and your courtesy in informing me of the action to be taken. We greatly enjoy our time in Vail and this improvement will add to that enjoyment by removing an eyesore. We feel warmly about the treatment we have received from you and the Council and other town officials on this matter. Sincerely Dean O. Morton cc: ?Vail Town Council Bob McLaurin, Town Manager Larry Pardee, Street Superintendent Jeff Bailey, General Manager, Lodge at Lionshead JUN-25-1999 FRI 11:33 AM SLIFER DESIGNS FAX NO, 9709260328 P. 01 RECEIVED JUN 2 8 199U, Amy Friesen Work: 9701926-8200 Fax: 9701926-8228 June 25, 1999 Vail Town Council Members 75 South Frontage Road Vail, CO 81657 Sent via facsimile to: 479-2157 Dear Council Members: I am writing about the parking situation during the Men's Tuesday night softball league, which runs into conflicts with the Hot Summer Nights concert series- Last year, softball players and spectators were allowed to park for free at the field, but apparently that is not the policy this year. On Tuesday, June 22"4, I entered the parking lot at 5:25 p.m. with my 4-month old daughter. I was told that parking was $5.00, regardless of whether for softball or the concert. I had arranged to meet someone, so I waited by the attendants for approximately 15 minutes to let my friend know I wouldn't be staying. I did not see one bus enter the parking lot in that timeframe, nor did I pass a bus on the Frontage Road on my way back into Vail. My question, then, is how are the players and spectators supposed to park at the Structure and get to a 5:30 game (most of us work until 5:00) if there isn't any bus service provided? I did talk to Mike Rose who explained that bus service was scheduled around the concert event, but not the softball games. Most spectators at these games are the families of the players; it is difficult and dangerous to walk with young children from the parking structure to the field along that busy road. The teams already pay a significant amount of money to play in the league and have no control over which night they play. I think it is unfair for us to be penalized with parking fees due to a "free" concert. Surely this can be easily solved! I would appreciate a response as soon as possible - hopefully before next Tuesday's games. Sincerely, Amy Friesen ,`fly, i I I Talking, Not F*Ight*ing A Vail conference showed that ski areas and i I.: hard-line environmentalists now agree on the value of staying out of court. Text and photos by John Fry i; Is the 3o-year war over development, fought by environmen- solutions, agreed the Sustainable Summits conferees, are to: { tal organizations and ski areas in the courts, nearing an end? Get all the issues on the table at the earliest possible stage. It may be. The wastefulness of litigation and the advantages Allow stakeholders to participate in how studies are done, of collaboration formed a central theme of Sustainable Sum- so they won't raise questions of fairness later. mits, a March 14-16 conference at Vail, which looked at the Agree on having a fair and honest process, even if there is future of mountain resort communities. Limited to 65 invitees, no initial agreement on means to resolve the issues. the conference included top officials from ski towns and coun- Leave out no one who has a stake in the outcome. ties, the Forest Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, "Stakeholders must have more up-front information," said ski areas and historic opponents of ski area expansion-envi- Jeff Berman, president of Colorado Wild, Inc. Environmental ronmental advocacy groups, like High Country Citizens advocacy groups become aroused, he said, by "too much r 1th Alliance and the Conservation Law Foundation. hour information," previously held back by the developer, a The conferees concluded that, in some cases, ski resorts view often heard by the Forest Service. The process should be are no longer the 8oo-pound gorilla threatening mountain val- more up-front and open. All the information needed by stake- leys. Rather, the villain of rampant commercial over-develop- holders should be on the table and available to them. ment is bigger and more complex: Thousands of people "ran environmental impact statement should belong to the moving to the mountains for reasons additional to skiing. In a whole community," said top EPA administrator Bill Yellowtail, few towns, skiing is no longer the engine of growth, but is who added that good neighboring is better than lawsuits based becoming a mere amenity like golf. on NEPA. Agreement becomes possible when all the parties feel they are doing everything they can for the environment. Ways to Resolve Disputes A multi-layered program aimed at building trust in the Ever since the Sierra Club halted the Disney Company's devel- community has allowed the Aspen Skiing Company to reduce opment of Mineral King in 1969, enviro groups opposed to ski its legal bills to virtually nil, reported Aspen Skiing Co. CEO Pat area expansions have tapped an array of regulations (NEPA, O'Donnell. How can it happen? Progress is impossible with- Clean Air and Water, Endangered Species) to slow, re-direct or out compromise, said Vail founder Pete Seibert. block the ambitions of mountain developers. "Those who are unwilling to compromise can't collabo- "The appeals and litigation sitting on my desk have been rate," said Mark Sinclair of the Vermont-based Conservation expressions of people's concerns," said Rocky Mountain Law Fund, which once fought ski area development almost Regional Forester Lyle Laverty, who believes an alternative way exclusively in the courts. CLF has turned from litigation to to meet those concerns lies in a shared vision of sustainable collaboration and partnerships in dealing with development tourism and recreation. projects that job Heintz of the Vermont Natural Resources Not only has litigation been costly and wasteful, but it Council said are de-ruralizing Vermont. rarely results in more intelligent land use decisions. Future While it helps to have public agencies at the table to pro- vide technical guidance, Sinclair said, "Communities should Regional roundtables are planned. Previously, the federal gov- not rely on federal environmental regulations to do their zon- ernment's principal role in tourism was carried out by the ing and control. A judge or citizen board knows much less Department of Commerce, but that agency's Tourism Depart- about the issues than the stakeholders do." Moreover, collabo- ment was eliminated by Congress several years ago. ration results in more creative solutions. As an indication of the degree ski resort officials and envi- Why the Change? ro opponents are finding common ground, CLF's Sinclair said Several reasons may account for the growing willingness of he agreed with American Skiing Company's Carl Spangler on ski resorts to resolve difficulties surrounding environmental a list of 12 ways to improve the process of resort development. impacts through collaboration with local communities and For his part, Spangler said that collaborating «Zth CLF ended, with their former enviro opponents. For one thing, ski resorts in a year-and-a-half, a dispute over the Pico-Killington connec- may be turning less aggressive about expanding. At the con- tion that had gone for 12 years. ference, Booth Creek Holdings chairman George Gillett "We don't like litigation, but we need to establish trust," expressed the belief that resorts will slow their capital expen- said the head of a western wilderness group that once fought ditures (cap ex) on terrain expansions, more high-speed lifts, ski area development in the courts. grooming and snowmaking machinery, because such invest- ments are not yielding much increase in skier visits. Saving Money "Cap ex is no longer the differentiating marketing tool it Even simple Environmental Impact Statements can run into once was," Gillett said. On the other hand, "the first commu- hundreds of thousands of dollars, warned Harris Sherman, a nity that subscribes to a sustainable concept is going to be a veteran of ski area expansion courtroom battles and a leading winner." attorney with the Denver office of Arnold & Porter. More com- Technology is the equalizer, confirmed Aspen CEO O'Don- plicated documents cost millions of dollars, he said, yet very nell. "Everybody's got the same stuff... high-speed quads, often the first hundred thousand dollars of an analysis answers grooming, snowmaking." The number of skiers is not expand- 8o percent of the questions. ing, customers want a world-class product, high lift ticket Cindy Cody, chief of the EPA's Region 8 office in Denver, said prices charged visitors are subsidizing inexpensive skiing by she agreed with Sherman's analysis. EPA, is working with coun- locals, and a prospering community resents the ski area invad- ties and towns to reduce EIS wastefulness. There's an impetus to ing other businesses. do so: Cuts in budgets of federal and state agencies have reduced "We're taking a pounding," said O'Donnell. He and Aspen EPA's and the Forest Service's ability to regulate and monitor. Skiing Company's planning VP, Bill Kane, confirmed consul- Bob Sachs, who grew up in Hanover, N.H., and who is the tant Ford Frick's view that skiing has evolved from pure sport manager of the Travel and Tourism Sector of the regulatory into lifestyle. In the Aspen community it is becoming more of Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, described his an amenity, like golf. job as "improving environmental protection through collabo- On a national level, skiers may be accounting for a growing ration and getting people to subscribe to principles voluntarily." share of skier visits, although there are no NSAA statistics to EPA plans to study the impact on U.S. environmental qual- confirm such a trend. But this writer, who spoke at the confer- ity of travel and tourism activities, such as mountain resorts. Continued on page 98 Ax III Ne'~i'L~e~rii* L-.'3 -'R. - u 'Upper ~~i .G2~I eK~U~9E9 dlrec~torr of pgb'lic pollcy for, t Y, and Pat O'Donnell , presider j ng Company x 54 CEO of Aspen fill Upper: ~9htDU, V eLBrowo-representative 'f the Unife ' - Nations Group of T7 Internat environmental consultant an t Daly apreside fKofyall Resort ' -x S - which hosted the conference, ut - tower left Vui ns of the r 5 were explored by panelis 0 000Pet 0 Donnell, Asp en r " 0.,_ Gary Sprung,.High: Count ;1tizens Alliance;, George Glile a %Jr, chalrman of'Booth t~eelc F Holdings, and Lyle Lave y _ fore t4Rocky Mountain Re ~-..v the USJorest Service. Lowe -Arvid FagesNedyHorweylan 71 x' 01of Management, and Te MI whose Centerfor.Resource ment organized the conferen Talking Not Fighting "Open space is being chewed up quickly," said Park City Continued from page 72 Public Affairs Director Myles Rademan, who pointed to the growth in construction of "starter castles." ence, foresaw a return to the r96os, when 1,234 ski areas pro- The authenticity of the old and original and the native in vided a wealth of local skiing opportunities. "We are now build- mountain towns is under attack from the new lifestyle," said ing whole villages that allow people to live close to skiing Rademan. "The images that draw people-open space, eagles, again." forests, streams-are in reality threatened." "Skiing is up for re-definition," said Kane. It's not just a busi- ness of attracting skiers to come. There's a whole new set of Environmental Charter for Ski Areas? constituents, the community. The ski area's role should not be The mixed assembly of ski area operators, environmental one of a land use applicant. It should see its own land use as part advocates and community officials at the Vail meeting, "dis- of a community plan. covered a common language in mountain community sus- "We need to get rid of the idea of us versus them," said Kane. tainability," said United Nations Special Representative Noel Brown. "What they accomplished," said Brown, "was an exten- Who is the Villain? sion of the kind of follow-up envisioned by the Rio Earth con- Traditional opponents of ski area expansions are beginning to ference in 1992•" see that mountain sub urbanization, not the ski industry, is the Terry Minger of the Center for Resource Management central villain in the piece. (CRM) wants to create a charter of principles for sustainable EPA !s Cindy Cody spoke not only of the incremental envi- mountain resort communities, similar to a set of environmen- ronmental impacts of added recreational activities such as tal principles that CRM helped create for golf courses. NSAAs mountain biking, but of real estate. Director of Public Policy, Washington-based Geraldine Hughes, "As an environmentalist, I have to say that it is the real questioned the ability of the Sustainable Summits conference estate that really concerns me," said Gary Sprung of the High to speak for all ski areas. Minger responded by saying the char- Country Citizens Alliance. "The real estate produces the sprawl ter would be voluntary. Any ski area or resort town could sub- that invades habitat, ecosystems and causes the price of hous- scribe to it. ing to go up." Minger disclosed that a second Sustainable Summits Con- Sprung cited the example of a 35-acre parcel in Crested ference will be held at Vail again in 2000, the U.N. "Year of the Butte that made more profit for its owner than the ski area had Mountains." A third conference will be held at Park City in made in its entire existence. 2001, on the eve of the Winter Olympic Games. R1 LET. ,iIIIII ,II I III TRAMWAY COMPANY, INC. YOUR BESTSOURCE FOR..1111 z i ` DOUBLE-TRIPLE & QUAD CHAIRLIFTS "FACTORY DIRECT" i] PARTS & SERVICE J~ PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES i~J MODIFICATION & RELOCATION HOME OFFICE & FACTORY. E. 814 NORTH FOOTHILLS DRIVE • P.O. BOX 3523 SPOKANE, WA 98220-3523 U.S.A. • (509) 483-8555 • FAX (509) 483-199E CANADA SAO.C., P.O. BOX 1603 SANDPOINT IOAHO 83864 TEL: (208) 2GS-4505 • ~ S c N In ~-zt - --.s. _Ad '4 4 AS tl'~ 0 re Ud Ca t I 0 n e r5 head t0 ;the Returning to Denver on t 70 on a Sunday afternoop7n mountains, traffic headaches are becoming more~than an ncon~enience._ ~ x4 r Sixty-two percent of Colorado's downhill tle flights out of Denver, also reports segments, reversible-flow flex lanes and skiing occurs within a two-hour drive of more than 12 percent of its destination straightening of curves. All told, the work Denver, most of it on Interstate 7o. That's guests arrive at Eagle County. could cost S85o million. But before any two hours on a good weather weekend. Still, I-70 from Denver remains a work can be started, implications will be But even a 9o-minute drive on Sunday vital link for most Colorado resorts. Traf- examined in a wide-ranging environ- afternoons can drag to six hours, even in fic has grown four to five percent annu- mental impact statement scheduled to good weather. I-70, the main street of Col- ally, but peak use has grown faster. Most begin in July and take two years to com- orado's mountains, is clogging. startling were increases of 13 to 18 per- plete. More buses for Denver-area skiers Gary Lindstrom, a commissioner in cent on key weekends last January buck- are also contemplated by the study, as Summit County, home to Breckenridge ing more conservative increases of well as improved regional airports, inter- and Keystone, says the ski industry could previous years. "At z a.m. on Tuesday modal transfer stations and SSo,oco for ~ collapse upon itself. But it's not just ski- there is no increase," says Miller Hudson, "measures to change behavior." ing. Traffic lanes get full in both direc- director of a group seeking a mass-transit Even these modifications have been ' tions, reflecting the rapid non-ski-related solution. Should those spikes continue, grudgingly conceded by residents. growth in mountain communities. however, he points out that weekend Inhabitants of Clear Creek County, the Utah and Lake Tahoe resorts have traffic could double in five years. first leg out of Denver, where the high- similar concerns. Lessons may come Stewing in traffic on the way to work way roars within 5o yards of homes from Colorado's I-70, where even roller is one thing, but edging bumper to through narrow canyons, agree only to coaster technology is being looked at to bumper from mountain playgrounds is widening within the existing guardrails. move people through mountains. far more exasperating. Congested high- Colorado Ski Country USA and Some ski areas in Colorado are ways may not deter destination visitors, truckers insist upon highway Band :bids bypassing I-7o. For example, Vail Resorts, but there's evidence it causes some of while waiting for futuristic mass transit. operator of Vail and Beaver Creek as well metro Denver's 1oo,ooo committed When you consider how many billions as Keystone and Breckenridge, has skiers to stay home, particularly when of dollars are invested in the existing offered up to S4 million annually in snow is marginal. infrastructure, (i.e., the cars that people guarantees for direct flights to the Eagle Colorado recently completed a S2 own) does it make sense to build a new County Regional Airport (a.k.a. million study of the corridor that exam- infrastructure? Ask some ski executives. Vail/Eagle Airport), located 3 5 miles west ined a mountain of ideas-635, to be pre- But most residents and governments of Vail. Maximum paid out has been cise. They ranged from reverse-flow along the corridor embrace a still-unde- S1 million. This past winter that pro- lanes to highway tolls to even double- fined fixed guideway. A guideway- uses gram yielded flights from 13 U.S. cities. decking tunnels that penetrate the Con- rail, but not conventional heavy- rail Those flights into Eagle County Region- tinental Divide. Also discussed was a trains. The Denver-Vail segment has zo al Airport yielded more than 5o percent new S700 million tunnel. miles of grades of up to 8.25 percent, or of Vail and Beaver Creek destination The study identified short-term solu- triple the world's steepest existing rail- guests during the 1997-98 winter. The tions involving 38 miles of highway road grade. Aspen Skiing Co., in addition to its shut- work, including three truck-climbing However, no fixed-guideway has been used in high-speed applications that technology uses electromagnetic ernments, seen as a litmus test of mass- anywhere, let alone steep topography. fields to drive trains along rails. Axles transit credibility. And finally, the feder- State traffic consultants assigned the pro- and drive shafts are unnecessary. Elec- al government must be convinced. The ject a ballpark figure of $4.1 billion. Crit- tronic switching mechanisms allowed federal government paid for 8o percent ics ridiculed the "magic mountain broader applications, including the of the original Interstate 7o across a span railroad," but fixed-guideway propo- transportation system within the Capi- of 30 years. This venture promises to be nents say that figure unfairly assumes tol Building in Washington, D.C., and the equally expensive. massive tunneling. Unfolding technolo- mass transit system in Vancouver, British Most perplexing will be the sec- gy, they insist, will lay low the high hills. Columbia. Roller coasters, the ones with ondan• ripples. Mass transit will require Local governments from Denver 36o-degree loops, also use linear induc- masses of people living in more fragile into the heart of ski country have band- tion motors, because linear induction mountain valleys, which could make ski ed together to stimulate out-of-the-box requires no traction via wheels. towns well-heeled suburbs of Denver. thinking. They have asked engineering TransPort Ventures has hinted at bor- Continued on page 104 firms for a fixed-guideway able to with- rowing ideas developed for the Star War stand an earthquake of 6.0 on the Richter program of the _198os, and the consor Colorado and l 70 scale, _1oo mph sidewinds and more than tium s Bill Tolbert predicts trains shoot- -Average daily traffic for ?99<_' Zoo inches of snowfall annually, plus ing up the I-70 corridor faster than 125 Ei_ howei.Tunnel) 2 6 362 ve temperature swings of 6o degrees with mph, even up the grades of seven to eight Peak summeaaffic ;46 93 r (Au in two hours. Snow makes an elevated percent. TransPort also says that they do _1998) track most likely. And it must be faster not need a high-speed switch, that sever- Peak-winter traffic: 4 i 96i ,{Jaifu than cars, despite stopping at 17 stations al existing switching options could work. 1999) between DIA and Eagle County Region- Linear-induction trains would slurp Distance from Denver to sln area al Airport, a distance of 170 miles. electricity, however. One train would ter: 65 miles Jack Stauffer, semi-retired after 4o require a megawatt of juice, Stauffer esti- -Ski market: 7.25 million skier da years in both aerospace engineering and mates, compared to the 450 megawatts 4998 within two-houi drive of - e__ transportation testing, says the eight per- that all of Denver needs at any one time. cent grades eliminate many off-the-shelf Still, he says, that's more efficient than California and 1-80 T technologies, among them steel-on-steel cars carrying only 1.2 passengers, the Average daily traffic for zqg railroads. "It's not so much a matter of norm in Colorado. Donner Summit: 29,000 o (aver going up; it's a problem of stopping the Backers boldly promise the first, Peak summer traffic: 43.66 train going down," he explains. Roller experimental leg could be operating by for August) coasters may provide clues. "Obviously, the year 2001, most likely in Summit Peak winter traffic None availa~i they have built systems that accommo- County. The I-70 governments are con- Distance from Sacramento to .1. date high speeds, high grades and sharp sidering going to state voters to seek ski duster: 9o to roo miles curves." $150 million in surplus revenues. Ski market: 3.2'milli6n skied days Most needed is a high-speed switch But, they have an uphill road. Col- that would allow automated passenger orado's new governor, Bill Owens, Utah and-1-80 cars to pull into stations without slow- appears disinclined to explore the iron Ayerap dailytrafficfor. 1997 0e ing other cars, says part-time engineer- tiers of mass transit despite a bold poli- Salt Lake and Park City 4_1 ooo ing professor Ed Rapp. There's a pot of cy of borrowing against the future to pay Peaksummer traffic 7i o00 (avera gold for engineers who come up with an for current needs. Moreover, while Col- Peak winter traffic 66,000 answer, he insists. Some believe roller orado is flush with cash, state voters Distance from Salt Lake to skiff 35miles coasters also hold the key to that high- have twice nixed allocating surpluses to duster. speed switching. roads and/or schools. Third, proponents -,-Ski market: Not released but-= Engineers and planners say the I-7o have failed to scare up relative nickels overall does 3 million skier days corridor is unlike any other. Florida's and dimes from suburban Denver gov Disney World as well as college campus- es have innovative transportation sys- tems, but none extend from a major city to small, outlying destinations on the far side of a 12,000-foot wall of rock. Fixed-guideway proponents gained - credibility last winter when engineering, financing and other partners, described by Stauffer as "big-time industry," formed a conglomerate called TransPort Ventures and proposed a public-private - venture. Dale Hill, president of TransTec, a new Denver Proposed monorail for 1-70, as it would appear In Transport Ventures embraces linear- firm, holds a drawing of an envisioned vehicle Vail. Photo from TransPort Ventures' Website: induction technology. Patented in 1904, going up 1-70 in Colorado. http://www.mctaggartco.com/transportation. MOTORS MAIN OFFICE Heading for the Hills ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA and TEL 714 956 0480 Continued from page 90 FAX 714 758 9508 CONTROLS SABINA CENTRAL I-70 started that trend; mass transit KENOSHA, WISCONSIN TEL 414 656 401 1 would only end up amplifying it. FAX 414 666 4430 for / Finally, who will pay for it? Only SABINA EAST $1.28 billion has been identified as P rob- HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA TEL 570 1450 5600 X 570 450 5729 able funding during coming years. SKI LIFTS FA Already, I-70 improvements have been SNOW MAKING 54fa - called a subsidy for the ski industry. 1969 Jim Felton, spokesman for Vail Resorts, finds that logic perplexing. "Our traffic is unmanageable maybe 15 Sun- days a year, at most," he says. I-7o and the AC INVERTERS Eisenhower Tunnel have made Summit AC VECTOR DRIVES County and other resorts essentially sub- DC DRIVES urbs of Denver, he notes. Skiing alone SOFT STARTERS * does not drive the growth or congest I-70. LOW & MEDIUM VOLTAGE I-70 congestion has caused ski areas ELECTRIC MOTORS to think about how to expand their CUSTOM CONTROLS offers, by providing more to do at night, ENGINEERED SYSTEMS by making seasons longer (now almost to nine months at A-Basin) and by mak- ZfJe gave ?`ie Vacve ?at .$ew '~da ing it cheaper to go per visit. That congestion was partly the cause of the season ski pass price wars last win- 24 HOUR 7 DAY SERVICE 714 956 0480 ter in Colorado. Traffic vaulted from third place to bump cost as the top rea- For more information circle No. 108 sons cited by skiers for absenting the slopes, according to a Winter Park sur- i VALL-EY SN O ~ vey. So, when Copper Mountain announced its $8oo buddy season pass, pp = Winter Park briskly responded with its We have the hose, fittings or assembly to meet your snowmaking needs own $8oo pass shared among four friends and family. People can ski from ® STANDARD DOUBLE JACKET - Improved, lighter weight constructions - 4 styles available ro a.m. to 2 p.m., avoid the heaviest traf- ® HARDWALL HOSES FOR HIGHER PRESSURES OR TONERS fic and feel like they're still getting their ® HIGH PRESSURE QUICK DISCONNECT COUPLINGS money's worth, says Winter Park spokes- woman Joan Christensen. ® SAFE RELIABLE PROVEN PRODUCTS FOR 25 YEARS Winter Park's ski train from Denver VALLEY L 1DUSTRIAL RUBBER PRODUCTS CO., L\ C. also continues to dent I-70 traffic. Now 3 S. COiN IERCE WAY PHONE (610) 974-8990 running thrice-weekly, and likely to go BETHLEHEM, PA 18017 FAX (610) 974-8999 to four, the 75o-passenger train fills to VISIT OUR NVEBSITE w%vw.valindrub.com PA (800) 322-9547 / LS (800) 338-6797 99 percent capacity. Amtrak also rolls For more information circle No. 039 through Winter Park, but it provides no i more than one percent of Winter Park's v 5L 66 Fax 518-851 3166 E Ma)I §eyrrsrww@francomm.com one million skiers. 110 Farther west, a $roo,ooo study is r 5 t i MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE OR exploring use of old Union Pacific tracks SFi_F RFr L1iATING FANGUNS ~ SIMPLE for commuter trains in the Vail Valley. COST EFFECTIVE That same idea is still years out, yet clos- er to reality, along a rail corridor between I-7o at Glenwood Springs and the Aspen Q~ _$8500 and Snowmass resorts. One option is Improve Your Existing Guns commuter rail, another is to uss; u the )t~1 Modification Kfts:for_OId Styleal for ONLY; $1200: -=r: existing bus service. However, the feder- al government has pledged $40 million for the rail option. TY ;ua=~;Tr; Call Pete for Detaiis Any innovations in Colorado will assuredly be examined in California's I-8o corridor between Oakland and the Truckee-Lake Tahoe resorts. "I'm watch- 0 ing it like a hawk," says Phil McKenney, executive director of the North Lake S Tahoe Resort Association who previous- ly worked along Colorado's I-70 corridor for 15 years. "It's definitely an apples-to- apples situation." But these apples are at least different brands. The six Ski Lake Tahoe resorts r: 1 reported 3.2 million skier visits last win 1; ter, fewer than Colorado's Summit Coun- ty resorts. ` ~A " t 6r, ` Travelers have more options, but I-8o is the winter work horse. The two- hour drive between Truckee and Sacra- - mento several times each year takes up to eight hours. Northern California cities contribute 40 to 45 percent of the skier days at the Lake Tahoe and Donner Sum r, Y, S mit ski areas, and b 2 percent to the North r Lake Tahoe area. Rail has been examined, Y 'I freiburgsfrasse 170 T 3000 Bem 5 but deemed of dubious use. Jennifer phone +41 31 387 51 11 • fax +4131.382 1186 Merchant, executive director of the ganglof).cabins@bl ewin.ch Truckee-North Tahoe Transportation MOVES YOUR PASSENGERS Management Association, reports that a _ ' _ " it", 173 it 7, feasibility study concluded that people wouldn't necessarily use a rail system even if it delivered them to destinations For more information circle No. 056 faster and more safely. "People are so wedded to their cars," she says. Lake Tahoe resorts also hope to secure more destination business ' , N G through Reno-Tahoe International Air J qp IN YOUR port, 45 minutes away. That airport has direct flights from Dallas, Houston and FUTURE? Chicago. But first, Merchant believes inter-resort mass transit must improve. "We need to beef up our local transit before we concentrate on pulling in peo- ple from the airport that way." You Have: Similarly, Amtrak already serves -The need for more visits Truckee and that railhead could better -The Hill -The Groomer link Tahoe to California's coastal cities. -The Ski Patrol - The Lodge Again, inter-resort mass transit. "We -The Snow Making Plant J have a bus system, but it's clear to every- - body that it could be a lot better and it could serve the vacationer in a better We Have: manner," says Jim Allison from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. "Give g - Tube Tows us a call in eight years and see where we- Handle Tows are," he adds. - Rope Tows McKenney talks the same timetable. Summit County (Colorado) is ro years Fax or Call us Today ahead of us," says McKenney. So, he adds, is Summit County in Utah, home to Park for a FREE Quote! City ski area. Heavenly's Stan Hansen, however, is PO Box 596 - Spokane,WA, USA - 99210-0596 enthusiastic about a cutting-edge system 509-534-6540 - Fax: 509-534-6670 that integrates existing shuttles provid Fnr mnrp information rirrlp Nn 190 ed by five major casinos and two ski - • - • - • • • resorts into one coordinated system that uses global positioning devices. A kiosk in a hotel, for example, will inform pas- sengers of the best way to get to point B, as well as the arrival of the next shuttle a going there. Coordinating those shuttles t` 3. = that cross two cities, five counties and two states has been huge, says Hansen. . A Transportation professor Bob John- :s r r ston, a part-time Truckee resident, lauds ;F the developing inter resort trans porta- tion, but faults the long range vision for I-8o. "We haven't even faced up to the issue yet," he says. He wants money for Y road widenings in the Lake Tahoe region ti diverted to rail connections. 4 Van shuttles from airports to resorts have grown significantly in Colorado during the last 15 years. Shuttles from r Reno to South Lake Tahoe have become cheap and consistent, but service to uftlHy North Shore resorts lags. I-8o may yet benefit from the feder- f " al government's new T2 i highway legis- MOUNTAIN SERVICES INC. latlon (transportation for the 21st century-a renewal of the IntermodaI Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, or ISTEA), with its greater emphasis upon For more information circle No. 208 high-tech solutions such as smart high- SOUND POWERED PHONE SYSTEMS way technology. Merchant estimates it's a $ao million project for I-8o, now just OYHRLEUSTRO"BERG-CRRLSOH in the discussion stage. *HRHDSETS*nflSTER STRT 1 OHS*JRCKS Utah is beyond talk of "smart" high way technology. Using discretionary *JRCK BOXES*PLUGS*HOLDERS money from Congress, officials there are *SU 1 TCHES*REPR I R PARTS planning for the 2002 Olympics by installing cameras and other data devices Motorists will learn along highways. KINNHMHN ELECTRIC, INC. STOCKING DISTRIBUTORS about highway conditions via detailed 920 E. RNRHE I M ST* signs. However, Utah planners will con- P.O. BOH 486 tinue to rely upon cars and, in some WILMINGTON, CH 90748 (310) 834-2582 cases, buses for getting spectators to Olympic events. The primary effect of For more information circle No. 181 the Olympics has been to hasten expand- ed highway capacity. The single biggest • design-build project in the United States currently is reconstruction of 17 miles ~1U LTI LIFT . - , - of Interstate 15, Salt Lake City's aging reliable and innovative major north south route. The r0 year, S1.5 billion project is being compressed into four and a half years and will yield © earthquake-proof features. Creation of a light-rail line from downtown Salt Lake City to the south- -.1i TV ~qqp 7v_ Multi an Mountain Wire D1, , . D~, , ern suburbs is driven by needs of com- Grnbtf Rope Service muters, but staggered park-and-rides will D-83353 GrahmOt Dale R. Walter% (EAST) 567 Adarns Road. Kelowna. B.C. Saint-Niclas ' help accommodate spectators attending TO. (OX661) 242 Sunbury. PA 17,357 Tel. Fax: (09661) 14721 (570) 2964)&W Fax (250) 765 5877 Fax (450) 432 W43 ' Olympic events at the Delta Center. Also proposed, but not approved, is construc- tion of a light rail from the airport to downtown and toward the city's east side. _ _ _ From Salt Lake City it's 30 miles on I-80 to Park City, site of four Olympic venues. The six lanes of traffic slow, but rarely clog like those in Colorado. ,e - Aggressive salting and a shorter distance help, as does lower elevation. Park City rises a little above 6,900 feet, while Eisen hower Tunnel tops Ii,ooo feet. The + ~a canyon between Salt Lake and Park City: 34 ax is too tight to accommodate I-8o widen- r:.' ing, says John Njord, Utah's chief of . z' ~y r s ' transportation planning for the Olympics. Like Colorado's I-70, it has grades of seven percent. No formal stud- ' . ies have been conducted, though. w ~ Another key artery will be from Ogden east to Snow Basin, site of the downhill competition, but no major ' changes are expected. "The Olympics have adopted a park-and-ride or park- - and-walk philosophy for all the venues, I tm/Hy and the question becomes whether the roads will handle the traffic," says Frank Bell, 2002 Olympic services director for MOUNTAIN SERVICES INC. Park City. 4 The Olympic Organizing Committee is attempting to borrow I,4oo buses from For more information circle No. 208 cities in the West to shuttle spectators from outlying parking lots to venues. In addition, athletes, journalists, sponsors, _ _.:N~W;te or: Green .Color volunteers and staff will be ferried by 15 i ¢ x °{~r Y t- passenger vans. I ' - i a?~"`'" j_ ~ r` ..acs a.^' 3 r•'L y'a'.,'.- - t.~~? Beyond the Olympics, the trio of'' resorts around Park City hope for mass transit to Salt Lake City within five years, according to Bruce Erickson, a Park City planning commissioner who works for < r r sno.engineering. Currently, no buses link ±K resorts with the metropolis. However, x=,; skier traffic congests key arteries far less than traffic from residents and workers. Park City has become an upscale sub • _ y - urb of Salt Lake, and Salt Lake a lower- "A Synthetic Ski Surface You Can Actually CARVE A TURN ON!" rent bedroom for resort workers- ' functions that I-70 increasingly serves, 1 if to a lesser extent, among Colorado `=i. resorts and cities. I-8o in both California i - and in Utah services a much smaller ski EZ Interlocking Units ANN- -mecca than does I-70 in Colorado. Park City, Deer Valley and the Canyons have a collective capacity of 24,000 skiers per " day. Vail alone can hold r 9,9oo, and there Loading and Unloading'' j i g Term Solutions are eight ski resorts closer to Denver. Lon Guaranteed Skier Access Colorado may get nothing more ' Reduce Labor Cost Reduce Worker Comp. Claims Year Round Ski Slope & Safety, on High Trafficl innovative than a few new acres of Protect Customer & Skis Opportunities Wind Scoured Ski Runs asphalt on its main street of the moun- H SKI tains, but that and other corridors are i P.O. Box 280 1.800-234-MATT (6288) PRODUCTS Govt Camp, Oregon 97028 Fax 503-272-3554 worth watching. For more information circle No. 005 NIGHT LIGHTS AT MT. BULLER AUSTRALIAN ALPS N AUSTRALIA 95C fte Va..~ I Tc wr 06v- a? c.1 ( N MAIL - ("-w v)C1 V (Vlc~ La c` Yeo. +1 Vile- r cannon ranIAr 1999 U j 1 ~ c t,~ ict c S; ; v? 6 act 1 ~qcb l~ c t ~~Sft~ ~ la, w ~e ~t t(~t~Y Io~CGr ~iS~ ~.f u,"rS fD C l~~cl~ ~`r Vail Town council ~t ~J " UMW (t wcu cart ~ ct. <<. ~ ,c. YY1~ ~ VG C/o Town Of Vail 75 S. Frontage Road Y1~/Cf Cc vii c'~ it Pe (CS t_ Vail, CO 81658 j IrlcW-C 10('~~ U.S.A. o d 13 N/v Ila ~S. 6'V?cic~v~r~ict~Li-. ,1:>~ F~>>~ fnas bee.v, l;xovldelkztil `~tuS Scar, av(~ ct b e. ~Zty 'Je tC~f c£ VIA St-cl' i 1 Lrc I 4~%C' YP k q ? tz,w~t t d fi r............ I ADVENT E CENTRE, GALLERY, PRINTS & SCENIC BOOK © PHOTO BY MIKE EDMONDSON f (02) 6456 2922 MEMORANDUM June 29, 1999 To: Vail Town Council Bob McLaurin Pam Brandmeyer Steve Thompson From: Sally Lorton Re: May sales tax collections Attached please find the latest sales tax worksheet with collections through today. I estimate I will collect another $19,800.00 in May sales tax to bring May collections to $353,332.00. If so, we will be down $29,386.00 or 7.7% from May 1998 and down $42,695.00 or 10.8% from budget. Year to date collections would total $7,758,087.00 and we would be down $368,522.00 or 4.5% from 1998 and down $650,950.00 or 7.7% from budget. The good news is May is our smallest month, in 1998 May sales tax collections were 2.5% of the total sales tax collected for the year. The Jeep Whitewater Festival was held in May 1998 and 1999. Town of Vail Sales Tax Worksheet 6/29/99 % Change % Change 1999 Budget from from Month 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Budget Collections variance 1998 Budget January 1,126,496 1,465,870 1,599,123 1,713,091 1,709,654 1,855,364 1,805,707 1,894,597 1,935,782 2,052,569 2,115,359 2,188,943 2,065,501 (123,442) -2.36% -5.64% February 1,205,101 1,561,286 1,695,850 1,737,343 1,780,568 1,828,766 1,814,495 1,816,107 1,993,389 2,089,673 2,153,121 2,228,041 2,020,168 (207,873) -6.17% -9.33% March 1,591,705 1,939,758 1,897,718 2,051,820 1,977,995 1,988,090 2,250,656 2,139,298 2,240,865 2,580,992 2,368,077 2,450,164 2,394,537 (55,627) 1.12% -2.27% April 550,205 567,684 634,174 616,648 691,163 864,303 794,668 791,092 966,993 874,427 1,107,3$4 1,145,861 924,549 (221,312) -16.51% -19.31% May 170,567 215,548 236,359 250,809 268,000 257,248 287,315 324,681 318,920 329,783 382,718 396,027 333,532 (62,495) -12.85% -15.78% Total 4,644,074 5,750,146 6,063,224 6,369,711 6,427,380 6,793,771 6,952,841 6,965,775 7,455,949 7,927,444 8,126,609 8,409,037 7,738,287 -670,750 -4.78% -7.98% June 329,039 393,470 448,227 468,948 468,598 475,161 548,820 590,685 594,907 630,366 633,400 655,430 Jul 559,683 649,139 665,094 737,288 742,750 811,538 892,830 893,483 963,717 1,043,637 1,107,882 1,146,156 August 575,887 668,119 678,071 761,992 767,257 825,954 891,566 867,125 990,650 1,073,430, 1,183,926 1,224,834 September 422,502 469,032 482,328 491,684 485,954 560,535 725,205 645,902 630,453 637,831 735,608 760,913 October 291,204 335,740 364,002" 324,802 367,578 400,525 408,405 461,791 413,573 472,836 515,531 532,652 November 376,235 430,820 438,731 428,086 497,907 553,681 594,491 611,147 601,208 707,166 656,596 678,336 December 1,455,948 1,615,278 1,625,219 1,691,775 1,846,223 1,974,553 1,992,855 1,994,540 2,068,851 2,254,709 2,070,834 2,132,272 . - Total 8,654,572 10,311,744 10,764,896 11,274,286 11,603,647 12,395,718 13,007,013 13,030,448 13,719,308 14,747,419 15,030,386 15,539,629 7,738,287 SENT BY:GRIMSHAW & HARRING, PC; 6-29-99 ; 1:49PM 3038393800-4 2 G1tY> siuw & ffiauuXG A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION ATTORNEYS AT LAW SUITE 8800 ONE NORWEST OMTER 1700 LINCOLN STREET DffiNVER, COLORADO 805084688 TELEPHONE t3081988-8806 Fbilip M. QUatrOChi TELECOF=R (808) Bag-Base E-MAIL WAUM0X9GW HHAWHaasnro X (303) 839-3833 June 29, 1999 George Ruther Town of Vail 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 Re: Marriott Redevelopment, Ordinance No. 10; June 22 Work Sesssion and Meeting Notice Dear George: I am writing to follow up our conversation of this morning. As we discussed, I was completely unaware that there was a work session meeting of the Town Council last Tuesday, June 22, 1999, at which the Marriott Redevelopment proposal and the draft of Ordinance No. 10 was discussed. From our conversation this morning, I understand that you believed that you had notified me that the June 22 work session would be addressing the Marriott Proposal and Ordinance No. 10, but this was not the case. As you are aware, our firm represents an adjacent property owner, Vail Spa Condominium Association, in this matter. Early in this process I communicated to you our desire to participate in all phases of this process on behalf of the Vail Spa and to be informed of all meetings. When I last spoke to you in person, after the work session on June 8, you informed me that the matter would next be considered on a first reading of the ordinance before the Town Council and that you would be preparing the draft ordinance. You did not mention that there would be a work session discussing a draft of the ordinance prior to the first reading. I also sent you an e-mail and a fax copy of the e-mail on June 14 asking for a call or e-mail back confirming that there was no discussion of the Marriott ordinance on the agenda for the June 15 Council meeting, and I received no response to this inquiry. Our firm has tried to be involved at every step of this process on behalf of the Vail Spa, and we intend to continue to do so. We need to be informed of every meeting that may affect the Vail Spa's interests in this regard. In the future, please notify me of all meetings, whether they be Design Review Board, Town Council evening meetings, Town Council work sessions, or other meetings addressing the Marriott Redevelopment proposal or Ordinance No. 10, SENT BY:GRIMSHAW & HARRING, PC; 6-29-99 ; 1:50PM 30363938004 3 George Ruther June 29, 1999 Page 2 With respect to the June 22 work session, I understand that the Council discussed four specific issues: the loading and delivery areas for the Gore Creek Club; the possibility of adding a roof to the loading and delivery area of the existing Marriott hotel; the possibility of increasing the employee generation percentage from 30% to 50%; and additional revisions to the west facade of the Gore Creek Club. I also understand that the Council reviewed and commented on the draft ordinance as it relates to these issues. If there are other issues with respect to the draft ordinance that the Council commented on, or other issues in general that the Council addressed with respect to the Marriott proposal or the ordinance, please let me know as soon as possible. Yours very truly, GRIMSHAW cot HARRING, A Professional Corporation Philip M. Quatrochi PMQ/aob cc: Vail Town Council Chuck Madison SENT BY:GRIMSHAW & HARRING, PC; 6-29-99 ; 1:56PM 3030393900-+ 2 GFjxsFL&w & H,&RRwG A PROVVAWONAL CORPORATION ATTORNEYS AT LAW BUTTE 8800 ONIC NORWICST CIDNTBR 1700 L KCOLN STRIMT D= V= OOLOlIADO 8080$-4538 T101.IDP3IONE (8081 Q88.8800 Philip M. Quatrochi TErmMPU 8 am 0$a.sssa MAM acwu aox® w aavx (303) 839-3833 June 29, 1999 George Ruther Town of Vail 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 Re: Marriott Redevelopment, Ordinance No. 10 First Reading Dear George: I am writing with regard to Town Council work session scheduled for the afternoon of July 6 and the first reading of Ordinance No. 10 scheduled for the Town Council meeting that same night. As I mentioned to you on the phone today, I will not be able to attend the meetings that day, and I am hoping to communicate with Chuck Madison to see if he would be agreeable to postponing the first reading. If the first reading is not postponed, Gil McNeish, will attend the work session and the Council meeting on July 6. . I would like to request that you fax a copy of the Town Council agenda for the work session and the evening meeting of July 6, along with the packet of documents that will be given to the Council regarding Ordinance No. 10, to Mr. McNeish's attention at (303) 839-3838. I understand that these documents will be prepared for distribution to the Council on Friday, July 2. Also, please send a copy of the latest staff report to Council with respect to Ordinance No. 10. If, for some reason, the documents cannot be faxed to Mr. McNeish on July 2 or are too voluminous to fax, please have them sent via Federal Express for delivery to Mr. McNeish's house on Saturday, July 3 (our office will be closed on July 3, 4 and 5). The address is 935 Monaco Parkway, Denver, Colorado 80220. You can bill our Federal Express number, which is 0802-0841-3. If there is any difficulty in arranging the delivery, please contact Audrey Brugger in our office at (303) 839-3870 and she will coordinate an alternate form of delivery. I have also sent a copy of this letter to Anne Wright in case the faxing or delivery of these documents should be coordinated through her. Also, from July 1 through July 9, please direct any correspondence with regard to the Marriott redevelopment proposal and Ordinance No. 10 to Mr. McNeish as I will be out of the office during that time. Please call me with any questions or comments at (303) 839-3833 through June 30. SENT BY:GRIMSHAW & HARRING, PC; 8-29-99 1:57PM 3038393800-4 3 George Ruther June 29, 1999 Page 2 Yours very truly, GRIMSHAW & MARRING, A Professional Corporation Philip M. Quatrochi PMQlaob cc: Anne Wright SENT BY: 6-29-99 ; 4:01PN ;VAIL VALLEY FNDATIO.V-t 11 4 PAM 9 V` v f AdGUSTGL #BETROTTER'SLN.- ''K~^ K" VV Grinnell Point in Glacier National Park: BeijingsTiananmen Square is more than I(x] acres: me a$)-fool-peep Blue Hole. ort the Coast at Belize, is a favorite with Cwers, DESTINATION PER DIEM WEATHER TAXI rAUSTTRY TABOO 'NSIDE INFO BEST BUY BEIJING S265 6"61F 52 Tanner young Peking Succumbing to a - Don t miss a nptsnaw yarns of colorful CHINA _ Sunni. :ucx. cuukuu m a ::ooa deal never reKir of HUtong. 'ne or me _ jaw silk, in all 'humta :ate-wu0u.Liven. ~ :hange money on .!:ttv'S3um-ut-ttti)•century pric.e7ange5. of (page t 81 at QLantude the street resldenual districts Yuanlong Sac BELIZE CITY $145 75.95°1F S5 _ Boil up, fish. peppers. Buyin g city maga- the San Pedro Costa Maya Wood Carvings BELIZE Very humid plantains. yams boiled zines from hurt- Festival (Aug. 17-22) has of marlins, 5200 I :n a tnmatp neuCe. Irr3--they're tree food and entertainment from at the National (page 94) 53.50 at Marvas at visitors centers all river Centrel America Handicraft Center BERLIN $95 - C&SC°F Iva Fr9611 raspberry pie. The main industry Cheri out (he daily bus Maple srw. N. HAMPSHIRE Sunny, 51.95 a slice at LS the paper mill, tour of moose watering $12 a quart at humid Northland Dairy Bar but don't call it a holes. sponsored by the Bisson's (page 121 i 'mip town' Tricotrrrty ChemtK!r t$15) Sugar Nottso GENOA 3225 66-84°F 520 Homemade fresh Oon't be sun3nsed The Festival of the Rich local dive ITALY Hrurad pasta with pesta whP.n ndxyjy Mediterranean (July 1-31) oils, starting at sauce. $8 all over offers to pick-up features regional about $5 a bottle, (page 721 the climes chick i;uistne anti festivities all over ISTANBUL S195 65-85'F S3 Kirde: Cubes of If you refuse The Interrur(ional istanbul Turkish rugs, TURKEY Humid roabtad lama, served offers of tood or Music Festival goes S1U0-$1,500, on tuner-fried slough. drink you'll hurt through July 2: call 011-g0- all over [page 301 about $30 at Asitane your host's feeling4 212-293-31 33 for tickets KALISPELL $160 48.821F 57 Homemade wild hucX- From Memorial The Arts in the Park festival Flathead MONTANA Dry, clear leberry pie. 51.85 a to Labor Day, (July 23-25) includes an cherries, 31 per slice at Sykes Grocery even business ai I show and sales booths: pound, (page 80) and Restaurant press is casual call 406-7555268 all over LEWES $215 61-96°F 58 Mint-chooolate,chip Th9 town's name Grab a canal-side spot SlIl screened DELAWARE Sunny. dry ice cream. Si z5 a is pronounced early for the town's annual wooden houses, cone at Kings Home- "Lu-is" not'Looi oid4ashioned Fourth of S15-s18 at (page 86) made ice Cream . July Boat Parade The Swan's Nest VAIL $190 4S 6'F $10 ~Eik steak in a marsala Slopping Every summer Tuesday, at Clow 111124k-boar COLORADO Some rain sauce with green anywhere an a The Ford Outdoor Amphdtre- earrings, $140 at anion latkes. $36 at roundabout atec there's a tree 'Hot The Golden Bear (page 381 The Tyrolean for traffic circle) Summer Nights' concert SAN $300 54-65F S7 -Steamed Dungeness Locals don't call it The Swing City Polk Street Chocolate bars FRANCISCO, CA. cool. foggy, rrab from Auo(o s crab 'Frisw% do as Festival (July 31-Aug. I ) in velvet gdt breezy stand on Fisherman s Ivey do and call it celebrates swing music and bags, $8.99 at (page 65) Wharf. $11 apiece -the GWinstead aarmhg: cad 415.989-2220 Ghirardel6 Per diem as based on the price of a aloude room ano three melds a day iexciucing tax, up, and winel tar two people. Taxi. Average 3-mile, rice, Compiled by Sherri Eisenberg. 10 TR ML HOLIDAY • • • / Hip, -:,.NYI;: $1 KALSC ' f N ' 11 • ORE • ESCAP NO • _ monta _ it alas Colora •.®mo SE 1 • S • 1 f • f SENT BY: 6-29-99 4:02PM ;VAIL VALLEY FNDATIOIN 3/ 4 TH Peillews OFF-SEASCN MOUNTAIN ESCAPE Forget the.skis. Summer's tyre time to. hit Colorado's mountains---the hills are alive. BY JERRY GOODBODY VAILS OFF- PEAK HIGH n winter. Vail is the ultimate friendly The srAff at the larger ho- Rockv Mountain retreat: great lets call set you up with locial opera- skiing, luxurious resorts. and a tors who will arrange biking, hiking, relaxed sophisdcadon. Prices in rafting. canoeing, fly-fishing. hot-air beak .season, tboakh. can be as ballooning, horseback riding, and itrep ;ts a doub}c-diamond slope. even garden tours (plus there arc But in summer. when tnaav of'Vail srven golf cotuses to choose from). 1;Illrv s 30.000 hotel rooms are Ifvou're staving at a smaller hotel, empty, races often drop a stagger- the visitors center (97(3-479-13941 ireg 50 jrrrcrnt-attei rta,rr. will make arrangements. Latt}e in The trick. then, is to get there High times Hiking. a& Piney Lake, top right.raftlng. Vail sern4tocloseinsurncner-even without much hassle-hut that', and mountain biking are all popular wW easl'hr aaces- many of the ski lifts arc running for not hard either. since the Vail Vallev sibte. Park Plaza at nearby Beaver Creek Resort:. mountain bikers eager to ride the purism tic (:orlyrntiun Ilurrau offers air-and-ground [rani, .1inuwlen slopes or for those who want to eat in the moun- portanon packages for stunmenime iisnors_ For exaniple, for raintop rmiaur-Ano or just a rijew the awesome views, $395 per persuit, you get round-trip air- Since we were staving in Vail for a week, we decided to trv tarn. on United fivm New York to the Ea two hotels. The first was the Lbriai2r;ia at Vail, a small liavar- gic Connty Regional Airport, plus uses- tan-stvie complex of 15 rooms and six suites (plus 35 unrttlt)j), fcrs to and from the airport If you decide Our rustic suite with mountain views had a king-.sized carved you want a car during your srav, you can wekrdcn bcd. floral curmins and spreads, and a 30-foot bal- ger. a package with a seur..n4tav rental for $5.32. Flv to Denver. and the price (with What you grit: Round-trip airfare on United from van transportaaon the 100 or sn miles New York to Eagle County Airport ($395 per person) or to Vail) waciin Stz,n. I tcx)k nor of these Denver ($455) dh transfers to Vail. jtA W(th a seven-day packages last summer with my wife and four-year-old tlaug}r ter to see how much Vail has to rrffe.r after the snow melte_ car rental, the pride is $543 to Denver and $532 to Eagle Unrr. V01111'rWr, %'lnU l1aL'e ,'Ullr pick nf1lALgls-frOnl (he County.Alspavai~ablefromotherUS.citieS.CalltheVail grand Lodge at Vail (rooms from 5-920 a eight) to a selection Valley Tourism & Convention Bureau at 800 525-3875. of places where rooms srarY at less than $100 a night-and VAIL THE • a boxinty of ac;tivitics. In Vail. rrrrclricm is extremely user- 38 TRWIM HOUDAY INT BY : 6-29-99 ; 4 : 02PM ; VA I L VALLEY FNDAT 10.(y 4/ 4 tiAIL rotiv. Our daughter slept in au adjoining room that had a gas ness (headaches. Iatiguc. dehydration. nausea). To avoid it, limplace. Still, it cost just $173 a night. inraurlinv a generous either takr the IL-to-Denver option i the city subout 9,41)4 feet conuncimAl 1;makfast. in winter. the nightly rote rises tQ 3450. lower) and stav there a day or twT) to accIir%rA iztzvourscIE or just After Three nights in thr. ( :hrixti:utia, we checked iron 1Nlarr take it easy your that firw riavs in Vail. For a lo44tey dav, drive i intr's Mountain Resort in Lionshcad Village to Pinev River Ranch. 12 miles north of town f right oext door to Vail Village)- like the C'luis. on a dirt road. in the White River National tiania. it sits at the bast of Vail Morin twin, but rarest. Thcrc you'll find case hiking, canoeing That's where the similarities end. This modern. on a calm take.. homrba k riding, a Small resrau- 31 I-room hotel has indoor and outdoor pads. rant. and. just for kids, face-painting or arts two restaurants. and a full-scrvicc spa; what and crafts. Another don't-miss, especially if it lacked in rmall-hotel charm, it made up for you've hrmight the kids: the Vail VaUcv Rtidro with an extremely f icndly and helpful staff. on Thursday nights at the Ranch at Berry Nlv wife and I had an executive king nxnn. and Creek. down the valley in Edwards- I was ex- our daughter slept in a connecting standard pecung a simulated rodeo staged for tourists. cftxihlr.. Our huge real-and-green quarters had a but I grit the real thing-thc rodeo is a stop king-sized bed, a dark-wood desk and annuirc, on the local circuit and draws a nice infix of :std a cunrliirtable easy chair; our daughters visitors and residents. Other nights, there were slightly smaller room had two <.luc:blr br&s. - cultural events to Flintise from, including out- Both had hatennies overlookin Va6,Ntoun- The.6avarran-sryle Chrisdanii - - - K aour. cuzwcrts.aud danceper~iicmancca.-But twin and the gondola, jtist 200 vards away. Again. die off-icason the hest twilight bet may be a gondola ride to the top of Vail savings were striking: In high season, oar rooms would have ldountain to take in the spectacular scenery under the stars. cosy $748 a night, but the summer total was lust $310. By respretittg tlic altitude, I felt great the whole sip, al- Both hotels offer great access to hiking, biking, and a host though even after a week in town I gor winded during a hike of activities. so you'll be tempted to get started as soon as you've up the valleys north side,, this suggested a new solution to the unpacked your gags. But consider this: If you fly directly to altitude adjusunent issue With so much to do--;dud with prices Vail, which sits at 8,200 rect you run thr.. risk of altitude sick- so low-we should have staved two weeks. TH the grenad' .r PALM ISI4AvD Upenieq Uaaher 31. 1999 THE MAGICAL GRENADINES. A PART OF THE WORLD WW-PE TIME IS SUSPENDIio, WATERS ARE CLEARAND BEACHES ARE WHITE. IN THIS MYSTICAL STRAND OF JEWELS LIES THE OEM OF PALM ISI. AND. A t o0-ACRE, ALL-INCLUSIVE RESORT DEDICATID'ro TM pAMPERING OF JUST A FEW GUESTS IN AN UNRIVALED sE-MNG OFFERING THE. MOST SERENE SOLITUDE FOUND ANYWHERE IN TIM ENTME CARIBBEAN. BE THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE THE NFWFST EXCLUSIVE RrSOR7V IN THE MOST EXCLUSIVE PART OF THE WORLD. Contact your favorite travel professional or call: (800) 858-4618 • (561) 9944733 ~"°~°°'°~~b"~G?~ "w.palerirl uu(resom.com ~ ~ 1! TOWN OF PAIL 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 970-479-2100 FAX 970-479-2157 MEDIA ADVISORY June 30, 1999 Contact: Suzanne Silverthorn, 479-2115 Community Information Office FOURTH OF JULY PARADE IMPACTS Vail's annual Fourth of July parade begins at 10 a.m. Sunday starting at Lionshead and ending at Golden Peak (staging area will be at the West Day Lot). Due to the route of the parade, Vail Valley Drive and Hanson Ranch Road will be closed periodically from approximately 10:30 a.m. until the parade passes through. In addition, traffic at West Meadow Drive at Vail Road, South Frontage Road at West Forest Road and West Lionshead Circle will be controlled but congested and drivers are urged to use alternate routes until the end of the parade. For more information regarding travel access during the parade, contract the Vail dispatch center at 479-2200. PARKING OPTIONS TO INCLUDE PAID, CLOSE-IN PARKING AT FORD PARK Ford Park's managed parking program will be in place beginning at 7 a.m. July 4. The $5 per car close-in parking program will be effective at the Ford Park lot on South Frontage Road and the soccer field lot on Vail Valley Drive. Parking is traditionally tight during the annual Vail America Days celebration with the Vail Village and Lionshead free parking structures filling early. Parking will be allowed on South Frontage Road once both parking structures fill. SAFETY REMINDER FOR FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS Remember, it is illegal to use fireworks within the Town of Vail. If it flies, explodes or generates smoke, it's illegal. Although the fire danger is high this week due to dry conditions, fire officials say Sunday's fireworks display will be held as scheduled at Golden Peak. Last year, officials cancelled the Vail fireworks display for the first time in history due to extremely hot and dry conditions. Also on June 29 last year, fire destroyed a playground at Stephens Park in Vail, causing an estimated $75,000 to $100,000 in damage. Fireworks were believed to have caused the blaze. For more information, contact the Vail Fire Department at 479-2250. TOWN OFFICES CLOSED MONDAY FOR HOLIDAY Town of Vail offices will be closed for business Monday (7-5) in observance of the Fourth of July holiday. However, emergency personnel, including police and fire departments will be on duty; buses will be running as scheduled, also. The Vail Public Library will be closed on July 4 and 5, however the Library's annual book sale will be held on those days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Library's community room. The Library will reopen its doors on Tuesday at 10 a.m. RECYCLED PAPER RECE1v`1-1 7 19C KING INVESTMENTS 11931 Wickchester Lane Suite #401 Houston, TX 77043 281-556-9606 281-556-9515 FAX Town Council Town of Vail Vail, Colorado 81657 Gentlemen: We have been vail property owners since the mid 1970's. We have owned our home at 272 West Meadow Dr. since 1982. We are very happy that the Town Council is interested in improving the image of Vail and in particular the LionsHead area. It is beyond our imagination that the Town Council would "condemn" all private homes on West Meadow Drive as is recommended by one of your consultant groups. We are very opposed to any action that would adversely impact the West Meadow Drive private homes. We will follow this situation very closely. Sin rel James U. K~ig, Jr. Iva Ann King u ~y TOWN OF VAIL 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 970-479-2100 FAX 970-479-2157 TM July 2, 1999 Dear Future Homeowner: We have great news and not quite as great but more good news, nonetheless. Building B is essentially complete and ready for inspection by the Town Building Department. Building A is not far behind and should be ready for inspection by the end of the first week of July. The not so great news is that the early June wet weather has held up earth work that must precede the final asphalting. Today we met on site with the company that is doing the asphalt work and we are looking at completion in three weeks. The asphalting must be complete before a temporary certificate of occupancy can be issued. By that time the only outstanding work could be some final landscaping. We recognize that the times of completion are extending beyond anticipated closings. We are working with purchasers, their loan companies and the title company to close in escrow to assure continued loan commitment. This requires the agreement of other entities that we are pushing to help make this happen. The Vail Town Council and staff are taking the final administration steps to provide for conveyance of their property. The staffs of the Eagle River Water & Sanitation District and the Town of Vail are working out final details for declarations, conveyances and other legal steps necessary for a smooth transition to the newly created association and individual owners. r~~1 RECYCLEDPAPER That is a summary of the activity that will keep all very busy through July. Your continued cooperation to navigate through these final steps is appreciated. Very truly yours, TOWN OF VAIL EAGLE RIVER WATER & SANITATION DISTRICT Nina Timm Dennis Gelvin Housing Coordinator President NT/DG/aw F nted by Pam Brandmeyer 7/01/99 4:42pm om: Elaine Turnbull : EVERYONE GROUP bject: d: Dick Duran's retirement party ===NOTE====------=====7/01/99==2:33pm== The date and location are set! Mulligan's in Eagle-Vail has graciously offered to put on a great spread especially for Dick on July 15 (Thursday). Here's the scoop: prime rib and deep-fried Cajun turkey Caesar salad Fresh steamed veggies Mashed potatoes and gravy Rolls and butter Iced tea and water Cost: $25.00 per person (includes tax and gratuity) We'll also have a big congratulations cake and ice cream for him there! Cash bar will "open" at around 5:30; dinner to be served at 6:30 p.m. Wonderful facility, FANTASTIC food, good friends to get together and wish Dick farewell and good luck. Please call your significant others and tell them, "Honey, we're going out to dinner!", and RSVP to me via e-mail or at extension 2251 by July 12. We're hoping to have a really good turn-out to show Dick how much he was appreciated! Also, please let me know if you or your department wants to do or say something on Dick's behalf at this party. Be the first in your department to RSVP! Thanks! -E. Fwd=by:=Pam=Brandmeye__________________ Fwd to: Elaine Turnbull Page: 1