HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-11-09 Support Documentation Town Council Work Session
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1999
5:00 P.M. IN TOV COUNCIL CHAMBERS
AGENDA
1 d Swearing in of New Council Members. (5 mins.)
Lorelei Donaldson
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: All five of the newly elected
Council Members will be asked to stand and raise their right hands as
Lorelei administers the oath.
2. Selection of Mayor/Mayor Pro-Tem. (5 mins.)
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: As much discussion desired may
take place regarding these elections. Council Members will adjourn to
the small conference room. At the point in time the discussion is ended,
a motion should be made to the effect: "I move that be elected as
Mayor of the Town of Vail for a two year term which ends at the
organizational meeting held by the new Council after the regular
municipal election in November, 2001." There should be a second to the
motion, and then the entire Council is to vote "yes" or "no". Election of
the Mayor Pro-Tem should follow the same procedure with the works
"Mayor Pro-Tem" substituted for "Mayor" in the motion.
3. VAIL LOCAL MARKETING DISTRICT - NEXT STEPS. (15 mins.)
Pam Brandmeyer
Steve Thompson ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Based on the successful
Bob McLaurin outcome of Tuesday's regular municipal election, the following issues
should be decided by Council.
1) Process for appointment of Vail Local Marketing District Board of
Directors.
The past Council indicated support for appointing a Board of Directors for
the Vail Local Marketing District Board (VLMDB), following the same
posture it has taken re: PEC, DRB, the Local Licensing Authority (liquor
board), AIPP, and so on, although the Town Council acts as the
governing board until such appointments are made. The state legislation
allows for appointment of "no less than five (5) and no more than seven
(7) directors. All directors must be registered electors of the district,"
e.g., registered electors within the Town of Vail
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Direct staff to advertise 5-7 positions on
the VLMDB three consecutive times in a newspaper of general
circulation. Such advertisements would appear: November 12, 19, and
26th, 1999, thus allowing for interviews to be conducted at the afternoon
work session on Tuesday, December 7th, and appointment at that
evening meeting. Staff would further recommend staggered first term
appointments of two and four years.
2) Direction from Council re: the following issues.
a. In June of this year, the past regional marketing authority, the Vail
Valley Marketing Board, upon Council request, presented two district
marketing operating plans. One was based on $1 million in contributions;
the second was based on $2 million in sales tax collections. Does the
Council wish to make a decision re: which plan to pursue - or defer this
1
decision-until the new board is appointed, recognizing that will not occur
until December? ;a..
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Direct staff to bring forward the revised
$2M plan (reflecting conservative Y2000 sales tax collections) for
Council's consideration in November.
b. Does the Council wish to establish a budget on the proposed amount
of Y2000 sales tax collections and the busines license fee, e.g.:
1.4% sales tax = up to $1,750,000--
Y2000 business
license fee =up to 318,000
TOTAL $2,068,000
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: With the fluctuating sales tax
contributions, staff recommends approval of expenditures up to $1*.5M
from sales tax + up to $318,000 from the business license fee, thus
ensuring a shoulder/summer marketing budget of approximately
$1,818,000 for the Y2000 marketing effort. Should additional dollars be
generated, these would be returned to the Vail Local Marketing District.
Board to further offset the Y2001 marketing effort.
c. Does the Council wish to "front load" payment for programs that must
be implemented now in order to ensure marketing for the upcoming
summer season? Frank Johnson will be in attendance to explain which
programs are imperative to fund now, per our past presentation from the
Vail Valley Marketing Board (VVMB). On average, expenditures
experienced by the WMB through April have been approximately
$377,000, with a high of $465,000 and a low of $304,000.
(Please see the FAX cover sheet w/attachments from Frank Johnson.)
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: "Loan" from the town's general fund
moneys sufficient to cover these upfront costs and to "bridge the gap"
from the state's receipt of and subsequent payment to the town of the
additional 1.4% lodging tax and collection of the town's business license
fee.
4. PEC/DRB Review. (5 mins.)
Brent Wilson
Allison Ochs
5. Adjournment - 5:30 p.m.
NOTE UPCOMING MEETING START TIMES BELOW:
(ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
THE NEXT VAIL TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR WORK SESSION
WILL BE ON TUESDAY, 11116/99, BEGINNING AT 2:00 P.M. IN TOV COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THE FOLLOWING VAIL TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR WORK SESSION
WILL BE ON TUESDAY, 11/23/99, BEGINNING AT 2:00 P.M. IN TOV COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THE NEXT VAIL TOWN COUNCIL REGULAR EVENING MEETING
WILL BE ON TUESDAY, 11116199, BEGINNING AT 7:00 P.M. IN TOV COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
Sign language interpretation available upon request with 24 hour notification. Please call 479-2332 voice
or 479-2356 TDD for information.
FAAGENDA.NEWTC
2
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL
Tuesday, November 9, 1999 - The Vail Town Council Work Session will begin
at 5:00 p.m. in the Vail Town Council Chambers.
COUNCIL FOLLOW-UP
TOPIC QUESTIONS FOLLOW-UP SOLUTIONS
1999
9/21/99 TCI FRANCHISE FEE TOM: In a request before the Council at the 9/21/99 work
Kevin Foley session re: funding equipment/programming for Channel 5,
the question was asked as to whether the TOV could raise
the franchise fee.
11/2/99 CHANGE OUT OF LARRY PARDEE: They're looking a little tired and worn -
INTERNATIONAL FLAGS ON FRONTAGE what's the replacement schedule. Staff noted we had
ROAD received initial replacements from the Vail Valley
Ludi Kurz Foundation and that we replace flags twice a year. When
you change them out, PLEASE SAVE A FRENCH FLAG
FOR RETIRING COUNCILMEMBER MICHAEL ARNETT.
11/2/99 ACCESSIBLE USE SPACES AT RUSSELL/GREG H.: As a part of the parking
VAIL COMMONS requirement(s) and agreement for the construction of the
Mike Jewett housing at Vail Commons, two additional spaces (which at
first were used for construction staging) have yet to be
appropriately signed and painted.
November 5, 1999, Page 1
d
TOWN OF VAIL WORLD
Office of the Town Manager
CHAMPIONSHIPS
75 South Frontage Road
Vail, Colorado 81657 1999-VA I L- BEAVER CREEK
. DO-USA
970-479-2105/Fax 970-479-2157
TM
MEMORANDUM
TO: Vail Town Council
FROM: Robert W. McLaurin, Town Manager
DATE: November 5, 1999
RE: Update
Congratulations to each of you on your election to the Vail Town Council. The staff and I look
forward to working with you for the next two years.
Pursuant to my discussions with most of you, we have rescheduled the Council work session
from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. As indicated on the agenda, there are only two items of business
that need to be taken care of. the first is the election of the Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tem. The
second is a series of actions necessary to initiate the establishment of the Vail Local Marketing
District. The specific items which the Council needs to address are outlined on the agenda.
Following the Council meeting, we will hold a public reception. This reception will be held at
the Colorado Ski Museum. I anticipate we can begin this event at 5:30 and it is scheduled to
conclude at 7:30 p.m.
You will need to complete the necessary personnel paperwork (W-4, etc.) and we will make
arrangements to train you on the utilization of the Council voice messaging system.
I will be at home all weekend, please feel free to call me at 476-7388 if you have questions or
need any additional information.
RWM/aw
RECYCLED PAPER
(,~S l1 • ~ • ~ 9 4r,~ 3
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL MARKETING PROGRAM DECISION TREE
Initiate process leading to Appoint new Board
appointment of new Board
Should Council take initial Board Orientation
actions before Board is appointed?
No Board review and
Yes revision of draft
marketing program
Should existing contractors be for Year 2000
Reece successor No offered by VVMB
Peeples Ink retained for coming year to
VVTCB assure smooth transition?
Fulfillment center
Yes Actions prior to 12/31/99
-Approve interim financing strategy (Council)
VVTCB What central reservations systems *Complete Press Kit
VA should be used?
-Complete and print Summer Guide
-Authorize negotiations for ad placement
$1.5M What budget level should be
$2.OM established?
Prepared by M. Ross Boyle, Chair, VVMB
November 9, 1999
11/04/1999 11:41 9704766008 WTCB PA( 01
v~ 6^:i' ~.py.}'>i k...,{~.1 P,!~•N ~i ids
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13
TRANSMISSION COVER SHEET
DATE l ! C
To:
COMPANY:
FROM• EXTENSION _4~~PQ
COMPANY: Vail Valley Tourism & Convention Bureau, FAX# 970476-6008
TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES INCLUDING COVER SEUMT:
MESSAGE:
a
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IF YOU DID NOT RECEIVE ALL pAGES, CONTACT 970,476-1000
Central Reservadous 800-525,3875 Group Sales 970-76-1000 Business Office 970-476-1000
Group Sales 800-715-8245 Fax 970-479-2364 Fax 970.476.6008
Website: www.vidtvanvaney.com, Email: vvteb0VWtvailvalley.cM
WMS Cash Flow.-Expenditures Only
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January February March April May June July ust Ss ember Oclcber November December TOTAL
1991) $ 27,893.00 $189 0.00 ; 63116.00 S 38 741.00 $ 40 81 AO S 174 43t.00 74 .00 $ 21) 77.00 $ 48,850.00 ; 63,202.00 S 749 .00
tL oumulative $ 27 893.00 $217,102.00 ;180 218.00 $318,959.00 = 360 220.00 $533,651.00 $800,504.00 1$37 781.00 $ 686,631.00 $ 749,92390 $749.9M.00 S 740 823.00
%oftotal 4% 25% a% 5% 6% 23% 10% 4% 7% 8% 0% 0%
% 37% 34% 20% 8%
1888 $302,6N.01) 28,325.00 $ 44,145.00 42 746.00 $ 34,716.00 $ 72,235.00 $ 64 338.00 > $ 33,315.00 3 23,759.00 $ 61,236.00 32,815.00 $ 289 868.00 1000197.00
cumulative 5302,G99.00 $ 331,023,00 $375,168.00 $417,11116.130 3452,11M.00 $524,868.00 $ 589 204.0 $622,1519.00 $ 646,276.00 707,514.00 $ 740,329.00 $1030,197.00
% orlotal 28% 3% 4% 4% 3% 7% 6% 3% 2% 6% 3% 28%
% r. 36% 15% 12% 3796
1997 $ 323.00 2103.00 S 200,313.00 $10 f,734.00 94,854.00 S 109)620.00 S 75,675.00 $ $4,752.00 $ 20 760.00 83 725.00 / 57,173.00 111 09 1840-00 $ 018 872.00
cumWaWe S 323.00 $ 2,426.00 5202738.00 1304,473.00 $389327.00 608.047.00 S584,622.00 $649,3T4.00 87'8,134.00 $761,859.00 819032.00 S 918 72.00
%ofidal 0% 0% 22% 11% t0% 12% 7% 3% 9% 6% 11%
% tr. 22% 33% 18% 2$%
1998 128846.00 $ 15,098.00 $226,689.00 9600090 S 98,000.00 $109000.00 $ 54338.00 38301.00 $ 59,823.00 $ 40,878.00 3 95,561.00 ; 98,146.00 ;1,066,081.00
cmulative $f28946.00 $144A45.00 369934.00 $464 4.00 $5:38934.00 $658834.00 723272.00 $761,67390 821,498.00 1862374.00 $957,935.00 S1,066,OBt.00
%oftelal 12% 2t% 9% 10% 6% 4% 8% 4% 9% 9%
% 35% 28% 14% 22%
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VVMB Cash Flow
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1999 Janua February March Aril Me June July August September October November December Totals
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Income $ 385,361 $ 172,632 $ 280,357 $ 34,283 $ 7,591 $ 2,032 $ 7,273 $ 3,549 S 35,993 $ 29,062 $ 958,173
Expense $ 27,893 3 189,209 $ 63,118 $ 38,741 $ 40,261 $ 174,431 $ 74,853 $ 29,277 $ 48,850 $ 63,292 $ 749,923
Net $ 357,488 $ (16,577) $ 217,241 $ (4,456) $ (32,fi70} $ (172,399} $ (67,580) ${25,727) S (12,858) $(34,210) #VALU& #VALUE1 $ 208,250
1998 January February March April May June Jul August September October November December Totals
Income $ 380,706 $ 184,414 $ 464 $ 304,845 $ 13,139 $ 4,317 $ 4,191 $ 4,435 $ 84,236 $ 35,363 $ 1,612 $ 4,615 $ 1,032,359
Expense $ 302,$98 S 28,325 S 44,145 $ 42,748 $ 34,716 $ 72,236 $ 84,338 $ 33,315 $ 23,759 $ 61,236 $ 32,815 $ 289,866 $ 1,030,198
Net $ 88,008 $ 158,089 $ (43,882) $ 262,097 $ (21,577) $ (87,919) $ (60,145) $(28,880) $ 60,479 $(25,853) $(31,203) $ (285,253) $ 2,161
1997 January February March April May June July August September October November December Totals
Income $ 500,000 $ 182,788 $ 925,698 $ 24,695 $ 24,464 $ 2,565 $ 1,569 $ 2,066 $128,538 $ 3,222 $ 2,243 $ 3,506 $ 981,538
Expense S 323 S 21,103 S 200,313 S 101,734 S 94,854 $ 109,620 $ 75,675 $ 64,752 $ 28,760 $ 83,725 $ 57,173 $ 89,840 $ 937,872
Net $ 498,677 5 141,665 $ (74,415) $ (77,039) $ (70,390) $ (107,055) 3 (74,106) $(62,686) $ 99,778 $(80,503) $(54,930) $ (96,332) $ 43,664
1996 January February March April May June July August September October November December Totals
Income $801,607 $ 180,322 $ 102,000 S 24,600 $ 24,500 $ 2,600 5 2,163 $ 9,459 $118,486 $ 1,469 $ 1,179 $ 1,783 $1,050,168
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Expense $ 128,946 S 15,099 $ 225,889 $ 95,000 $ 95,000 $ 109,000 $ 54,338 $ 38,301 $ 59,923 $ 40,878 $ 95,561 $ 98,146 $ 1,058,081
r•
m Not $ 472,661 $ 145,223 $ (123,889) $ (70,400) $ (70,500) $ (106,400) $ (52,175) $(28,842) $ 56,563 $(39,409) $(94,382) $ (96,363) $ (5,913)
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Memorandum to Porter Wharton III r
March 27, 1999 '
The governing bodies may exclude property prior to the organization of the district
if it is deemed to be in the best interests of the district. No procedures are outlined
for such an exclusion.
• After formation-of the district
their ' property owners may petition the board to request that
property be included in or excluded from the district. A public hearing will be
held and the board may grant or deny the petition.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
• Who can be a member of the board of directors of the district, and how many are
required? The board can have no less than five
directors must be registered electors of the districts e., registered voters who are residents
or Property owners within the district.
• How Is the board of directors selected? The directors are either elected by the electors of
the district or appointed by the governing bodies as specified in the contract that creates the
combination district. All matters relating to the selection and removal of directors will be
specified in the contract.
• When does the board meet? The board will meet as specified in the contract or as the
needs of the district require.
• What actions by the board require approval beyond the board?
• The levying of a marketing and promotion tax must be approved by a majority of the
eligible electors in the district.
• Each local government in the district must approve the district's operating plan
before a marketing and promotion tax can be levied or district services provided.
DISTRICT OPERA'T'ING PLAN:
• What is a district operating plan? The operating plan identifies the services to be offered
by the district, any marketing and promotion tax to be imposed by the district, and any
additional information necessary to the operations of the district.
• Where is the operating plan filed? The operating plan and a proposed budget for the next
fiscal year is filed with the clerk of each municipality and county within the combination
district no later than September 30' of each year. Each local government member must
approve the plan by December 5' of the same year.
5454\71\505335.1
-4-
PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE
Monday, November 8, 1999
AGENDA
MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT
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 an extension of a previously-granted variance and a request for a
worksession to discuss a redevelopment proposal involving a rezoning, conditional use
permit revision and development plan approval for Ski Club Vail, located at 598 Vail
Valley Drive / Part of Tract B, Vail Village 7`h Filing.
Applicant: Ski Club Vail, represented by Snowdon & Hopkins Architects
Planner: Brent Wilson
2. A request for a "staff approved".minor amendment to the Golden Peak Development
Plan, to allow for the addition of a new Magic Carpet lift in the ski yard, the relocation of
the mechanical shed and the addition of a stream crossing for summer access to the
base of Chair 12, located at 458 Vail Valley Drive/Golden Peak Parcel, Tracts B&F, Vail
Village 51h and 7th Filing.
Applicant: Vail Resorts, Inc.
Planner: Dominic Mauriello
STAFF APPROVED
3. A request for a minor subdivision, to allow for the establishment of a new parcel and the
vacation of platted easements, located on a Portion of Lot 1, Sunburst Filing #3 (Golf
Terrace).
Applicant: Fallridge Condominium Association
Planner: Brent Wilson
TABLED UNTIL NOVEMBER 22, 1999
7TV WN OF VAIL
1
4. A request for a final review of a major amendment, to allow for the proposed
redevelopment of the Vail Village Inn, Phase IV, within Special Development District No.
6, and a conditional use permit, to allow for the operation of a fractional fee club in the
Public Accommodation Zone District, located at 100 East Meadow Drive/Lots M, N, & O,
Block 5-0, Vail Village First Filing.
Applicant: Daymer Corporation, represented by Jay Peterson
Planner: George Ruther
TABLED UNTIL DECEMBER 13,1999
5. A request for a conditional use permit, to, allow for the construction. of a Type II employee
housing unit, located at 3847 Lupine Drive / Lot.7, Block 1, Bighorn Subdivision First
Addition.
Applicant: Randy Nichols, represented by the Mulhern Group
Planner: Allison Ochs
WITHDRAWN
6. Information Update
7. Approval of October 25, 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
Published November 5, 1999 in the Vail Trail
2
DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AGENDA
Wednesday, November 3, 1999
3:00 P.M.
PUBLIC MEETING RESULTS
PROJECT ORIENTATION / LUNCH - Community Development Department 11:00 am
MEMBERS PRESENT MEMBERS ABSENT
Clark Brittain
Bill Pierce
Hans Woldrich.
Melissa Greenauer
Galen Aasland (PEC)
SITE VISITS 1:00 pm
1. Webster - 2755 Snowberry
2. A-Frame - 2657 Arosa Drive
3. Fischer - 2695 Davos Trail
4. City Market - 2109 N. Frontage Rd. W.
5. Flinn - 265 Forest Road
6. Daily Grind - 288 Bridge Street
7. Vail Mountain Adventure Center - 311 Bridge Street
Driver: Allison
PUBLIC HEARING - TOWN COUNCIL CHAMBERS 3:00 pm
1. The Daily Grind -New Awning and sign. Dominic
288 Bridge Street/Block 5A, Vail Village 1St Filing.
Applicant: Kaye Ferry
MOTION: Bill Pierce SECOND: Melissa Greenauer VOTE: 4-0 (Galen abstained)
APPROVED WITH 3 CONDITIONS:
1. That the gold on the awning be #2006.
2. That the awning extends no further than the east edge of the Rucksack window.
3. That the awning cover the entire area from the west edge east.
2. Newspaper Box (Ore House) - Final review of a newspaper distribution site. George
Public right-of-way at the intersection of Bridge Street and Gore Creek Drive.
Applicant: Vail Daily
MOTION: SECOND: VOTE:
TABLED
TOWN OF PAIL
1
3. Vail Mountain Adventure Center - New signs. Ann
311 Bridge Street (Hill Building) / Lot L, Block 5C, Vail Village 1s`
Applicant: Teak Simonton
MOTION: Bill Pierce SECOND: Hans Woldrich VOTE: 5-0
APPROVED WITH 2 CONDITIONS:
1. That the image be as revised.
2. That the size be reviewed by staff
4. Flinn residence -Conceptual review of a proposed Primary/Secondary residence Allison
& Type 11 EHU.
265 Forest Road/Lot 21, Block 7, Vail Village 1st
Applicant: Lawrence Flinn, represented by Sam Mitchell & Steve Riden
CONCEPTUAL -NO VOTE
5. Vail Snowboard Supply - Exterior painting. Brent
493 E. Lionshead Circle/A portion of Block 1, Vail Lionshead 1st Filing.
Applicant: Speciality Sports
CONCEPTUAL - NO VOTE
6. MJL Development - Conceptual review of a new single-family residence. Brent
4355 Bighorn Road / Lot 3, Block 3, Bighorn 3rd Addition.
Applicant: Michael Lauterbach
CONCEPTUAL - NO VOTE
7. Illingworth - Conceptual review of a new two-family residence. Allison
5112 Grouse Lane/Lot 8, Vail Meadows 1st
Applicant: RKD/Tom Weber
CONCEPTUAL - NO VOTE
8. Fischer residence - Final review of proposed garage addition & exterior remodel. Allison
2695 Davos Trail/Lots 16 & 17, Block B, Vail Ridge.
Applicant: Randall Fischer
MOTION: Bill Pierce SECOND: Melissa Greenauer VOTE: 5-0
APPROVED
9. Webster residence - Conceptual review of a new single-family residence. Brent
2755 Snowberry Drive/Lot 10, Block 9, Vail Intermountain.
Applicant. Chip Webster
CONCEPTUAL - NO VOTE
10. City Market - Amend Sign Program Allison
2109 N. Frontage Rd. West/Vail Commons, Vail das Schone 3rd Filing.
Applicant: City Market, Inc.
CONCEPTUAL - NO VOTE
2
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11. A-Frame - Final review of proposed Primary/Secondary residence. Allison
2657 Arosa Drive/Lot 8, Block D, Vail Ridge.
Applicant: Town of Vail, represented by Tom Stevens & Nina Timm
MOTION: Bill Pierce SECOND: Melissa Greenauer VOTE: 5-0
APPROVED WITH 1 CONDITION:
1. That Public Works approval be met.
12. Vail Plaza Hotel - Discussion of pedestrian areas and access. Allison
100 East Meadow Drive/Lots M, N, & O, Block 5-D, Vail Village First Filing.
Applicant: Daymer Corporation, represented by Jay Peterson
MOTION: SECOND: VOTE:
TABLED
Staff Approvals
Golf Course Townhomes - New decks. Allison
1734 Golf Lane/Unplatted, Golf Course Townhomes.
Applicant: John Murphy
Strong residence - Landscape lighting addition. Brent
443 Beaver Dam Road/Lot 4, Block 4, Vail Village 3`d Filing.
Applicant: Dick Strong
May Palace - Satellite dish. Ann
2109 N. Frontage Road, City Market/Unplatted, Vail das Schone Filing 3.
Applicant: Greg Luciano
Simba Run - Relocation of trash enclosure on site plan. Brent
1100 North Frontage Road/Simba Run.
Applicant: Simba Run Condominium Association
Squires residence -,New window. Allison
1626 Vail Valley Drive/Lot 2, Parcel B, Warren Pulis Subdivision.
Applicant: John and Gail Squires
Ford residence - Satellite dish. Ann
2765 Bald Mountain Road/Lot 4, Block 2, Vail Village 13th
Applicant: Rob Ford
Meyer residence - Driveway and snowmelt installation. George
254 Beaver Dam Road/Lot 5, Block 2, Vail Village 3`d
Applicant: Janice Meyer
Wallace residence -Addition and remodel. Allison
1944 B Sunburst Drive/Lot 21 B, Block 3, Vail Valley 3`d
Applicant: Ray Wallace
Golden Peak Ski Base - Magic Carpet ski lift. Dominic
458 Vail Valley Drive/Tract F&B, Vail Village 7th and 5th Filings.
Applicant: Vail Resorts, Inc.
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Mill Creek Court Building - Replace two existing awnins. Dominic
320 Hanson Ranch Road/Lot I, Block 5A, Vail Village 5 .
Applicant: Mill Creek Court Condo Association
Belltower -Window replacement. Ann
201 E. Gore Creek Drive/Block 56, Vail Village 15t
Applicant: Wales Madden Jr.
Kenny's Double Diamond -Awning, sign. Brent
500 E. Lionshead Circle, #22, Lions Pride/Lot 1, Block 1, Vail Lionshead 15t
Applicant: Kenneth O. Friedman
Ackerman residence - Revised landscape plan. Dominic
Vail Valley Drive/Tract C, Vail Village 7cn
Applicant: Don Ackerman
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.
4
4VAIL
TOWN OOffice of the Town Manager
'WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
75 South Frontage Road
CREEK 1999 -VAI L- BE AVER -
Vail, Colorado 81657 MEMORANDUM
970-479-2105/Fax 970-479-2157
TO: Vail Town Council TM
FROM: Pamela A. Brandmeyer, Assistant Town Manager
DATE: November 5, 1999
RE : Council Committee and Board Appointments
We usually appoint representatives to the following Boards and Committees the first meeting of
a new Town Council. These Board and Committee appointments will be on the November 16"'
Town Council Work Session. Please review the following list to expedite these appointments.
Thanks.
PAB/aw
a. Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Board.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Sybill Navas has served as the Board Member on
NWCCOG. Although in the past there has been an alternate for this position, for the past four
years there has not. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move
that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Northwest
Colorado Council of Governments Board of Directors." The motion should be seconded and
voted by the Council. The appointment of the Alternate will be similar.
Sybill Navas would like to continue to serve on this committee.
b. Water Quality/Quantity Committee/NWCCOG Member.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Sybill Navas has served as the Council's representative
on this committee. Although in the past there has been an alternate for this position, for the past
four years there has not. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I
move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the
Appointment Committee to Quality/Quantity Committee/ NWCCOG." The motion should be
seconded and voted by the Council. The appointment of the Apprentice will be similar.
Sybill Navas would like to continue to serve on this committee.
RwYCLEDPAPER
C. Vail Valley Tourism & Convention Bureau.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Mike Arnett has served as the Board Member on the
VVT&CB Board. Rob Ford has served as the Alternate. After discussion of this item, a motion
should be made as follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the
Vail Town Council on the Vail Valley Tourism & Convention Bureau Board of Directors." The
motion should be seconded and voted by the Council. The appointment of the Alternate will be
similar.
A Town Council member is required. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of every other
month, approximate hours 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. The time commitment is 2 to 3 hours every
other month.
d. Colorado Association of Ski Towns Member and Alternate.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Bob Armour has served on the Executive Board of
CAST and is the President of CAST. Bob McLaurin has served as the Secretary. After
discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move that be
appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council for the Colorado Association of Ski
Towns." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
Meetings are held every other month around the State. There is no set date or time limit. The
Mayor should serve on this, with the Town Manager.
e. e. Vail Recreation District/Town Council Subcommittee
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Kevin Foley and Rob Ford have served as Town
Council representatives on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be
made as follows: "I move that and be appointed to represent the Vail Town
Council on the VRD/Town Council Committee." The motion should be seconded and voted on
by the Council.
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m. at the Vail Golf Course -
Krueger Room. A Council member should sit on this committee.
Kevin Foley would like to continue on this committee.
f. Special Events Committee.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Sybill Navas has served as Town Council
representatives on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as
follows: "I move that be appointed to represent the Vail Town Council on the Special
Events Committee." The motion should be seconded and voted on by the Council.
Meetings are held as needed. The meetings run about two hours. Sybill Navas would like to
continue on this committee.
g. Bravo! Colorado Board.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Mike Jewett and Mike Arnett have served as Town
Council representatives on this board. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as
follows: "I move that and be appointed to represent the Vail Town Council
on the Bravo! Colorado Board." The motion should be seconded and voted on by the Council.
This board meets quarterly for 2 to 3 hours and a Council member is required.
h. Eagle County Recreation Authority.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Rob Ford and Ludwig Kurz have served as the
Council's representative on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be
made as follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town
Council on the Eagle County Recreation Authority Committee." The motion should be seconded
and voted by the Council. The appointment of the Alternate will be similar.
Meetings are generally held on the second Friday of each month. Ludwig would like to continue
serving on this committee. NOTE: This Authority may dissolve shortly.
i. Town of Vail Housing Authority.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Mike Arnett has served as the Council's representative
on the Authority. Although in the past there has been an alternate for this position, for the past
two years there has not. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I
move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Vail
Housing Authority." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council. The
appointment of the Alternate will be similar.
Meetings generally are held once a quarter within a one hour time frame. There is the potential
for more time when there are special projects.
j. Channel 5 Vail Valley Community Television Board.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Ludwig Kurz has served as the Council's representative
on this board. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move that
be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Channel 5 Vail
Valley Community Television Board." The motion should be seconded and voted by the
Council.
Meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 7:00 a.m. Ludwig Kurz would like to
continue serving on this Board.
k. Art In Public Places.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Sybill Navas and Rob Ford have served as the board's
representative on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as
follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on
the Art In Public Places board." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
Meetings are held the second and fourth Thursday of each month with meetings generally from
8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. A Council member is required by ordinance.
1. Mauri Nottingham Environmental Award.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Mike Arnett has served as the Council's representative
on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move
that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Mauri
Nottingham Environmental Award Committee." The motion should be seconded and voted by
the Council.
Meetings are held twice a year in the spring. A Council member is required.
M. Vail Valley Exchange/Sister Cities.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Sybill Navas has served as Town Council
representatives on this committee, with Mike Jewett as that at large member. After discussion of
this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move that be appointed as the
representative of the Vail Town Council on the Vail Valley Exchange Committee." The motion
should be seconded and voted by the Council.
Meetings are held randomly throughout the year. A Council member is required. Sybill would
like to continue to serve on this committee.
n. Eagle County Regional Transportation Authority.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Kevin Foley has served as Town Council representative
on this authority with Rob Ford as the Alternate. After discussion of this item, a motion should
be made as follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town
Council on the Regional Transportation Authority." The motion should be seconded and voted
by the Council. The appointment of the Alternate will be similar.
Kevin Foley would like to continue to serve on this authority. A Town representative must be
present at every meeting.
o. Ford Park Management Plan.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Kevin Foley has served as the Council's representative
on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move
that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Ford Park
Management Plan Committee." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
Through the approved Ford Park Management Plan, quarterly meetings have been set. A
Council member's presence would be appreciated. Kevin Foley would like to continue serving
on this committee.
p. The Chamber.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL: Sybill Navas has served as the Council's representative
on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move
that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Chamber
Committee." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
The Chamber meets the third Friday of each month.
q. Open Space/Charter Committee.
ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL:. Sybill Navas has served as the Council's
representative on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as
follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on
the Open Space Committee." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
r. Colorado Ski Museum and Ski Hall of Fame. Ludwig Kurz has served as the Council's
representative on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as
follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on
the Colorado Ski Museum and Ski Hall of Fame." The motion should be seconded and voted by
the Council
Ludwig would like to continue serving on this committee.
S. Town of Vail/Vail Associates Task Force. The Mayor and
his/her appointee has served as the Council's representative on this committee. After discussion
of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move that be appointed as the
representative of the Vail Town Council on the Town of Vail/Vail Associates Task Force." The
motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
Sybill Navas has been the appointee and would like to continue to serve on the Task Force.
t. Eagle Valley Leadership Coalition. Rob Ford has served as the Council's representative
on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move
that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Eagle Valley
Leadership Coalition." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
U. Vail Youth Recognition Award. Sybill Navas has served as the Council's representative
on this committee. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move
that be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Vail Youth
Recognition Award committee." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
This committee gets together once a year to determine the award recipient. Sybill Navas would
like to continue to serve on this committee.
V. Vail Alpine Garden Foundation Board. Town of Vail staff member Todd Oppenheimer
has served as the Council's representative on this board. After discussion of this item, a motion
should be made as follows: "I move that be appointed as the representative of the
Vail Town Council on the Vail Alpine Garden Foundation Board." The motion should be
seconded and voted by the Council.
W. Colorado Alliance for a Rapid Transit Solution (CARTS).
Town of Vail staff member Greg Hall has served on the informal board as the Town's representative.
They are now establishing a formal board and would like each municipality to select a
representative to their board. This next year Nov 2001, they will go to the voters of Colorado and
ask to use $100 million of surplus revenue to fund a test section of the system from Frisco to
Silverthorne. After discussion of this item, a motion should be made as follows: "I move that
be appointed as the representative of the Vail Town Council on the Colorado Alliance
for a Rapid Transit Solution (CARTS)." The motion should be seconded and voted by the Council.
PAB/aw
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AN E13UI~Nm Only one in three ing eluded ore qtr local grvern-
to ma1~e 9Qm8 `
national econoIlly
has propelled Americans poor enough meats to aka
America's cities emntage.dt.all new hooting
to uallty t4r rental aid gff9rf bic There's sure tshe
tl+de tss m osition.'1'ne ar
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upper-income people have been But there's another conversa- service nd, *09 to it throw
halted. tion that every' American region arou21st-n(L w y t1c>ma grt thr IN 4
But an incredibly dispropor- ought to have: Will the tradition- less they can live dose by
tionate share of America's poor al liberal answer - more money, Such arguments might ham
still live in cities. The National more subsidies - ever get us to a
Low Income Housing Coalition, reasonable balance of~housing dfailed a decade or even ecade agoBut with the t
in a countrywide survey, couldn't supply and affordability. rob smart growth debate the pirite -
find a'single region in which a Not likely. Because the p
minimum-wage job paid'enough lem's o just aAn even~btgger worsening tra,fflc and SP w
..to afford a typical low-rent two- housing in cties generated problems, a suburban
bedroom apartment. challenge is lack of affordable g p m more ready
There's robust-growth in.cen- housing in suburbs. While cities communities may
ter cities' economies - the num- are now growing, suburbs are for the conversation. has ber of businesses and jobs are expanding still quicker, adding from Critical clout. community,
both rising at a strong clip. Cit- jobs faster. the Vusiriets
ies' jobless rates plunged from 8.1 And across the country, too. Unlet.figh s fohousing for its
wo~ percent in 1992 to 4.8 percent last there's a common chorus of com- even rithosetie the bottom ekers,
year. Unemployment rose in just plaints from suburban employ- n
three of the country's 539 center ers: "We can't find workers for the pay scale, it can't-count on a
og job slots. Commutes are get- work force. Business should be
cities.
But even last year, in the tin longer and longer, and our lobbying, locally and regionally,
midst of the boom, 72 percent of workers are arriving frazzled for large expansions of afford-
cities surveyed by the U .S. Con- and exhausted. Folks can't afford Soul osponsor hbusingAnd hey
ference of Mayors said requests to live anywhere near here." and
othe r' for emergency shelter were in- It's hard to be sympathetic, s fun uidzse oats and make thods ri sub-
creasing. Rents are. rising at Ofteii these are the same corpo- berswork.
twice the general inflation rate. rations that took their plants and Some coalitions, like the Bill-
affordable the supply of apartments offices out of town to decentral- con Valley Manufacturing
affordable to Americas 9 million ized locations, sometimes accept- Group,. already are, pressing
most. struggling families - work lug generous suburban govern- stron 1Y for. affordable housing.
ing poor people without govern- ment tax incentives to make the ghas ment housing assistance sank move. And then failed to object ions fcoalition rom the Homebu,lclers As-
act hambers of com-
zoning that effec- sociation to. c
Critics 'say we're an officially the 5percent from 1991 to 1997. whed forms of suburban
Club has
f the Sierra
callous nation, There are years- tively excluded the working poor, championed affordable housing
long waiting lists for the federal Now the traffic generated by a totaling 24,OQ0' units.Zt
governments housing assistance society that wont build housing , projects b
~
vouchers: Only one in three for all classes and incomes every- has wort 78 of 74 times, partly by
'getting. coition partriers.to mo- ~
Americans poor enough to quali- where has begun to threaten re- g.
.fy for rental aid receives it, gion.after region with gridlock.. bilize their troops to offset any
So what's, the cure? The con- Chronic labor shortages might "N1MBY" resistance.
ventional answer is more federal eventually force the economies of Chc ck those affordable hand the ousing new
housing assistance, or perhaps some areas to stall out. po, comeinto focus. E
. foundation support for commune- So there are, solid economic g~~ t
ty-developanent'iiousini'efforts. reasons for any region - em- F 81R 13 acolumntstforthe
And there's no. question: Both, ployers, governments, citizens -
would help 'a ldt. It's hard.to to take a strong interest in of Wa, a on,post• write to himatthe
justify being so stingy toward fordable housing. Just upping the Washington Post Writ d Oroup,1160 -
workting poor families during,a ni inbers of housing vouchers 15th St. NtV, Te0fiWan, DC200
peri4d, of i~rri z~oedented patio, a1. , wont. suffice. -The worlring, poor , :or f, mail. him-pt.
prosperity. have to And a welcome hous- npeiT a@dtlstatesxom-
OCT. 20. 19991 R' 4RA ESORT COMPANY 970 645 5945 0. 9223=P. 1
TAE. /ENVIR0NMENT•PART
`
.TH.E. END 0
i
I ' st: 1(.i A- 5
W""E`-';"'KN0W IT?
.
Tiinm g their attention away from the declining timber and mining in-
dustries, well-financed environmentalists are now battling ski resorts of '
all sizes. They want to, limit virtually all expansions and in some cases
close off existing ski terrain. And they're winning. How siding was trans-
formed from eco-hero-or at least eco-neutral-to eco-villain is the story
` of resort expansions and real estate development in the mountains. Is
modern siding defiling public lands or merely allowing millions to em-
brace the environment? .How has the value of 30 million annual skier
visits been lost in the environmental rhetoric? This is the first in a two-
part SKI series
addressing skiing and the environment. BY KEN CASTE
' `"`-IN"'T'HIS ISSUE COMING IN DECEMBER
THE AATTL.E LINES ARE DRAWN gyp. M • MITIGATION OVER LITIGATION?
! In some cases, ski resorts and environmental
A WHITE FLAG7 p.127 groups have worked together toward a common
I i A proposed plan for the heart of-Colorado ski goal. They say the future must depend on
Country would ellininate 50,000'acres of
pobmtial cooperation rather than conflict
sld terrain crowd the slopes and raise ticket prices,
BUSTING THE MYTHS
FIRES ON THE MOUNTAINS: 113
r A coast,toiC at battl bep Does vetting ski trails hurt wildlife habitat? Orin .Ule ,..~5:, 9 a some cases can it improve habitat? Has wildlife
JJ V~'• l'~NeeU3 0s~ Q~•a~rPACP
"c:' ,.,t $0' . increased d at ski resorts in the past 20
i •ss / ' ; ir•.' , ; f ^Y ; ; „ , ~r years? What happens to water used for snowmak-
iFrROM, OP, Q' ing, and how does that compare to Industrial uses?
t er `r.~•/ _1N 1g'ff4ny ii #Iti V 'lfr~menta jdSUStdlnabiAty:' Who really controls real estate development?
L ~ ~p~,(:.'i~.l't~;.~,~,r:~'f,:j~•:~•; s~~j,"'~''••~• ~{.s••i•;y;;s. '
,fit'{ • o~ ~ ~ i _ r-?0 *OVJOM match arIVSt1E CIYGIYVISEiIIOM IOP llFf JOIUI Mi[dl I14I U,MO M311iM1a (2.3) •s
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OCT. 20. 1999E 8:48A ESORT COMPANY 970 8,5 5945 N0. 9223=P. 3
a
SKIING do THE ENVIRONMENT °
THE BATTLE LINES ARE DRAWN
i Dark clouds gathered over Vail last summer, spent nearly 10 years in Oregon during the height of anti-kr-
and not just from Ia. Nude's relentless moue- ging demonstrations there.
•tain thunderstorms, which sent rivers of mud Accompanied by a posse of other Forest Service officers and
and boulders spewing across busy Interstate local sheriffs deputies, Rice summoned a cherry-picker (a
70. Barely nine months after eco-terrorists had truck-and-crane device used for tending utility lines) to snatch
torched Two Elk day lodge to protest Vail's Bobcat from his lo8y lair. That was precisely what the protest-
I' i pending Category III expansion, a band of eco-activists crs expected. As the cherry-picker began lumbering uphill, sev-
launched as open offensive against the same, now fully ap- eral of them formed a human roadblock to stop it. Then a
proved, project Using defiant tactics of civil disobedience, they young man crawled under the vehicle, wrapped his arms
turned up the wattage in what is now a high- around the driveshaft and chained his hands
j powered, well-orchestrated campaign to port _ together inside a PVC plastic sleeve. It took a
tray ski resorts as environmental heavies. while for authorities to cut him loosr, but as
And, by association, to tarnish skiers as polit- t ' soon as they did a woman dashed through a
icaUy inc=est cordon of guards and quickly locked herself
Vowing to prevent the nation's largest ski to another side of the vehicle.
resort from building its long-planned Cat III With the situation rapidly escalating, the
project on 885 acres of national forest Lind, officers decided to pull back and re-evaluate
i The Coalition to Stop Vail Expansion used their strategies. They abandoned the cherry-
the Fourth of July weekend to stage its own picker, the tripod and the protesters, who, for
brand of fireworks. After years of administra- the time being, were allowed to occupy the
tive and legal challenges, the groups that be- Category III has road. Authorities had hoped the group would
long to the Coalition had been unable to halt been pa of Vail s tire and leave the mountain. They were
the project, and now they turned to more ex- master plan wrong. For the next four days, the eco-ac-
I i treme measures-ones that involved con- since 1962. The try dug in even harder, alternating watch-
frontation and arrests. resort says the es in the tripod and under the cherry picker.
First they enlisted out-of-state protesters On the evening of the Fourth, they had a
from an activist 'training camp' run by the 885 acres provide commanding view of the annual fireworks
radical Earth first! movement in southern much-needed display above the town of Vail. And during
Colorado. Then they issued a call to action on intermediate daylight hours, they regaled passersby, mostly
their Internet site, exhorting sympathizers to terrain and rack hikers and mountain bikers, with anti-Vail
".-punish Vas? Resorts for this project' and up the deepest placards and speeches- At the same time, a
i urging them to "expose the deceit, spread the snow at Vail. pack of news reporters, photographers and
truth and give Vail Resorts a bad name in the TV crews recorded the show-
skiing industry." One directive read. "Show up on July 1st, and By the morning of July 6, the cops had had enough. Wear-
let's run this destructive corporation out of town!". ing night-vision goggles and camouflage garb, a squad of 38 of-
That day, the first day that work crews could get access after ficers staged a predawn ambush. But when they swooped
a mandated closure for elk migrations, Vail began moving down on the encampment, the protesters were awake and
heavy machinery up Mill Creek Road, an unpaved trail rising ready for them. So much for the element of surprise. Most of
! from the lower terminal of the Vista Balm chairlA Partway up the activists and their leaders had moved out of the small clo-
J to the construction site, they were met by something that is fa- sure zone declared by the Forest Service, leaving five of their
miliar to every timber industry truck driver in the Pacific number to be arrested.
Northwest-a 30-foot-high log contraption known as a tripod. Included in the roundup was Jeffrey Berman, president of
It was occupied by a single protester, Michael Wold, 26, of Colorado Wild, an organization based in Boulder, Colo., that
Nederland, Colo., who goes by the niclmame "Bobcat,' and has been one of Var7's most persistent critics. Berman's group
who dangled in a trapeze that hung precariously below the had tried, and failed, to stymie the Category III expansion
apex, Any attempt to dismantle the apparatus would endanger through lawsuits in federal court Sometime before the s am
him, and that was the idea "It was the biggest tripod I'd ever sweep, Berman crawled into the tripod sling, replacing Bobcat,
seen, hat also the most unsafe,` said Ken Rice, an enforcement and offered himself as a sacarfficial lamb when officers arrived.
officer with the U.S. Forest Service. Rice should know, having "I did it because the government failed the will of the people,"
120 1 November 1999 1 SKI ~a~mroHa~oo~c
OCT. 20. 19991 8:48A ESORT COMPANY 970 B45 5945 O. 9223W. 4
SKIING & THE ENVIRONMENT
Berman later told SKI. He accused the Forest Service of 0 be positioned for a grab- During the 12 plus hauls that it
conspiring with Vail to ramrod approvals for the expansion, took to accomplish this, Moonshadow gave live reports to
and of suppressing reports from government biologists sug- the media on her cellular phone, borrowing from a stockpile
Besting that the project could damage habitat used by the of extra batterier,
reclusive Canadian lynx.
Rice said it was clear that the protesters had advance Confrontation had been brewing at Vail for
knowledge of the raid. "They were kind of waiting for us," he months, perhaps even years. The Category III
said. 'We think they got wind of us by listening to police radio expansion, which involves four chairlifts, 12
scanners." In the camp, officers found an infra red detection miles of new runs and roads, and a 20,000.
device, as well as a slew of cellular phones and portable two- square-foot restaurant has been under fire-at
way radios. They could have been notified by anybody, maybe least figuratively-since federal biologists,is-
' even by a tipster in one of the government agencies. Berman sued reports that the aces contains important habitat for the
himself later boasted that his group had "friends" in the local lynx. (Vail officials did not know at presume whether Cat III
sheriffs and fire departments, would be open for the 1999-00 season.)
The posse of law enforcement olrroers had barely cleared This is a rare wild feline that is a native of western Canada
this blockade when they were called to another one. The ac- but had migrated southward through the Rocky Mountains of
tivists had opened a second frout on the backside of the moon- the United States. No wild lynx has been seen in the Vail area
twin on Lime Creek Road, which crews also for more than 25 years, though biologists
I use to reach the construction area And this It took hours have gathered evidence of its existence there.
time The Coalition had designed a more cre- for fref hters
r I ; g As a precaution, the White River National
ative set of obstacles. They had dug a hole in to extract a Forest pmscribed numerous measures to ac-
the road, laid a piece of metal rebar in the protester from eommodate wildlife in vwws proposed new
I bottom, erected a PVC pipe vertical to the re- the "Batmobi less terrain-
! I bar, then surrounded the whole works with which was Colorado Wild and other groups, includ-
quick-setting concrete. On top of this they strategically set u mg Ancient Forest Rescue and Barth First!,
had ositioned an overturned Audi sedan
P to block a secon had been fighting a protracted battle through
with a hole cut through its roof. They as- appeals within the Forest Service and, ulti-
signed one volunteer to lay inside, stick his construction mately, through legal action in federal oouz%
hand through the opening, and lash it to the access road to to halt the expansion- They contend that Vail
buried rebar/pipe apparatus with a carabin-• Category III. wodt stop at Category III, thattile resort has
' er. This little bit of civil disobedience is called designs on a much larger chunk of private
a "Hatmobile," although it is also known land, known as the Gilman Tract, that con-
(without the wrack) as a "sleeping dragon.' sists of 4,000 acres near Minturn. Here, they
While the protester can easily release himself
claim, Vail will create ski runs just to position
from the rebar, it takes hours for authorities itself for a massive development of pricey
to remove him, usually by jackhammering homes and condos. In short, the main reason
carefully through the concrete. Vail wants to expand, they say, is to sweeten
In this case, firefighters first had to cut the kitty for a huge real estate bonanza
through the car, an operation made more dif- After running the gauntlet of scnlfmy and
ficult-and hazardous-by floc presence of public hearings from several federal and state
gasoline that had spilled or been dumped on agencies, Vail received approval for the Cat
the ground. Hours later, with rain creating a messy, muddy sit- III project, even though it seems likely that the U.S. Fish aird
nation, they extracted and arrested a man named We After Wildlife Service will soon declare the lynx' m jeopardy," a clas-
issuing statements to accompanying news media, the protest- sification that could stop any projects being considered in a po-
em retreated to a Forest Service campground on nearby Shrine tential lynx migration corridor. Still, federal courts refused to
Mountain. side with the environmental groups, citing the plethora of
But they signaled their intentions to keep up the hit-and- studies that had been done on this reclusive species that con-
run strategy throughout the summer. A couple of weeks after eluded Cat III would not have a significant negative impact on
the roadblock incidents, a woman climbed 60 feet up a lodge- potential lynx habitat
pole pine in Pete's Bowl, where some trees had been marked Among the odd twists and turns of the July events at Vail
for removal. The Activist, Jennifer Huehnle, 25, of Golden, Co- was a bizarre finding-a dead lynx that mysteriously turned up
la, who goes by the nickname `Moonshadow,e had three back- on the roadside of I-70 near VaiL The animal, one ofseveral re-
packs full of food and water. and was prepared to hunker down leased into the wild in southern Colorado, was wearing s radio-
in her perch for days. When vaii security staff discovered her, tracking collar. Coincidentally, the creature was found one day
they summoned the officers, who once again called for a cher- before the protesters who had been arrested on July 6 were
rY'Picker Moonshadow had chosen her protest stand well; the scheduled to appear in court, raising eyebrows among investi-
crews had to remove surrounding trees before the crane could gating officers.
122 ( Nevember 1999 1 SKr Pm RijybNar4va
. ~I!!a'ARP'Ae~'41,7"-r•~sR'F~'M~l7q!+7l/•lMgfLllYf~lr .ra~.,,ygQ'7['~.: RK"T.
OCT. 20. 199908:49A RESORT COMPANY 970 84'5 5945 NO. 9223=P. 5
SKIING & THE ENVIRONMENT
In the months following the l\w Elk fire. local environ- 0 sodation. School lids ski there, and the hill provides an in-
mental activists had been working up another grudge portant source of tourism dollars during the normally lean
against Vail. Several members ofAncient Forest Rescue were winter months. But a local cell of the Sierra pub (ironically
questioned by the FBI in connection with the arson, and others calling itself The Rogue Group) this summer sued the Forest
were summoned before a local grand jury. Just after the blare, Service for granting the ski area a permit to replace its agWg
a shadowy organization calling itself the Earth Liberation and problem-plagued sewage treatment plant. While the nets
Front claimed responsibility through an anonymous a-mail plant would be a $600,000 state-of-the-art facility with a
message sent to a Boulder newspaper. But the groups that have slightly larger capacity, the Sierra Club claimed that the Forest
been publicly fighting Vail profess non-violence and, in fact, Service failed to conduct a proper analysis of the project under
condemned the vandalism because it generated public sympa- the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In particular,
thy for the resort Comments posted on an Earth First! website the club argued that the plant could pose a threat to the city's
denied any connection with ELF and called the FBI investiga- watershed, and that it would enable the ski area to proceed
j Lion "harassment." with a planned expansion-which the club also opposes-of a
new chairlift and 81 acres of mostly intermediate terrain in the
Vail is Ground Zero for a new national offen- area's adsting federal leasehold.
i I live that almost certamly will change skiing The Sierra. Club waited until the old plant had been de=ti-
as we know it, and not necessarily for the bet- fied and crews were ready to start on the new one before filing
ter. With a few exceptions, its suit in Federal District Court. The group
virtually every form of con- sought a preliminary injunction to stop con-
; struction or expansion that struction, which would have prevented the re-
is plnlmsed for ski areas is being challenged, sort from opening this winter-and perhaps
l . and not just those projects that reach into so- may have put it out of business. But in Au-
called roadless areas. Even replacement lifts gust, a Portland judge rebuffed the club and
and improvements to on-mountain lodges upheld the permit's validity. Still, the issue
? I are drawing intense opposition. may not be over. The ink was hardly dry on
"Back in the Eighties, when there were the court decision before eco-activists began
controversial new ski area developments pro-
organizing demonstrations at the construe
I posed at places like Adam's Rib and Cata-
The Sierra Club tion site-
mount, expansions of existing areas were "This is a good example of a cage that can
never at issue," said Ed Ryberg, a Forest Ser- unsuccessfully give an environmental group a bad name be-
vice specialist in winter recreation who is sought to shut cause it has a total lack of proportionality,'
based in Denver. "Vail moved into the back
down t. Ashland, said Mt_ Ashland attorney Steve Odell, who is
bowls and Keystone moved into the Outback a tiny, community- a specialist in resource law and a former staff
with no opposition at all. Now a lot more owned day sla lawyer with the Justice Department At a
i things are being challenged. And this new as- certain point you have to step back and ask,
ct of lawlessness is sometbin we've new area in Oregon.
~ s `Why are we here?' Xou have an envuonmen-
seen before; it's a whole new level of resis- And the sport of tal group trying to use an environmental
tance." skiing is likely to statute to" an environmentally beneficial
The eco-activists claim they are not pick- see more of activity." he says. 'Unfortunately, we are go-
ing on skiers-many of whom certainly con- these cases. ing to see more and more of these kinds of
Sider themselves conservationists-but on cases, and they are taking quite a few ski op-
what they call 'industrial-strength recreation." Ski areas, they erators by surprise. People who work in the mountains because
say, are now a magnet for development interests that bring ur- they love the outdoors simply can't understand why they've be.
ban sprawl to the mountains and impinge on the sensitive come targets.'
habitats of flora and fauna To be sure, the ski industry has had a few well-publicized
' Naturally, the ski areas are worried they are being labeled donnybrooks over the years, such as a controversial plan by the
as environmental enemies. `These groups have virtually de- Walt Disney Corporation to develop a new resort at Mineral
stroyed the timber and attractive industries, and ski resorts are Mmg in California, and the ill-fated attempt to bring a Winter
next," argued Jerry Blann, president of Jackson Mole Ski Co_, Olympics to Colorado, both harking back to the activist days of
at a recent industry conference in San Frandtiseo. the 1970s. But now the skirmishes are coming at a rapid-fire
j The prime targets are the Big Four: Vail Resorts, Intrawest, pace, instigated by groups that are highly organized, expen-
the American Skiing Company and Booth Creek Holdings_ But enced in civil disobedience, well-equipped and bankrolled by
eco-activists are also picking on tiny ski resorts that have no wealthy outside "angels.'
desire to become another Vail. The most extreme example is at Using the Internet as their rallying point, these groups have
Mt. Ashland, Ore., where local residents conducted a grass- formed alliances that attend from Canada to the Mexican bor-
roots fund-raising drive in 1991 to buy the area from a private der. They post on-line notices of protests and staging area,
owner and convert it to a public facility run by a non-profit as- and they offer handbooks on obstruction and on how to sway
124 , November 1999 1 SKI wvmRkksdWn
OCT. 20. 19991 8:50 ESORT COMPANY 970 B45 5945 0.9223 P. 6
SKIING St THE ENVIRONMENT
the media. They often have aueceeded m turning local ® the fir-. Instead of providing additional opportunities for
newspapers against the sla industry, encouraging investiga- the public, the agency stands awed of lining the porno
tive reporters to w=bnize every public agency that deals with of corporate ski owners by allowing them to build more lifts
resorts-especially the U-S. Forest Service. Last winter, a volley and std runs that boost the value of adjacent real estate hold-
of newspaper exposes accused Forest Service supervisors and ings. VHA and its sibling resorts of Breckenridge and Keystone
district rangers of colluding with ski area developers. This stand at the top of the food chain for base area growth. But
game Of'gotche stretched from the Rockies to the Pacific other areas, including Targhee in Wyoming, several of the
Northwest, and included every issue from land swaps to new Wasatch resorts outside of Salt Lake City, Crystal Mountain in
lodges to anew sk area. Washington and the proposed new Pelican Butte ski area in
Many conservation groups consist of well-intentioned local Oregon also are engaged in controversial new base expansion e
residents who are legitimately concerned about development projects.
issues in their communities. But others (including most of Of the Forest Service's relationship with ski areas, Lyons t;
' those arrested at vain) are outside agitators who seem intent on said. 'I don't see this as collusion, but as collaboration. Obvii- a
finding a cause. Members of Parth Firstl roam from state to ously we have to walk a fine line in this relationship, but our S
state, as do members of Cascadia Planet and Ancient Forest goal is to find areas of agreement among all of the stakeholders B
Rescue. A group called The Ruckus Society holds "action so that we can avoid conflict.." The Forest Service, he added, p
camps" that train followers in the arts of nonviolent opposi- does look at the implications of its actions beyond forest e
tion. This organization,
as *ell as others that boundaries, but we don't have a regulatory b
oppose ski area expansion, have received role on private land That function is left to
some of their fundinBfiom the Turner Foun-
local governments-planning commissions, d
dation, which is ran by billionaire TV media city councils and county commissions-which a
mogul Ted Turner and his wife, Jane Fonda. have plenty of authority to reject or modify
I: I On top of strident oeo-activism, it seems an development lam
a~
as if several federal government agencies- Still, he added, the ski industry has an a
anxious to fend off environmental brickbats obligation to be 'up front about its longterm o~
' of their own-are joining the feeding frenzy plans and intentions. The most vexing prob- it
on ski resorts. The Forest Service has seen its lem for us is real estate. People are asl ing,'A,re p
'lead agency' authority over winter recre- these ski companies or development comps- fc
ation on public lands challenged, and some- The U.S. Forest nies?' The challenge to skiers and to the indus- fi
' i times compromised, by the Environmental Service is try is how these Big Four companies present IT
Protection Agency (EPA), which is now particular) themselves. If they are about real estate and it
stretching its mission to include land-use is- concerned that &'?w4h, one wonders how long they can cap- n,
sues unrelated to pollution; the Corps of Err- the Big Four ski tune the Bab' Boom movement before skiers
1 gineers, which is dogging threats to wet- resort companies say 'This is too much,- said Lyons. -Look at d
lands; and the U.S. fth and Wildlife Service, what happened to the Forest Service. In the tr
which can trump any expanbion that might appear to be mid-Seventies our agency shifted its focus and «
impact rare or endangered plant and animal more interested putmo~t ofits eggs into industrial timber. The n
species. Thus far, coordination among the in real estate public perception of us changed from conser- 01
various regulatory federal agencies over ski development vation leaders to clear-cutters, and we've spent p,
area permit applications has been nearly than skiing the last decade trying to undo that percep- n,
non-existent tion." e(
James R. Lyons, Under Secretary for Natural Resources While the Forest Service has been tilting its image toward n•
and Environment in the U.S. Department of Agrin,lturej over- recreation, the preliminary version of the White River National
sees the Forest Service and is doe* involved in ski area expau- Forest Plan that was uminled in August seems to represent a E
sion controversies. Five years ago, when he was appointed to 180 degree turnaround (see story, page 127). Though it will be t)
his current post, Lyons encouraged the Forest Service to "part- subject to public comment before final adoption, the preferred 3
t ner" with std resorts in opening up more federal lands to public alternative of the plan would prohibit any new expansion be- ~
c access. Compared with logging, mining and grazing, skiing yond existing permit boundaries, affecting most of Colorado's •n
covers a minute percentage of national forest lands-less than largest ski resorts, including Vail, Beaver (reek, the fourAapen ¦
one-tenth of one percent, or 190,000 acres out of 191 million areas, Copper Mountain, Keystone, A -Basin and Breckenridge. ti
i acres-but can accommodate recreation for millions of people. At the same time, however, timber harvesting would be mod-
e On top of tAst, skiing focuses on a concentrated, high-density erttely increased. The Forest Service acknowledged, in malting tl~
i -recreational use, leaving mullions of acres available for dis- its recommendations, that its policies could lead to higher ski- a
persed uses such as hikirig, camping, cross-county skung and ing coo and crowded slopes.
P
mountain bildng. Clearly, real estate development has been as easy target for tl
Now that Lyons has moved to make the Forest Service branding skiing as the next 800-pound gorilla in the forest. n.
more recreation-minded, he's jumped from the frying pan into But to say that resorts have shifted all or ram of their focus in- t
126 1 November 1999 1 SKI CONTINUED ON PAGE 120 M MJeffCA0W
• Pb
• OCT.20.1999 8:51A RESORT COMPANY 970 845 5945 0.9223=P, 7
I
SKIING & THE ENVIRONMENT
to base area growth ignores some facts about the business. Proponents of the ski area outnumbered opponents by mote
According w an annual report called the Economic Analy- than 2-to-1, with 69 percent favoring development Most of
sis of United States Ski Areas. which is commissioned by the those came from southern Oregon and Northern Cakifornia
National Ski Areas Association, resorts still overwhelmingly By contrast, the majority of opponents were from outside of
depend on revenues from lift tieioet sales as their chief source of that region.
income. For the 1997-98 season, which is the most recent data Building Pelican Butte, supporters argued, would wean lo-
available, more than 77 percent of resort revenues came from cal towns away from their dependency on a timber-based
lift tickets, food and beverage, ski school lessons and accom- economy. But 22 conservation groups, including the Sierra
modations_ Real estate, though a growing segment, weighed in Club, the Audubon Society and the Oregon Natural Resources
at 5.9 percent Council, would rather have the Forst Service declare Pelican
While the, trend is for resorts to di ' into more busi- Butte an official wilderness
arcs, claiming that such a designs-
I nesses, selling property is hardly a substitute for having a good tion is necessary to protect bald eagles and the endangered
' J snow year and robust skier attendance- Furthermore, sld arms spotted owl-
embark on expansions for reasons other than those related to Bruce Hamilton, conservation director of the Sierra Club's
real estate. `You have things like broadening the terrain mix, national office in San Francisco, insists that his organization is
i snowmaking, early and late season uses, and the diverse de- not opposed to all ski expansions and new developments. 'We
mends of skiing, snowboarding, telemarking, snowshoeing are not in blind opposition to progress, but in opposition to
and tubing," said Geraldine Hughes, Director blind progress," he said. Turning ski areas in-
of Public Policy for the National Ski Areas Ten years ago, to theme perks is ruining the thing we came _
Association. Even without acquiring more no one would to enjoy in the first place- At some point,
is forest land, resorts have unmet needs to im- have dreamed enough is enough.'Obviously. formany hard-
prove parking, modernize lifts, add childcau'e that winter core activists, that point has been reached,
and increase mid-mountain restaurant ca- sports would and now dWre ready tobreak outthe'Skiers
pacity, ski school facilities and base lodges. be cast in the GoHome"signs.
' 'Customer wgxztations and demographics
What does this new and sometimes mili-
' same light as
arechanging conctantl}',andsla areas have to tint environmental challenge mean for
)reposition themselves as multiple-use winter timber and mining, skiers? It means that skiers may pay more for
resorts,- says Hughes. rather than as a a Iower quality experience, with fewer new ,
Are ski resorts getting much support from socially-beneficial lifts and decreased snowmaking. It means
their clients? Hardly. Although euviromim- form of recreation. that divers*ing opportunities for more types
talists are collectively moving to stop every ofwinter recreation activities may be stymied.
turn of the shovel, there are few grassroots It means that local communities may lose
skier groups to level the playing field-no their small, marginally-profitable or publicly
"Defenders of Skiing." subsidized ski areas.
"It is very difficult to get them mobilized," Ten years ago, no one would have
said Charlie Lock whose company, Resorts dreamed that winter sports would be east in
of the Canadian Rockies, owns seven ski ar- the same light as timber and mining- But now
eas in Canada. "Skiers will wait in a liftline for - skiing is being called the next extractive in-
20 minutes, but they won't spend three min- dustry, rather than a socially-beneficial form
etas to write an e-mail letter." Like Louise z
of recitation- Bill 'Il'lleman, an attorney who
and three other resorts in Alberta Province - is representing the ski areas in Alberta's na-
are pursuing legal action against Parks Canada (the country's tional parks, isn't particularly optimistic.
equivalent of the National Park Service) over a new policy that Tm afiaid that what were experienced thus far,' he said, %
would cut back ski area operations, cap daily skier capacity, just the beginning."*
and restrict future expansions in Banff and Jasper national
parks. The ski areas have hired attorneys and a bigb-profile SKI contributing editor Kerr Castle conduated,note dma loo
2 metropolitan newspaper editor in Calgary to combat an on- interviewfor ibis aerie. He has been an aooard4uinning enr i-
slaught by environmental groups, which contend that ski areas ronmental miter since 1968, when he served as the envirnre.
are inappropriate uses in the national parks. mental beat ,reporter for a daily newspgpt, in W &m Fnmcio-
i Even when there is overwhelming local community support co Bay Arm He wnr on to mu aa, founder and editor for du
for a project, coalitions of environmental groups often bury the ouWoor aadwns of du San Jose (Caki>») Mercury Newa and the
pro--Aden contingents in the war of words that is waged in the San Francisco Chronicle, writing, fi+equently abort enic irgn-
dailyr media. Near Klamath Falls, Ore-, a longstanding propos- Mental issue. ft ile at the Mercury News and Chronicle, Cas.
al to build a $36 million ski resort with eight chaidiRs and a tle initiated gOrmu to oduaate children about the envirasmetu
gondola at pelican Butte in Winema National Forest, just and to preserve Lake Tahoe's health- Castle, who lives in
south of Crater Lake, drew nearly 11,000 public comments to Burlingame, Calif., is also the author of Tahoe, a 670-page
the area's draft environmental impact statement last spring, guidebook to the lake Tahoe njiorc
128 Navember 1999 SKr NMO AWkAMID*
IMPmOCT. 20. 1999a 8:52AMomRESORT COMPANY 970 845 5945 N, ENO. 9223 P. 8,.
A WHITE FLAG? r.
i A proposed US. Forest Service plan for the heart of Colorado skiing.
is expected to raise lift-ticket prices and crowd the slopes. -
t s if they didol have enough to worry about after a Adam's Rib propaaal in Eagle County, near Vail.
season of fires and demonstrations, colarado's ¦ Restrict summer use of ski slopes for sithtseeing and pro-
f largest ski resorts now face a new threat-ra deep hibit any new summer recreation uses.
a Afiem on all future ski expansions in the White Riv ¦ Deduce the amount of USFS land for skiing frorn 91,243
a er National Forest. acres (included in the previous per) to 43,19. acm
In August, the U.S. Forest Service unveiled a draft revision ¦ If the Forest service recommendation becomes final, the
's to its management plan that, if adopted as policy, would halt
agency Predicts that crowding on the slopes will increase, the
i- ww new development on forest lands at Aspen Mountain, cost of skiff (lift tickets and
u' Snowmass, Aspen highlands, Buttermilk, Vail, Beaver P will rise more rapidly
Creek, because of higher demand for the available amenities, and
s Brecimridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Siff Cooper and Cop- Colorado's share of the national skier market will shrink.
I per Mountain. Together, these areas represent 7.6 million ski- As this issue of SKI went to press, resorts were still study-
it er visits a year-about two-thirds of Colorado's entire skier ing the weighty, 1,700-page document, but they dearly were
ly business. "This [proposal] concerned about its impact. Vail Resorts Pres-
to The preferred USFS plan would-clamp L identAndy Daly called it a "head-in the sand
s, down on all recreation-not just skiing- represents approach to growth" and "contradictory to the
and would put'special emphasis' on pro- a dramatic best interest ofpublic land user" Daly said
fY tecting wildlife habitat (including the lymt) shift of Forest that demands for both winter and summer
and biological diversity. This would be ac- Serviee.policy, recreation will continue to increase on the
rn p gh ' management" like swinging Front RAW-
of ~ ~ ~
typ gh timber harvest. the pendulum 'When theobjectivestalkofplacxngem-
b- in& prescribed burns and structural im- phasis on svstainability as well as on support- '
re provements. Of six alternatives considered 180 degrees." ing recreation, there's a real contradiction
for one of the nation's oldest and largest And Dal ,
a y y here. We see opportunities for reducing the
15, forests (2.27 million acm), the reoom- president number of acres allocated to recreation, but to
.nt mended "Alternative D' would retain exist Vail ResorfS provide for virtually no increase throughout
aid ing recreational amenities while prohibiting r' the White River Forest is really native. Ids So-
i
new ones. in to create the
g potential for serious over
There are far-reaching implications from
crowding, higher accident rates and higher
at this policy. Fast, it represents a major re- ticket rates."
he treat by the Forest Service from its more re- Daly said the plan seems calculated to ap-
nd cent mandate to promote public access and
pease a handful of vocal environmentalists but
be recreation. Second, it almost certainly is the "doesn't meet the needs of the silent majority.
!r6 opening shot for what could become federal
~ policy for all national There would be no expansion ofbicycle trails,
forests, including one cross-country ski trails or downhill skiing.
V_ near you. And third, it could have serious This represents a dramatic shift of Forest Ser-
economic repercussions for mountain com- vice policy, like swinging the pendulum 180 I
Lrd i
munities from coast to coast-as well as skiers themselves. degrees -7 Daly appealed to skiers to male: their voices heard. ~
lal An analysis of the plan by Forest Service skiing specialist The public and the resorts likely will have until the end of
t a Erik Martin reveals that the recommended option would do November to submit comments to the Forest Service as part of i
be the following: a 120-day comment period requested by some of the stake-
'ed ¦ Cap all future skiing growth over the next 30 years to 9.2 holders (normally it is 9o days). The Forest Service rarely
ne- million skier days, although demand is oTected to reach 11.5 hears from skiers themselves, although it gets an avalanche of
Ids ro ion skier days. snail mail and e-mail from environmental
groups. The forest
hen ¦ Create more crowding on the slopes ('higher skier demi- management plan is revised every 10 to is years. -K.G
Se• ties") and fewer opportunities for off-piste powder skiing be-
3d- cause all or most of the available tmein will be groomed for
+n8 the majority of skiers and snowboarders. TALK BACK!
Au- ¦ Although the plan would not speofically prohibit new ex- Send cotnacents to the supervisor's Of m, White River National
passions within existing permit boundaries of the ski arcs, Foust P.O. Box 948, Glenwood Springs; 00 81602; (970) 94r).
for the effect of the policy would put in doubtall projeGa that are 2M or fax (970) 945-3266, or a-n m it at o/t2whi- l
est• not already approved or under construction teriver@fs fed s. The ful report can be viewed on the Forests
in- ¦ Disallow any new ski areas, including the much4liscussed webslte at www.kfed.us/r2/whitwbw.
mmmA&Atflect SKI I November 1999 1 127 ~
OCT.20.1999 8:53A ESORT COMPANY 970 B45 5945 0,9223 P. 9
SKIING & THE ENVIRONMENT
FIRES ON THE MOUNTAINS
Opposition against ski area expansions by environmental groups has snowballed over the
past two years. Here are some of the battles being fought throughout North America.
{ MAINE to 1,300 hotel and residential units plug proem for further environmental analysis.
5 A D D L E B A C K This small ski area is try- 30,000 square foet ofshops and restaurants. For the aame reason,, an expansion intended
i ing to expand onto 1,800 acres of private land But last May, in a tad to atop the expansion, a for Peak a also is on hold.
that it already owns. There's just one prob. local no-growth organization appealed a per-
lem; The final link of the Appalachian Trail mit for Stratton to double the capacity of its K E Y 5 10 N E Colorado Wild is also battling
stands in the way. Thus far the National Park sewage treatment plant, a necessary prerequi- *Ais planned expansion, which involves three
j Service is not willing to let a ald run or a chain-- site for more real estate. Adecidon on the ehairliiis in an area known as Jones Gulch.
lift cross the trA even though Saddleback plan is expected shortly from the local district Environmentalists contend that the project is
has offered to mitigate such ae ow by dnrart- of the state Environmental Commission. motivated by real estate interests, and that it
ing 660 acm ofland to the government- would negatively impact a narrow migration
double the arno intthat the Park Service is COLORADO corridor that could be used by the wolverine
entitled to in acquiring the right-of-way. Pub- A R A P A N 0 E BASIN Colorado Wild and lynx in the Snake River Valley. The U.S.
i lie: hLwings and negotiations with the Park and other environmental groups object to Forest Service is still studying the issue as part
Service are underwayy. A-Basins plan to upgrade three lifts, add ofits eavirunmerrtal impa:t I statement.
room pig. -prom base area buddinga
NEW HAMPSHIRE andcreateatubingpark7beAdareaispro- LOVELAND BASIN Anewquadchair-
i i L 0 0 N M 0 U N T A I N Bnvironmentalutb posal to withdraw water from the North Fork lift that reaches to the ridgeline of the Conti-
have tied up an expansion proposal here for of the Snake River for snowmaking has also nental Divide near Eisenhower t mnel is the
seven years, using lawsuits to force the ski come under fire because of eancerns that it object of a lawsuit brought against the Arapa-
area into additional and costly impact studies. would in' n the concentration of hearty hoe National Forest by at local environmental-
Issues involve the use of Iwo Pond for snow- metals that leach from old mines in the up. ist, who contends that it opened up a huge
making and the expansion of skiing into a stream watershed. A-Basin needs the water wilderness area to qff-piste skiers without
100-acre area that is within the resort's per for snowmaking to achieve its goal of becom- proper public approvals. Five years ago the sld
mit boundaries in White Mountain National ing ayear-round ski area, arcs envisioned a surface li ft for the area, but
Forest Public hearings are being scheduled when anowboarding became popular it
I on recent revisions to the plan. A 5 P E N 'Me Aspen Skiing Company, opera- changed to a chairlift, which it believed would
for of four morts, has spent years engaging have less impact on the land. The legal action
VERMONT the local community in its planning process, is pending in federal court
i K I L L 1 N G T 0 N The Environmental Com- but may find itself penalized for trying to be
mission (a state panel) has approved a four- too politically eorrect It has a new plan to m-
seasons village that world be of a scale com- develop the base of Buttermilk in a way that
parable to Tremblant in eastern Canada, an a would add 72 units of affordable housingfor
1,000-ae re site at the base of the ski area. The employees, a new children's center, new retail
project will include hotels, condos and shops, and rental facilities and an expanded parking
and is largely supported by the community, lot. But aproposal to connect Buttermilk to
including the town ofMllington (formerly Aspen Mountain with a gondola has run into
lmown as Sherburne). But the Vermont Nat early opposition, from at least one local envi-
ural Resources Council, the start's most rwamental }
, pow- group. 7be Plans are still under r+e-
e rfW conservation group, is appealing the de- view by local and federal agencim
vision on the lusts that the development is too
large, would threaten independent businesses B R E C K E N R I D G E After the area was T E L L U R I D E After six years of planoft
and might add to the pollution levels of near- granted a permit by the U.S. Forest Service to the ski area this year received Furrst service
i by streams. proceed with long held plans to add a new . approval for a major expansion including five
t lift, new trails and a restimz=t on Peak 7, the lifts, 733 am" of new sh terrain and three
STRATTON MOUNTAIN In 1994, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the P.msi- reaW=M But in August the Town ofTel-
i new owner Intrawrst acquired an area that rutrmental Protection Agency stalled the luride and the San ]Miguel County Camnis- ;
load a litany of problems, mainly mnceming prucew by demanding that the parent Vail aion raised concerns about quality-of-]ifs ia•
the pollution of local streams from anow melt Resorts submit a development plan for pri- sues, including employee lroe,sing, parting
The mart has proposed a number of solu- vate lands it owns at the base. When the Ad and transportation. The ski areaway hopeW
tins as part of an ambitious mZ-year master area put font, a conceptual layout for condo- of reaching ag+ee rocuts with both agencies,
Plan float would add more sli lifts, ski trails, miniuma and commercial outleta, federal and but environmental gmupa may still attempt to
snowmaking and a base area village with up local agencies balked and forced a delay in the stall the project through possible legal action
130 Navembee 1999 SKI
nproTRYp,eprtnrn i
OCT. 20. 1999w 8 54AM wRESORT COMPANY 970 845 5945 i; ~,NO: 9223
NEW MEXICO tend Owrunofffivmtheadsti
SANTA FE SKI AREA Srosigbya
1994 decision by the U.S. Forest Service that po~~!ctrl kw arse. The suit is eanretrtly
Prevented the arcs from building a chairlkft in pending in Federal Court
a Powder basin called Big Tesuque, the ski 0 E L I C A N BUTTE The US. Forut tier
area bas been the object of constant protests vice and the townspeople of Hlanua b Falls
fin local environmental fps' including support the: construction of what would be the
the Ski Area Containment Coalition. The hat- states second largest ski area, but 22 environ-
est fro" involved the construction of a Epp- menW 9=Ps, including the Onion Natural
car lot intended to relieve nearly .3 miles of Resources council and the Audubon ,
led Pig congest ion along the Mw~ rood. Problems to nearby Wheeler Creek, a source S0°~
oppose any construction in an old-growth for
During the past two summers, protesters have: of drinking water for the city of Ogden. est reserve at Peliexm Butte:. A private dcvel_
chained themselves to construction machin- open wants to build a S37-million &ur-sea
ding try and gatrh. And in one an 3 N O W 0 I R 0 Plans to build a mountain
suet mishap, top sons resort that would have a gondola, eight
anM M&n atwwed up in the lot and began lodge and restaurant at the ummil of Hidden cheirlifta and a vellieal drop of 3,800 ti'et-
h. blazing away with a ob~rn-..dung 12 P'* currently used for the top terminal of
•ct is rounds but fortunately hitting nn one before the Snowbird Tram, are running into opposi- the third-highest lift-served vertical in the
U.S. The site is located between IUamath
nit being nabbed by the cops. lion from Save Our Canyons, whirls has National Wildlife Refuge, Crater Lake Na-
ion staged a turning battle against the ald area Lional Park and Sky Lakes Wilderness. A For-
ine UTAH during its 2e years of existence. Other groups est Service decision is due shortly
T.S. BRIGHTON AND SOLITUDE fighting proposer! expansion in Little Cotton- area drag environmental o the ski
wood Canyon include the local impact statement
s part taus Our Canyons has ptotes~ elements of ciapter of the ,
Brighton's master plan that deal with slier ea- Sierra Club and the Wasatch Mouawn Club. WASHINGTON
parity, and a decision on the plan is still pond- These and additional plans are under. review
i8i1" ing with the Wasatch-Cache National Forest CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN AND THE
by the U.S. Forest Service. SUMMIT A T S N O Q U A L M I E
?the At solitude, the ski area has been forced to Crystars plans to build a large base area de vd•
the start over on its meat= plan after the Forest WYOMING opment with two new motels and 10 new
Service rejected the most recent version. Save GRAND T A R G N E E Tbc Forest Service is cluairlkRs arc ro
end- Our' Canyons also opposes further real estate recommending a land exchange that would 'mss under fire from !oral era-
se development theta as well as alternative give the ski area a private i0an1B groups, including the Crystal
nlwlelitrg of 195 Coarervation Coalition. The Fontst Service is
tbesid recreation facilities such as alpine slides. acres within Targhe a National Forest to build fnaliring a draft environmental impact state-
I. base village with 970 units of lodging, a meat for the I
t but area, which operates THE CANYONS ApowerfulPark(sty commercial center, more parking and more Baker5noquaimie Nationn;al al Form on Mount
Nearby, group, Citizens Allied For Reapomble slier seuvicea. In return, developer Booth up'tlre summit at,
w c
utrnrr Growth, is voicing concern about an senor- Creek Ski Holdings would give thegovern- four ski areas that make Snoqualmie" also look to add lift, and would
units base and mountain development at this merit 385 acres of prime grizdy bear wetlands - need cerou ' Of a state
highway toaccom-
born-again area While CARG approved known as Squirrel Meadows, located 4 miler modate a larger base area One of those arras, ~
Phase I of the plan, which involved building a south of Yellowstone National park, The A)Pen~, borders an old-growth forest of the '
Grand Summit hotel, it objects to develop- Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Jackson Hole Alpine Lakes Wildern=.
ment at the top terminal of the gondola at Conservation Alliance and Citizens for Teton
Red Pine, and to elements of a ]sigh-density Valley am figb>ing the swap, claiming that it is CANADA
base village. The group also contends that the a riPoff of public resources and a license for LAKE L 0 U I S E , SUNSHINE V I L -
American Skiing Company is trying to rush its unresuic led development at the ski area. L A G E, MT. H 0 R Q U A Y, MARMOT
I
plan through the rev" process. The resort is M 0 U N T A 1 N These four slo areas are suing
entirely on private property and must get ale OREGON Park$ Canada over new directives that would
I provals from local government agencies. MT. HOOD MEADOWS EighL ennser- Put a cap on daily skier capacity, restrict fo-
,
vction groups, including the Oregon Natural ture expansion and curtail summer 4ghtsee- ,
S N 0 W 0 A 51 N The site of the downlrr7l Resources Council and Friends of Mount ing on chairlifts. A parade of conservation
events for the upcoming 2002 Salt Lake Wm- Hood, are suing the US. Forest Service and groups, including the Alberta Wilderness As
.ping, ter Olympics is embroiled in a battle with the ski area to stop a master plan develop- ciati c
UTSB
that Naturalists
e:vice a Save Our Canyons, which is critical of a ment that would include eight new ehairlitts, R sodearo:rrb,, 13- Valley
which and has been
ing hree: Planned land exchange with the Forest S,,. more right al(iing expanded narieing and e a 70 year tradition here, is an inappropriate
vice at the base of the ski anew. Issues tenter new mid mountain restaurant Gnrup$ con- use of federal park lands. -K.C.
If Tel- around the value of the private patee]a that i
nrnis- owner E4d Holding is willing to give up in m,
fife is-, turn for 1,377 aam of Forest Service land. Lo- TALK BACK!
g cal groups also have raised 00DOCrus about a v+
70P9M new access road that is being built to the sla For expanded and updated information on these ski resort Projects and more,
acim
to VOL They have also complained about an tag- visit SKI's website at skinetcom/ski. If you would like to send In your comments
`tamPt ing wuate,treamrent system that might not be on a project, our website also lists postal and e-mail addresses for the appropriate
1 action able to handle an expansion without Poring US. Forest Service office. ' I
Yargatr= PMMAdamClark ICI
• SKI I Novemec•r 1999 1 131 ,