HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-09 Amending Chapter 4, Recommendations-Overall Study Area and Chapter 5, Detailed Plan Recommendations, Lionshead Redevelopment Master PlanRESOLUTION NO. 9
Series of 2008
A RESOLUTION AMENDING CHAPTER 4, RECOMMENDATIONS - OVERALL STUDY AREA AND
CHAPTER 5, DETAILED PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS, LIONSHEAD REDEVELOPMENT MASTER
PLAN, PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.8, ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF THE MASTER PLAN,
AMENDING THOSE ELEMENTS OF THE MASTER PLAN REFERENCING THE NORTH DAY LOT
RECOMMENDATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS, TO FACILITATE THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE
NORTH DAY LOT WITH AN EMPLOYEE HOUSING PROJECT, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
CENTER, AND CREATING A FUTURE DEVELOPMENT SITE, AND SETTING FORTH DETAILS IN
REGARD THERETO.
WHEREAS, on December 15, 1998, the Vail Town Councii adopted the Lionshead
Redevelopment Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, on April 6, 1999, the Vail Town Council adopted Ordinance 3, Series of 1999,
which amended the Zoning Regulations and created Lionshead Mixed Use 1 and Lionshead Mixed
Use 2 Districts; and
WHEREAS, Section 2.8 of the Lionshead Redevelopment Master Plan outlines a procedure
for amending the Master Plan; and
WHEREAS, Vail Resorts Development Company has submitted a development application to
the Town of Vail Community Development Department proposing certain amendments to the Master
Plan related to the North Day Lot; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Vail Planning and Environmental Commission has held a public
hearing on the proposed amendments on April 14, 2008, and has forwarded a recommendation of
denial, of the amendments to the Town Council by a vote of 3-2-1; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the amendments is to amend those elements of the Master Plan
referencing the North Day Lot recommendations and requirements to facilitate the redevelopment of
the site with an employee housing project, transportation center, and future development site; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council finds that conditions have changed in the Lionshead Study are
which warrant the proposed amendments and that said amendments are in keeping with the goals,
objectives, and policies prescribed by the Master Plan in general.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF VAIL,
COLORADO:
The Town Council of the Town of Vail hereby amends the Lionshead Redevelopment Master Plan as
follows:
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Chapter 1 - Executive Summarv
1.3.5 Transit
Create dispersed transportation centers in Lionshead to accommodate local and regional
transit, local shuttles, skier drop off, and charter buses. Locations for these facili#ies may
include the North Day Lot, the Lionshead Parking Structure, and West Lionshead (aka
EverVail).
Relocate the existing Lionshead Place regional bus stop to North Day Lot, Lionshead Parking
Structure, or West Lionshead area.
1.3.6 Service and Delivery
DELETED)
Chapter 3- Existina Conditions Assessment
3.9.4 Vail Associates Employee Parking
Vail Associates currently utilizes two large surface parking lots within the study area for its employee
parking needs. The North Day Lot (see figure 3-15), with a capacity of approximately 105 cars, is located
behind the Landmark tower and is the site proposed for a transportation facility, employee housing, and
other uses contemplated under the zoning on the property (LMU-1). The west day lot, located just west
of the Marriott parking structure, has an approximate capacity of 160 cars and represents a significant
development opportunity. Parking displaced by redevelopment of these sites must be replaced within the
Lionshead study area to satisfy the ground rule requiring no net loss of parking. The displaced parking
will be provided in West Lionshead within a parking structure included as part of the EverVail project.
Chapter 4- Master Plan Recommendations - Overall Studv Area
4.5.2.1 Relocate the Regional Transit Stop
It is recommended that the Lionshead regional transit stop, currently located at the
Lionshead Place cul-de-sac, be relocated to the proposed North Day Lot, the Lionshead
parking structure, and West Lionshead. This will provide a Lionshead connection between
the regional transit system and the Town of Vail transit system. In addition, visitors and
employees coming to Lionshead by regional bus will arrive at a defined portal instead of
the current "back door" on Lionshead Place. Finally, this will remove the large regional
buses from West Lionshead Circle and Lionshead Place. It may be possible to locate
elements of a regional transit stop in the West Lionshead area in conjunction with a new
ski lift and parking facility. However, given its location on the periphery of Lionshead, this
area may not be the most viable location for a regional transit stop. Notwithstanding the
above, facilities for skier drop-off, private shuttle vans and Town of Vail in-town buses
should be included in the design of the ski lift and parking facility. In 2006, the Town of
Vail initiated an update of the Vail Transportation Master Plan. In addition, the Town
initiated a development competition for the Lionshead Parking Structure redevelopment,
which would include a transit facility. It is anticipated that the Transportation Master Plan
update along with the conclusion of the Lionshead Parking Structure redevelopment
process will provide direction on the ultimate location for a Lionshead Transit Facility
and/or the type of transit facilities that may be necessary in West Lionshead.
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4.5.2.3 Create a New Stop at the North Day Lot Transportation Center
A new Town of Vail transit stop at the proposed dispersed transportation center on the
North Day Lot will replace the existing stop at Concert Hall Plaza. Likely to be on the west
Vail transit routes, this stop will coordinate with the regional bus stop and deliver west Vail
transit riders to the newly created north Lionshead pedestrian portal.
4.6.6 Creation of a New Transportation Hub on the North Day Lot
A principal component of the Lionshead transportation and circulation nefinrork is the creation of
dispersed transportation facilities in the Lionshead area. This facility will remove transit and service
vehicles from other areas of Lionshead and create a major new entry point into the Lionshead pedestrian
core. All or portions of these dispersed transportation facilities may be located on the North Day Lot, the
Lionshead parking structure, or in West Lionshead. This concept is fully discussed in chapter five.
4.7.3.2 North Day Lot Transit Center
DELETED)
4.9.4 Potential Housing Sites
Following are specific sites that have been identified as suitable for locals and employee housing (see
Map W).
4.9.4.3 Vail Associates Service Yard Holy Cross Site, Vail Professional Building,
Cascade Crossing, North Day Lot, and the former gas station site
All redevelopment in West Lionshead will need to conform to the Town's housing policies
and requirements. In order to create activity and vibrancy in West Lionshead it is
appropriate to include some dispersed employee housing opportunities for permanent
local residents in proposed developments in the area consistent with these policies.
Perhaps the most promising locations to replace the Sunbird affordable
housing project and to conform to the Town's housing policies and
requirements for new employee housing generation in Lionshead are the North
Day Lot, Vail Associates service yard, and Holy Cross site. However, housing
is not the only use these three properties will need to support. The North Day
lot is considered to be the preferred location for a significant housing project in
Lionshead to replace the Sunbird affordable housing project and provide
housing for new employee generation. The North Day Lot may also need to
accommodate a transit center on the ground level of the development site.
Additionally, it may be necessary to develop a higher revenue-generating
product on a portion of the Vail Associates service yard, Holy Cross, Vail
Professional Building, and Cascade Crossing sites in order to defray the cost of
road and infrastructure improvements.
In planning the site, the following issues need to be considered. While it is
important that buildings here be visually consistent with the overall character of
Lionshead, the desire to maximize the housing potential may make appropriate
the following deviations from standard development parameters:
a. Density
The site offers a unique opportunity to achieve significant density. It is
recommended that the standards for density (units per acre) be increased at
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this location to allow for a greater number of employee housing units. While it is
important that buildings here be visually consistent with the overall character of
Lionshead, the desire to maximize the housing potential may make appropriate
the fotlowing deviations from standard development parameters.
b. Building Height for Employee Housing
It may be appropriate to allow for a greater overall building height than is
otherwise allowed under the Lionshead Architectural Design Guidelines. Any
increase in building height will need to be reviewed on a case by case basis by
the Town of Vail, and any eventual building height will still need to be visually
appropriate for this location.
c. Parking
It may be appropriate to reduce the parking requirements for employee housing
at this location given the sites proximity to transportation facilities, jobs, and
pedestrian routes. In consideration for reducing employee parking for the
housing provided on this site, parking for other employees of the owner
provided on this site should be considered. Excess parking may be used to
satisfy the no net loss of parking policy or for future parking requirements of
other development on the property.
d. Site Coverage and Landscape Area and Setbacks
Consideration should also be given to increasing site coverage and reducing
setbacks and landscape area in order to maximize the amount of employee
housing on the site and/or due to impacts associated with the development of a
public transportation facility on the property. With any deviation to
development standards prescribed in the master plan and zoning regulations,
consideration of impacts should be afforded to the neighboring residential uses
to the North Day Lot. Any design with such deviations will need to be sensitive
to creating good designs with mitigation measures such as heated sidewalks
and welt planned landscape materials. Additionally due to impacts from the
Town's dispersed transportation center on neighboring residential uses,
mitigation measures should be provided to buffer and screen residential uses.
e. Encroachments on Town Land
The Town of Vail owns a small parcel of land on the north side of the north day
lot which accommodates the pedestrian bridge over the interstate highway.
This land was dedicated to the Town by Vail Associates in 1976. In order to
allow for more efficient layout and development of employee housing on the
site and/or the dispersed transportation facility, the Town should give
consideration to allowing development of employee housing and/or
transportation uses on this parcel of land as part of the development of the
north day lot.
Figure 412 - Delete this figure found on page 4-35 as it is duplicative of figure 5-13 found on
page 5-26
Figure 413 - Delete this figure found on page 437
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Chapter 5- Detailed Plan Recommendations
5.1 Lionshead Tourist Information Center
The Lionshead Tourist Information Center is currently located just west of the entry to the
Lionshead parking structure and is accessed directly off the frontage road. If the entrance to the
Lionshead parking structure is relocated as shown in figure 5-1 this existing facility will need to be
relocated. Potential locations for the center include the Future Vail Civic Center, the parking
structure, and West Lionshead.
5.8.3 Pedestrian Connections Through the Core Site
There is a critical north-south pedestrian connection between the ski yard and the
proposed transportation and skier drop-off uses on the north day lot. This connection will
require at least one north-south penetration through the Vail Associates core site, and
there is an opportunity to create a second one, as shown in figure 5-9. The east-west
pedestrian corridor originating at the east Lionshead pedestrian portal should also be
extended into the Vail Associates core site, connecting with the north-south corridors.
These connections should be part of the "primary retail mall" (see site design guidelines,
chapter 6) to reinforce the village character of the core. It is not necessary that flanking
architectural forms be completely separated in order to define pedestrian corridors.
Instead, opportunities to create significant architectural portals are encouraged to highlight
the transition from one public space into another.
5.9 North Day Lot
While the North Day Lot is a privately own parcel of land, consideration should be given by the
owner and the Town to including transportation related uses on the ground floor. Ideally the uses
to be considered for the site should include skier drop-off, local and regional transit, local and
regional private shuttles, and charter bus drop-off and pick-up (see figure 5-13). By relocating
these functions from their existing locations to easily accessible locations, this would improve the
quality of vehicular and pedestrian circulation in Lionshead and create a significant new
pedestrian portal into the center of the Lionshead retail mall. Based upon the results of the traffic
study (see appendix A), the dispersed transportation facilities may include:
a. Skier drop-off: Nine spaces are recommended at a minimum, but more should be built
if possible to accommodate other program elements.
b. Town of Vail transit: Two bus spaces are recommended to accommodate the West
Vail transit loop and the possibility for an eastbound in-town shuttle stop.
c. Regional transit: One bus space is recommended
d. Charter buses: Three to four bus spaces are recommended.
e. Local and regional shuttles: Four shuttle van spaces are recommended at a minimum.
It should be noted that the North Day Lot is a small parcel of land and that the location and shape
of this parcel may not allow for all of the uses identified above without having significant
implications to traffic circulation patterns and the owners ability to develop the site with a quality
development as allowed under zoning for the property (the site is considered one development
site for the purposes of zoning). There needs to be a balance befinreen the development goals for
the property and the impact of public uses on those goals. In order to meet the obligations of
agreements regarding the Arrabelle project (core site), at a minimum skier drop off must occur on
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this site. As discussed below, the Lionshead parking structure and West Lionshead also provide
opportunities for some of the transportation functions identified above.
Given the impacts of a public transportation use and to maximize the opportunities for employee
housing on the property, development standards such as site coverage, landscape area, north
side setbacks, and building height may be adjusted to afford more flexibility to the property owner
see section 4.9.4.3) and approved by the Planning and Environmental Commission.
In order to create more efficiency with the site development and to mitigate for the presence of a
public transportation facitity on private property, the Town may atlow for encroachment of uses on
the parcel of land owned by the Town on the north side of the north day lot. This encroachment
may also help to mitigate impacts to adjacent properties to the south by maintaining adequate
setbacks. There may be a need to move or enhance the pedestrian bridge abutment and access
as part of the transportation facility.
A critical consideration in the planning and design of this facility will be its impact on the adjacent
Landmark Tower and Townhomes and the Wesfinrind.depicted in figure 5-13a, a linear building,
screen, and/or landscape buffer is recommended at the southern edge of the site to screen the
lower levels of the Landmark properties from the transportation facility. If necessary to provide
adequate buffering a wall or fence in excess of 6' could be considered. This screen could house
a bus shelter and waiting area, an information center, public restrooms, a small food and
beverage operation, and an elevator core to the pedestrian mall level for ADA access needs. To
the east, earthwork, landscaping, and/ or other screening measures should be considered to
buffer the Wesfinrind.
The dispersed transportation facility may be covered by employee housing or other uses
contemplated by the Lionshead Mixed Use Zoning -1 and any exemptions/deviations discussed
herein. Specifically, the design of the transportation center should address all impacts: visual,
security, sound, and smell that may affect adjacent properties. Both the Wesfinrind and the
Landmark should be closely involved in the transit center planning and design process.
Since the adoption of the Lionshead Master Redevelopment Plan, plans were developed to locate
a Transit Center at the North Day Lot. Integrating the number of uses mentioned above and
addressing the neighborhood concerns regarding a transit center prompted the Town of Vail to
evaluate alternative locations for a transit center.
Alternative locations include:
West Lionshead
Lionshead Parking Structure
North Day Lot
In 2006, the Town of Vail initiated an update of the Vail Transportation Master Plan. In addition,
the Town initiated a development competition for the Lionshead Parking Structure which would
include a transit facility. It is recommended that the Transportation Master Plan update along with
the conclusion of the Lionshead Parking Structure RFP process provide direction on the ultimate
location for a Lionshead Transit Facility.
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INTRODUCED, READ, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 15th day of April, 2008.
N
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PA Richard D4CC11evv Tyor, own Vail
S r
ATTEST:
rel Donaldson, Town Clerk
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