HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-05-02 Agenda and Supporting Documentation Town Council Afternoon Meeting Agenda1.Site Visit
1.1 Vail Police Department SWAT Bot Demonstration for Town
Council Members, 75 South Frontage Road, Vail, CO
81657
2.The regular Town Council meeting will convene at 1:00pm in the Town Council
Chambers
3.Recognitions (10 min.)
3.1 Mayor for a Day
Vail Mountain School fourth grader Antonio Poe won the
"Mayor for the Day" auction item at the school's fundraiser.
4.Presentation/Discussion
4.1 West Vail Multi-Family Zone District Discussion 45 min.
Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
Presenter(s): Greg Roy, Senior Planner
Background: The applicant, Town of Vail, is proposing to
update the Vail Town Code with the creation of the West Vail
Multi-Family Overlay District (WVMF). The zone district is the
first step in the implementation of the West Vail Master Plan
that was adopted by the Town of Vail in November of 2021.
4.2 Economic Development Update 15 min.
Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
Presenter(s): Mia Vlaar, Economic Development Director and
Jeremy Gross, Special Event Coordinator
Background: Second Cycle Special Event Funding and Vail
America Days Update.
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
Afternoon Session Agenda
Town Council Chambers and virtually via Zoom.
Zoom meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_F4IJOPs9QFW0vPk5TYCCtA
12:30 PM May 2, 2023
Notes:
Times of items are approximate, subject to change, and cannot be relied upon to determine what time
Council will consider an item.
West Vail Staff Memo .pdf
West Vail PP Presentation - 5-2-23.pdf
Attachment A. West Vail Master Plan.pdf
Attachment B. PEC Discussion Meetings.pdf
Attachment C. Original and Recommended Town Code Language.pdf
Public Input.pdf
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4.3 Town Council Review of Draft Flag Policy 20 min.
Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
Presenter(s): Kathleen Halloran, Deputy Town Manager
Background: The Town of Vail does not have a Flag Policy
currently. Staff is proposing the attached draft policy for Town
Council’s consideration. This policy was created with
assistance from the Town Attorney based on recent case law.
Staff will return on May 16 with a resolution to establish a
policy based on council input.
4.4 Fire Free Five and Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Update
40 min.
Information only
Presenter(s): Paul Cada, Wildland Program Manager
Background: In 2020 the Vail Town Council adopted the Vail
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). This
presentation will provide an update on the status of the CWPP
as well as the Fire Free Five initiative.
Staff Recommendation: Information only
4.5 Timber Ridge Update 10 min.
Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
Presenter(s): George Ruther, Housing Director
Background: The purpose of this agenda item is to share the
Redevelopment Committee's progress toward redeveloping
the Timber Ridge Village Apartments. This update will cover
the redevelopment schedule with critical path milestones.
5.DRB / PEC (5 min.)
5.1 DRB/PEC Update
6.Information Update
6.1 April 5, 2023 CSE Meeting Minutes
6.2 April 11, 2023 VLHA Meeting Minutes
6.3 Lionshead Snowmelt Repairs
6.4 April Revenue Update
Council Memo - Economic Development Update 05032023.pdf
230502 Flag Policy.docx
Flag Policy.docx
TC Memo CWPP Progress 05022023.docx
TC_CWPP_Implementation_Update_052023.pptx
Timber Ridge Village Apartments Redevelopment Update 05022023.docx
PEC Results 4-24-23.pdf
DRB Results 4-19-23.pdf
Minutes_committee-on-special-events_minutes_summary_04.05.2023.pdf.pdf
2023-04-11 VLHA Mintues.pdf
LH Public Notice.docx
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Information Update
7.Matters from Mayor, Council and Committee Reports (10 min.)
8.Executive Session (60 min.) Executive Session Pursuant to:
1. C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(e) to determine positions relative to matters that may be subject to
negotiations, develop a strategy for negotiations, and instruct negotiators; and C.R.S. §24-6-
402(4)(a) to consider the purchase, acquisition, lease, transfer or sale of real, personal or
other property, on the topics of: 1) potential workforce housing development on property
referred to as West Middle Creek, Vail, CO; Tract A, Middle Creek Subdivision; 2) the
redevelopment of the Timber Ridge deed restricted housing project 1281 North Frontage
Road West, Vail, CO 81657; 3) North Trail Town Homes ; and 4) deed restriction violations
and compliance by Altus@Vail LLC, 430 South Frontage Road East, Vail, CO 81657; and
2. C.R.S. §24-6-402(4)(b) to hold a conference with the Town Attorney, to receive legal
advice on specific legal questions on the topic of: Reggie D. Delponte Residence Trust No. 1
and Reggie D. Delponte Residence Trust No. 2 v. Town of Vail, case number 2022CV30107;
and Town of Vail v. Reggie D. Delponte Residence Trust No. 1 and Reggie D. Delponte
Residence Trust No. 2, case number 2022CA819
9.Recess 4:35pm (estimate)
230502 Revenue Update.pdf
Meeting agendas and materials can be accessed prior to meeting day on the Town of Vail website
www.vailgov.com. All town council meetings will be streamed live by High Five Access Media and
available for public viewing as the meeting is happening. The meeting videos are also posted to High
Five Access Media website the week following meeting day, www.highfivemedia.org.
Please call 970-479-2136 for additional information. Sign language interpretation is available upon
request with 48 hour notification dial 711.
3
AGENDA ITEM NO. 1.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager
ITEM TYPE:Main Agenda
AGENDA SECTION:Site Visit
SUBJECT:Vail Police Department SWAT Bot Demonstration for Town
Council Members, 75 South Frontage Road, Vail, CO 81657
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
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AGENDA ITEM NO. 3.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens
ITEM TYPE:Main Agenda
AGENDA SECTION:Recognitions (10 min.)
SUBJECT:Mayor for a Day
SUGGESTED ACTION:Vail Mountain School fourth grader Antonio Poe won the "Mayor for
the Day" auction item at the school's fundraiser.
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
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AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
TIME:45 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Greg Roy, Community Development
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:West Vail Multi-Family Zone District Discussion
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
PRESENTER(S):Greg Roy, Senior Planner
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
West Vail Staff Memo .pdf
West Vail PP Presentation - 5-2-23.pdf
Attachment A. West Vail Master Plan.pdf
Attachment B. PEC Discussion Meetings.pdf
Attachment C. Original and Recommended Town Code Language.pdf
Public Input.pdf
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TO: Town Council
FROM: Community Development Department
DATE: May 2, 2023
SUBJECT: West Vail Multi-Family Overlay Zone District.
Applicant: Town of Vail, represented by Matt Gennett
Planner: Greg Roy
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this memo is to introduce the West Vail Multi-Family Overlay District
(WVMF) and to provide Council with background on process and of the overall approach
and the proposed code language. The zone district derives from the West Vail Master
Plan that was adopted by the Town of Vail in November of 2021.
II. BACKGROUND
In 2022 staff was tasked with the implementation of the West Vail Master Plan that was
adopted in November of 2021. The first piece of the Plan slated for implementation was
the residential rezoning of portions of West Vail as recommended on pages 66-71 of the
Plan (Attachment A). This included the creation of two new zone districts with the key
elements listed below:
• Minimum and maximum density
• EHU requirement dependent on number of units built
• Increasing GRFA allotments
• No short term rentals permitted
The Plan also recommends specific areas for these new zone districts to take effect,
which are located on page 68 of the Plan.
Staff initiated the process by conducting three work sessions with the PEC from June
2022 to August 2022. During these meetings, Staff and the PEC reviewed the
recommendations, proposed standards, zone district maps, and to narrow down the
standards (site coverage, heights, parking, etc..) for incorporation into the districts that
were being created. Public comment was provided at each of these work sessions in
addition to written correspondence included as attachments to the staff memorandums.
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Town of Vail Page 2
At the October 24, 2022, PEC meeting, the application to create the two new zone districts
was presented and reviewed by the PEC with a request for a recommendation. After
discussion and deliberation, a motion and second to recommend approval resulted in a
split vote of 3-3 (For: Lipnick, Phillips and Judge; Against: Perez, Pratt and Rediker;
Absent: Jensen). The meeting was continued for the lack of an approved motion.
Work continued on the application based on the feedback at the meeting as well as the
public comments that had been received. With the revised language, the application to
institute the new zoning was noticed, with mailers going out to the properties proposed to
be rezoned, for the December 12, 2022, PEC meeting.
The PEC reviewed the WVMF 1 and WVMF 2 language and the proposed zoning map
change at the December 12, 2022, PEC meeting. This meeting highlighted the changes
made since October and the proposed properties to be rezoned. No recommendation
was requested at the meeting and the item was tabled to January 9, 2023. The feedback
and comments at this meeting expressed significant concern for the proposed EHU
requirements and the effect the new zoning would have on individual property owners.
Based on the feedback, Staff undertook additional outreach to individuals that had been
involved in the process and submitted public comments to the PEC. This was done to
better understand the underlying concerns and to find a way to resolve issues in the new
districts while still achieving the goals of the Plan. Staff also had additional meetings with
the Town’s legal team to vet the districts and ensure the proposed legislation was on solid
legal ground. The item was tabled at the January 9, 2023, PEC meeting to allow additional
time for revisions.
Based on the legal team’s advice about the potential legal challenges of a legislative
rezoning and the public’s comments with regard to the proposal, the applicant decided a
revised approach was necessary and withdrew the previous applications and prepared
an alternative application. The revised approach was to create an overlay district that
could be applied to the properties within the West Vail Study Area but would not change
the underlying zoning that is in place today. Property owners interested in participating in
the overlay zone district will be able to apply to rezone their properties. The EHU
requirement was also changed from a unit requirement based on the number of units built
on the lot to an Inclusionary Zoning model that is used elsewhere in town. There was also
flexibility added in that could allow some of the standards in the district to be adjusted
with a development plan to be reviewed by the PEC.
The use of an overlay district that could be opted into addressed many of the legal
concerns over the creation of non-conformities through a legislative rezoning. It also
addressed concerns from the public by giving property owners an option to be in the new
district if they desired. The development plan provides flexibility in density and allows the
PEC to approve densities in excess of the proposed maximum densities of 12 and 18
units per acre.
8
Town of Vail Page 3
On February 27, 2023, a work session with the PEC occurred to go over the revised
approach and corresponding code revisions. There was general support from the PEC at
that meeting with additional fine-tuning to address some of the concern over the process
that would be required by property owners that applied to be rezoned. The proposed code
language was then noticed and brought to the March 27, 2023, PEC meeting for review.
The Commission had minor amendments requested to be made before the item was to
be brought back at the next meeting for a recommendation.
At the April 10, 2023, PEC meeting there was a recommendation of approval with a 5-1
vote (Smith opposed, Lipnick absent).
IV. PROPOSED AMENDED LANGUAGE
See attached Original and Recommended Town Code Language (attached).
VI. APPLICABLE PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff believes that the following provisions of the Vail Town Code and Vail Comprehensive
Plan are relevant to the review of this proposal:
Vail 2020 Strategic Action Plan
Land Use and Development Goal #4: Provide for enough deed-restricted housing for at
least 30 percent of the workforce through policies, regulations and publicly initiated
development.
Actions/Strategies
• Update housing regulation to include more zone districts that are required to
provide employee housing.
• Address the zoning regulations to provide more incentives for developers to
building employee housing units.
Housing Goal: The Town of Vail recognizes the need for housing as infrastructure that
promotes community, reduces transit needs and keeps more employees living in
the town, and will provide for enough deed-restricted housing for at least 30
percent of the workforce through policies, regulations and publicly initiated
development.
Vail Land Use Plan
1. General Growth/Development
1.3. The quality of development should be maintained and upgraded whenever
possible.
1.12. Vail should accommodate most of the additional growth in existing developed
areas (infill areas).
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Town of Vail Page 4
5. Residential
5.1. Additional residential growth should continue to occur primarily in existing, platted
areas and as appropriate in new areas where high hazards do not exist.
5.3. Affordable employee housing should be made available through private efforts,
assisted by limited incentives, provided by the town of Vail, with appropriate
restrictions.
5.5. The existing employee housing base should be preserved and upgraded.
Additional employee housing needs should be accommodated at varied sites
throughout the community.
West Vail Master Plan
See pages 66-71 of the attached West Vail Master Plan for housing related goals and
recommendations.
IX. ATTACHMENTS
A. West Vail Master Plan
B. PEC Discussion Meetings (materials and recordings)
C. Original and Recommended Town Code Language
10
PRESENTATION BY
Greg Roy, AICP
Planner
West Vail Zoning
11
West Vail Master Plan
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 12
West Vail Master Plan
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 13
Zoning Recommendation #1
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
A new zone district, West Vail Multiple-Family 1, is
recommended
•Minimum Density: 9 units per buildable acre
•Maximum Density: 18 units per buildable acre
•Redevelopment of minimum density would require one unit and
50% of additional units above 9/acre should be deed restricted
•GRFA same as Low Density Multiple Family (44/100)
14
Zoning Recommendation #2
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
A new zone district, West Vail Multiple-Family 2, is
recommended
•Minimum Density: 6 units per buildable acre
•Maximum Density: 12 units per buildable acre
•Redevelopment of minimum density would require one unit and
50% of additional units above 9/acre should be deed restricted
•GRFA same as Residential Cluster (36/100)
15
Recommended Map
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 16
Proposed Standards
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
•Upon redevelopment, 1 unit must be deed
restricted
•Half of additional units above minimum must
be deed restricted
WVMF 1 WVMF 2
Min Density 9 units/acre 6 units/acre
Max Density 18 units/acre 12 units/acre
GRFA 44 sq ft/100 lot area 36 sq ft/100 lot area
17
Proposed Standards
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
WVMF 1 & WVMF 2
Site Coverage 25% -45%
Landscaping 60% -35%
Setbacks Front: 20’ Sides and Rear: 15’
Height Flat: 35’ Sloped: 38’
Parking 1 space/unit
Proposed Max Unit Size 1,800 SF
18
Site Specific Lot Studies
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 19
Site Specific Lot Studies
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 20
EHU Requirements
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
WVMF 1: Min 9 units/acre Max: 18 units/acre
WVMF 2: Min 6 units/acre Max: 12 units/acre
•Upon redevelopment 1 unit must be deed restricted
•Half of additional units above minimum would be deed
restricted
Example: WVMF 1 Lot Area: 14,085 SF
Min Density: 2.9 units Max Density: 6 units
EHU Req: 1 EHU Req: 2.5
PEC Discussion on EHU requirement
21
Site Specific Lot Studies
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 22
Parking Requirements
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
Initial Proposal: 1 space/unit
Revised Proposal Town Code
Multiple-family dwellings Multiple-family dwellings
GRFA is 663 square feet
or less 1 space GRFA is 500 square feet
or less 1.5 spaces
GRFA is more than 663
square feet, but less
than 2,000 square feet
1.5 spaces
GRFA is more than 500
square feet, but less
than 2,000 square feet
2 spaces
GRFA is 2,000 square
feet or more 2 spaces GRFA is 2,000 square
feet or more 2.5 spaces
Single-family and two-
family dwellings
Single-family and two-
family dwellings
GRFA is less than 2,000
square feet 2 spaces GRFA is less than 2,000
square feet 2 spaces
GRFA is 2,000 square
feet or more, but less
than 4,000 square feet
3 spaces
GRFA is 2,000 square
feet or more, but less
than 4,000 square feet
3 spaces
GRFA is 4,000 square
feet or more 4 spaces GRFA is 4,000 square
feet or to 5.500 4 spaces
GRFA is 5,500 fee or
more 5 spaces
23
Proposed Standards
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
•Upon redevelopment, 1 unit must be deed
restricted
•Exception: redevelopment of existing
units permitted if above maximum
•Redevelopment of 4 or fewer units shall
require only one new deed restriction
•Half of additional units above minimum must
be deed restricted
WVMF 1 WVMF 2
Min Density 9 units/acre 6 units/acre
Max Density 18 units/acre 12 units/acre
GRFA 44 sq ft/100 lot area 36 sq ft/100 lot area
24
Proposed Standards
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
WVMF 1 & WVMF 2
Site Coverage 30%
Landscaping 40%
Setbacks Front: 20’ Sides and Rear: 15’
Height Flat: 35’ Sloped: 38’
Parking Parking per Revised Schedule
Proposed Max Unit Size No Max
25
Map Revisions
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 26
Map Revisions
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com 27
Revised Approach
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
•One new Overlay District
•District would encompass all of the residential zoned property
in the West Vail Study Area
28
What is an Overlay District?
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
An Overlay District is a zone district that is layered on
top of another zone district
Opt-In: Does not change zoning today
Require rezoning process
Not able to be used elsewhere in Town
29
West Vail Multi-Family Overlay District Standards
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
Standards Low Density
Multiple Family
Residential
Cluster
Two -Family
Primary/Secondary
WVMF
Overlay
Setbacks Front: 20
Side/Rear: 20
Front: 20
Side/Rear: 15
Front: 20
Side/Rear: 15
Front: 20
Side/Rear: 15
Height 35’ Flat/38’ Sloped 30’ Flat/33’ Sloped 30’ Flat/33’ Sloped 35’ Flat/38’
Sloped
Density Maximum: 9
units/acre
(buildable)
Maximum:6
units/acre
(buildable)
Lots under 14,000SF:
1 unit
Lots over 14,000SF: 2
units
Minimum: 9
units/acre
Maximum: 18
units/acre
GRFA 44:100 buildable
area
36:100 buildable
area
46:100 1-
10,000/38:100
10,001-15,000/
13:100 15,001-
30,000/6:100 30,000+
46:100 lot area
Site Coverage 35% lot area 25% lot area 20% lot area 30% lot area
Landscaping 40% lot area 60% lot area 60% lot area 40% lot area
30
Overlay District Standards
Town of Vail | WVMF | vailgov.com
Same Standards from Previous Approach:
•Setbacks: Front:20ft, Side and Rear: 15ft
•Height: Flat: 35ft, Sloped: 38ft
Improvements on application of following standards:
•Density able to be varied by PEC
•EHU requirement utilizing existing Town Code section
•Parking per Town Code unless varied by PEC
•Site Coverage
•Landscaping
31
Development Plan Required
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
Applications to be reviewed by DRB if within the set standards.
Certain standards can be varied with a Development Plan that would
be reviewed by PEC.
Standards that can be amended
through a Development Plan:
•Density (Unit Count and
GRFA)
•Site Coverage
•Landscaping
•Parking
Benefits:
•Tailored Solutions
•Compatibility with
surrounding is considered
•Increased public
participation with
Development Plan
noticing requirements
32
Inclusionary Zoning
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
Percentage of net new square footage added would be
required to be mitigated
•Example:
•Existing: 2,000 GRFA
•Proposed: 3,000 GRFA (+1,000)
•Mitigation Req (at 30%): 300 GRFA deed restricted
(1,000 x .3)
Type VII-IZ Inclusionary Zoning –EHU excluded from
density calculations
33
Inclusionary Zoning
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
Mitigation Methods
•Mitigation amounts at or above 438 SF
•On-site units (only)
•Requirements below 438 SF
•On-site units
•Off -site units
•Fee-in-lieu
•Conveyance of vacant property
34
Master Plan Goals Being Achieved
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
•Density (units/acre) as proposed in Master Plan
•GRFA increased per recommendation
•Increased height and site coverage per Town Code Rec
•Parking can be reduced through a Development Plan
•Inclusionary Zoning provides solid legal approach to
additional EHUs
35
250 Additions
Town of Vail | WVMF| vailgov.com
12-15-5 ADDITIONAL GROSS RESIDENTIAL FLOOR AREA (250
ORDINANCE).
***
(B)Applicability.The provisions of this section shall apply to dwelling units
in all zone districts except single-family and two-family dwellings in the
Single-Family Residential (SFR),Two -Family Residential (R),Two -Family
Primary/Secondary Residential (PS)and Vail Village Townhouse (VVT)
Districts and West Vail Multi-Family (WVMF)districts.
36
Thank you
37
NOVEMBER2021
38
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL
Dave Chapin, Mayor
Kim Langmaid, Mayor Pro-Tem
Jenn Bruno
Travis Coggin
Kevin Foley
Jen Mason
Brian Stockmar
VAIL PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION
Ludwig Kurz, Chair
Henry Pratt
Rollie Kjesbo
Pete Seibert, Jr.
Brian Gillette
Karen Marie Perez
Reid Phillips
TOWN OF VAIL STAFF
Matt Gennett
Shelley Bellm
PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Neil Almy
Christopher Ball
Margaret Bathgate
Jack Bergey
Dick Cleveland
Sherry Dorward
Elyse Howard
Greg Kissler
Steve Lindstrom
Jen Mason
Laurie Mullen
Jay Pearson
John Rediker
Pete Seibert, Jr.
Jennifer Shay
PLANNING TEAM
SE Group
Gabby Voeller
Mark Kane
Ellie Wachtel
Julia Randall
Fehr and Peers
Carly Sieff
Krystian Boreyko
Studio Seed
Cheney Bostic
Economic and Planning Systems
Andrew Knudtsen
Brian Duffany
Rachel Shindman
39
CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
CHAPTER 5: IMPLEMENTATION
40
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CHAPTER 1:INTRODUCTION
“The future West Vail is a complete neighborhood with increased housing
options for year-round residents, streets that support multiple modes
of transportation, and a vibrant, walkable destination where residents
and visitors can shop at local businesses and gather as a community.
Though just minutes from a world-class resort, West Vail retains a familiar,
neighborly feel.”
Vision Statement42
2 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
PURPOSE OF THE PLAN
This plan presents the Town of Vail with a cohesive vision for the
West Vail neighborhood. It includes a suite of recommendations and
strategies to assist with implementing the stated overarching vision
(on the previous page) and the three visions created for each topic
area (commercial area, housing, and transportation and stated in
Chapters 2, 3, and 4 respectively). The plan was developed to address
key community priorities that include promoting a stronger sense of
place, enhancing local economic vitality, growing the neighborhood’s
opportunities for resident housing, and enhancing the multimodal
transportation network. This plan is also meant to be a model for
sustainable development within the Town of Vail. In particular, this plan
is intended to serve as a guide for the redevelopment of the commercial
area (dubbed “West Vail Center” in this plan) as a walkable and
prosperous place with new opportunities for businesses and housing,
creating a new heart for the West Vail neighborhood.
PLAN PROCESSES
This plan’s strategies and recommendations were informed by a robust
public engagement process conducted over the course of fifteen months
(Spring 2020 – Summer 2021). To complement insights gained from
this process, this plan drew on economic and demographic data, an
analysis of current transportation and traffic data, and a review of the
existing land use conditions, Town plans, zoning regulations and their
implications.
Vision 1: Commercial Area: West Vail Center
Vision 2: Housing
43
3WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
To support desired changes in West Vail, the recommendations in this
plan are intended to be both inspiring and attainable. At the same time,
the plan aspires to preserve multi-family housing and build more units
where it is desired and appropriate. Some of the recommendations in
the plan can be achieved in the short-term, while others will require
sustained collaboration and effort over time. Importantly, this plan
seeks to build upon West Vail’s past successes, retaining policies and
infrastructure that serve the community.
PLAN OUTCOMES
When the recommendations, strategies, policies, and programs within
this plan are acted upon, the outcomes for West Vail will be profound.
There will be new and preserved resident-housing units. This will mean
that more people can afford to stay in Vail and new residents can
move in, bringing life and energy to the neighborhood. There will be a
revitalized commercial center where residents and visitors can conduct
essential shopping trips, take advantage of dining options, and where
multimodal accessibility is enhanced. The West Vail neighborhood will
be more connected to other parts of Vail and the greater Eagle County
region. It will also become more comfortable to walk and bike around
for local neighborhood trips.
A primary outcome of this plan is to preserve the things that residents
love about West Vail – its mix of housing types, its easy access to
essential businesses, and its community spirit – and to enhance it for
future generations of West Vail residents. Market forces have changed
dramatically in recent years, and zoning changes, financial incentives
to property owners, and new policies are needed to strike this balance
between the preservation of character while also providing new
housing, businesses, and services.
Vision 3: Trasportation and Mobility
44
4 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
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Legend
Prepared by:
West Vail Master Plan
Project Area
May, 2020
USFS Land
Park
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Trail
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Project Boundary
Town Boundary
0 350 700 1,050 1,400
SCALE (ft)N
Figure 1.1: Project Area
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5WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
ABOUT THE PLAN
The West Vail Master Plan describes how the neighborhood may
transform over the coming years. Conversations with community
members and an analysis of on-the-ground conditions turned into a
vision for what West Vail could and should be. This plan tells the story
of that vision, breaks it down into discrete goals, and offers a set of
recommendations and strategies on how to get there. As a practical
planning tool, the plan will serve as a guide for the Town of Vail as
it considers housing policy and future land use changes as well as
upgrades to transportation infrastructure.
This plan builds on the work of other plans adopted in Vail, including
the Vail 2020 Strategic Action Plan (2006), the Vail Town Council Action
Plan 2018-20, the Vail Land Use Plan (2009), Vail Housing 2027, the
Vail Economic Development Strategic Plan, the Chamonix Master Plan,
the Vail Transportation Master Plan, the Vail Civic Area Plan, the Vail
Open Lands Plan, and the Environmental Sustainability Strategic Plan.
These plans reflect the Town’s goals to foster a year-round community
and economy that prioritizes environmental sustainability and contains
housing opportunities for residents of varying income levels. The
recommendations of the West Vail Master Plan reflect and complement
these Town-wide goals.
ABOUT THE PROJECT AREA
The project area for this plan is the Town land west of Donovan Park on
the south side of Interstate 70 (I-70) and west of Buffehr Creek Road on
the north side of I-70. It includes the North Trail and Davos Trailheads
as well as Ellefson and Buffehr Creek Parks. Parts of the Matterhorn and
Highland Meadows neighborhoods on the south side of I-70 were not
included in the study area as many parcels are part of unincorporated
Eagle County. While the study area itself was analyzed in depth to form
the recommendations in this plan, the Town of Vail and the greater
region were also examined for context, connectivity, and economic
trends.
Gore Valley Trail
Buffehr Creek Park
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6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
ACTION IMPACT
Recommending improvements that increase access to public
transit and the ease of traveling on foot and by bike
Decreases dependence on cars; encourages no or low-emissions forms
of transportation
Recommending the inclusion of car-charging infrastructure Encourages the use of electric vehicles in West Vail
Concentrating development in the commercial center Discourages inefficient, sprawling land use patterns
Concentrating necessary businesses and amenities in the
commercial area Reduces the need to drive to other communities for essential services
Recommending an additional roundabout along the Frontage
Road
Reduces idling (and therefore emissions) of vehicles compared to a
traditional intersection
Recommending greenspace, gardens, and street trees in the
redesigned commercial area
Reduces the need to drive to gathering spaces; improves air quality,
temperature control, carbon absorption
Recommending adding housing density in West Vail in the form of
townhouse, multi-family, and apartment-style housing options
Reduces commuting distances and associated emissions by enabling
more people who work in Vail to live in West Vail; increases energy
efficiency of housing in West Vail with more heat-efficient housing types
Recommending adding housing in the commercial area (e.g.
businesses on the ground floor and housing on upper floors) or
near existing transit stops in residential neighborhoods
Increases residents living near transit, encourages an efficient land use
pattern
Recommending the increase in deed-restricted units in West Vail.Supports more socially equitable and inclusive housing options.
The Town of Vail has previously adopted ambitious plans related to environmental sustainability and open space conservation. The West Vail Master
Plan furthers the goals of those plans and includes actions to address Climate Change through the following measures:
47
7WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
PLAN ORGANIZATION
The plan is organized into 5 chapters: Introduction (1), West Vail Center (2), Housing (3),
Transportation and Mobility (4), and Implementation (5). The Introduction contains a vision
statement for the overall plan. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 have vision statements that address the focus
of that particular chapter. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 contain goals, recommendations, and policies
related to the content of that chapter. Chapter 5 describes the strategies the Town can undertake
to implement the recommendations from this plan.
Chapter 2: West Vail Center
Chapter 2 envisions three development scenarios in which the commercial area of West Vail is
transformed into a new “West Vail Center.” The vision and goals for this chapter delineate what
this reinvigorated area will look like and how it will function. The recommendations explain how
the Town of Vail can start working towards the realization of any of the three scenarios through
zoning changes and public-private partnerships.
Chapter 3: Housing
Chapter 3 analyzes housing issues primarily in the residential areas of West Vail. The
recommendations in this chapter address ways to preserve and add primarily resident housing in
the area through rezoning, Town Code updates, and programs and policies.
Chapter 4: Transportation and Mobility
Chapter 4 describes changes that can be made to the roads, sidewalks, bicycle facilities, multi-use
paths, and transit network to make West Vail more connected. The recommendations for capital
projects, policies, programs and infrastructure in West Vail will contribute to making the area
easier to navigate either with or without a car.
Chapter 5: Implementation
Chapter 5 describes the various strategies the Town of Vail can use to implement the plan. Specific
detail on approaches to incentivizing and financing the redevelopment of West Vail Center are
discussed in detail
Appendices
The plan includes two appendices. Appendix A is the set of analyses completed for Phase 1 of this
project. Appendix B includes a summary of the public engagement process including the materials
presented for each public-facing event.
Charging station
Aerial view of I-70 and West Vail Center
Landscaped sidewalk in Vail
48
49
INTRODUCTION
“The future West Vail is a complete neighborhood with increased housing
options for year-round residents, streets that support multiple modes of
transportation, and a vibrant, walkable destination where residents and
visitors can shop at local businesses and gather as a community. Though just
minutes from a world-class resort, West Vail retains the familiar, neighborly
character of a small mountain town.”
CHAPTER 2:WEST VAIL CENTER
“The reimagined ‘West Vail Center’ is the center of economic and social
life in West Vail. It’s a place to live, meet a friend for a cup of coffee,
conveniently pick up groceries and other essentials, and access transit
connections to the rest of the town and valley. As the western gateway to
the Town of Vail, the commercial center is aesthetically pleasing and inviting,
with new and upgraded mixed-use buildings that reflect the neighborhood’s
scale and mountain setting while providing much-needed resident
housing. The area’s new pattern of development is oriented to pedestrians,
accommodating to bicyclists, and accessible by both car and transit. Vibrant,
active businesses in the commercial area serve both locals and visitors,
supporting and meeting the needs of West Vail’s year-round community.”
Vision Statement50
10 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
INTRODUCTION
West Vail’s commercial area is home to businesses and services that are
essential to Vail’s year-round community. This plan initially considered the
commercial area as the parcels next to the North Frontage Road between
the Fire Station and Buffehr Creek Park. As the project evolved and the
likely redevelopment opportunities became apparent, the project team
focused on the four parcels at the heart of the commercial center, those
between McDonald’s/West Vail Mall and City Market.
At present, the commercial center meets the everyday shopping needs of
the West Vail neighborhood and the Town of Vail, but its opportunities as
a vibrant gathering place and a western gateway to the Town have not
been fully realized. This chapter presents three scenarios that reimagine
West Vail’s commercial area as “West Vail Center,” a lively, pedestrian-
friendly destination for locals and visitors. This chapter also makes
recommendations for zoning changes and design principles that will set
West Vail Center on the path towards the scenarios.
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11WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS
West Vail’s commercial area overlooks I-70 and resembles typical strip-style commercial
development: a low-density arrangement of one- to three-story buildings that face multiple
parking lots. The commercial area represents the only flat land area within the study area that is
suitable for large-scale development.
LAND USE
At present, over half the area is devoted to surface parking lots and roadways, leaving a limited
portion of the area to be occupied by tax-generating businesses. About 21% of the commercial
area (8.0 acres) is taken up by parking, while circulation (roads), driveways, loading zones, and
other infrastructure for vehicles make up 11.8 acres (31.4%). Building footprints make up 7.0
acres (19%). In all, impermeable surfaces make up 71% of the land area, while 29% of the land
area is natural. These natural areas are small or concentrated as the grassy hillside behind the
stores. These areas also lack seating and other amenities that would encourage their enjoyment
as gathering spaces.
TRANSPORTATION & ACCESS
It is challenging for pedestrians to access and navigate the West Vail commercial area. The area is
framed by one major arterial, the North Frontage Road, and neighborhood collectors Chamonix
Road and Chamonix Lane. There are a limited number of marked crosswalks in the area, and there
are very few existing sidewalks that connect businesses within the commercial area. There are
no pedestrian connections between the nearby North Recreation Path along the North Frontage
Road and the area’s businesses.
HOUSING
The area’s current zone district, Commercial Core 3 (CC3), only permits employee housing units
(EHUs, defined as housing restricted to individuals working full-time in Eagle County). At present,
there are 67 EHUs in the commercial area located on three parcels – Vail Das Schone (30), Vail
Commons (18), and the Highline/Doubletree (19). A permit for additional units on the Highline/
Doubletree property has been approved.
Vail das Schone includes ground floor commercial
and employee housing units above
Safeway includes 40,500 square feet of grocery
retail and a Starbucks
West Vail Mall is anchored by Christy Sports
Vail Commons includes a 50,000 square foot City
Market with one of two pharmacies in Vail
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12 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
A HUB FOR THE COMMUNITY
Other commercial areas in the Town of Vail, including Lionshead and Vail
Village, function as base areas for Vail Mountain Resort and primarily
offer upscale dining and shopping that cater to visitors. In contrast, West
Vail’s commercial area contains a mixture of businesses that supply
everyday necessities and conveniences. These community-oriented
businesses, which include grocery stores, fast casual restaurants, a
hardware store, and a dentist’s office, make it possible for Vail to be a
year-round community where people live. While serving residents, these
community businesses also draw a significant portion of their business
from visitors and this should not be dismissed. Vail residents value the
convenience and casual feel of the commercial area.
Shoppers outside City Market
Westside Cafe and Market Soap’s Up in Vail das Schone
INFLUENCE AND FOCUS AREAS
This plan considers the commercial area in two groupings: a
12.8-acre “Focus Area,” and a 4.9-acre “Influence Area.” The focus
area is the center of the commercial area and includes the primary
retail businesses in the area (e.g. West Vail Mall, Safeway, City
Market, Ace Hardware). The redevelopment scenarios presented in
this chapter are concentrated within the focus area. The influence
area is the remaining area and includes important adjacent
businesses that were not considered for redevelopment given the
type of existing use and recent or planned redevelopment.
Influence Area
• Phillips 66 Gas Station, located north of the roundabout
• 1st Bank anchors a two-story structure next to the gas station that
also includes Northside Grab ‘n Go on the ground floor
• Highline Vail, a Doubletree-brand hotel with 116 hotel rooms and
two restaurants. An expansion of the hotel that would provide 195
hotel rooms, expanded conference facilities, an employee housing
dormitory unit, and 15 employee housing units was approved in
2020.
Focus Area
• McDonald’s, a popular fast food stop for visitors and residents
• West Vail Mall, a shopping complex that is anchored by Christy
Sports and contains several fast casual restaurants, a liquor store,
and a dry cleaner. A brewpub and restaurant currently sits vacant
• Safeway, a full-service grocery store that contains a Starbucks
inside
• Vail das Schone includes Ace Hardware, a UPS Store, an escape
room, a laundromat, and 30 EHUs
• Vail Commons, a Town-owned property, includes City Market, a
restaurant, a dentist’s office and the Vail Child Care Center. It also
includes 18 EHUs
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13WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
WEST VAIL MALLPHILLIPS 66
1ST BANK HIGHLINE
DOUBLETREE
MCDONALD’S
VAIL COMMONS/
CITY MARKETSAFEWAY
VAIL DAS SCHONE
FOCUS AREA TOTALS:
Land Area: 12.8 Acres
Commercial: 156,800 SF
Residential: 46 Units
Parking: 799 Spaces
INFLUENCE AREA TOTALS:
Land Area: 4.9 Acres
Commercial: 17,500 SF
Hotel: 58,800 SF
Parking: 205 Spaces
N. FRONTAGE ROAD
CHAMONIX LANE
CHAMONIX ROAD
INTERSTATE 70
S. FRONTAGE ROAD
Figure 2.1: West Vail Center Existing Program
INFLUENCE AREA TOTALS:
Land Area: 4.9 Acres
Commercial: 17,500 SF
Hotel: 58,800 SF
Parking: 205 Spaces
FOCUS AREA TOTALS:
Land Area: 12.8 Acres
Commercial: 156,800 SF
Residential: 48 Units
Parking: 799 Spaces
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14 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
COMMUNITY SURVEY RESULTS: PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMERCIAL AREA
Respondents to the community survey included Vail residents and residents from surrounding communities. Responses were analyzed as a whole and by
place of residence.
What do respondents appreciate most about West Vail?
• Grocery stores
• Locally-owned businesses
• Locally-serving businesses
• Parks and trails
• Walking and biking options
What do respondents want to see in West Vail in the
future?
• Pleasant streetscapes (lighting, benches, and landscaping)
• People who work here can live here
• More local-oriented businesses (i.e. hardware store, dry cleaners)
What issues do respondents see in West Vail?
• Highway noise
• Outdated commercial area
What types of businesses do respondents think are
important to keep, add, or expand in West Vail?
• Grocery store
• Casual dining
• Hardware and home improvements
• Liquor store
• Gas station
What amenities would respondents like to see in the
West Vail commercial area?
• Outdoor dining
• Walking and biking paths
• Underground parking
• Mixed use buildings
• Affordable housing
In September 2020, community members shared their goals and
priorities for the West Vail neighborhood through a community survey
and a Virtual Open House event. Several key priorities emerged
regarding the commercial area. Community members were particularly
interested in businesses that serve the local community and meet
everyday needs, such as a grocery store. Respondents listed the
“outdated commercial area” as a primary concern for the West Vail
community. Respondents were in favor of a variety of upgrades to
the commercial area, including underground parking, outdoor dining
opportunities, improved street crossings, affordable housing, and mixed-
use buildings. Respondents also expressed interest in connections from
residential areas to the commercial area for people walking and biking.
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15WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Where did the name “West Vail Center” come from?
At a public workshop regarding future design ideas for the
commercial area, the project team asked attendees to help come
up with a name. “West Vail Center” was the most popular choice by
far. Other contenders included “Chamonix Center” and “West Vail
Village.”
Why “West Vail Center”?
“West Vail Center” suggests that the area is a hub for the
community: a place to gather and socialize. It reflects a type of
commercial development that is convenient, walkable, and well-
located, providing key amenities and services to surrounding
neighborhoods. Rebranding the area also helps clarify the desired
concept, making it easier to champion the vision years after this
plan has been completed.
Drawing from the existing conditions analysis and the priorities
established by the community, the following pages outline a future for
“West Vail Center”, a renewed and revitalized version of West Vail’s
commercial area. The scenarios described within this chapter set the
foundation for attractive spaces for local businesses, desired amenities,
including outdoor dining, connections for people walking and biking,
and housing. West Vail Center can serve as the heart of Vail, a place that
is distinct from Lionshead and Vail Village and that both residents and
visitors can enjoy.
Vail das Schone and other properties include surface parking behind their
building, along Chamonix Lane
A series of large surface parking lots are located in front of buildings along
North Frontage Road
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16 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
There are many factors and attributes that indicate West Vail Center
is ready for a transformation. West Vail Center represents a major
opportunity to provide more housing for residents, to drive additional
business activity in the Town, and create a sense of place and
community.
Housing
Much of Vail is “built-out,” meaning that there is limited vacant land
for new development. Large-scale redevelopment of these 12.8 acres
represents a singular opportunity to provide potentially hundreds of
housing units for Vail residents and meet the Town’s housing goals.
Chapter 3: Housing addresses housing conditions and needs in more
detail.
Economic Development
The current development pattern limits the commercial square footage
and the types of businesses present. By redeveloping the commercial
area to better utilize its land area and create new building forms, the
Town of Vail could provide a more complete, diverse offering to improve
its economic competitiveness with the nearby communities of Avon,
Edwards, and Eagle. Adding new businesses, dining, and housing in
West Vail Center would also help to grow the Town’s tax base and match
similar growth elsewhere in Eagle County and in Summit County in
recent years. Redevelopment could create desirable new spaces for a
variety of new businesses, including fast casual dining, upgraded food
markets, office space, community organizations, health and wellness,
and lodging. Any redevelopment scenario should retain a grocery store
and other essential business types that residents and visitors depend on.
Sense of Place
With its strip development style, the commercial area does not reflect
Vail’s iconic “mountain town” character. There are few public amenities
in West Vail Center, such as seating areas and gathering spaces, resulting
in residents and visitors completing their errands without lingering to
explore the area or socialize. The design of West Vail Center does not
embrace the mountains or distinguish itself from other commercial
areas across the country. As a result, the area does not support what
residents love about West Vail, including its mountain environment,
small-town feel, and neighborliness. This sense of place could be unique
and distinctive from a curated base village environment.
WHY CHANGE?
Food halls offer a creative way to provide community gathering space while
supporting new restaurants
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17WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
THE MARKET ADVANTAGES FOR WEST VAIL CENTER
With its desirable location and other market factors, West Vail Center
holds key advantages over other commercial centers of its type:
Low Real Estate Supply within Vail
There is little space available for local businesses to expand or for new
businesses to come to Vail. Brokers in the area report that numerous
businesses have been looking for space to expand or open new
locations. By increasing square footage through redevelopment, West
Vail Center can provide in-demand commercial space.
Excellent Highway Visibility and Location
The commercial area is the only stop with services between Summit
County and Eagle-Vail, Avon, and Edwards. Its high visibility makes it an
attractive location for existing and new fast casual restaurants, hotels,
and other businesses.
Strong Commercial Rents and the Vail Brand
The strength of the Vail brand makes this area appealing to regional and
national businesses.
Most spaces in West Vail Center are occupied and rents are on par with
the market in Vail indicating that this area performs well economically
even with the short comings of its physical configuration.
Robust Retail Sales
According to sales tax data for the area, retail sales in the existing
commercial area are consistent with high-performing urban locations
and are well above downtowns and local commercial districts in many
seasonal mountain communities.
Consolidated Property Ownership
The existing commercial area’s ownership pattern, which is consolidated
in a relatively small number of owners and parcels, facilitates land
assemblage and partnerships for redevelopment.
A smaller specialty market could accompany a larger supermarket to provide
more options and a greater variety of offerings
Health and wellness businesses, such as fitness studios, are community-focused
places that are growing in popularity in commercial and mixed-use areas
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18 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
RIVERWALK CASE STUDY—EDWARDS, CO
Riverwalk is an example of a mixed-use district
in the Vail Valley that is similar to West Vail
Center in land area and anticipated uses. During
the development of this plan, the project
team took a walking tour of the area, which
illuminated the advantages and shortfalls of the
area’s design.
Riverwalk is both a destination for visitors and a
place where residents can meet their everyday
needs. As its name suggests, Riverwalk is close
to the Eagle River and has a walkable, main-
street feel. Multi-story mixed-use buildings
promote a dense development pattern that is
inviting to pedestrians. Several businesses and
public spaces in the area act as social hubs,
including a movie theater, locally-owned casual
restaurants, boutiques, and an amphitheater.
The area includes a conveniently located
grocery store that offers an alternative to major
chains. An underground parking structure
serves the area.
Riverwalk was built in phases, starting in
the early 1990s, with no overarching master
plan. As a result, the area has suffered from
circulation issues, and a lack of cohesion
in its design. The area has several design
flaws, such as narrow, uneven and dangerous
sidewalk and curb conditions and wind
conditions through the area. The area also
has functional flaws: each building has its own
homeowners’ association (HOA), and there
are condominiumized first-floor units in which
turnover is minimal. Because of this, ground-
floor space is used by offices that can afford
to purchase the space, taking retail units away
from businesses that receive foot traffic and
contribute to vibrant street life. The core also
faces away from the river, the area’s primary
natural asset.
UNDERGROUND PARKING
OUTDOOR DINING SMALL PLAZA
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19WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
RIVERWALK CASE STUDY—EDWARDS, CO
PROGRAM SUMMARY
• Commercial Square Footage: 235,000
square feet
• Residential Units: 192
• Hotel rooms: 60 rooms (1 hotel)
• Parking Provided: 973 parking spaces,
provided in both above ground surface
lots and a large below-grade parking
deck (one level).
• Zoning: Zoned as a Planned Unit
Development (PUD) which includes
limitations on overall floor area, building
heights, and parking requirements.
HOTEL THREE-STORY MIXED USE
FOUR-STORY MIXED USEAMPHITHEATER
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20 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
GOALS FOR WEST VAIL CENTER1Quality housing in and around West Vail Center maintains
and expands the neighborhood’s year-round community
of residents.
Developing additional resident housing in and around West Vail
Center will help the Town work towards its resident housing
goals, support a neighborly and vibrant environment, and
provide a proximate customer base to support businesses.
Strategies to achieve this goal include allowing more and a
greater variety of housing types in the zoning regulations and
mandating deed restrictions on a large portion of new housing
units in and around West Vail Center.
2 Access to and circulation within West Vail Center is
comfortable, efficient, and convenient for people using all
transportation modes.
West Vail Center is currently car-oriented. Walking and biking
to and within the area can be challenging. By reconfiguring
the commercial area to better accommodate all modes of
transportation and encouraging a “park once” strategy, people
will choose to walk or bike, reducing vehicle trips and associated
emissions. Under a park-once strategy, people will park once in
a central garage or lot before walking to and from and different
stores. For West Vail Center, convenient parking opportunities
should remain a priority, given the importance of parking for
the types of businesses it supports (e.g. grocery). Strategies
to achieve this goal include providing comfortable pedestrian
facilities, wayfinding signage, facilitating connections to transit,
and centralizing parking.
3 Essential existing businesses that serve and sustain West
Vail’s resident community are retained.
Vail residents and visitors deeply appreciate the ability to buy
groceries and complete other errands within the Town. The
businesses in West Vail Center are also an important economic
generator. Amidst potential redevelopment, maintaining
these uses and community-serving businesses is a priority.
Key strategies to achieve this goal include partnerships and
incentives.
4 There are opportunities for new businesses to locate
in West Vail and offer a distinct experience and crucial
social spaces within the Town.
West Vail Center should be a distinct shopping destination
with a different identity and an alternative to what is offered
in Vail Village or Lionshead. New businesses should continue
to differentiate West Vail Center and offer an authentic “West
Vail” experience. West Vail Center businesses should support
the area’s function as a community gathering place, with
businesses that contribute to social life in Vail (e.g. coffee shops,
bookstores, mid-range and/or fast-casual restaurants, health
and wellness businesses, non-profits, and professional offices).
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21WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
5 Within West Vail Center, a human-scaled and human-
centered environment feels inviting to both locals and
visitors.
West Vail residents are eager for a community-oriented
shopping center where they can run into neighbors, meet up
with a friend, and gather as a community. Visitors enjoy these
types of spaces as well, being able to wander and get a sense
of the place and its offerings. Key strategies towards achieving
this goal include providing public gathering spaces, creating
a pedestrian-friendly environment, and restricting service
business (i.e., offices, spa services, etc.) to upper floors to
support active retail and restaurant spaces on the street level.
6 West Vail Center is a memorable place with an
architectural style and aesthetic that reflect West Vail’s
mountain setting.
The current West Vail commercial area neither reflects
nor complements its stunning mountain environment.
Residents and visitors are looking for a stronger sense of
place that embraces the mountainous setting and contributes
to community character. This sense of place should be
encouraged within West Vail Center itself as well as on the
roads and entrances to the center. Design elements that
contribute to character and sense of place include a defined
gateway, distinctive architecture, natural materials, and
excellent views.
7 Sustainability is woven into all aspects of the physical
design and program of West Vail Center.
The current configuration of West Vail Center, which contains
substantial surface parking and large one-story commercial
buildings, does not support a land-efficient growth pattern in
West Vail. With the redevelopment of West Vail Center, there is
an opportunity to further the Town of Vail’s sustainability goals
as they pertain to land use, housing, and transportation. Low
impact development elements such as minimizing hardscape
and impervious surfaces, using native landscaping, preventing
light pollution, and encouraging building material reuse should
be incorporated. All design should be led by sustainability
principles, striving towards net zero buildings. Gardens could be
located in the Center for use by the community or restaurants
growing food. In addition, the transportation design of West
Vail Center should enable easy and comfortable walking and
biking and support access to public transit and electric car
charging. New residents housed in the area would be able to
fulfill many of their daily needs sans vehicle.
8 The Town works collaboratively, strategically, and
creatively to enhance West Vail Center.
Transforming West Vail Center will be a complex process. The
vision for the area must remain at the forefront, guiding future
decisions around zoning changes, developer agreements, and
new projects. Achieving the vision will require collaboration
between the Town and the private sector (i.e., developers). To
engage the private sector, the Town will need to be nimble in its
decision-making, making changes and agreements that support
the economic feasibility and viability of desired projects. There
are several smaller actions the Town should undertake to
demonstrate measurable progress and drive resident support.
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22 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
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A FRAMEWORK FOR REDEVELOPMENT
This Framework Diagram identifies key elements that any redevelopment
should incorporate. These elements were identified through the public
engagement process. The Framework Diagram is intended to serve as
a foundation for redevelopment, ensuring that any new development
concept is representative of the community’s desires for West Vail Center.
Figure 2.2: Framework for Redevelopment
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23WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
FRAMEWORK ELEMENTS
Redesigned North Frontage Road
It is recommended that the North Frontage Road have an enhanced
streetscape, traffic calming features, and comfortable options for all
modes of travel. The North Frontage Road should function as a gateway
to West Vail Center that is welcoming and visually appealing. For further
detail on these recommendations, see Chapter 4: Transportation.
Taller Buildings Nearest North Frontage Road
To provide a sound buffer from I-70, taller buildings should be located
near the North Frontage Road with shorter buildings towards the back.
Due to lower elevations along the North Frontage Road, taller buildings
would not block views from Chamonix Lane. This orientation is intended
to best support sun exposure in West Vail Center, but should continue to
be evaluated through the design review process.
Diverse Housing Types along Chamonix
Today, Chamonix Lane’s development is largely one-sided, with
properties overlooking the backs of commercial buildings and parking
in West Vail Center. Providing a variety of housing options fronting
Chamonix would enclose the street and encourage a neighborly feel.
Enhanced Pedestrian/Bike Connections
Yellow arrows on the Framework Diagram indicate opportunities
for enhanced pedestrian and bike connections between adjacent
residential areas and West Vail Center. Some of the connections from
Chamonix Lane currently exist but could be formalized and/or made
ADA accessible. Connections to the Highline hotel and bus stop will be
especially important.
Public Gathering Spaces
West Vail Center should include a variety of gathering spaces for
residents and visitors to enjoy. These spaces are placed in sunny
locations that are protected from harsh winds, based on a climate
analysis.
A redesigned Frontage road
comfortable for all modes of transit
Taller buildings placed nearest the
Frontage road to protect viewsheds
Diverse housing options along
Chamonix Lane Improved pedestrian connections from
Chamonix Lane
EXAMPLE IMAGES
Convenient Parking Underground/Structure
Given the scarcity of buildable land in Vail, substantial surface parking
should be discouraged. To make efficient use of the land area, the
majority of future parking for West Vail Center should be underground
or in structures. Developing a parking structure underneath the North
Frontage Road should also be explored further with CDOT as it could act
as a catalyst to future redevelopment.
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24 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
Concentrated Mixed-Use Center/Core
As the name West Vail Center suggests, the future design should include
an identifiable “core” that functions as the center of commercial and
social activity. Redevelopment should include a mix of uses (commercial
and residential) and innovative designs for the public realm.
West Vail Mobility Hub/Transit Center
This should be an enhanced bus stop along the North Frontage Road.
Future residents and jobs in the area should promote transit use and
designs should support bus travel as a viable option by providing
amenities for transit riders, such as: bike parking, restrooms, a waiting
area, and real-time bus arrival/departure information.
Notable Gateways
In addition to streetscape improvements and a redesigned North
Frontage Road, there should be iconic gateways that people see when
entering West Vail Center. One gateway should be at the existing
roundabout and a second should be at an entrance to West Vail Center.
Walkable, Well-Connected Grid
The future design should enhance connectivity within the center and to
neighboring properties, creating a comfortable, inviting environment for
people walking or biking. This connectivity could take the form of traffic-
calmed, multimodal streets navigable by car or pedestrian pathways.
Sustainability
New buildings in West Vail should embrace green building practices.
Elements can include green roofs, solar panels, material choices, and
energy efficient building techniques. Low impact practices should
also be embraced such as use of sustainable, recycled, and locally
sourced materials, low emissions materials, salvageable materials, and
minimizing construction and development waste.
Grocery Store as Anchor
These scenarios show one major grocery store and one specialty store.
While two major stores could remain in any redevelopment, having one
major and one specialty store would create variety and allow for more
space dedicated to other uses. If two major stores are included, their
configuration and layout should align with the goals of the plan.
An identifiable center or “core”
Mobility hub with amenities Notable gateway elements
A walkable and connected grid of
streets and pathways
Green roofs and sustainable building
elements
EXAMPLE IMAGES
Active and inviting gathering spaces
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25WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
SCENARIOS
This plan offers three realistic design scenarios for redeveloping and
enhancing West Vail Center.
> SCENARIO 1 is a “quick wins” strategy, in which primary improvements
could occur in the five years following the adoption of this plan
> SCENARIO 2 presents a phased approach, in which property owners
individually redevelop their properties at different points in time
> SCENARIO 3 presents a “master-planned” option in which the
redevelopment for all properties is planned together, then built over time
Implementation of any scenario will require changes to the zoning
regulations and Town Code. Design principles to guide these modifications
are contained herein.
EACH SCENARIO REPRESENTS ONE PATHWAY TO A REIMAGINED WEST VAIL CENTER.
This plan does not recommend any one scenario over another. Rather, this chapter contains detailed
descriptions of each scenario that outlines the potential as well as the barriers to be overcome. Taken together,
the scenario descriptions are intended to serve as a guide to redevelopment that will assist the Town of Vail in
evaluating any feasible development concept.
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26 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
Scenario 1 improves the existing site layout and efficiency of West
Vail Center through substantial improvements to its circulation,
access management, and aesthetic qualities. This scenario can
be completed in the short-term (under five years) with no major
property redevelopments. As such, this scenario is a viable option if
comprehensive redevelopment is not immediately feasible. Notably,
Scenario 1 could be completed as a prelude to Scenarios 2 or 3. This
scenario does not fully achieve the vision, but does represent a step in
the right direction.
Scenario 1 assumes that the focus area property owners partner with
the Town, entering into an agreement to create more coordinated and
well-designed parking, complete beautification improvements, and
activate open spaces. This scenario also redesigns the North Frontage
Road, creating a gateway roundabout, landscaped medians, new access
routes, and improved pedestrian and bike facilities. Potential infill
development includes new housing along Chamonix Lane, restaurants
with rooftop dining, and a new transit center/mobility hub.
SCENARIO 1 OVERVIEW Figure 2.3: Scenario 1 Illustration
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27WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
A
B
C
D
WEST VAIL MALL SAFEWAY VAIL DAS SCHONE
VAIL COMMONS/
CITY MARKET
HIGHLINE
DOUBLETREE
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
West Vail Mall
Courtyard Activation
Transit Center/
Mobility Hub
C
D
Vail das Schone
Community Green
Redesigned Parking
and Connectivity
SCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Commercial: ........168,800 SF (12,000 SF New)
Residential: .........69 Units (21 New Units)
Parking Provided: .....817 Spaces (18 New Spaces)
Figure 2.4: Scenario 1 Overview
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28 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
KEY FEATURES:
BARRIERS TO OVERCOME
Since this scenario primarily involves upgrades to existing facilities and does not involve total redevelopment of any parcel, it is more achievable in the
short-term than the other two scenarios. Like the other scenarios, this scenario requires some consensus among property owners — the property owners
and the Town of Vail will have to coordinate on beautification and façade upgrades as well as pedestrian pathways and parking lot reconfigurations.
However, any property owner in the focus area could take the lead on upgrades or redevelopment on their parcel. For example, West Vail Mall could add
the envisioned apartments or reconfigure the commercial pads to facilitate outdoor dining.
HOUSING
• 21 new housing units including two sets of townhouses along
Chamonix Lane and a floor of apartment-style units in an expanded
West Vail Mall. An additional floor of residential could be explored on
other commercial buildings in West Vail Center.
• Housing units in Vail das Schone and Vail Commons are retained
BUSINESS MIX & PUBLIC SPACE
• Multiple new gathering spaces with opportunities for outdoor dining
• New active businesses (brewpubs and fast casual dining, coffee shops,
boutiques) in West Vail Mall and Vail das Schone
• Flexible open space for farmers’ markets, art shows, and other events
• Two major supermarkets (Safeway and City Market) remain, as does
McDonald’s
• Existing essential businesses such as the hardware store and daycare
center remain
TRANSPORTATION & CIRCULATION
• One driving lane of the North Frontage Road is removed to make room
for a landscaped median and paths for people walking and biking
• A new gateway roundabout near West Vail Mall improves access for
drivers turning into the commercial area parking lots
• A mobility hub includes a kiosk that offers transit information, grab-
and-go food options, bike parking & other infrastructure such as
electric vehicle charging stations
• Existing parking lots are consolidated and beautified, with upgraded
landscaping throughout and pedestrian pathways that connect the lot
to the businesses
• The City Market parking structure is refaced and includes improved
vehicular circulation, parking efficiency, pedestrian connections, and
landscaping. A formalized pedestrian connection to Chamonix Lane
increases the walkability and accessibility of West Vail Center from
surrounding neighborhoods
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29WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
A
B
C
D
WEST VAIL MALL
SAFEWAY
VAIL DAS SCHONE
VAIL COMMONS/
CITY MARKET
HIGHLINE
DOUBLETREE
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
West Vail Mall
Courtyard Activation
Transit Center/
Mobility Hub
C
D
Vail das Schone
Community Green
Redesigned Parking
and Connectivity
SCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS Figure 2.5: Scenario 1 Oblique View
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30 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
WEST VAIL MALL COURTYARD ACTIVATION
An upgraded West Vail Mall with vibrant outdoor spaces, housing, and a new business mix. In Scenario 1, West Vail Mall features new
gathering spaces, pedestrian connections and pathways, a new residential floor, and improved landscaping.
A
Key Elements:
• Additional pedestrian pathways connect to the adjacent parking area
and other properties
• An additional floor provides eight residential units and commercial
space for coffee shops or restaurants with rooftop patios
• Upgrades to the existing courtyard include café seating, responding to
the community’s interest in outdoor dining opportunities
• A sidewalk along an internal street with diagonal parking would
incorporate additional café seating
• Façade and architectural improvements
SCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS
Figure 2.6: West Vail Mall Courtyard Activation
Examples of outdoor dining and courtyard spaces
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31WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Key Elements:
• Additional pedestrian pathways connect to the adjacent parking area
and other properties
• Improvements to the building façade
• The front of Vail das Schone includes a redesigned “green” with a new
patio where residents and visitors can gather and socialize
VAIL DAS SCHONE COMMUNITY GREEN
A community gathering space with enhanced pedestrian connections. A reimagined patio space revives the space in front of Vail das Schone.
Ground-floor businesses could make use of the area, and customers could use adjacent sidewalks to connect to other businesses or parking
locations.
B
SCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS
Examples of small-scale community green and gathering spaces
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32 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
A CASE STUDY: CROSSROAD COMMONS IN BOULDER
Crossroad Commons in Boulder is a commercial center that includes
a very popular Whole Foods. The center contains a newly redesigned
parking lot configuration that is pedestrian friendly. Located along
a major thoroughfare in Boulder, this commercial center is just as
accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users as it is to drivers.
A similar redesign of the parking lots in West Vail Center could feature
pedestrian connections and landscaping throughout. The new design
could also include a street-like driving lane along the fronts of the
buildings to enhance circulation and contribute to a sense of place.
REDESIGNED PARKING AND CONNECTIVITY
A well-organized, pedestrian-friendly parking lot with enhanced landscaping. The individual parking lots along the North Frontage Road are
combined to become one shared parking lot with pedestrian pathways and landscaping improvements. The parking lot for the Whole Foods
in Crossroad Commons in Boulder, CO is an excellent example of this type of efficient, pedestrian-friendly design.
Key Elements:
• The parking lot becomes a combined parking area serving all
businesses
• A street-like driving lane is located adjacent to the buildings with
landscape improvements and convenient “on-street” parking
• The rest of the parking lot is improved by adding enhanced paving
and landscaped areas as well as pedestrian connections buffered with
landscaping
• A centrally located open space could be used to host farmers’
markets, arts festivals, or other pop-up events
C
SCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS
Ariel view of Crossroad Commons in Boulder, CO
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33WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
SCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS
TRANSIT CENTER/MOBILITY HUB AND FLEXIBLE PLAZA
A new mobility hub with commercial space and a community plaza. Between the North Frontage Road and the redesigned parking lot, there
could be a new transit center/mobility hub that facilitates multiple modes of transportation.
Key Elements:
• A plaza area could host pop-up events, such as festivals or farmers’
markets. Located between the transit center/mobility hub and
Safeway, the area is integrated into the parking lot’s design and
landscaping
• The hub would include amenities such as restrooms, outdoor seating,
and a grab-and-go food and beverage kiosk
• The kiosk would provide real-time bus information and transportation
infrastructure, such as bike storage and parking, electric vehicle
charging infrastructure, and a drop-off zone
D
Examples of mobility hub facilities
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34 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
In Scenario 2, the Town takes a more active role in redeveloping West
Vail Center, initiating the first phase by redeveloping the Town-owned
Vail Commons/City Market property. This serves as a catalyst for the
redevelopment of other parcels that are privately owned. The catalyst
project includes a large, shared parking structure, a new and enhanced
grocery store anchor, and a variety of new housing options. In a future
phase, a new central plaza is built to serve as a main gathering space
that connects the different areas of West Vail Center. Other parcels
include smaller outdoor gathering spaces.
As in Scenario 1, this scenario redesigns and activates the North
Frontage Road and improves access and aesthetics throughout the
area. Additional buildings along the North Frontage Road help mitigate
highway noise and create a separation between West Vail Center and
I-70. This scenario includes a substantial number of new housing units of
varying types, including townhomes, small multi-family units, and walk-
up apartments. New mixed-use buildings will contain retail space on the
ground floor and residential units or office space on upper floors.
SCENARIO 2 OVERVIEW Figure 2.7: Scenario 2 Illustration
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35WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
A
B
C
D
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
Mixed Use Buildings
Along Frontage Road
Variety of Housing
Types
C
D
West Vail Plaza
Mixed Use Grocer
A
B
B
B
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT:
Commercial: ........201,000 SF (54,000 SF New)
Residential: .........350 Units (302 New Units)
Parking Provided: .....1,183 Spaces (384 New Spaces)
Figure 2.8: Scenario 2 Overview
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36 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
KEY FEATURES:
BARRIERS TO OVERCOME
While the Town owns the Vail Commons parcel, it does not own the City Market building, so the Town will have to coordinate with City Market as it
contemplates redeveloping the property and creating a new underground parking garage. After beginning the redevelopment process with this “catalyst”
property, the Town will need to incentivize owners of the other properties to redevelop as well. These efforts to spur redevelopment will require
sustained effort, resources, and political will.
Given the phased nature of this scenario, it may be challenging to achieve consensus on a shared vision and aesthetic for West Vail Center among the
different property owners. This can be addressed by establishing common design criteria and aesthetic guidelines for West Vail Center prior to launching
the phased redevelopment process (see the Zoning Recommendations section of this chapter and Chapter 5: Implementation).
HOUSING
• 350 housing units, 304 beyond what currently exists. Three sets of
townhouses along Chamonix Lane, a floor of apartment-style units in
an expanded West Vail Mall, and hundreds of new apartment-style
units in new mixed-use buildings
• Housing units in Vail das Schone and Vail Commons are replaced as
those properties redevelop
BUSINESS MIX & PUBLIC SPACE
• Multiple new gathering spaces with opportunities for outdoor dining
• A plaza adjacent to the grocery store is a central gathering place with
café seating
• Attractive new retail spaces for active businesses (brewpubs and fast
casual dining, coffee shops, boutiques)
• Storefronts along the North Frontage Road that contribute to a lively
street environment
• A large multi-story grocer and a smaller specialty foods store replace
Safeway and City Market
• Existing essential businesses such as the hardware store and daycare
center are retained within West Vail Center but may relocate
TRANSPORTATION & CIRCULATION
• A buried parking structure underneath the Safeway and Vail das
Schone parcels provides ample shared parking for West Vail Center
• Surface parking lots are replaced with plazas and businesses, creating
a more pedestrian-friendly environment and reducing conflicts with
vehicles
• The 1,183 spaces provided falls between “Schedule A” and “Schedule
B” of the Town’s parking code. Schedule A is the lower number,
meant for Vail Village and Lionshead, while B is the higher number for
everywhere else in Vail
• One driving lane of the North Frontage Road is removed to make room
for a landscaped median and paths for people walking and biking. Two
roundabouts are added along the North Frontage Road, improving
access to West Vail Center
• A mobility hub includes a kiosk that offers transit information, grab-
and-go food options, bike parking and other infrastructure such as
electric vehicle charging stations
• A formalized pedestrian connection to Chamonix Lane increases the
walkability and accessibility of West Vail Center from surrounding
neighborhoods
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37WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
A
B
C
D
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
Mixed-Use Buildings
Along Frontage Road
Variety of Housing
Types
C
D
West Vail Plaza
Mixed-Use Grocer
A
B
B
B
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL Figure 2.9: Scenario 2 Oblique View
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38 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
MIXED-USE BUILDINGS ALONG FRONTAGE ROAD
Modestly scaled mixed-use buildings buffer highway noise from I-70. Along the North Frontage Road, there is a series of mixed-use buildings
with retail space on the ground floor and residential units or office space on upper floors.
A
Key Elements:
• This location provides ideal visibility from I-70 for businesses
• Placing taller buildings in this location serves two purposes: First,
buildings of this scale help to slow traffic along the North Frontage
Road. Second, the buildings provide a sound buffer
• The mixed-use buildings vary in scale, but heights preserve views from
residences along Chamonix Lane
• Several small, shared greenspaces are located adjacent to the
buildings, complementing retail uses and providing gathering spaces
for residents and visitors
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
Examples of modestly scaled mixed-use buildings
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39WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Key Elements:
• 50-75% of new units would be deed-restricted (restricted to full-time
residents of Vail who work 30+ hours a week for an Eagle County
business)
• There are three rows of townhouses and flats along Chamonix Lane
with drive-up access from within West Vail Center
• There are walk-up apartments (above retail space) and two-story
multi-family buildings internal to West Vail Center
• Along the North Frontage Road, there are more mixed-use multi-
family housing types
VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES
Options for housing create opportunity for residents to live and work in West Vail. This scenario includes a wide variety of housing options
in West Vail Center that would be a mix of market rate and deed-restricted units and would be walkable to transit and new shopping and
dining opportunities.
B
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
Examples of housing types that may be appropriate for West Vail Center
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40 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
WEST VAIL PLAZA
A new public space in West Vail offers residents and visitors a place to dine, lounge, and gather. A central plaza is located between the
current Vail das Schone property and a new mixed-use structure along the North Frontage Road. This area accommodates outdoor dining
and events, complementing the nearby grocery store and fast casual restaurants.
C
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
Key Elements:
• This plaza is activated on all sides with retail, restaurants, and
personal services
• Similar to the flexible plaza space in Scenario 1, this plaza area could
be used for pop-up events, such as farmers’ markets and arts events
• With its central location, the plaza is attractive to both visitors to and
residents of West Vail Center
• The area is protected from the wind and road noise by buildings while
still allowing ample sun exposure for warmth
• Parking for the area is available in a nearby underground structure
that serves businesses and residences
• The mixed-use nature of this area contributes to a vibrant, downtown
feel within West Vail Center
Examples of plaza spaces near mixed-use buildings
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41WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
MIXED-USE GROCER
A new, larger grocery store with residences above anchors West Vail Center. A new mixed-use building containing a multi-story grocery store
and additional housing is located on the eastern edge of the plaza. This redevelopment, which occurs on the Town-owned parcel, catalyzes
the redevelopment of the rest of the center.
D
Key Elements:
• The redeveloped grocery store is large enough to meet the needs of
the neighborhood and Town and includes a café
• Outside the store, there is a central plaza with potential for additional
outdoor dining
• Convenient parking for the area is available in an underground
structure that serves businesses and residences
Examples of grocery stores within mixed-use developments
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42 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
POTENTIAL PHASING
The revitalization of West Vail Center begins with the
redevelopment of the Town-owned City Market property. The
redeveloped property will feature a large grocery store that
serves as an anchor for West Vail Center. Underneath the grocery
store, there is a large shared parking structure that will enable
proximate parking for the grocery store as well as a “park once”
environment, in which a customer can comfortably walk between
multiple stores and destinations without re-parking their vehicle.
This phase will involve the replacement of existing housing units
and the daycare center as well as the construction of additional
housing units.
Following construction of a new anchor grocery store and
underground parking structure, the Safeway parcel can now
redevelop with a different mix of uses and configurations. The
shared parking structure eliminates the need for surface parking
on this lot. This phase would activate the North Frontage Road
with a new mixed-use building and a variety of housing options.
It also includes the improvements to West Vail Mall as described
in Scenario 1, which include improved open space, parking
layout, and enhanced pedestrian access from Chamonix Lane.
1
2
Phase 1: Town Property (City Market)
Redevelopment
Phase 2: Safeway Redevelopment and Infill, West
Vail Mall Improvements
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
Phase 1: Town Property (City Market) Redevelopment
Phase 2: Safeway Redevelopment and Infill, West Vail Mall Improvements
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43WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
POTENTIAL PHASING
As with the Safeway parcel, the new underground parking
structure on the Town land allows the Vail das Schone property
to redevelop on its surface lots. This phase also adds a mixed-
use building (commercial and residential) on the North Frontage
Road and townhouses along Chamonix Lane. Pedestrian
connections throughout the area enable comfortable access to
businesses in West Vail Center for people walking. In this phase,
a new community gathering space and plaza is created between
Vail das Schone and the new mixed-use building.
In the final phase, the West Vail Mall parking lot and
McDonald’s redevelop into mixed-use structures. This phase
could also include replacing Vail das Schone with a newer
mixed-use structure.
3
4
Phase 3: Vail das Schone Infill
Phase 4: Final Infill
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCEL
Phase 3: Vail das Schone Infill
Phase 4: Final Infill
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44 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
Scenario 3 assumes a collaborative process between the Town,
property owners, and developer(s). The scenario includes a new, two-
story grocery anchor that would be located closer to I-70. A housing
development is included on the current Town-owned City Market
property that may be 100% deed-restricted, given the Town’s ownership.
The current Safeway and Vail das Schone properties become the “central
core,” anchored by a pedestrian-friendly “Main Street” and a series of
small plazas.
This scenario differs from Scenarios 1 and 2 in that it blurs the parcel
boundaries to integrate redevelopment in a “master-planned” fashion.
In place of the current parcels, the design concept creates three distinct
areas: the grocery store/restaurant, a mixed-use grid area, and a
residential area. As in Scenario 2, this scenario creates a “park-once”
environment with shared underground parking, pedestrian connectivity,
and new buildings along the North Frontage Road.
SCENARIO 3 OVERVIEW Figure 2.10: Scenario 3 Illustration
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45WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
A
B
C
D
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
West Vail Center
Gateway
Main Street
C
D
A Series of
Gathering Spaces
Enhanced
Connectivity
A
D
D
C
C
SCENARIO 3: MAIN STREET
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT:
Commercial: ........185,000 SF (282,000 SF New)
Residential: .........475 (427 New Units)
Parking Provided: .....1,247 Spaces (448 New Spaces)
Figure 2.11: Scenario 3 Overview
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46 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
KEY FEATURES:
HOUSING
• 429 new housing units of varying types, including townhouses
along Chamonix Lane, multi-family units, and multi-story apartment
buildings
• Housing units in Vail das Schone and Vail Commons are replaced as
part of the master development plan
BUSINESS MIX & PUBLIC SPACE
• The design includes multiple new gathering spaces with opportunities
for outdoor dining
• Attractive new retail spaces for active businesses (brewery and fast
casual dining, coffee shops, unique retail) on multiple properties
• Storefronts along the North Frontage Road contribute to a lively street
environment
• A large multi-story grocer (located on the North Frontage Road) and a
smaller specialty foods store replace Safeway and City Market
• Existing essential businesses such as the hardware store and daycare
center relocate to new locations within West Vail Center
TRANSPORTATION & CIRCULATION
• An internal roadway with angled parking on both sides creates a Main
Street feel
• Surface parking lots are replaced with plazas and businesses, creating
a more pedestrian-friendly environment and reducing conflicts with
vehicles
• The 1,247 spaces provided falls between “Schedule A” and “Schedule
B” of the Town’s parking code. Schedule A is the lower number, meant
for dense, mixed use locations like Vail Village and Lionshead, while B
is the higher number for everywhere else in Vail
• One driving lane of the North Frontage Road is removed to make room
for a landscaped median and paths for people walking and biking. Two
roundabouts are added along the North Frontage Road, improving
access to West Vail Center
• A mobility hub includes a kiosk that offers transit information, grab-
and-go food options, bike parking and other infrastructure such as
electric vehicle charging stations
BARRIERS TO OVERCOME
Scenario 3 involves a master-planned and coordinated redevelopment. This would likely only happen if all parcels came under the same ownership, or at
least the three parcels not owned by the Town of Vail. Unlike previous scenarios, which preserved some uses in their locations (e.g. siting a redesigned
grocery store on the same parcel as one of the current grocery stores), this scenario shifts old uses to new locations. Essential amenities such as the
existing daycare will need to relocate temporarily while redevelopment takes place. In addition, because this scenario adds a “Main Street,” other
roadways within West Vail Center, and two new roundabouts, it will require additional transportation planning.
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47WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
A
B
C
D
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
West Vail Center
Gateway
Main Street
C
D
A Series of
Gathering Spaces
Enhanced
Connectivity
A
D
D
C
C
SCENARIO 3: MAIN STREET
A
Figure 2.12: Scenario 3 Oblique View
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48 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
WEST VAIL CENTER GATEWAYS AND GROCERY ANCHOR
Attractive gateways support a destination-feel in West Vail Center. Two roundabouts along the North Frontage Road act as gateways to West
Vail Center. Additional signage and landscaping features support the sense of arrival.
A new two-story larger square footage grocery store activates the North
Frontage Road at the western gateway location. This area is an ideal location
for this type of grocery store within West Vail Center – the store receives
prime visibility from the highway and its scale contributes to a downtown
feel within the area.
A
Key Elements:
• Clear signage orients visitors to the area and creates a brand
for West Vail Center
• Lighting and landscaping help establish a sense of place
Key Elements:
• The existing fast casual restaurants in West Vail Mall are relocated
to the ground floor facing the North Frontage Road, contributing to
active street life.
• The main entrance to the grocer is located on the ground floor and
would contain elevators and escalators to bring customers to the main
shopping level above. This design allows for convenient parking under
the grocery store and in small adjoining surface parking areas.
• Café seating and residences across the street from the grocery store
contribute to a lively neighborhood feel
Example of a gateway roundabout
Example of a large grocery store in a mixed-use building
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49WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
MAIN STREET
A central thoroughfare with pleasant streetscapes and vibrant storefronts. A two-block Main Street is the social and economic core of West
Vail. The street is designed with pedestrians in mind, with wide sidewalks, a series of small plazas, and pedestrian passages that link to other
areas within West Vail Center. The Main Street is designed to receive lots of southwesterly sun, making it an attractive place to spend time in
all seasons.
B
Key Elements:
• The new internal street is framed on each side by two- to four-story
buildings with active businesses (e.g. cafés, retail shops) at the street-
level and residential units or office spaces on the upper floors
• The street will connect a series of small plazas that can host outdoor
dining or group activities
• The new corridor retains an intimate scale that feels inviting to
pedestrians
• The street features rows of angled on-street parking in addition to a
nearby parking garage beneath the grocery store
Examples of main streets in mountain town settings
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50 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
C A SERIES OF GATHERING SPACES
A series of public and private gathering spaces scattered throughout the site offer a multitude of ways for residents and visitors to enjoy Vail’s
moderate mountain climate and ample sunshine. While a single, large gathering space can sometimes feel empty at certain times of day,
these smaller, distributed gathering spaces receive more consistent use throughout the day as spaces where people can eat lunch, walk their
dogs, read, or meet up with friends.
SCENARIO 3: MAIN STREET
Key Elements:
• Plaza areas with café seating located along the Main Street and
adjacent to mixed-use buildings
• Each residential building includes private gathering space and outdoor
amenities
• Festival lighting adds to the ambiance of the space
• A mobility hub offers transit information, grab-and-go food options,
bike parking & other infrastructure (similar to that of Scenario 1)
Examples of gathering spaces
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51WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
D ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY
West Vail Center offers a walkable grid of streets and passages that connect key destinations and residences within.
SCENARIO 3: MAIN STREET
Key Elements:
• Directional signage in key locations informs people walking of the
distance to specific destinations
• New connections between West Vail Center and surrounding streets
so that people can enter from many directions and using all modes
• Wide internal sidewalks and sidewalks on the North Frontage Road
contribute to a comfortable and lively pedestrian atmosphere
Examples of off-street walking and biking connections
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52 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
SCENARIO PROS AND CONS
PROS:
• Quick and cost-effective
• Best if anticipate no major redevelopment in next 3-5 years
• Better utilizes existing space for community uses
• Convenient
CONS:
• Could delay bigger, better investment in the near-term
• Could make long-term phasing more difficult
• Still auto-oriented
PROS:
• Property owner flexibility
• Majority of existing small businesses and residential remain for
mid-term
• Town controls catalyst
• Reuses some existing structures for less waste and construction
• Blends convenience with walkable
• Straightforward phasing
CONS:
• Less predictability in overall master plan and timing
• Shared parking may be considered “too far” for some retailers
• Underground structure complex and expensive
• Could lack sense of cohesiveness due to individual build-out
SCENARIO 2: PARCEL-BY-PARCELSCENARIO 1: QUICK WINS
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53WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
PROS:
• Grocer conveniently located and simpler development product
• Quiet, quaint “Main Street” environment away from the North
Frontage Road noise
• Series of small plazas for businesses to activate
• Blends convenience with walkable
• Offers most housing
CONS:
• Most disruption to existing businesses and residents - relocation and
construction/demolition
• Would require partnership/agreements with master developer
• Less visibility to Main Street retailers from the North Frontage Road
• More complex phasing
SCENARIO 3: MAIN STREET
New housing types Wayfinding signage
Landscaping helps cultivate a destination-feel
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54 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
MAJOR GROCERY STORE/PHARMACY
50,000 SF
SPECIALTY GROCERY STORE
13,000 SF
FOOD/MARKET HALL
15,000 SF
COFFEE SHOP
2,000 SF
DOCTOR/MEDICAL
7,000 SF
OFFICE/COWORKING
5,000 SF
NON-PROFIT OFFICE
5,000 SF
FITNESS CENTER
7,000 SF
KIDS GIFTS/TOYS
1,500 SF
OPTICIAN
1,500 SF
PIZZERIA
2,000 SF
FAST CASUAL RESTAURANT
2,000 SF
BAR/RESTAURANT
3,000 SF
BREAKFAST/BRUNCH SPOT
2,000 SF
SALON
2,500 SF
BARBER SHOP
1,000 SF
INTERIOR DESIGN/HOME FURNISHINGS
5,000 SF
PHYSICAL THERAPY
3,000 SF
YOGA/SPINNING STUDIO
2,000 SF
POTENTIAL BUSINESS MIX
Scenarios 2 and 3 offer 201,000 and 185,000 square feet of commercial space or 54,000 and
28,000 new square footage beyond existing. The following diagram shows a potential business
mix, with both new and existing business types. Square footage figures represent best estimates.
LIQUOR STORE
7,000 SF
HARDWARE STORE
12,000 SF
LAUNDROMAT
1,000 SF BREWERY/RESTAURANT
5,000 SF DAYCARE/PRESCHOOL
4,000 SF
DRY CLEANING
1,500 SF
OUTDOOR GEAR
20,000 SF
SHIPPING
1,000 SF
CONSIGNMENT
2,000 SF
BAKERY
2,000 SF
ARTS/CREATIVE SPACE
2,500 SF
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55WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
FEASIBILITY EVALUATION
The project team prepared a planning level proforma analysis of Scenarios
2 and 3 to gauge their financial feasibility. The analysis subtracts the
value of the development from the estimated costs. The difference is
the residual land value (RLV), the amount a developer could pay for
the property and still achieve a profit. This technique is appropriate
at the Master Plan conceptual stage. Many factors could change or be
optimized by a creative developer through more refined design and value
engineering; these scenarios are illustrative only. This analysis does not
include some public costs such as roundabouts and North Frontage Road
improvements and any major utility infrastructure or public spaces in the
project. Those are areas where partnerships, creative financing, and a role
for the Town may be needed.
The purpose of this analysis is to determine if the scenarios are within the
realm of possibility based on the balance of land uses, typical costs, and
development value. Costs are particularly difficult to gauge at this time
due to the changing construction costs and housing prices at the time of
this plan.
Parking is a large cost, and it is assumed in these scenarios that parking
would be constructed below ground for the most part to create more
space for buildings above ground. The analysis uses the parking ratios
depicted in the scenarios, between that of the Town’s Schedule A and B.
The threshold used for evaluation is that the RLV should fall in the range
of at least $120 to $150 per square foot of land at this level of planning.
The sale of the West Vail Mall in 2018 equates to $120 per sq. ft. and is
the most recent large transaction; $150 is 25 percent above this. Both
scenarios fall within or above this range:
• Scenario 2 results in an estimated RLV of $131 per square foot of land;
• Scenario 3 results in an estimated RLV of $192 per square foot of land.
Scenario 3 is the most financially viable because it maximizes the
development potential of the site with 450 residential units compared to
350 in Scenario 2. This demonstrates the following:
• Residential densities considerably higher than what exists and is allowed
today are needed to incentivize redevelopment and cover the cost of
public benefits.
• Market rate housing development is a key component of development
feasibility. This analysis assumes that half of the project residential
units (50 percent) will be deed restricted and half will be market rate. A
higher percentage of deed restricted units or price caps may reduce the
development feasibility and require the Town to further subsidize the
development.
The analysis modeled commercial rents at or slightly below currently
rents of West Vail Mall. Finding financial feasibility at these rents suggests
that with greater commercial square footage and a large residential
component, rents can remain relatively reasonable for locally-owned and
community-serving businesses.
PUBLIC FINANCING AND TOWN SUPPORT
A limitation of a RLV analysis is that it does not account for the timing of
costs and revenues. A complex redevelopment like this will have large
upfront costs with a delay before sale or lease revenue is produced. The
delayed timing of revenues increases the risk of the project and the rate
of return a developer would need to justify the risk. Given the risks, there
will likely be a need for a public financing mechanism and participation
from the Town on public costs such as parking, placemaking amenities
(streetscaping), and North Frontage Road and mobility hub improvements.
Chapter 5: Implementation recommends approaches to public financing
and incentives with mechanisms such as tax increment financing (TIF) and
a general improvement district.
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56 CHAPTER 2: WEST VAIL CENTER
ZONING RECOMMENDATIONS
The current layout of West Vail Center is in line with the zoning for that
area. The resulting pattern is that of large footprint buildings with large
surface parking lots. Therefore, achieving this plan’s vision and allowing
for the scenarios as depicted will require updates to the Town’s zoning
regulations. It is recommended that the current zoning, Commercial
Core 3, be revised to support the modifications included in Scenario 1.
The more in-depth redevelopments of Scenarios 2 and 3 will require
significant modifications to the zoning or be brought in as a Special
Development District. This section provides high-level recommendations
to the Town for revising the code to support Scenario 1 and design
principles to guide the development agreements and potential new zone
districts of a Scenario 2 or 3.
SCENARIO 1
These revisions are intended to enable to the area to support Scenario
1 with additional housing opportunities, better pedestrian circulation,
activated plazas, and kiosks. To incentivize the development of housing
on top of West Vail Mall and townhouses lining Chamonix Lane, it is
recommended that the allowable density be increased modestly in terms
of both units per buildable acre and gross residential floor area (GRFA).
Housing projects at less than 100% Employee Housing Units should be
considered as well.
Landscaping requirements should remain, with smaller spaces counting
towards the total and further support for property owners to reach
the minimum requirement. The parking schedule could be amended to
reduce the requirement for parking in West Vail, given the shared use
potential and to create additional space for landscaping and outdoor
business space.
The current zoning requires that all business activities be conducted
entirely within a business and that outdoor displays be located directly
in front of the business and entirely on the establishment’s property. It
is recommended that these requirements be relaxed to support farmers’
markets, events, and other uses of the plazas, community green, and
flexible space.
Summary of recommendations:
• Allow housing that is not 100% employee housing
• Increase allowed units per buildable acre and reduce the GRFA
• Amend landscaping requirements to encourage smaller landscaped
buffers within and between the surface parking lots
• Amend the parking schedule to slightly reduce parking requirements
for each lot
• Coordinate agreements between landowners to facilitate shared
parking and connectivity between lots
• Partner with property owners and restaurants on using close-in parking
for outdoor dining
• Relax business activity requirements
SCENARIO 2 AND 3 DESIGN/LAND USE PRINCIPLES
To implement Scenarios 2 or 3, the Town could either create a new
zone district to reflect the scenarios in advance or modify the zoning
during the redevelopment process to align with the development
plan. The merits of these two approaches are discussed in Chapter 5:
Implementation.
With either approach, the following design principles should be
incorporated into any zoning changes, as they reflect the vision and goals
of this plan and would ensure outcomes align with the framework of the
scenarios.
• Allow slightly taller buildings if they provide public benefit (resident
housing) and maximize protection of viewsheds. It is recommended
that if 50-75% of units are deed restricted, building heights of up to 4.5
stories (60’) at the North Frontage Road and 3 stories (38’) at Chamonix
Lane, with 3.5 (45’) in between the North Frontage Road and Chamonix
Lane should be allowed. By working with the topography and placing
taller buildings at these heights closer to the North Frontage Road,
viewsheds from Chamonix Lane residences would be preserved. It
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57WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
is recommended that variable heights be required amongst North
Frontage Road buildings (no taller than 4.5 stories) to preserve sun
exposure throughout the area.
• Lower setback requirements to the North Frontage Road and adjacent
properties. Building closer to the North Frontage Road sidewalks would
create an inviting, activated, pedestrian shopping environment. Rear
setbacks can remain unchanged, so units are not built up to Chamonix
Lane. Setbacks from internal streets will also need to be determined
and should vary based on whether the ground floor is commercial (0-
10’) or residential (10-15’).
• Increase the site coverage maximum to allow more flexibility
in achieving the Town redevelopment and housing goals. It is
recommended that below grade improvements not count towards
site coverage calculations here. The lot coverage requirements should
allow for internal streets and some surface parking to support quick
errands. Likely, the appropriate requirement is higher coverage than
what currently exists and is required but is lower than that found in
Vail Village or Lionshead.
• Support additional housing density to utilize new allowable lot
coverage and building heights and create additional resident housing
opportunities. The redevelopment of the area akin to the scenarios
would likely result in housing densities from 30 to 45 units/buildable
acre of site area. GRFA requirements should also be modified to reflect
new allowable lot coverage and building heights. A variety of housing
types should be encouraged, such that no development is one unit
type.
• Develop a new parking schedule specific to West Vail that is reflective
of a more mixed-use, shared parking environment. This new parking
schedule should be in between that of Vail Village and Lionshead
(Schedule A) and that of other commercial areas found in Vail
(Schedule B) in terms of spaces required.
• Reduce or remove minimum lot size requirements to allow for
the development of townhomes or residential buildings and create
flexibility in the phasing of the redevelopment process.
• Adjust landscaping requirements to be more similar to Lionshead
by allowing smaller, pocket-style landscaped areas. Likely, due to the
utilization of Chamonix Lane hillsides for housing development in
redevelopment scenarios, landscaping requirements will need to be
reduced slightly to allow these units.
• Alter allowable business types to reflect a pedestrian-oriented, mixed-
use environment. Most of the allowable uses, aside from auto parts
stores, would likely continue to be appropriate, but conditional uses
such as outside car washes and commercial storage may no longer be
appropriate, even conditionally. Currently conditional uses, brewpubs
and daycares, should become allowable uses. In addition, restrict
inactive uses (i.e., offices, residential) on the ground floor in areas that
are designed to be activated (e.g. North Frontage Road, new Main
Street, and plazas).
• Develop ground floor treatment regulations that require commercial
and residential entrances to be appropriately spaced and face the
street or public spaces. Commercial spaces should have 50-70%
transparency, with a higher percentage required for businesses along
the North Frontage Road, where the double frontage to internal streets
should be managed as well.
• Develop design guidelines that foster a pedestrian-friendly
environment with a mountain aesthetic. Guidelines should address
the following topics: reducing mass and scale of buildings to be human
and pedestrian-scaled; wall articulation standards that avoid long, solid
planes of walls; upper floor step backs to create proportion around
streets and public space; desirable building materials and architectural
elements; roof forms; parking structure design; and site features like
landscaping and streetscape elements. Overall, the design guidelines
should support the vision and desired character for West Vail Center, as
described in this plan.
• The Town’s building requirements, including those maintaining public
safety (fire access), would remain in effect.
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99
INTRODUCTION
“The future West Vail is a complete neighborhood with increased housing
options for year-round residents, streets that support multiple modes of
transportation, and a vibrant, walkable destination where residents and
visitors can shop at local businesses and gather as a community. Though just
minutes from a world-class resort, West Vail retains the familiar, neighborly
character of a small mountain town.”
CHAPTER 3:HOUSING
“West Vail will remain the heart of resident-occupied housing in Vail.
Through updates to zoning regulations, resident-first housing policies, and
the construction of new housing in the commercial core, residents can find
quality places to live in the West Vail neighborhood. New and upgraded
units will reflect the scale and varied character of West Vail’s existing
housing stock.”
Vision Statement100
60 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
INTRODUCTION
This chapter analyzes and provides recommendations for housing
in West Vail. The chapter addresses the potential for new housing
development in West Vail Center and surrounding residential
neighborhoods, the preservation of residential character, and
providing a place for residents to live in West Vail through policies and
zoning regulation changes.
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61WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
WHAT IS RESIDENT HOUSING?
The provision of “resident housing”, or
housing occupied by year-round residents,
is the focal point of housing efforts by the
Town of Vail. The Housing Department’s
vision is to be the “resort community
leader in ensuring the availability of homes
for year-round Vail residents.” Resident
housing is viewed as essential community
infrastructure, “critical to maintaining and
sustaining the resort community,” and can
be both owner and renter-occupied. In its
2016 housing plan, the Town established
ambitious goals around increasing the
supply of resident housing units in West
Vail. The Town deploys a multi-pronged
approach to providing resident housing,
including the Vail InDEED program and
deed-restricted developments such as
the Chamonix Townhomes. These deed
restrictions require that home occupants
be working at least 30 hours a week for
an Eagle County business. Throughout the
West Vail Master Plan process, members
of the public spoke to the importance of
“keeping the lights on” and a neighborly
feel for West Vail. This chapter contains
several strategies, recommendations, and
policies to support resident housing in
West Vail.
EXISTING CONDITIONS
West Vail was historically more affordable and lived in by residents, with fewer oft-vacant second
homes than other areas of Vail. Today, it is known as the locals’ neighborhood, as approximately
72% of housing units in the study area are resident-occupied, compared to 46% Town-wide.
Despite similar demographics amongst residents, the home prices in West Vail are dramatically
different than those elsewhere in the Town. As of July 2020, the average home price in West Vail is
$1.3 million, while it is $3.4 million elsewhere in the Town (Eagle County Assessor’s Data). Unlike
in years past, many West Vail homes are now being purchased by non-residents. Increasingly,
homes in West Vail are being converted into short-term rentals, with approximately 10% of West
Vail housing units registered with the Town as short-term rentals. Overall, it is becoming more
challenging for year-round residents to find housing both Town-wide and in West Vail specifically.
The full analysis of existing conditions is included as Appendix A.
ZONING AND LAND USE
West Vail’s current zoning regulations support single family homes and duplexes in the residential
neighborhood areas and limited residential opportunities in West Vail Center.
Most of West Vail’s residential neighborhoods are zoned as Two-Family Primary Secondary
Residential, allowing single family homes or duplexes, depending on the lot size. Many West Vail
homes predate West Vail’s 1986 incorporation into the Town. Accordingly, many of these dwellings
are aging and the Town’s zoning regulations were not applicable when these dwellings were built.
As a result, the majority of dwellings do not comply with the zoning regulations for units allowed,
lot size, or lot coverage. There are many multi-family dwellings built on lots that only allow a
single-family home or duplex, with 65 such lots and 260 units more than allowed. If redeveloped,
the number of units would be greatly reduced to conform to regulations. The housing units also
tend to be eclectic, with a varied character that residents appreciate. The variety also extends to
different price-points and rents, allowing a mix of people to live in the neighborhood.
In West Vail Center, the commercial area, the current zoning (CC3) only allows for employee
housing units (EHUs, occupant must work 30+ hours a week for an Eagle County business). Only
some of the lots have housing units at all, and few are built to the density allowed in the code.
Overall, the land area in West Vail Center is poorly utilized and does not offer many housing
opportunities given the acreage and transportation connectivity. Throughout the West Vail project
area, there are very few vacant parcels open for new development, and to continue to support
resident housing, better utilization of the existing lots is necessary.
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62 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
HOUSING POLICY
The Town has been proactive in using regulatory tools and available funding sources to address
the lack of housing and provide opportunities for year-round residents. Vail has long mandated
deed restrictions and EHUs in new developments, such as the Chamonix Townhomes, but is
increasingly seeking to put deed restrictions on existing units, rather than only building new units
to achieve housing goals.
Through its Vail InDEED program, the Town acquires deed restrictions on existing homes that
restrict sale to and occupancy by people who work for an Eagle County business 30 or more hours
per week. There is no income limit or appreciation cap; the goal of the program is to attract and
retain year-round residents who will contribute to a year-round community. The program funding
depends on the availability of discretionary revenues, as it does not have a dedicated funding
source. As of June 2020, the Town has acquired 44 deed restrictions through Vail InDEED, with 13
of them in West Vail.
The two primary regulatory tools the Town uses are inclusionary zoning and commercial linkage.
Inclusionary zoning requires new projects in designated areas to provide 10% of its net new
square footage as EHUs, either on-site or as a fee-in-lieu, a payment that will contribute towards
building such housing elsewhere in Eagle County. Commercial linkage is a requirement for
businesses to provide units or pay a fee towards the Town’s housing programs based on a factor
of the jobs created. The Town is currently exploring the addition of a residential linkage fee and
updating the commercial linkage fee. A linkage fee is a type of impact fee charged based on the
employment generation characteristics of new development. Residential linkage fees link the jobs
generated from the spending of new household income to housing demand.
The Town has a complex system for EHUs, but many types of developments that have these units
allow for an additional unit on the lot beyond what is otherwise allowed by the zone district. Of
the EHUs in West Vail, the majority are on Town-owned property (Chamonix Townhomes and Vail
Commons). Largely through these developments, West Vail has four times the concentration of
EHUs than the Town overall.
Examples of multi-family housing units
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63WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
Members of the public participated in this master plan process to
share their goals and priorities and also to review the ideas and
recommendations contained in this chapter.
In the September 2020 Virtual Open House, participants highlighted the
importance of continuing to provide resident housing and a neighborly
feel. Participants were eager to see new units embrace a mountain
town character and enhanced quality. They generally expressed support
for additional deed-restricted units and were concerned about the
proliferation of short-term rentals.
In the January 2021 Housing Workshop, participants provided more
detailed feedback on a draft vision, goals, potential zoning changes,
and desired future housing types. Participants generally expressed
openness to zoning changes in designated areas and were interested
in a mix of housing types. In the Commercial Area Workshop held in
February 2021, participants supported providing additional housing in
West Vail Center, with the qualification that many of these units should
be deed-restricted. In both workshops, participants shared a desire to
see much of the new housing development in West Vail concentrated in
and around West Vail Center.
The recommendations and policies of this plan are also intended to
align with the Vail Housing 2027 strategic plan (2016). That plan’s
vision speaks to a “diverse, resilient, inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable
mountain resort community where year-round residents are afforded
the opportunity to live and thrive.” The plan also establishes deed
restrictions as the primary mechanism and calls for innovative housing
solutions. These key themes of innovation, vibrancy, sustainability, and
inclusivity served to guide the recommendations of this plan.
HARNESSING DEED RESTRICTIONS
Vail, like many tourism destination communities across the
country, attracts second homeowners who out-compete
what year-round residents can afford in the housing market.
Over the past five years, over 75% of homes in Vail have been
sold to non-residents, and existing or would-be residents are
increasingly finding it hard to find housing in Vail. Yet these year-
round residents are essential to staff local businesses and create
community vibrancy. The Town of Vail has taken a proactive
response to these challenges, with a multi-pronged approach to
support resident housing.
The Town’s housing-related efforts are focused on placing deed
restrictions on new and existing units throughout the Town. The
Town has established a goal of 1,000 new deed restrictions in
the Town by 2027. Most frequently, a deed restriction in West
Vail will only require that the occupant work 30+ hours a week
for an Eagle County business. Therefore, the unit cannot be sold
to a second homeowner or one looking to make it a short-term
rental. Through deed restrictions, an increasing number of units
are only open to year-round residents.
The Town’s deed restriction requirements are rather open, as
they seek to maximize the number of property owners who
want to place deed restrictions on their homes or the number of
units a developer may build.
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64 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
WHY CHANGE?
As described in the existing conditions, there are many factors that indicate West Vail is ready for
a change in its housing policies and zoning code. The current housing stock does not conform to
either the existing zoning or the desired future for the area. The market forces at play do not bode
well for West Vail to continue to be a year-round resident community. And finally, the potential
transformation of West Vail Center is a key opportunity to better incorporate and expand the
housing offering into the commercial core of the neighborhood.
MARKET FORCES
Current real estate trends indicate that the amount of housing available to year-round residents
will continue to diminish. In mountain resort communities, second home buyers will almost
always out-compete local wage earners in the housing market and Vail is no exception. Over the
past 5 years, 75% of home sales Town-wide have been to second home buyers, diminishing the
number of housing units occupied by residents. West Vail has a higher proportion of its housing
units occupied by residents than elsewhere in the Town, but that proportion is expected to
decline given the high home prices both in West Vail and Town-wide. To afford a home at the
average West Vail price, $1.3 million, a household would need to make over $200,000 or three
times the Area Median Income (AMI). While high, the housing prices of West Vail represents a
relative bargain to the rest of the Town ($3.4 million average price), and second home purchasers
are likely to increasingly consider, outbid, and purchase homes in West Vail.
NON-CONFORMITIES AND THE HOUSING STOCK
There are hundreds of non-conforming lots in West Vail. Most of these lots have more dwelling
units than the zoning regulations allow or exceed the allowable lot coverage. The current zoning
code requirements prohibit the redevelopment of these lots at the existing number of units.
For all lots where the existing number of units exceeds the allowable number of units by more
than one, if the lot is redeveloped or the structure is destroyed, the allowed number of units
built would revert to the zoning code. With largely single-family homes and duplexes allowed
throughout West Vail, redevelopment of these non-conforming multi-family properties would
result in a significant loss of units. Many of these multi-family units in West Vail are home to
year-round residents. Many of these buildings are older, have not been updated, and may
have deferred maintenance. Because of their condition and limited attractiveness to second
Existing residential properties in West Vail
105
homeowners, they often rent for less than other area units.
To recoup the resulting loss of units from these non-conformities, many landowners would look
to redevelop the property as high-end single family homes or duplexes likely sold to second
homeowners.
Additionally, many of the dwellings in West Vail are older and becoming run-down. Changes in
code and new policies and programs are necessary to support landowners in enhancing their
property and improving aesthetics of the Town.
OPPORTUNITY IN WEST VAIL CENTER
The Town of Vail is essentially built out; there are few undeveloped lots or properties remaining
in the Town. West Vail Center, if redeveloped, is one of the last opportunities to have a significant
influence on new housing in Vail. The existing low-density development pattern in West Vail
Center is an inefficient use of land, with only 48 units in the 12.8-acre focus area. Increasing
allowed residential densities would catalyze new developments, create a customer base for new
and existing businesses, and expand housing opportunities in Town, with a mix of market rate and
deed restricted units that offer additional year-round resident housing.
BENEFITS OF RESIDENT HOUSING
The benefits of resident housing are numerous, with impacts beyond the people who have
attained housing and support West Vail businesses throughout the year. In 2019, the Town
commissioned a study of the economic impact of investing in 1,000 units of resident housing
when it was designing the Vail InDEED program. The study found that the reductions in
commuting were worth $825,000 per year (applying the value of people’s time) and would save
95,000 gallons of gas annually. These new residents strengthen the sense of community, and the
value of increased volunteerism related to living in a community was estimated at $1.2 million
per year. Increased school enrollment can bring an additional $200,000 into the school system. In
addition, if employees could find housing in Town, employers would save money through more
efficient operations and offer a better guest experience through lower employee turnover.
Existing residential properties in West Vail
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66 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
GOALS FOR HOUSING IN VAIL1A growing number of deed-restricted units in West Vail
address the trend of conversion to second homes.
The Town of Vail has committed to acquiring 1,000 additional
resident housing units by 2027. Dedicated resident housing is
vital for maintaining community and providing opportunities
for year-round residents to live and thrive. To achieve this unit
goal, the Town is deploying a multi-pronged approach: building
new deed restricted units where land allows and placing deed
restrictions on existing units through its Vail InDEED program.
West Vail has long been a predominantly year-round resident
neighborhood, and intentional efforts will be necessary to
continue to offer residents opportunities to live there. In this
plan, strategies and recommendations will look to increase
deed restricted units in West Vail Center and preserve or slightly
increase the number of units in surrounding neighborhoods.
These efforts must be a collaboration between the public and
private sector, with incentives that encourage the private sector
to develop deed restricted units.
2 The Town’s zoning regulations and programs allow
for and support residents and landowners in making
continued improvements to their properties in a way that
preserves units and enhances aesthetics.
Many of the housing units in West Vail are 30+ years old and
are showing their age. Aesthetic enhancements and upgrades
are necessary to maintain the appeal of the neighborhood.
Key strategies towards achieving this goal include changes
in the Town Code and incentives programs that reduce fees,
encourage redevelopment, and ease the development process.
3 New construction and updates to existing housing
reflect West Vail’s mountain environment and align
with the neighborhood character.
West Vail has a unique neighborhood character that residents
appreciate. It is a high priority that new or rehabilitated
housing units reflect the mountain environment in which
they are located. Key strategies towards achieving this goal
include updating both design guidelines and the zoning
regulations.
4 West Vail’s residential areas host a continuum of
housing options taking many forms (single family,
duplexes, multi-family, and accessory dwelling units)
to accommodate residents through all phases and
stages of life.
Given the community feel and amenities available in West
Vail, residents often look to remain in the neighborhood, even
as their circumstances change. In order to meet the needs
of residents in every phase and stage of life, a diversity of
housing types is needed. Key strategies towards achieving this
goal include zone district changes and other zoning regulation
changes to support a variety of housing types to achieve density
and better facilitate accessory dwelling units.
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67WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
5 New housing and transit stops are strategically located
so that 90 percent of West Vail housing units are within a
five-minute walk of a transit stop.
One of the Town’s key sustainability goals is reducing the
vehicle miles traveled by its visitors and residents. Encouraging
transit use is a key element of this, particularly for trips that
cannot easily be accomplished as a walk or bicycle ride. In
people’s decision to take transit, the proximity of the bus stop
to one’s home is a major factor. So that residents are frequent
transit users, new housing should be predominantly located
within a five-minute walk of a transit stop. Housing near
transit and commercial services should also have lower parking
requirements, supporting residents and visitors adopting car-
free or car-lite lifestyles and providing additional space for
housing. At present, 82% of West Vail housing units are within a
five-minute walk of a transit stop. This desired increase, to 90%,
would be achieved through zoning changes to support density
near existing transit stops. All new development in West Vail
Center will be within a five-minute walk of transit.
6 While West Vail is primarily a residential community,
there is a managed level of short-term rental units that
allow visitors to stay in West Vail and support local
businesses.
In West Vail, as in many tourism communities, the number of
short-term rentals is growing. Short-term rentals represent an
attractive investment proposition and accelerate the conversion
away from resident housing. The number of short-term rentals
in the community can be managed to a level that continues
to support a majority percentage of units as resident housing.
Strategies to achieve this goal include placing deed restrictions
on existing units and working with Town Council to establish
short-term rental regulations.
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Figure 3.1: Zoning Areas of Change
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69WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations provide policies, actions, and other
strategies towards achieving the goals outlined previously.
ZONE DISTRICT CHANGES
The recommended zone district changes are intended to resolve the
many non-conformities, create better alignment with the Town’s Land
Use Plan, and support additional housing units while maintaining the
desired neighborhood character. As previously described, the current
zoning regulations support relatively low density neighborhoods,
with many non-conforming multi-family properties. In these
recommendations, the allowable density is increased in areas where
higher density development already exists, where transit connectivity
is strong, and where the Land Use Plan calls for medium density
residential. Other changes recommended here are intended to support
additional deed restricted units, adjust parking requirements to account
for proximity to transit and West Vail Center, reduce non-conformities,
and allow for a diversity of housing types that support a continuum of
housing for all stages of life and family structures.
The zoning recommendations shown here contain both zone districts
that already exist in the Town of Vail code (with some modifications)
and new zone districts that could be created to better support resident
housing. Key elements, such as units allowed per buildable acre and
parking requirements, are presented here, but further associated
requirements can be found in the Town’s zoning regulations.
The three areas recommended for new zoning designations are shown in
Figure 3.1 and represent areas where there is already a concentration of
multi-family units.
The recommended zone districts are based on a housing unit analysis
of existing unit counts and potential unit counts under different zone
districts. A visual model of this analysis for Lower Chamonix is included
as Figure 3.3.
Zoning Recommendation #1
A new zone district, West Vail Multiple-Family 1, is recommended.
This zone district is intended to support resident housing in areas well-
connected to transit and that have an existing supply of multi-family
housing. This district would have a minimum density requirement equal
to the existing Low Density Multiple-Family Residential zone that allows
9 units per buildable acre. Therefore, on all but the smallest lots, multi-
family developments would be required. When redeveloped, at least
one unit must be deed restricted. This new zone district would allow up
to 18 units per buildable acre only if half (50%) of the additional units
beyond the minimum density are deed restricted. If the number of deed-
restricted units required is not a round number, the developer would
have to round up or pay a fee. For example, for a 2/3-acre lot, 6 units
would be required at a minimum with one deed restricted unit, with up
to 12 units if 4 units are deed-restricted.
If developed at 9 units per buildable acre, other requirements such as
building height and lot coverage would be the same as those for the
existing zone district Low Density Multiple-Family Residential, however,
the Gross Residential Floor Area (GRFA) requirement would be increased.
At above 9 units per buildable acre, the requirements associated
with Medium Density Multiple-Family would come into effect, with a
commensurate increase in the GRFA requirement. The Town’s current
GRFA requirements for multiple-family development result in small
building square footage. Therefore, if GRFA requirements remained in
place as is, there may be a limited incentive to redevelop or there would
not be appropriately-sized units for the variety of Town resident needs.
With more flexibility, there is both a greater profitability opportunity and
greater opportunity for larger or multi-bedroom units.
Lots with greater than 18 units/buildable acre at present would be
allowed to redevelop to existing unit counts if they comply with deed
restrictions and other dimensional requirements.
It is recommended that short-term rentals not be allowed on the
additional units beyond existing of redeveloped lots in this zone district.
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Zoning Recommendation #2
A new zone district, West Vail Multiple-Family 2, is recommended. This
zone district has a similar intention to that of West Vail Multiple-Family
1 (supporting resident housing in well-connected areas ), although at
lower densities to match the character of areas where it is applied.
This district would have a minimum density requirement equal to the
existing Residential Cluster zone that allows 6 units per buildable acre.
Therefore, lots would be a mix of duplexes, triplexes, and small multi-
family. When redeveloped, at least one unit must be deed restricted.
This new zone district would allow up to 12 units per buildable acre only
if half (50%) of the additional units beyond the minimum density are
deed restricted. If the number of deed-restricted units required is not
a round number, the developer would have to round up or pay a fee.
For example, for a 2/3-acre lot, 6 units would be required at a minimum
with one deed restricted unit, with up to 12 units if 4 units are deed-
restricted.
If developed at 6 units per buildable acre, other requirements such as
building height and lot coverage would be the same as those for the
existing zone district Residential Cluster, however, the GRFA requirement
would be increased. At above 6 units per buildable acre, the Town would
develop new dimensional requirements, between that of Low-Density
and Medium Density Multiple-Family with a commensurate increase in
GRFA, that would come into effect.
Lots with greater than 12 units/buildable acre at present would be
allowed to redevelop to existing unit counts if they comply with deed
restrictions and other dimensional requirements.
It is recommended that short-term rentals not be allowed on the
additional units beyond existing of redeveloped lots in this zone district.
Zoning Recommendation #3
The Upper Chamonix area includes most residential lots on Chamonix
Lane from behind the Highline hotel to Buffehr Creek Park, the lots
along Buffehr Creek Road below Chamonix Lane, and the lots along
Meadow Ridge Road. It is recommended that the area be rezoned as
West Vail Multiple-Family 1, where 9 units are allowed per buildable
acre with a deed restriction or up to 18 units if 50 percent of additional
units are deed restricted.
This area currently has 151 units, while only 54 are allowed. If no zoning
change was made, and it was left as Two-Family Primary Secondary
Residential, over time, as lots are redeveloped, up to 97 of these units
would be lost, many of which are currently occupied by year-round
residents. If zoned as West Vail Multiple-Family 1, the area could have
102 units with the minimum zoning densities applying. At 50% of the
additional deed-restricted, the area could have 226 units. At minimum
zoning, the area would primarily be duplexes, triplexes and small
multi-family (3-5 units). With the additional density associated with
deed-restricted units, the area would be a mix of small multi-family
(3-5 units) and medium-sized multi-family (6-10 units), with some large
multi-family (10-12 units). Potential units counts and deed-restricted
unit counts are summarized in Table 3.1. Further study of the roadway’s
volume to capacity ratio and other transportation modifications would
be necessary prior to significant redevelopments that would add units
and vehicle trips to Chamonix Lane.
Zoning Recommendation #4
The Lower Chamonix area, along Chamonix Lane near the Frontage
Road, is recommended to be rezoned to West Vail Multiple-Family 1
(as defined in Zoning Recommendation #1), where at least 9 units per
buildable acre are required, and up to 18 units are allowed per buildable
acre if 50 percent of the additional units are deed-restricted.
This area currently has 65 units, while only 23 are allowed. If no zoning
change was made, and it was left as Two-Family Primary Secondary
Residential, over time, as lots are redeveloped, up to 42 of these units
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71WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
would be lost, many of which are currently occupied by year-round
residents. At 9 units per buildable acre, the area could have 51 units and
at 18 units per buildable acre, 106 units. Dependent on the size of the
lot, this area would have a mix of small multi-family (3-5 units), medium
multi-family (6-10 units), with a few large multi-family possible (10-12
units with deed restricted units), and triplexes and duplexes east of the
intersection of Chamonix Lane and Arosa Drive. Potential units counts
and deed-restricted unit counts are summarized in Table 3.1.
Zoning Recommendation #5
The Geneva area, along Geneva Drive, Gore Creek Drive, Alpine Drive,
and Matterhorn Circle, is recommended to be rezoned to West Vail
Multiple-Family 2 (as defined in zoning recommendation #2), where
at least 6 units per buildable acre are required with a deed restricted
unit, and up to 12 units are allowed per buildable acre if 50 percent
of the additional units are deed-restricted. The area currently has 60
units while only 43 are allowed by current zoning (Two-Family Primary
Secondary Residential). If no zoning change was made, over time, as
lots are redeveloped, up to 17 of these units would be lost, many of
which are currently occupied by year-round residents. This new zoning
designation, West Vail Multiple-Family 2, would allow for up to 52 units
at a minimum or 120 with additional deed restricted units. Potential
units counts and deed-restricted unit counts are summarized in Table
3.1. Dependent on the size of the lot, this area would have a mix of
duplexes and triplexes, and some small to medium multi-family at
maximum density.
The new recommended zoning is shown in Figure 3.2.
The new densities in these areas represent the maximum potential
build-out and are unlikely to occur, particularly in the short-term.
To achieve the prescribed levels of units, all lots would need to be
redeveloped. While some lots may redevelop to the maximum allowed,
many others are unlikely to flip and would remain single family homes or
duplexes. The purpose of understanding a potential loss in units through
redevelopment is to “test” what may happen naturally over time if no
zoning changes are made.
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UPPER CHAMONIX LOWER CHAMONIX GENEVA
Zoning Designation West Vail Multiple-Family 1 West Vail Multiple-Family 1 West Vail Multiple-Family 2
Lots 27 18 30
Existing Unit Count 151 65 60
Short-term Rental
Licenses (2020)12 7 6
Deed Restricted Units
(2020)11 2 1
Units Allowed Under
Current Zoning 54 23 43
Allowed Units -
Minimum Density 102 51 52
Allowed Units -
Maximum Density 226 106 120
Resulting Deed
Restrictions -
Minimum Density
31 18 30
Resulting Deed
Restrictions -
Maximum Density
93 45 64
Primary Unit Type Small, medium-size multi-family,
townhouses at maximum
Small, medium-size multi-family,
townhouses at maximum
Duplexes, triplexes, small to
medium multi-family at maximum
Table 3.1: Zoning Recommendations Summary
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73WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Figure 3.2: Recommended Zoning
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HOUSING UNIT ANALYSIS
During the planning process, a housing analysis
was undertaken to compare the number of
existing housing units and non-conformities to
different Town of Vail zone districts.
The “Lower Chamonix” analyzed here
represents slightly more lots than the area
recommended in Figure 3.1.
At present, the number of units allowed by
zoning in the Lower Chamonix area is 31,
much lower than the 71 that currently exist.
Therefore, if no zoning change was made, the
number of units would decrease over time,
with more single family homes and duplexes
and fewer multi-family developments. Changes
could be made to either preserve existing
density or increase density under other
zone districts. The public was asked their
preference during the Housing Workshop and
many expressed interest in either retaining or
increasing density.
This type of analysis and public feedback was
carried forth for all three areas of change,
to understand the issue and consider future
options. This analysis informed the zone
district recommendations of this chapter.
The zone districts described in Zoning
Recommendations #1 and #2 match the
densities depicted here, with additional
modifications to support resident housing and
reduce non-conformities.
EXISTING CONDITION
PRESERVE EXISTING DENSITY
Low Density Multi-Family Residential (9 du/buildable acre)
Existing Units: 71 | Non-Conformities: 18 | Lots: 24
Units Allowed: 69 | Units Compared to Existing: -2 | Non-Conformities: 13
Figure 3.3: Housing Unit Analysis for Lower Chamonix
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75WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
LOSE DENSITY OVER TIME
Current Zoning: Two-Family Primary/Secondary Residential
INCREASE DENSITY
Medium Density Multi-Family Residential (18 du/buildable acre)
Units Allowed: 31 | Units Compared to Existing: -40
Units Allowed: 137 | Units Compared to Existing: +66 | Non-Conformities: 4
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NEW HOUSING AND TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY
Currently, about 82% of Town housing units in West Vail are
located within a 5-minute walk of a bus stop. This level of
connectivity is unusual in mountain communities and enables
many residents to go to work, ski, or complete other key tasks
without a vehicle. To support fewer vehicle trips in West Vail
going forward, preserving or enhancing this level of connectivity
for residents is essential. Locations where additional density is
recommended in this plan are all within a 5-minute walkshed
of bus stops. With the redevelopment of the residential
neighborhoods and West Vail Center, the percentage of West
Vail housing units within a 5-minute walk of a bus stop could be
up to 90%.
VAIL TOWN CODE CHANGES
The Vail Town Code prescribes how units can be built, modified, or
redeveloped. Several changes to the code are recommended here to
encourage redevelopment that preserves the character and scale of the
neighborhood and supports resident housing.
Town Code Recommendation #1
The Town Code establishes maximum site coverage and building heights
for new structures. In the West Vail Multiple-Family zone districts, an
increase in allowable site coverage is recommended (beyond that of
Residential Cluster, Low Density Multiple-Family, and Medium Density
Multiple-Family zone districts). This increase should only be to the
degree that it will be helpful to achieving the densities allowed by these
zone districts.
Town Code Recommendation #2
The GRFA requirement can create challenges for the development
of multi-family to the allowable density in West Vail. For the West
Vail Multiple-Family zone districts, an increase to allowable GRFA is
recommended.
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77WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Town Code Recommendation #3
The Town of Vail has relatively generous parking requirements in
residential areas. Higher parking requirements mean that a larger
portion of a lot is dedicated to parking, making it harder to develop
more units. Areas of West Vail with proximity to key commercial services
in West Vail Center and transit connectivity do not require a car-
dependent lifestyle. Figure 3.4 shows a parking overlay district of all lots
within a 5-minute walk of West Vail Center. In this district, along with
West Vail Multiple-Family 1 zone district, it is recommended that the
parking requirements and potential reductions to such requirements
be subject to future study. Study of such reductions should include
analysis of potential emergency services impacts including parking in fire
lanes, fire vehicle, turnarounds, and enforcement capacity. Pending the
results of this study, in areas where parking is currently provided, the
amount of parking spaces provided could be reduced to meet the new
requirements. Therefore, building would be allowed on existing parking
lots.
Town Code Recommendation #4
On many lots in West Vail, the driveway or parking area expands
across the front of the house, creating a wide expanse where cars
are backing up directly onto the streets and passing pedestrians. This
creates both an uncomfortable situation for pedestrians and is not
aesthetically pleasing. It is recommended that the Town amend the
code to establish a maximum width of parking access as the width
of two vehicles in the West Vail Multiple-Family districts. Creativity
in site design may be needed to maximize density with this parking
requirement. An exception may be granted if an applicant can provide
an aesthetic buffer or pedestrian-safe design.
Parking Examples
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Figure 3.4: Parking Overlay District
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79WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
WEST VAIL CENTER TRANSFORMATION
As described in Chapter 2, this plan envisions a transformed West Vail
Center. Currently, West Vail Center has limited housing opportunities
and the land area is not well utilized, with large surface parking lots and
commercial buildings with no residential component. Redevelopment
of West Vail Center offers new and expanded opportunities for housing.
This plan presents three potential scenarios for redevelopment, each
representing different opportunities for housing. The scenarios are
described fully in Chapter 2, with the potential changes as they relate to
housing described here in Chapter 3.
Scenario 1
Scenario 1 improves the existing site layout and efficiency of West
Vail Center, offering short-term opportunities for redevelopment. For
housing, the scenario includes potential townhouses along Chamonix
Lane and an additional story for housing above West Vail Mall.
The scenario includes 13 townhouses along Chamonix Lane on the
existing Vail Das Schone and Safeway parcels. It is recommended that
the Town purchase the land area (approximately 1 acre) to develop
these townhouses or work with the businesses to develop the housing
for their employees.
Approximately 8 new housing units could be developed as an additional
story on the West Vail Mall. There may be an opportunity to develop
additional housing units on top of other buildings in West Vail Center.
Example of alley-loaded multi-family residences
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80 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
These two new sets of housing units would result in 69 housing units in
West Vail Center, an increase from the 48 existing units which are split
between Vail Das Schone and Vail Commons.
It is recommended to increase the allowable density of CC3, from
12 units per buildable acre to 18, to allow for the number of units
planned for the West Vail Mall addition and Chamonix Lane townhomes
regardless of whether the parcels are or are not subdivided. All lots in
West Vail Center are a part of the Town’s inclusionary zoning, where a
minimum of 10% of new GRFA must be EHUs. The existing CC3 zoning
requires all housing units to be EHUs. It is recommended to modify this
requirement and allow projects at less than 100% employee housing.
This would more than satisfy the inclusionary zoning policy while also
allowing market-rate housing to incentivize redevelopment.
Figure 3.5: Rendering of new housing atop West Vail Mall (Scenario 1)
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81WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Scenarios 2 and 3
In Scenarios 2 and 3, more far-reaching redevelopments take place
that bury parking and include new apartment buildings and multi-
story mixed use buildings, with retail space on the ground floor and
residential units or office space on upper floors.
The redevelopment of these parcels is intended to create additional
and more attractive commercial and residential square footage.
With underground parking, several market-rate units, and other
incentives provided by the Town, the project can still “pencil” while
still containing a high percentage of deed-restricted housing units. By
the Town investing in a parking structure or other incentives for the
redevelopment of West Vail Center, the investment can be returned
as a public benefit with resident housing. Some market-rate units,
such as top floor penthouses, can help the project carry the cost of
the lower priced deed-restricted units. In addition, creating a base
of year-round residents who frequent the businesses in West Vail
Center would help support the businesses and foster vibrancy. Further
information on potential financing structures can be found in Chapter 5:
Implementation.
As described in Chapter 2, it is recommended that redeveloping
to higher building heights (3-4 stories depending on location) be
dependent on the proportion of deed-restricted units included. For 3-4
A
KEY ELEMENTS
B
Mixed-use Buildings
Along Frontage Road
Variety of Housing
Types
C
D
West Vail Plaza
Mixed-use Grocer
A
B
C
D
A
B
B
B
SCENARIO 2 WITH SEVERAL NEW HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
Figure 3.6: Oblique view of Scenario 2 with several new housing opportunities
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82 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
stories to be developed, it is recommended that the units be 50-75%
deed-restricted. The scenarios as described in Chapter 2 are reflective of
if the developer chose to pursue that percentage of deed restrictions. It
is recommended that the only requirement of the deed restrictions be
an occupant working 30 hours a week for an Eagle County business, with
no income targets or price appreciation cap.
It is recommended that the updated zoning and development
agreements seek a variety of dwelling unit sizes for redevelopment
within the overall West Vail Center. This variety creates a mix of
price points and better allows residents to remain in place as life
circumstances change. Overall, the scenarios include a variety of
housing types – townhouses, mixed use buildings, walk-up apartments
– to support a mix of price points and resident demographics, both
socioeconomic and family structure. It is also recommended that new
housing units be a mix of owned and rental.
Potential Unit Counts and Types
Scenario 2 is a parcel-by-parcel redevelopment, where new buildings
are added to each lot, including townhouses along Chamonix Lane
and buildings lining the North Frontage Road. All of these buildings
are intended to have a residential component. When all phases are
complete, the development could have approximately 350 units, an
increase from the existing 48, at approximately 30 units per buildable
acre. At 50-75% deed restricted units, the development would provide
175-260 resident housing units, an increase from the existing 48.
Scenario 3 is a Main street-oriented, master-planned development
where current parcel boundaries disappear as the area redevelops.
Similar to Scenario 2, the redevelopment includes a variety of housing
types – small multi-family, apartment buildings, and mixed-use
buildings. This development could have approximately 475 units, an
increase from the existing 48, at approximately 50 units per buildable
acre. At 50-75% deed restricted units, the development would provide
240-350 resident housing units, an increase from the existing 48.
INSERT PHOTO
Example of mixed use with residential
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POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
There are several policies and programs the Town can deploy to fund
and encourage additional deed restricted units, aesthetic improvements,
and realize other housing goals for West Vail. The policies and programs
include a mix of guiding framework, process modifications, funding
mechanisms, and other items for further study. While these policies and
programs were devised to apply to West Vail, the Town could choose to
deploy these Town-wide or establish a West Vail overlay within which
they would apply.
Policy and Program Recommendation #1
The new zone districts would allow the existing number of units in
these residential neighborhoods by making the properties in these
areas conforming with density and supporting greater flexibility with
other development standards. These lots, while older and sometimes
run-down, provide essential housing opportunities for year-round
residents. Yet as landowners look to redevelop these lots, even to the
existing number of units, they may be forced to raise the rent or unit
prices in order to pay for the renovation, possibly to the rates of the
open market. It is recommended that the Town develop an incentive
or credit program to provide the landowners with funding to improve
their property while continuing to provide resident housing.
Policy and Program Recommendation #2
Short-term rentals are essentially turning second-homes and year-
round resident homes into hotel beds for visitors. Often, for property
owners, the revenue from short-term rentals exceeds that of a long-
term renter or the costs of a monthly mortgage. This makes short-term
rental conversion an attractive investment. Additionally, short-term
rentals impact the neighborly feel of a place. At present, about 10% of
housing units in West Vail are registered as short-term rentals with the
Town. It is recommended in the West Vail Multiple-Family districts that
no short-term rentals be allowed for additional units on redeveloped
lots. The Town should explore additional short-term rental regulations
such as a Town-wide or neighborhood-wide cap on the number of
units allowed to be short-term rentals, a high yearly license fee to
reduce the financial gap, and/or a set of good-neighbor regulations
that ensure minimal impact to surrounding neighbors. Other ideas
include disallowing the use of short-term rentals until a few years after a
property has been purchased, only allowing a certain number per street,
or grandfathering in existing short-term rentals for a period of time and
allowing no more after a certain date.
Policy and Program Recommendation #3
ADUs, or small additional dwelling units on a lot, are an important
opportunity to provide housing to residents through a continuum
of housing. Examples of ADUs include basement lock-offs or garage
apartments. Development of these types of units has been relatively
limited in West Vail, in part due to the strict regulations and mandate
that these units be EHUs. The Town should explore additional flexibility
with the requirements, while continuing to ensure that the units
primarily house year-round residents and are not used as short-
term rentals. Fee refunds are also recommended to encourage the
development of these units.
Example of mixed use with residential
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84 CHAPTER 3: HOUSING
Policy and Program Recommendation #4
Vail InDEED is a successful Town program to place deed restrictions on
existing units, paying the owner to cover the gap between the deed-
restricted and open market values. It is recommended that the Town
continue to grow the Vail InDEED program and provide an additional,
consistent funding stream. As more deed-restricted units sell, the Town
should study the market difference between the deed-restricted market
and open market and adjust payments to meet or exceed this difference.
Policy and Program Recommendation #5
For those looking to build or renovate deed-restricted units, the fees
associated with the process (building permits, development fees) can
be significant or even a deterrent to undertaking the process. It is
recommended that Town of Vail fee refunds be available for deed-
restricted units in line with the existing rebate system for Eagle County
housing tax credits.
Policy and Program Recommendation #6
Deed restrictions are central to the Town’s goals around resident
housing and a vibrant community and particularly fundamental to the
goals outlined in this plan. The Town should continue to evolve the
deed restriction program, funding, and mechanisms in order to meet
the goals outlined in this plan.
Policy and Program Recommendation #7
For many developments, going through the public review process can
be expensive and lengthy, increasing the costs that units must be sold
at. The community’s vision for West Vail has been thoroughly vetted
through this Master Plan and its robust public engagement process. Any
subsequent rezoning process for West Vail Multiple-Family and design
standards/rezoning for West Vail Center would involve significant public
engagement. Therefore, it is recommended that the Town reduce
the development review requirements within West Vail residential
neighborhoods primarily for the newly recommended West Vail
Multiple-Family zone districts.
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HOW MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE ADDRESSING RESIDENT HOUSING CHALLENGES
MOUNTAIN VIEW MEADOWS. JACKSON HOLE, CO BURLINGAME RANCH. ASPEN, CO
In many mountain resort communities, it is a challenge for year-round
residents and the local workforce to find and afford housing. As towns
seek to address these challenges, there is no “silver bullet,” and most
deploy a myriad of approaches to secure housing for residents and
improve the quality of the resident housing stock. Interesting and
innovative approaches that the Town of Vail or partners may consider
are described below.
The City of Aspen, through the Aspen/Pitkin County Housing Authority
(APCHA), has a decades old program with a large supply of resident
housing units. The APCHA is working closely with the private sector
on property improvements, by selling units to private companies who
retain the deed restrictions and use tax financing to update properties.
The APCHA also has a credit program where the private sector can
receive credits for building affordable housing that can then be bought
and sold for future projects.
Mountain Village, responding to very limited building and improvement
activity on deed-restricted lots, chose to waive all planning, building,
and development fees for improvements or new construction on deed-
restricted lots. In nearby Telluride, the Town has embraced a creative
mix of housing types to increase the number of units, with tiny home
and dorm-style developments. Second homeowners in the area have
established a housing social venture fund, the Trust for Community
Housing, that delivers grants to first time renters and homebuyers
and incentivizes second homeowners and short-term rental owners to
participate in the long-term market.
Boulder is a larger, Front Range community facing many of the same
issues. The City has recently developed a grant program to support
middle income home buyers. Towards improving its affordable housing
stock, the City developed a $40 million partnership through private
sector donations, federal and state agencies, private activity bonds, and
tax credits.
Jackson, Wyoming has implemented an expedited approval process for
price-restricted housing projects. In recent code amendments, the Town
grandfathered in non-conforming uses and created a density bonus
system.
The Town of Truckee, in the Lake Tahoe region, offers a long-term rental
grant program that financially incentivizes homeowners shifting their
home from non-rented or a short-term rental to a long-term rental. The
Town of Truckee has a robust first-time homebuyer program that utilizes
a variety of funding sources and is incentivizing homeowners to develop
accessory dwelling units.
126
127
INTRODUCTION
“The future West Vail is a complete neighborhood with increased housing
options for year-round residents, streets that support multiple modes of
transportation, and a vibrant, walkable destination where residents and
visitors can shop at local businesses and gather as a community. Though just
minutes from a world-class resort, West Vail retains the familiar, neighborly
character of a small mountain town.”
CHAPTER 4:TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
“This plan aims to enhance connectivity for people walking, biking, taking
transit, and driving in and around West Vail. The reimagined transportation
network will integrate a variety of transportation modes, making multimodal
trips through West Vail comfortable and convenient. A multimodal transit
hub located in West Vail Center will offer easy connections to the rest of the
valley, improving the experience of travel within the neighborhood.”
Vision Statement128
88 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
INTRODUCTION
The last community-wide transportation planning effort in Vail was conducted in
2009 with the Vail Transportation Master Plan. In the subsequent decade, the wider
community’s mobility needs have shifted. For example, some residents have relocated
further down valley to communities like Eagle and Edwards but still travel to Vail
for work and shopping trips. Vail Mountain Resort and the Town itself continue to
attract more and more skiers and tourists, which creates a variety of pressures on the
transportation network. As the only neighborhood for local shopping and essential
services, West Vail has grown in significance, but the mobility and connectivity
framework of the community has not changed. The West Vail Master Plan is an
opportunity to build upon West Vail’s strengths, identify some of the mobility
challenges, and chart a roadmap for creating a more connected community.
This chapter highlights the predominant transportation challenges that were
identified through an existing conditions analysis and through community outreach.
These include a lack of facilities for people walking and bicycling, travel conditions
that are made challenging by winter weather and topography, and a lack of direct
connections within the community due to barriers like I-70 bisecting the community
and a disconnected residential street network. The transportation component of the
West Vail Master Plan fully illuminates the causes of these challenges and provides
comprehensive solutions that will make West Vail a more comfortable and convenient
travel environment. An efficient, multimodal, and user-friendly transportation network
will support the overall future vision for West Vail that is described in this plan.
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89WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
EXISTING CONDITIONS
The transportation planning aspect of the West Vail Master Plan began with an in-depth review of
the existing transportation system in West Vail, including profiles of roadway infrastructure, transit
service, and walking and bicycling facilities as well as crashes. The following is a summary of the
Existing Conditions memorandum; the full report is available in Appendix A.
West Vail attracts a range of transportation users who often travel to the Town of Vail by vehicle
but seek to use active modes for trips within West Vail and to the Vail Village area. However,
multimodal travel in West Vail is challenging due to the topography, lack of a street grid,
land use patterns that concentrate commercial activity in one area along the North Frontage
Road, and I-70 bisecting the community. This chapter summarizes the existing strengths of
West Vail’s transportation system and identifies challenges that could be addressed through
recommendations and policies.
ROADWAYS AND PARKING
I-70, which is managed by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), runs through Vail
and offers access to other communities throughout Eagle County, Denver to the east, and Grand
Junction and Utah to the west. The North and South Frontage Roads are the two arterials serving
the West Vail project area, providing connectivity to both Vail Village area and East Vail. The
Frontage Roads are managed by CDOT. Within West Vail, destinations are served by a network of
public and private local streets.
There is a significant amount of both public and private parking available in West Vail. Public
parking is available at Donovan Park (just outside of the project area) as well as along the North
Frontage Road. Private parking lots serve the West Vail Center businesses and multi-family
residences.
TRANSIT
There are three transit agencies providing service in West Vail—Vail Transit, ECO Transit, and
Bustang. Vail Transit offers service within the Town of Vail, ECO Transit offers service within the
Eagle County region and to Leadville, and Bustang (operated by CDOT) offers service between
Grand Junction and Denver. Ridership on Vail Transit varies seasonally, with the highest ridership
occurring during the winter months. Total ridership on Vail Transit routes that serve West Vail
declined approximately 16% from 2010 to 2019. Vail Transit’s West Vail Express route, operating
in the winter only, and connecting West Vail to Vail Village was introduced in late 2017; it now
accounts for approximately 4% of the system’s ridership and contributed to an increase in overall Vail Transit service in West Vail
Neighborhood street with striped shoulders to
accommodate people biking and walking
North Frontage Road roundabout
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90 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
ridership on routes serving West Vail in 2018. The West Vail Express route also accounts for a
large share of the ridership in West Vail; in 2019, 17% of joint West Vail routes (Local and Express)
ridership was on the West Vail Express route, up from 15% the previous year. This chapter offers
recommendations for adjusting transit service to better serve the needs of residents and visitors.
WALKING AND BICYCLING
West Vail community members walk and ride bicycles at a relatively high rate due to the
abundance of recreational opportunities in the area. However, the formal network of pedestrian
and bicycle facilities in the study area is limited. Sidewalk and multi-use path presence is mainly
limited to the Frontage Roads, with very limited sidewalk presence in residential areas due to
topography and maintenance challenges relating to snowfall. Sidewalks in the area vary from
8-foot-wide attached sidewalks (no buffer between the roadway and sidewalks) to 10-foot wide
detached sidewalks (buffer present between the roadway and sidewalk). A unique aspect of West
Vail is that facilities like the North Recreation Path (described in the following paragraph) serve as
both multi-use paths and sidewalks. The existing sidewalk system chiefly serves the commercial
businesses along the North Frontage Road, although there are limited sidewalk connections
between the North Frontage Road and the businesses themselves. Pedestrians are left to walk
through surface parking lots. A pedestrian connection is available between the North and South
Frontage Roads via an I-70 underpass at Chamonix Road. This underpass sidewalk is physically
separated from the roadway with a barrier.
Both pedestrians and bicyclists can access the Gore Valley Trail, which is a multi-use path running
along the South Frontage Road. The trail is a separated facility with some exceptions where it is on
the shoulder of a roadway. The Gore Valley Trail provides connections to the Vail Village area and
the Vail Pass Trail into Summit County to the east and the Eagle Valley Trail to the west. The North
Recreation Path is a multi-use path that connects the commercial core of West Vail with points to
the east and also connects to the Gore Valley Trail via the Chamonix Road underpass. The North
Recreation Path is separated from the roadway in most areas, with the exception of a segment
adjacent to the McDonald’s restaurant where it is an attached facility, and a ¼ mile segment east
of Buffehr Creek Road where the path is a 12-foot-wide marked shoulder.
Aside from the Gore Valley Trail and North Recreation Path, there are limited bicycling facilities.
The North and South Frontage Roads both have wide shoulders through the project area,
which are utilized by people bicycling, although the shoulders are not marked specifically for
bicycle usage. The wider shoulders were striped following a recommendation in the 2009 Vail
Transportation Master Plan.
Example of the limited pedestrian access to West
Vail Center from Chamonix Lane
Example of a sidewalk and ramp in need of repair
Location where the North Recreation Path
transitions to a wide shoulder
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91WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Figure 4.1: Existing Transportation Infrastructure
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92 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
LEVEL OF TRAFFIC STRESS (LTS) ANALYSIS
Figure 4.2: West Vail Pedestrian Level of Traffic Stress
LTS is a national best practice scoring system used to classify the comfort of specific bicycle
facilities. Scoring is from LTS 1 to LTS 4, with LTS 1 being comfortable, “low-stress” bicycling and
walking environments for those ages 8 to 80, and LTS 4 being places where bicycling and walking
is very uncomfortable or even impossible, with limited or no accommodations for people walking
or bicycling. Facilities with LTS 1 and 2 scores are considered low-stress facilities, while LTS 3 and
4 facilities are considered high-stress. Scores are based on characteristics like number of travel
lanes, vehicle speeds, and bicycle/pedestrian facility types. Given the unique blend of travel
facilities in the West Vail project area, the project team adapted and customized this methodology
to create LTS scoring tables that reflect the nuances of bicycle and pedestrian travel in West Vail.
The project team conducted a bicycle and
pedestrian comfort analysis using the Level
of Traffic Stress (LTS) framework to better
understand multimodal travel in West Vail.
LTS is a methodology based on national
research and best practices for measuring
both bicycle and pedestrian comfort. The
original LTS guidance provided a framework
for evaluating bicycle facilities that was
adapted to pedestrian facilities based on the
National Association of City Transportation
Officials (NACTO) Urban Streets Guide and
safety research, as well as research from the
American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials (AASHTO).1
1. Original LTS guidance: Network Connectivity for Low-Stress
Bicycling (Mekuria, Furth, Nixon, 2012)
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93WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Figure 4.3: West Vail Biking Level of Traffic Stress
Modifications to the traditional scoring system for West Vail reflected that on-street pedestrian
travel may be comfortable on local roadways that do not have separated facilities and that steeper
segments may dictate that some paths of travel will be high-stress for certain users or may pose
more challenging travel conditions during winter.
The LTS analysis found that while bicyclists can generally access destinations throughout West Vail
on low-stress travel facilities, pedestrian travel is more limited due to a lack of comfortable east-
west sidewalks and paths and high vehicle speeds (Figure 4.2 and Figure 4.3). Additionally, both
bicyclists and pedestrians experience north-south travel barriers due to limited opportunities for
crossing I-70.
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94 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
The project team evaluated the accessibility
of key destinations in West Vail to bicyclists
and pedestrians traveling on exclusively low-
stress facilities. The travelshed analysis sought
to determine whether different destination
types can be reached within a 20-minute low-
stress bicycling or walking trip. 20-minutes
was determined based on West Vail’s goal for
creating a neighborhood where residents can
access of their most basic, day to day needs
within a 20-minute walk or bike ride.
Figure 4.4: West Vail Center 20-minute walkshed
Figure 4.4 shows the travelshed for a 20-minute walk from the commercial core of West Vail. This
showed that the limited connectivity between the north and south sides of I-70 present a barrier
to pedestrian travel, thus informing recommendations around studying a bicycle/pedestrian
grade separated crossing of I-70. Additionally, pedestrians can travel comfortably on the multi-use
paths but have limited access to residential neighborhoods. The dedicated pedestrian facilities
leading from West Vail Center north to Chamonix Lane are important connections for residences
along Chamonix Lane. Otherwise, pedestrian connectivity within the commercial core is chiefly
restricted to walking trips between businesses.
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95WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Figure 4.5: Parks 20-minute walkshed
Figure 4.5 shows the walkshed around parks, finding that Donovan Park (which is just outside the
study area), Ellefson Park, and Buffehr Creek Park all have good connectivity to the immediate
surrounding neighborhoods. Ellefson Park is accessible to residents of Cortina Lane and Davos
Trail, while Buffehr Creek Park is accessible to residents of the Chamonix Lane neighborhood as
well as to visitors of West Vail Center. Donovan Park is well served by the Gore Valley Trail.
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TRAFFIC SAFETY
Of the 209 crashes reported in West Vail from 2017 to the first quarter
of 2020, 72% have occurred in six locations. Of the crashes occurring at
these six high-crash locations, 59% were recorded outside of the three
gas stations in West Vail. This suggests that traffic volumes and access
into and out of the gas stations create a number of conflicts and safety
concerns. In addition, the gas stations are located in close proximity
to the I-70 eastbound and westbound ramps at the Chamonix Road
roundabouts, where traffic volumes and speeds are relatively high
compared to the rest of the project area.
EXISTING CONDITIONS SUMMARY
Despite having a small footprint, West Vail offers a multimodal system
that serves a range of users, with some key gaps that can create a
barrier to travel. The existing conditions analysis of the transportation
system yielded the following key findings that influence the
recommendations:
• Transit ridership on Vail Transit routes serving West Vail has declined
over the past 10 years, with ridership on West Vail Red, Green, and
Express routes decreasing each winter season. This decline has
occurred over a time period when overall ridership on Vail Transit has
increased.
• While the Gore Valley Trail is a high-comfort, separated bicycle
and pedestrian facility connecting active transportation users to
destinations both east and west of the project area, there are limited
on-street bicycle facilities that are comfortable for recreational
bicyclists. The presence of sidewalks throughout the project area is
also limited.
• Preliminary analysis of traffic crash data from 2017 to 2020 showed
that 72% of crashes in West Vail occur at six locations, and that the
roadway segments immediately adjacent to the three gas stations
represent the top three crash sites. This suggests that there may be
access management challenges which can be addressed through
implementation of the 2009 Access Management Plan.
Crashes in West Vail vs. Town of Vail (2017-2019)
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97WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
COMMUNITY PRIORITIES
West Vail community members were asked about transportation
throughout the public engagement process. Specific touchpoints
included many Advisory Committee meetings, a community survey, an
August 2020 focus group, a September 2020 Open House event, and two
workshop sessions that took place in December 2020. In addition, the
project team routinely met with Town Staff for targeted conversations
about topics like traffic calming treatments or transit service.
Some of the top issues that consistently emerged during outreach were
concerns about a perception of speeding vehicles, a desire to have more
opportunities for walking and bicycling around the community, and a
need to have multiple transportation mode options for traveling to and
within West Vail Center.
Some key themes emerged from the community engagement efforts
that inform this chapter’s recommendations:
• Workshop participants were generally in favor of recommendations
that would add connectivity for people walking and bicycling while
also maintaining existing vehicle circulation. For example, participants
expressed that traffic calming in the form of striped shoulders would
be received more favorably than vertical treatments like speed humps.
• Participants were concerned with maintaining community character.
While there was general agreement that additional lighting
was needed in certain areas to make walking at night feel more
comfortable, there was also a sentiment that any additional lighting
should be compatible with the community priority of preserving dark
skies.
• While speeding routinely emerged during previous outreach activities
as an area of concern, some workshop participants suggested that
speeding may be a perceived problem, rather than a pervasive issue.
• Workshop participants expressed enthusiasm for recommendations
that would support the adoption of more sustainable travel options
like riding transit, using e-bikes, or driving electric vehicles.
Appendix B includes more detailed documentation of all the public
engagement efforts conducted during the planning process.
WHY CHANGE?
The transportation network in West Vail has the potential to shape the
community and move towards its goals of sustainability and sense of
place. By creating a community where residents, visitors, and employees
of all ages and abilities can comfortably and conveniently travel by all
modes, West Vail will become a vibrant and inclusive neighborhood.
There are currently a number of barriers to traveling in West Vail that
inform decisions about where, when, and how people run errands,
choose to live and work, and raise their families. By implementing
infrastructure and programs that shift towards a community where
you can travel by all modes to conveniently access grocery stores, Vail
Mountain Resort, parks, and bus stops, the social capital and economy
grows.
By growing the network for biking and walking, users can be healthy
and active, reduce reliance on the automobile, make more spontaneous
trips, and enhance the reputation for recreation that Vail holds.
By improving the transit system through improved access to bus stops,
continual assessment of routes, and integration with regional transit,
living car-free becomes an increasingly viable option. This makes West
Vail more affordable, reduces congestion and parking demand, and
increases the diversity of West Vail residents and employees.
By ensuring that the vehicle network and parking is convenient and
efficient, West Vail ensures that travelers can access businesses and
travel locally and regionally.
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98 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
GOALS FOR MOBILITY IN WEST VAIL1Bicycling and walking trips throughout West Vail are
comfortable and convenient due to new infrastructure
and other enhancements.
Currently, West Vail has relatively limited bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure, particularly off the Frontage Roads. Adding
infrastructure throughout the community can make existing
trips more comfortable and encourage people to ride a bicycle
or walk more frequently. Key elements of implementing this
goal include formalizing walking paths, creating a pedestrian-
oriented environment in the commercial area, pedestrian scale
lighting, and developing a connected network of bicycle and
pedestrian facilities.
2 Driving and parking in West Vail is efficient and
supportive of new and emerging technologies (i.e.,
electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles). Emergency access
remains efficient through West Vail.
Driving is and will continue to be a primary mode of travel in and
to West Vail. It is important that the driving infrastructure and
emergency access remains efficient and supports the reduction
of congestions and emissions where possible. Key strategies
to implement this goal include managing vehicle access along
the Frontage Roads, managing parking, and supporting electric
vehicles.
3 Create a pedestrian-friendly and inviting
environment on the North Frontage Road that
contributes to the transformation of the commercial
area into West Vail Center.
The North Frontage Road is part of a 300-yard expanse
of concrete that contributes to high vehicle speeds and
an unfriendly environment for pedestrians. Modifications
to the roadway, along with street-facing commercial
development, could create an inviting, pedestrian-friendly
environment. Possible modifications include a road diet,
enhanced crossings, access management changes, traffic
calming, and noise impact mitigation.
4 Transit is user-friendly and connects with key
destinations in the Vail Valley and beyond.
Use of transit helps reduce the vehicle miles traveled and
can ease parking and congestion challenges in the Town.
From West Vail, transit can provide vehicle-free access
to employment, recreation, and other key destinations
and activities in the Town of Vail and the Eagle Valley.
Use of transit in West Vail has declined in recent years,
and enhancements that support greater convenience and
promotion of the service are important.
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99WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
5 Residents and visitors are informed of the many
alternatives to driving and the Town actively collects
data to implement new programs and policies.
The Town of Vail, as part of its sustainability efforts, aims to
reduce environmental impact of transportation by decreasing
the vehicle miles traveled by commuters and guests. For
West Vail, it is important to both raise the awareness of the
alternatives the Town has already put in place, collect data
on existing levels of use, and develop new opportunities and
alternatives.
RECOMMENDATIONS
A set of recommendations for improving transportation in West Vail
were developed based on community input and on existing conditions
analysis findings. The following set of recommendations are divided into
five categories: bicycle and pedestrian connections, access management
for the Frontage Roads, transit improvements, parking, and policies and
programs. Opportunities within each category are described in detail.
Recommendations are shown in Table 4.1.
North Recreation Path
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100 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Figure 4.6: Proposed Transportation and Mobility Projects
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101WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Table 4.1: West Vail Master Plan Transportation Projects
PROJECT CODE
(shown on map)
PROJECT CATEGORY LOCATION DESCRIPTION
1
Bicycle,
pedestrian
North Frontage
Road at Buffehr
Creek Road
Upgrade striped shoulder to a protected facility (see Figure 4.18) by adding bollards
and a two-foot wide painted buffer where the North Recreation Path transitions to an
on-street facility east of Buffehr Creek Road. This project should be implemented in the
short-term prior to Project #12. Continue plastic bollards to the intersection of Buffehr
Creek Road in order to prevent vehicles from using the path as a right turn lane. The
North Recreation Path crossing of Buffehr Creek Road should be marked with green-
backed skip striping and W11-1 signage (MUTCD)2 with the addition of an arrow (W16-
7P).
2
Transit, bicycle,
pedestrian
North Frontage
Road & Safeway
Implement a mobility hub - this could include shared micromobility (scooters, bikes),
interactive information kiosk, bike parking, real time arrival information, e-charging
stations, and enhanced wayfinding.
3
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Chamonix Lane,
behind City
Market
Add ADA-compliant pedestrian access between Chamonix Lane and West Vail Center
4
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Roundabout on
North Frontage
Road
Add flashing beacons, marked crossings, curb ramps, and widened sidewalks to enhance
pedestrian comfort at all crossing locations adjacent to the North Frontage Road
roundabout. In addition, a sign should be added at the westbound off-ramp alerting
drivers to the path crossing.
Wayfinding signage directing bicyclists and pedestrians to utilize the multi-use path on
the east side of the I-70 undercrossing should also be added. Widen the sidewalk on
the northwest side of the roundabout to create a more comfortable environment for
pedestrians, especially for those with mobility challenges.
5
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Chamonix Lane Add signage, pedestrian-scale lighting, and widen painted shoulders from 2’ to 4’ to
promote slower driving speeds while enhancing bicycle and pedestrian comfort.
2. Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
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102 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Table 4.1: West Vail Master Plan Transportation Projects (continued)
PROJECT CODE
(shown on map)
PROJECT CATEGORY LOCATION DESCRIPTION
6
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Buffehr Creek
Road
Add additional signage, pedestrian-scale lighting, and painted shoulders to promote
slower driving speeds while enhancing bicycle and pedestrian comfort.
7
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Gore Creek Drive Add signage and pedestrian-scale lighting to promote slower driving speeds while
enhancing bicycle and pedestrian comfort.
8
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Alpine Drive Add signage, pedestrian-scale lighting, and painted shoulders to promote slower driving
speeds while enhancing bicycle and pedestrian comfort.
9
Bicycle South Frontage
Road (west of
roundabout)
Add bicycle signage to Gore Creek Trail on South Frontage Road west of the roundabout
including green-backed skip striping at crossing and adding W11-1 signage (MUTCD) with
the addition of an arrow (W16-7P).
10
Bicycle,
pedestrian,
transit
South Frontage
Road @ Conoco
Station
Short-term: Paint continuation of the Gore Valley Trail across driveways at the Conoco
station.
Long-term: Extend island to abut the South Frontage Road so path travels through island
and bus boards closer to South Frontage Road. Implement turn restrictions for both
driveways as noted in the Access Management Plan.
11
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Bicycle and
Pedestrian
Grade Separated
Crossing of I-70
Preliminary location for I-70 bicycle and pedestrian grade separated crossing. Requires
further study to determine under or over crossing and to consider cost, weather,
personal safety, ease of use, ADA access, and feasibility.
12
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Extend North
Frontage Road
multi-use path
east of Buffehr
Creek Road
Upgrade wide shoulder to multi-use path (already proposed with new hotel
development)
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103WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Table 4.1: West Vail Master Plan Transportation Projects (continued)
PROJECT CODE
(shown on map)
PROJECT CATEGORY LOCATION DESCRIPTION
13
Bicycle,
pedestrian
Chamonix Road Widen and extend the multi-use path/wide sidewalk that is already planned on the east
side of the road. The planned path should be enhanced to ensure a minimum width of
eight feet. The path should also extend continuously between the North Frontage Road
and Chamonix Lane.
Add bicycle shared lane markings (sharrows) on the Chamonix Road southbound lane
and add signage on the path to denote that only bicyclists traveling northbound should
use the path and that pedestrian travel is bi-directional.
14
Bicycle,
pedestrian
I-70 Underpass Restrict bicycle use on the west side underpass. Add signage to direct people biking to
use the east side of the underpass.
15
Bicycle,
pedestrian
North Frontage
Road
Implement a road diet to remove continuous turn lanes based on access management
recommendations; reallocate right-of-way based on proposed scenarios in Figures 4.12-
4.15.
16
Bicycle,
pedestrian
North Frontage
Road between
Chamonix Lane
(southwest) and
roundabout
Add paved multi-use path (10'-12' wide) to increase connectivity for people walking and
biking and to the transit stop.
17
Access
management
North Frontage
Road and South
Frontage Road
Driveways
See Access Management Plan recommendations.
At each driveway of the West Vail Center, move the path crossing north, towards the
commercial businesses, so that vehicles can clear the path crossing prior to waiting for a
turning opportunity.
18
Bicycle,
pedestrian
North Frontage
Road and Buffehr
Creek Road
Add pedestrian-scale lighting to the North Frontage Road west of the roundabout and
along Buffehr Creek Road between the North Frontage Road and Lions Ridge Loop.
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104 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS
As noted in the Existing Conditions analysis, despite having high levels of bicycle and pedestrian travel in the community, West Vail does not currently
offer a connected network of comfortable, or low-stress, walking and bicycling facilities. Through the community engagement and infrastructure
analysis process, the project team identified a set of recommendations for creating a more comfortable and connected network that will allow
users to travel throughout the community by foot or bicycle more easily. This section profiles both the types of infrastructure treatments that would
advance multimodal connectivity while also describing locations where these treatments should be deployed.
Traffic Calming
When discussing walking and bicycling in the community, public outreach participants cited a lack of separation from vehicle traffic and high
vehicle speeds as a common barrier or challenge of multimodal travel. While vehicle speeds can contribute to discomfort for people walking and
bicycling, a recent traffic speed study conducted by the Town of Vail does not suggest that vehicle speeds on neighborhood streets are sufficiently
high to present a consistent speed-related concern. Further study is needed to understand the level to which vehicle speeds pose a safety issue for
pedestrians and bicyclists. The programmatic recommendations portion of this plan details potential next steps for the Town of Vail to assess vehicle
speeds on an on-going basis.
Regardless of actual travel speeds, the overwhelming discomfort felt by people walking and bicycling calls for traffic calming treatments that result
in more awareness from drivers of the presence of other modes. The Town of Vail will pursue traffic calming on neighborhood streets in West Vail by
exploring implementation of pedestrian-scale lighting, signage, and striping that delineates a designated shoulder for people walking and bicycling.
Pedestrian-scale Lighting Project 18
Community members identified poor lighting as one of the main barriers to feeling safe during
non-daylight hour walking and bicycling trips. Specific locations with a lack of lighting noted
during public outreach include Buffehr Creek Road and the segment of the North Frontage Road
west of the roundabout. Community members also cited a need to maintain low lighting, in
order to minimize light pollution, as a community priority. To maintain a view of night skies while
enhancing night-time walking comfort, the Town of Vail will install pedestrian-scale lighting.
Example of pedestrian-scale lighting (source:
Schreder lighting)
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105WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Signage Projects 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 13 14
Enhanced signage presents an additional
opportunity for the Town to foster an
environment in West Vail that is more
conducive to comfortable walking and
bicycling trips. Installing signs that alert
drivers to the presence of pedestrians and
bicyclists serves as reminder to be vigilant.
Signage should be prevalent throughout
the community and installed using the
requirements listed in Chapter 2 of the Manual
on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD),
2009 edition.
The MUTCD stipulates that signs should be on
dedicated posts, should be outside the clear zone
(the area on the side of the roadway where vehicles can pull over in the event of an emergency), should be optimized for night-time visibility, should
minimize the effects of mud splatter and debris, should not be positioned so as to obscure other signs, should not obscure the sight distance to
approaching vehicles on the major street for drivers who are stopped on minor-street approaches, and should not be hidden from view. Sign location
and spacing should be calculated according to driver Perception-Response Time (PRT). PRT is a function of distance and vehicle speed; for West Vail,
where most residential streets have vehicles traveling 20-25 mph, signs should be placed a minimum of 100 feet before locations where pedestrians
and bicyclists join the roadway. Subsequent sign spacing intervals should be determined based on PRT, which can be calculated using the MUTCD3.
Signs should be placed at key locations where there is a high presence of people walking and biking. Per the MUTCD, warning signs alerting drivers
to the presence of non-motorized travelers should be yellow with a black border. When a sign is placed ahead of a crossing it should also feature a
supplemental plaque denoting the distance to the crossing. The proliferation of unnecessary signage should be avoided.
3. MUTCD, Section 2C.05 Placement of Warning Signs (2009)
Non-vehicular warning signs (Source: MUTCD)
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106 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Pedestrian Facilities
Additional pedestrian facilities can greatly contribute to a sense of
comfort during walking trips. As noted in the Existing Conditions, West
Vail generally has limited presence of sidewalks outside of the dedicated
multi-use paths and a segment of Chamonix Lane. Opportunities to
add additional sidewalks on the residential streets in West Vail may
be limited due to cost constraints or the existing right-of-way not
being sufficiently wide to accommodate both vehicle travel lanes and
sidewalks.
However, striped shoulders, like the example shown below on Chamonix
Lane, are a treatment that has proven popular in the community. These
striped shoulders provide a designated space for walking at a low cost.
They also visually narrow the roadway, slowing vehicle speeds. Striped
shoulders can be implemented on any roadway in West Vail where
there is sufficient width for both a striped shoulder and two-way vehicle
travel. An example of a roadway cross section with striped shoulders is
shown in Figure 4.7. On more narrow roadways, striping can be added
to one side of the street. Although this striped shoulder is not wide
enough to meet the AASHTO requirements for a bike lane, this shoulder
can still provide a designated space for people bicycling that is more
comfortable than sharing the travel lane with vehicles.
Vertical Traffic Calming Treatments
Speed humps, or speed tables, were assessed as a potential treatment.
According to NACTO, “speed humps are parabolic vertical traffic
calming devices intended to slow traffic speeds on low volume, low
speed roads. Speed humps are 3–4 inches high and 12–14 feet wide,
with a ramp length of 3–6 feet, depending on target speed.” At this
time, speed humps were not determined to be a feasible tool in West
Vail due to the potential for impacting emergency vehicle response
time and for impeding operations of maintenance equipment. While
this type of traffic calming measure was not deemed appropriate as
part of the West Vail Master Plan, the Town of Vail should collaborate
with peer communities that are currently utilizing this treatment, like
Breckenridge, to learn more about outcomes and how to potentially
implement speed humps while limiting impacts to emergency vehicles
and snow removal in the future.
Example of striped shoulders on Chamonix Lane
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107WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Priority Corridors for Multimodal and Traffic Calming Enhancements Projects 5 6 7 8
Chamonix Lane, Gore Creek Road, Buffehr Creek Road, and Alpine Drive were identified as high priority corridors for traffic calming during the
outreach and analysis process due to their higher vehicle volume and higher demand for walking and bicycling. Traffic calming enhancements should
be implemented on these roadways first. While the traffic calming elements described previously can each be deployed independently, these priority
roadways should implement the full set of traffic calming measures (striping, signage, and lighting) in order to become more comfortable travel
facilities for pedestrians and bicyclists. A rendering of a priority corridor is shown in Figure 4.7. Additional local roadways can also be evaluated for
feasibility of this set of traffic calming enhancements.
4’
Buffer
4’
Buffer
18’
Drive Lane
Figure 4.7: Illustration of Multimodal and Traffic Calming Enhancements
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108 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
In addition, Chamonix Road is a critical connection for community
members traveling from the North Frontage Road into the residential
areas in the northern section of West Vail in the area from Ellefson
Park to Buffehr Creek Road. There is a six-foot sidewalk planned for the
eastern side of the roadway, extending from the rear of the Highline
Doubletree Hotel, joining Chamonix Road across from Lower Traverse
Way, and extending approximately 250 feet north to Chamonix Lane
where the proposed sidewalk would be narrowed to five feet wide
and would follow Chamonix Lane for approximately 300 feet. This
planned sidewalk should be augmented by building a multi-use path
with a minimum width of eight feet and extending the facility south to
connect with the North Recreation Path at the North Frontage Road
roundabout (Project #13). Since there is insufficient space available for
a multi-use path that can accommodate bidirectional travel for bicyclists
and pedestrians, the path should serve bidirectional traffic for people
walking but only northbound bicyclists, with southbound bicyclists using
the bike lane, as shown conceptually in Figure 4.8.
Signage should be installed to convey this traffic pattern. Given the
grade of the roadway, southbound bicyclists will be traveling at a faster
speed and should share the southbound travel lane on Chamonix Road
with vehicles. Sharrow markings will be added to the southbound travel
lane to alert drivers that the travel lane is a shared facility with people
biking.
Completing Existing Projects 9 16 Multi-use Paths
The recreation path system through the Town of Vail is immensely
popular and provides bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities
the opportunity to enjoy multimodal travel on a dedicated right of way.
However, the Gore Valley Trail and North Recreation Path should be
further enhanced by extension into additional areas of the community.
The North Recreation Path could extend west of the roundabout to
serve as a parallel travel facility to Chamonix Lane, provide access
to the residential areas and trailhead in the western portion of the
community, and to provide more comfortable access to the bus stop at
the intersection of Chamonix Lane and North Frontage Road (Project
#16). This portion of the North Recreation Path would also serve as
a pedestrian facility for individuals traveling to or from the on-street
parking available on this segment of the North Frontage Road.
The Gore Valley Trail currently serves as a separated facility for people
bicycling and walking parallel to the South Frontage Road. However,
west of the roundabout the Trail terminates as the South Frontage
Road and users are required to travel on the South Frontage Road until
the trail resumes a dedicated right of way west of Kinnickinnick Road
(Project #9). The South Frontage Road has a wide shoulder but is not
comfortable for many users given the high vehicle speeds and volumes.
It is recommended to either extend the Gore Valley Trail west of the
roundabout or implement more comfortable bicycle and pedestrian
facilities on the South Frontage Road through treatments like bicycle
lanes, wide striped shoulders, or additional sidewalks. The crossing
from the current terminus of the path to the westbound lane of the
South Frontage Road, just west of the traffic circle, should be striped
with green thermoplastic pavement markings to denote the path
continuation for bicyclists. This should also include W11-1 signage (the
MUTCD designation for a bicycle sign) to alert drivers that people on
bicycle will be crossing the roadway. This path extension would enhance
connectivity between West Vail and destinations like Stephens Park.
Figure 4.8: Illustration of a One-Way Bicycle Facility
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109WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Figure 4.9: North Frontage Road - Existing Cross Section (at Safeway Driveway, Eastbound)
North Frontage Road Diet Project 15
The North Frontage Road currently has one travel lane in each direction.
However, due to the high volume of vehicles turning into and out of the
commercial driveways for the West Vail Mall, there are left and right
turn deceleration and acceleration lanes along the corridor between
the roundabout and Buffehr Creek Road. The existing cross section of
the North Frontage Road is shown in Figure 4.9. These turn lanes create
the perception that the North Frontage Road is four lanes wide, which
results in higher vehicle speeds and uncomfortable conditions for people
walking or bicycling along or across the North Frontage Road.
This plan recommends restrictions in access to driveways along the
North Frontage Road, which results in the removal of acceleration
and deceleration turn lanes at those locations. This allows for
implementation of a road diet, which is the reallocation of right-of-
way from vehicle travel/turn lanes to other uses like bicycle lanes or a
landscaped median.
CDOT manages the North Frontage Road and requires turning lanes in
locations where the volume of vehicles making a left or right turn during
the peak hour exceeds certain thresholds. Given both the intensity of
development programmed for the West Vail Center (detailed in
Chapter 2) and the need to accommodate regional shopping trips
with a high supply of on-site parking, it is unlikely that the need for
deceleration turn lanes where access points are located will decrease
over time. Therefore, anywhere there is a driveway with right turn
access, a right turn lane will be needed and anywhere there is left turn
access, a left turn lane will be needed. However, acceleration lanes are
not required and turn lanes can be removed in locations where access
points are closing or left turn movements are restricted. This plan
recommends that the Town of Vail update the 2009 Access Management
Plan to either close access points or restrict left turns into and out of
certain access points in order to alleviate the need for auxiliary lanes.
These access recommendations are expanded in greater detail in the
following section (project #17).
The additional roadway space gained from removing turn lanes could
be reallocated to develop a roadway cross section that enhances
access for users of all modes while also creating a more inviting and
aesthetically pleasing environment. It is proposed that part of the
right-of-way be dedicated to a raised center median with landscaping.
This median would serve to both visually narrow the vehicle travel lanes,
which would have a traffic calming effect, while creating a visual buffer
between I-70 and West Vail Center. The road diet should be studied
further in light of potential increases in vehicle trips associated with the
redevelopment of West Vail Center. At the next phase of design, further
study will be required to assess impacts to emergency services and snow
removal.
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110 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Potential scenarios of cross sections for the North Frontage Road following the road diet
implementation are shown in Figure 4.10, Figure 4.11, and Figure 4.12. By removing the eastbound
left turn lane, the existing striped buffer next to the eastbound parking lane can serve as a bicycle
lane through the corridor. In locations where the westbound right turn lane is removed due to
closure of an access, a protected bicycle lane can be added. Alternatively, the additional right-of-
way gained by removal of a westbound right turn lane could be utilized for on-street parking. In all
alternatives, the curb-to-curb width remains consistent to the existing conditions.
Figure 4.11 shows a similar cross section to
Figure 4.10 except at a mid-block location
without a right turn lane, where there is no
right turn access present. The additional right-
of-way allows space for a wider bike lane,
buffer, and landscaped median. This cross
section is preferred at mid-block locations.
9’Multiuse Path 6’Sidewalk10’Planting Strip 10’Turn Lane 11’Drive Lane 11’Drive Lane
5’BikeLane
5’BikeLane
8’ParkingLane
5.5’Raised Median2.5’Buffer 2.5’Buffer 2.5’Buffer
9’Multiuse Path 6’Sidewalk10’Planting Strip 12’Drive Lane 12’Drive Lane12’Raised Median
6’BikeLane
5’BikeLane
8’BikeLane
3’Buffer 2.5’Buffer 2.5’Buffer
Figure 4.11: North Frontage Road Cross Section: Eastbound and Westbound Buffered Bike
Lanes with no Right Turn
Figure 4.10: North Frontage Road Cross Section: Eastbound and Westbound
Buffered Bike Lanes with Right Turn
Figure 4.10 shows a location where there is a
right turn pocket and a buffered bike lane in
both the eastbound and westbound directions.
The buffered bike lane is located between
the travel lane and parked lane. This requires
additional width of a second buffer but may
be more intuitive for bicyclists and reduce
conflicts with users entering and existing
parked vehicles. This cross section is preferred
at locations that require a turn lane.
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111WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
9’Multiuse Path 6’Sidewalk10’Planting Strip 10’Parking Lane 11’Drive Lane 9’Parking Lane
6’BikeLane
3’Buffer11’Drive Lane 12’Raised Median2’
Buffer
Figure 4.12: North Frontage Road Cross Section: Eastbound Buffered Bike Lanes with
On-Street Parking Both Sides
Figure 4.12 shows a cross section option at
a mid-block location where there is no right
turn lane required. This shows parking on
both sides of North Frontage Road and a
parking protected bike lane just eastbound.
Westbound bicyclists are expected to ride on
the multi-use path on the north side of the
roadway. The parking protected bike lane
offers additional protection from moving traffic
by using the parking as a buffer. This scenario
may experience more pedestrian conflicts, as
users travel to or from their parked vehicle.
Concern was voiced by Advisory Committee members that snow currently impedes travel in two
of the four travel lanes on the North Frontage Road. The need for snow storage along the North
Frontage Road while maintaining uninterrupted movement of all modes is a complicating factor,
but there are both design and programmatic strategies that can be used to address this challenge.
For example, the Town could adopt a policy that on-street parking is prohibited during major
snow events and the parking lane could be utilized for temporary snow storage. Alternatively,
the median could be designed to accommodate snow storage by featuring a rollover curb with
a landscaped bed. Snow can be stored between the travel lane and the landscaping, or atop
landscaping that is latent in the winter months.
In addition to snow storage, sufficient space must be allocated for accommodating movement
adjacent to parked vehicles. With the presence of North Frontage Road on-street parking, a
sufficient buffer between parked vehicles and traffic should be provided to ensure open vehicle
doors do not pose a hazard and that people exiting vehicles on the driver’s side have sufficient
space to maneuver. An additional consideration prior to implementation is emergency vehicle
response time. Further study will be needed to examine any potential impacts on response times
for fire engines, ambulances, or any other emergency vehicles that must utilize the corridor.
The North Frontage Road has the opportunity to become a comfortable multimodal route for
West Vail and the road diet plays a key role in the reimagining of this critical local and regional
travel facility.
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Crossings
To improve the safety of crossings for pedestrians and bicyclists, it is recommended that enhanced crossings be added at several locations where
pedestrians currently experience uncomfortable conditions.
West Vail Center Driveways Project 17
Vehicles seeking to turn out of the West Vail Center driveways are forced to block the North Recreation Path crossings in order to provide the
necessary sightline to find a gap in traffic to exit the driveway. It is recommended that the path crossing at each driveway be moved north, towards
the commercial businesses, so that vehicles can clear the path crossing prior to waiting for a turning opportunity. The path crossings should be kept
clear using signage alerting drivers to the path crossing, paving or painting treatments that delineate the path from the driveway (such as green
paint or brick pavers), a vertical treatment that raises the path crossing above the driveway maintaining the grade of the path, or a combination of all
three. The recommended path crossing treatment is shown in Figure 4.13.
Figure 4.13: North Recreation Path Crossing at City Market Driveway
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113WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Buffehr Creek Road and North Frontage Road intersection
Example of a wide shoulder protected by bollards
Buffehr Creek Road at North Frontage Road Project 1
The crossing of Buffehr Creek Road for pedestrians and bicyclists
traveling on the North Recreation Path can be hazardous due to
westbound vehicles entering the widened shoulder to make right-turn
movements onto Buffehr Creek Road as shown here. This issue can
be addressed through the installation of bollards along the shoulder
that would prevent vehicles from utilizing the facility as a turn lane.
The bollards should be placed inside of a two-foot wide painted buffer
to add additional separation between vehicles and path users. These
bollards should extend further east than the intersection, as shown
here, as an interim treatment to provide vertical protection on the
section of trail that is a wide shoulder. In the long-term, this section of
shoulder should be upgraded to a trail. Additional signage increasing
driver awareness of the on-street bicycle facility should also be installed.
In addition, green thermoplastic pavement markings can be added in
between the white lines of the crosswalk to delineate the crosswalk as a
path of travel for bicyclists.
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114 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Mid-block North Frontage Road Crossing Project 12
The current mid-block pedestrian crossing at the bus stop on North
Frontage Road is uncomfortable for pedestrians, given the speed and
volume of vehicles. The multimodal travel improvements and transit
enhancements recommended in this chapter may increase the demand
for pedestrian crossings on the North Frontage Road even further. It is
recommended that an enhanced crossing treatment like a Rectangular
Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) (shown here) be installed on the North
Frontage Road between the existing bus stops. RRFBs are currently
in place at the existing roundabout crossings, so there is already
community familiarity with this type of crossing device. Given the
proposed changes to the cross section of North Frontage Road, further
study of the volume and speed on the roadway should be conducted to
confirm the appropriate crossing treatment. Town of Vail can reference
the City and County of Denver’s Uncontrolled Pedestrian Crossing
Guidelines4 to understand how vehicle volume and speed will impact
pedestrian crossing treatments.
4. https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/705/documents/guidelines/PWES-
015.0-Uncontrolled_Pedestrian_Crossing_Guidelines.pdf
Example of an enhanced crosswalk with a RRFB
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115WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Roundabout at the Simba Run underpass
Roundabouts Projects 4 14
During community outreach, community members shared that crossing
the roundabouts as a pedestrian or bicyclist is difficult under existing
conditions. It is recommended that additional signage and lighting be
installed at the roundabouts to both alert drivers to the presence of
bicyclists and pedestrians and to inform active transportation users of
vehicles exiting I-70. Each leg of the roundabout should have an RRFB
installed, similar to that which is on the northeast leg of the roundabout
currently. The sidewalk on the northwest side of the roundabout should
also be widened to at least six feet. To control the flow of active users
crossing at the roundabouts, the western side of the I-70 underpass
should be open to pedestrians only. By restricting bicycle travel to the
eastern crossing, drivers will encounter bicyclists on only one side of
the roundabout and pedestrians will enjoy the full right of way on the
western crossing. Signage should be added to alert people biking to use
the eastern side of the underpass.
The new roundabout east of the study area provides an example of an
intersection treatment that serves all users. The roundabout has only
one travel lane in each direction, which can help calm vehicle speeds
and provide a more comfortable experience for those navigating the
roundabout by bicycle or walking (shown here).
While the North Frontage Road roundabout pedestrian crossings have
RRFB signals, Town staff expressed concern that the pedestrian signals
were being underutilized. Signage encouraging pedestrians to request
the crossing lights should be installed to aid in the education of users.
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Formalizing Desire Lines Project 3
Pedestrians in West Vail will sometimes take informal paths that serve
as direct connections to their destination; these paths are created
over time by pedestrians taking the shortest connection. These paths
are not recognized by the Town of Vail and are not compliant with
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These paths demonstrate
there is a community need for more direct walking paths. In order to
make these pathways more accessible to community members of all
ages and abilities, it is recommended the Town surface three of these
paths with either pavement or crusher fines that would allow travelers
using wheelchairs, baby strollers, or other devices to also enjoy these
additional pedestrian connections. Two of the proposed formalized
paths enhance pedestrian access to the West Vail Center by providing
an accessible path from Chamonix Lane to the center. The third
recommended connection provides access between Garmisch Drive and
Chamonix Lane, providing enhanced connectivity for people walking
and biking.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Crossing of I-70 Project 11
I-70 presents a major barrier for pedestrians and bicyclists seeking to
connect between the northern and southern portions of West Vail.
There is community support for additional infrastructure that would
connect the two sides of the community and allow for non-motorized
crossings in between the two existing underpasses to help minimize
out of direction travel. A grade separated, overcrossing would require
further study to determine feasibility and an appropriate location. The
picture to the right shows an example of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge
Portland, OR to provide inspiration for what a potential I-70 crossing
could look like. It is recommended the Town of Vail further study the
opportunity to meet this transportation need.
The Town of Vail can also consider a larger capital project to connect
both sides of West Vail. “Highway capping,” the practice of building over
an interstate highway to create room for new community assets like Rendering of a proposed pedestrian Blumenauer Bridge, City of Portland, OR
Example of pedestrian desire line between Chamonix Lane and the North
Frontage Road businesses
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117WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Before and after - highway capping project in Dallas, TX (source: Klyde Warren Park)
parks, lower-speed surface streets, or development, is becoming popular
in heavily urbanized areas (shown below). As a significant regional
destination and a growing community, the Town of Vail can explore the
opportunity of putting a cap over I-70 in order to create new space in an
otherwise geographically constrained setting, eliminate the barrier that
is currently challenging community cohesiveness, expand the walk and
bikeshed of West Vail by improving connectivity, and to create a more
welcoming environment for both residents and visitors.
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Access Management Project 3
The 2009 Vail Transportation Master Plan featured an Access
Management Plan that has not yet been fully implemented. The West
Vail Master Plan updates the 2009 Access Management Plan to support
implementation of the recommended road diet for the North Frontage
Road and to improve conditions at a key crossing of the Gore Valley Trail
along the South Frontage Road.
Figure 4.14 displays the update to the 2009 Access Management
Plan as it pertains to the North Frontage Road. The key modifications
include addition of a roundabout at the driveway that currently serves
Safeway and to no longer add a driveway adjacent to the bus stop. This
roundabout would have mountable curbs to support emergency vehicle
Figure 4.14: Proposed Modifications to the 2009 Access Management Plan
movements during periods of congestion. The access plan will evolve
as new development occurs and the recommendations for West Vail
Center discussed in Chapter 2 are implemented. Circulation impacts
from any new roundabout, including implications for emergency vehicle
response time, should be assessed prior to design and construction.
For example, if/when the existing parking structure adjacent to City
Market is redeveloped, the driveway serving that parking structure
will be converted to a right-in/right-out access point and the driveway
immediately to the west will become a full movement access point. The
driveway closure for access point 2 shown in Figure 4.14 is contingent
on future redevelopment. The Town of Vail should implement the
updates to the 2009 Access Management Plan in the near-term in order
to facilitate the North Frontage Road road diet and complement the
redevelopment of West Vail Center.
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119WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Figure 4.15: Proposed Access Management for South Frontage Road Gas Station Driveways
Along the South Frontage Road, the gas station east of the roundabout
currently has two full access driveways. The 2009 Access Management
Plan proposed that the western driveway shown in Figure 4.25 remain
full access while the eastern driveway be converted to ¾ access once
the gas station is redeveloped. However, the Gore Valley Trail crosses
both driveways and there is an ECO Transit stop located in between
the two driveways so it is recommended that access restrictions be
put in place in the near-term, prior to redevelopment, to ensure trail
users and transit riders can access this location. As shown in Figure
4.15, it is recommended that the driveways be converted to one-way,
with the western driveway serving vehicles entering the gas station
and the eastern driveway serving vehicles that are exiting. It is also
recommended that the driveway access be narrowed and the curb
radii tightened (Project #10). This will slow down turning vehicles and
reduce the size of the conflict area between turning vehicles and people
walking and biking on the South Frontage Road sidewalk. Lastly, the
island between the two driveways should be extended north, as shown
in the gray box in Figure 4.15. This still allows space for the bus to pick
up passengers at that stop outside of the South Frontage Road right-of-
way, but reduces the amount of pavement and conflict area between
vehicles and people walking and biking.
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120 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
TRANSIT
There are several recommendations and
associated strategies the Town of Vail and
Vail Transit should consider for maintaining
existing ridership, looking for opportunities
to attract new riders, better leveraging
resources, and adapting for the future.
These recommendations are summarized
in Table 4.2. The following section profiles
a mobility hub that will be implemented
at the West Vail Center along with four
recommendations for improving transit
service. Additional recommendations that
impact transit are made in other sections
of this report. These include Transportation
Demand Management strategies and bicycle
and pedestrian connections that serve as
first and last mile solutions.
TRANSIT RECOMMENDATION CODE NAME DESCRIPTION
1
Annual Performance
Evaluation of
Current System
and Continuous
Improvement
Vail Transit can take on a performance
monitoring program to analyze ridership,
route productivity, and customer/
community feedback on an annual basis.
The results can help Vail Transit regularly
adjust service to best match needs.
2
ECO Transit Service
Integration
The opening of the Mobility Hub will likely
spur need for an additional ECO Transit
connection in West Vail. Vail Transit can
coordinate with ECO Transit to identify
opportunities for better aligning the two
services.
3
Consider a Ride-
Hailing Partnership
for Late Night Service
While Vail Transit currently does not offer
late night service due to the operating cost,
community members would value after
hours transportation service. A ride-hailing
partnership could fill that transportation
need at a relatively low cost.
4
Ongoing Bus Stop
Connectivity and
Access Improvement
Improving access to bus stops by adding
more shelters, bike racks, signage, adding
paved walkways leading to stops, and other
case-by-case treatments would enable
more community members to connect with
Vail Transit service.
5
Mobility Hub A Mobility Hub is a location for a bus
stop that includes other first last mile
connections and a comfortable, intuitive
place to connect for people traveling from
across the region.
Table 4.2: Summary of Transit Recommendations
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121WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Annual Performance Evaluation Project 1 of Current System and
Continuous Improvement
The introduction of the West Vail Express route is an example of how
Vail Transit has continually evaluated its routes and overall connectivity
to improve the rider experience. It is recommended that Vail Transit
continue to annually review each route, its performance (ridership
gain or loss year-over-year, route productivity, and seasonal variations),
and customer/community feedback received to identify possible route
adjustments and service level changes that may be necessary.
Some opportunities that may be worthy of future consideration include:
• Improved East Vail to West Vail connectivity (for example, without
having to make a transfer at the Vail Transportation Center)
• Ability to move more seamlessly between destinations on the south
and north sides of I-70 within West Vail
• Reconfiguration of routing in response to infrastructure and
development changes (e.g., the proposed mobility hub in West Vail)
ECO Transit Service Integration Project 2
ECO Transit service can be more fully integrated into West Vail, possibly
adjusting routing to the Valley Route to connect to Vail Transit bus stops
on the North Frontage Road. Although largely out of the control of Vail
Transit and dependent on ECO Transit’s ability to make this change,
which would impact ECO Transit operationally, this recommendation
will become especially important as the proposed North Frontage Road
mobility hub is built. Having ECO Transit make a stop at the proposed
mobility hub will be critical for overall regional transit connectivity.
The Town of Vail and Vail Transit should discuss this need with ECO
Transit and work towards a mutual agreement on how this connectivity
could be achieved and how negative impacts will be mitigated.
ECO Transit service in West Vail
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122 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
Consider a Ride Hailing Partnership Project 3
for Late Night Service
Another opportunity area is late night service (trips after 9:00 PM),
when West Vail travel patterns change to more variable needs.
An option to consider for replacing at least a portion of West Vail
fixed route bus service could be a ride hailing partnership with a
transportation network company (TNC) such as Uber or Lyft. Vail Transit
may find that ride hailing could better serve some of the West Vail late
night transportation needs by creating a flexible model where riders
are picked up and dropped off according to individual needs, while still
allowing for the possibility for trips to group multiple passengers.
Ongoing Bus Stop Connectivity Project 4
and Access Improvement
Vail Transit can improve the rider experience by continuing to make
incremental bus stop infrastructure improvements, such as sidewalk/
pathway connectivity, bus shelters, bike racks, bus pullouts, and
passenger loading/unloading pads. Safety, accessibility, and user
comfort all benefit from these investments and should be included
in the Town of Vail’s ongoing capital improvement plan. This chapter
includes a number of recommendations that will improve first and last
mile connections for people biking and walking to transit including a
proposed mobility hub.
A part of this recommendation is potentially adding new stops or
moving existing stops as transit rider needs and land use changes within
West Vail. One example of this is the potential need for a new bus stop
opposite of the existing West Vail Fire Station bus stop; this request was
made as a part of the outreach effort of this plan (Figure 4.16). A new
stop would eliminate riders having to spend time to go the opposite
direction of their likely desired travel destination when getting on at the
West Vail Fire Station. Further study should be completed to understand
the costs and benefits of this new stop.
Figure 4.16: Proposed West Vail Fire Station Bus Stop
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123WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
Mobility Hub Project 5
As discussed in Chapter 2, a mobility hub
located at the West Vail Center would
allow users to switch seamlessly between
transportation modes and be less reliant on
a vehicle. The mobility hub could include a
structure similar to the existing Lionshead
Transportation Center (shown here) with
dynamic real time displays showing bus
arrival information, a kiosk that both provides
trip planning resources and offers travelers
an opportunity to purchase coffee or food
items, power outlets, and wireless internet.
In addition, the mobility hub could host a bike
share station, secure bicycle storage, charging
stations for electric bicycles, and a designated
area for ride share loading and unloading
(Figure 4.17).
Figure 4.28: Lionshead Transportation Center
Figure 4.17: Illustration of West Vail Center Transit Mobility Hub
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124 CHAPTER 4: TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
The infrastructure enhancements described in this chapter can meet
the goals of the West Vail Master Plan if they are supported by a
policy framework that helps to guide plan implementation. Table
4.3 summarizes the transportation policies and programs being
recommended for West Vail. These range from parking management
policies to recommendations on how best to prepare West Vail for the
growing prevalence of electric vehicles.
Parking Policy Recommendation 1
1.1 - Shared Parking
The Town of Vail zoning regulations currently require varying numbers
of parking spaces for commercial businesses based on the type of
establishment. For example, eating and drinking establishments are
required to have 1.0 space per 250 square feet of seating floor area and
retail stores are required to have 2.3 spaces per 1,000 square feet of net
floor area. The Town also provides credits for multiple use, or shared,
parking facilities. Shared parking facilities are parking areas that serve
multiple businesses; this is especially effective when businesses have
complementary peak demand times. Shared parking facilities receive a
2.5 percent reduction in parking spaces when the shared parking facility
has 101-200 spaces, and the reduction increases by 2.5 percent for
every 100 vehicle increment up to 1,000 or more spaces, or a 25 percent
reduction.
The West Vail Center, as described in Chapter 2, will provide ample
shared parking to businesses. It will also be connected both locally and
regionally by high quality bicycle and pedestrian connections along with
a mobility hub for transit riders. Since West Vail Center will integrate
into a multimodal transportation network, it is recommended the Town
allow additional multiple use parking credits to ensure that while parking
be made available, West Vail Center will also be a destination that
community members can reach by foot, bicycle, or bus.
1.2 - Parking Minimum Reductions
In addition to the multiple use parking credits the Town offers for
multiple land uses sharing a parking facility, it is also recommended the
Town provide additional reductions for shared parking facilities that are
located adjacent to a transit stop or served by the low-stress bicycle
network. Development located adjacent to multimodal facilities will have
fewer patrons arriving be private vehicle and thus requiring parking. By
lowering the amount of parking required, the Town can reduce the cost
of additional development while helping to promote active travel modes.
1.3 - Oversize Vehicle Parking
The Town of Vail determined in early 2021 that the Children’s Garden
of Learning will be temporarily relocated from its current site to the
Charter Bus Lot on the South Frontage Road. This relocation causes a
need for oversize vehicles to park elsewhere in the community. Per a
study conducted by the Town in January 2021, it was determined that a
temporary location for oversize vehicle parking could be along the North
Frontage Road either west of the West Vail Fire Station or across from
City Market. Both locations would conflict with the recommendations
of the West Vail Master Plan and are likely not suitable long-term
solutions. At the time the West Vail Master Plan was being finalized,
the Town was examining multiple locations throughout the community
to store oversize vehicles with the goal of offering a variety of oversize
vehicle parking options rather than concentrating that type of parking
in a single location. As the Town begins to implement the transportation
recommendations of this Master Plan, care should be taken not to locate
permanent oversize vehicle parking in any location where those vehicles
may present a conflict with the existing or new bicycle and pedestrian
infrastructure.
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POLICY CODE NAME DESCRIPTION
1 Parking
Revisiting the Town of Vail’s maintenance policy to consider prioritizing snow removal on travel facilities
utilized by bicyclists and pedestrians can help make multimodal transportation a more reliable travel option
throughout the year. This policy can be accomplished through acquisition of specialized equipment.
2 Maintenance
Electric vehicles are increasingly common but rural communities have lower adoption rates due to a lack
of charging infrastructure. The Town of Vail can encourage greater usage of electric vehicles by residents
and visitors through provision of public charging stations throughout the community. Autonomous vehicles,
while not yet prevalent, carry significant implications for transportation that the Town of Vail can proactively
address through policies that would manage autonomous vehicle flows and ensure their operations can
integrate into existing mobility patterns as smoothly as possible.
3 Technology
The Town of Vail can enact a municipal-level Transportation Demand Management program that incentivizes
people to travel by foot, bicycle, transit, or shared vehicle rides whenever possible. Incentives can include a
robust marketing campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of multimodal travel or a parking cash-out
program that provides a monetary award to businesses that commit to not utilize their full parking allotment.
4
Transportation
Demand
Management
Improving access to bus stops by adding more shelters, bike racks, signage, adding paved walkways leading
to stops, and other case-by-case treatments would enable more community members to connect with Vail
Transit service.
5 Bikeshare
Building on the successful bike sharing pilot that the Town of Vail operated in 2020, the Town can adopt a
permanent bikeshare program to facilitate bicycle travel between popular destinations within the community.
The full program should include hubs in neighborhoods or at local parks to further support bike mobility.
6 Wayfinding
It is recommended the Town of Vail expand upon its existing wayfinding signage program by installing
additional signage in locations where new multimodal infrastructure is added and to add bicycle and walking
travel time information onto existing and new signs. The proliferation of unnecessary signage should be
avoided.
7 Data Collection
To help understand transportation network performance over time, the Town of Vail should implement an
extensive data collection program that would facilitate performance tracking. Metrics like transit ridership,
vehicle speeds, and bicycle/pedestrian volumes will inform whether how well the transportation network is
serving users of all modes and will also support decision-making on prioritizing implementation of proposed
transportation projects.
Table 4.3: Summary of Policy Areas and Supporting Programs
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Maintenance Policy Recommendation 2
One of the chief barriers to walking and bicycling in West Vail that
community members identified is the frequency of snow events in the
winter. The Town currently plows streets and multi-use paths based
on a priority system, with the Frontage Roads and roundabouts being
top priority and residential streets being a lower priority, followed
by sidewalks and multi-use paths as the lowest priority. The priority
system is intended to designate routes that must be plowed by 8:00 am
following a snow event (top priority) and routes that must be plowed
no later than 9:30 am (lowest priority). While the interval is not long,
snow concerns that are not addressed by morning commute time will
limit options for walking or bicycling trips. Procurement of additional
specialized equipment for plowing sidewalks, proposed separated
bicycle facilities and multi-use paths may allow the Town to maintain
those facilities concurrently with top priority facilities, which would
allow community members more travel options during winter weather
events.
Technology Policy Recommendation 3
3.1 - Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicles (EV) are a growing share of the overall vehicle fleet due
to a combination of factors, including regulatory and financial incentives
that encourage production and use, a growing number of auto
manufacturers offering EV options, and consumer preferences that are
shifting towards more environmentally sustainable travel modes. While
EVs bring community benefits, with lower levels of noise and tailpipe
emissions, the technology can be more difficult to adopt in rural
communities where driving trips tend to be longer and where cold
weather may impact battery performance. To better accommodate EV
integration, the Town of Vail can provide both on-street and off-street
EV charging stations as well as incentives and requirements for provision
of EV charging stations and infrastructure by developers. For example,
EV charging stations could be installed as part of the West Vail Center
redevelopment.
3.2 - Autonomous Vehicles
While not yet widely available, West Vail has an opportunity to begin
planning for Autonomous vehicles (AVs) to ensure the community is
able to maximize the benefits of this new technology while minimizing
potential downsides. While AVs can potentially open new travel
opportunities for community members who do not drive, decrease
parking demand, and potentially reduce traffic collisions, there may
also be some drawbacks. Research on travel behaviors suggests that
AVs may increase overall travel demand while decreasing transit usage.
To preempt some of the potentially negative impacts, the Town can
take measures such as: proactively installing sensing technology to help
manage vehicle flows; updating parking requirements and building
standards to reflect a potentially lower need for parking as well as
modifying parking facility designs to accommodate driverless vehicles
and establishing a program for integrating any shared AV services (e.g.
autonomous Uber or Lyft vehicles) with the future mobility hub to ensure
travelers have the opportunity to easily connect with transit service.
Electric vehicle charging station in Vail
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Transportation Policy Recommendation 4
Demand Management
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) is a set of strategies and
policies for incentivizing people to travel by means other than driving
alone. Instead of providing additional transportation supply, TDM
identifies barriers to using existing but under-utilized transportation
options and provides tools for overcoming those barriers. For example,
community members might utilize transit at a lower rate because they
are unaware their local bus route serves a significant shopping center. A
marketing campaign about local transit service is a low-cost intervention
that may shift some vehicle trips onto existing bus service. The Town of
Vail can look to TDM as a tool for encouraging community members to
utilize the expanded multimodal facilities and additional transit service
that may emerge as a result of the West Vail Master Plan.
Successful TDM programs are multifaceted. For instance, the Town can
pair marketing campaigns about the benefits of transit service with a
parking supply management program like encouraging property owners
to lease parking spaces separately from dwelling units in order to
disincentivize vehicle ownership. To ensure West Vail is a place where
non-vehicle owners can have an uncompromised experience of the
community, the Town will have to deploy diverse TDM strategies in
tandem with one another.
Bike Share Policy Recommendation 5
The Town of Vail enjoyed a successful bike share pilot in the summer of
2020. Riders logged over 900 miles of travel in the first four weeks of
the pilot, which exceeded projections. West Vail had three bike share
stations located at Ellefson Park, the bus stop adjacent to the West
Vail Mall, and at Donovan Park (just outside of the project area of this
Plan). The popularity of the program suggests there is a community
need for additional transportation options and bike share is effective
for facilitating short-distance travel that is environmentally friendly and
does not represent a disproportionately high cost burden for the Town.
It is recommended that the Town make bike share a permanent option
for the warm weather months and that additional station locations
be evaluated throughout West Vail. Bike share stations can be funded
through Town subsidies or private development and user fees can help
offset operating costs.
Bike share pilot in Vail
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Wayfinding Policy Recommendation 6
In order to make West Vail a more multimodal community, the Town
should expand the current existing wayfinding signage program
(example shown below) to locations in West Vail where additional
multimodal enhancements are proposed. For example, the additional
shoulder striping proposed for Chamonix Lane, Gore Creek Road,
Buffehr Creek Road, and Alpine Drive may induce additional walking and
bicycling trips; wayfinding signage should be visible throughout these
corridors. In addition to expanding the presence of signage, the Town
should also consider adding walking and bicycling travel time to help
multimodal users better plan their travel.
Example of existing wayfinding signage in West Vail
Data Collection Policy Recommendation 7
To facilitate future transportation planning efforts, the Town of Vail
should implement a data collection and performance tracking system.
Data on factors like 85th percentile vehicle speeds, traffic volumes on
key roadways, bicycle and pedestrian counts, and transit ridership by
stop can be used to identify travel patterns in West Vail and enable the
Town to respond to shifts in travel demand. In addition, a data collection
program will position the Town to understand the breadth of mobility
issues more fully. For example, while vehicle speeds were cited as a
concern during the outreach process, data from a recent speed study
suggested vehicles travel at speeds close to the posted speed limit on
most West Vail roadways. However, the speed study represented a
limited number of observations; conducting speed studies at regular
intervals will allow staff to monitor roadway safety conditions and
proactively respond based on trends that emerge.
Table 4.4 shows some of the metrics that the Town of Vail can track
along with the benefits of tracking each metric. The Town of Vail can use
traditional infrared equipment to collect vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian
counts. In addition, the Town can leverage new Big Data sources that
utilize anonymously tracked cell phone GPS data to identify origins and
destinations as well as travel routes. Utilizing Big Data would allow the
Town to develop a data tracking process that relies less on physical
infrastructure, and thus data can be collected more regularly.
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Table 4.4: Proposed Metrics for Transportation Performance Tracking in West Vail
METRIC TRACKING BENEFIT
Vehicle Volumes
(Average Annual Daily Traffic and
peak hour turning movement counts)
Gaining a better understanding of traffic volumes through West Vail to help determine where capacity
issues may exist.
Vehicle Speeds
Conducting speed studies at regular intervals can help the Town understand if there are particular
locations where enforcement or traffic calming measures are needed. Speed studies can be targeted to
certain corridors. 85th percentile speed will also inform the appropriate bicycle and pedestrian facilities
to ensure people of all ages and abilities feel comfortable walking and biking.
On-Street Parking Occupancy
and Duration
As the West Vail Center redevelops, there may be additional demand for on-street parking on the North
Frontage Road. Regularly studying parking occupancy and duration will allow the community to make
informed decisions about whether additional parking regulations are needed to help manage the supply
of on-street parking spaces.
Bicycle Counts and Pedestrian Counts
Anecdotally, the multi-use paths traveling through West Vail are utilized at a high rate. Tracking counts of
pedestrians and bicyclists on the paths, as well as other multimodal facilities in the community, can help
the Town better understand travel behavior, which in turn will inform the understanding of mode share.
This will also assess if the pedestrian volume threshold for mid-block pedestrian crossings is met.
Transit Ridership by Stop
Vail Transit is undertaking a transition to an Automated Passenger Counting system. This data can show
stop-level transit ridership in West Vail, which will help the community make decisions on scheduling
and service hours.
Mode Share for All Trips
While the Census Bureau reports mode share for work commute trips based on travel survey data,
communities like West Vail should not rely solely on Census mode share data because of the high rate
of recreation-related travel. Tracking and reporting mode share will help the Town identify whether
additional resources should be allocated to any particular travel mode.
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IMPLEMENTATION
Planning level cost estimates for the transportation infrastructure projects recommended in this chapter are shown in Table 4.5. The total
estimated cost of recommended projects is approximately $16.7 million. Given the significant recommended investment in transportation, phased
implementation can be pursued in order to help the Town of Vail adequately budget for these improvements over time.
The implementation phasing shown in Table 4.5 splits recommended projects into the short- (0-5 years), medium- (6-10 years), and long-terms
(10+ years).
PROJECT CODE PROJECT ELEMENTS PLANNING LEVEL COST ESTIMATE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
1 N Frontage Road @ Buffehr Creek
Road Buffered bicycle lane $ 44,000 Short term
2 N Frontage Road & Safeway Signage $ 332,000 Short term for crossing,
Long term for mobility hub
3 Chamonix Lane, behind City Market Enhanced Crossing $ 222,000 Medium term
4 Roundabout on North Frontage Road Mobility Hub $ 10,000 Short term
5 Chamonix Lane Enhanced Crossing $1,013,000 Short term
6 Buffehr Creek Road Multi-use path connections $ 3,000 Short term
7 Gore Creek Drive Signage $ 235,000 Short term
8 Alpine Drive
Shoulder striping,
Signage,
Lighting
$ 79,000 Short term
Table 4.5: Planning Level Cost Estimates and Phasing for Transportation Projects
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PROJECT CODE PROJECT ELEMENTS PLANNING LEVEL COST ESTIMATE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE
9 South Frontage Road (west of
roundabout)
Signs every 325 feet for 1,750
ft (2 sign types),
Enhanced crossing (280 sq ft)
$ 8,000 Short term
10 S Frontage Road @ Conoco Station Enhanced path crossing,
Loading island for bus stop $ 73,000
Short term for Gore Valley
Trail crossing,
Medium term for bus stop island
11 Bicycle and Pedestrian Grade
Separated Crossing of I-70 Bicycle and pedestrian bridge $5,850,000 Long term
12 Extend North Frontage Road multi-use
path east of Buffehr Creek Road Multi-use path extension $ 352,000 Long term
13 Chamonix Road
Multi-use path,
Signage,
Sharrow markings
$ 173,000 Medium term with hotel
redevelopment
14 I-70 Underpass Signage $ 1,000 Short term
15 North Frontage Road
Buffered bicycle lane,
Raised median,
Striping
$ 122,000 Medium term
16
North Frontage Road between
Chamonix Lane (southwest) and
roundabout
Multi-use path,
Pedestrian-scale lighting $ 560,000 Long term
17 North Frontage Road and South
Frontage Road Driveways
Signage,
Turning islands,
Striping
$7,552,000 Medium term
18 North Frontage Road and Buffehr
Creek Road Pedestrian-scale lighting $ 109,000 Short term
TOTAL COST OF IMPROVEMENTS $16,738,000
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FUNDING SOURCES
The following section summarizes outside funding sources the Town
of Vail could pursue in order to implement the transportation projects
recommended in this chapter. The list of funding sources shown here
is not exhaustive and is intended to supplement local spending on
transportation infrastructure improvements.
Federal
• Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP): Projects that
address safety issues on any local or regional public roads and trails
or paths can be eligible. The funded activities must be consistent with
Colorado’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan and projects are selected
competitively through CDOT. While many of the projects listed in this
chapter may have a safety benefit, especially for active transportation
users, further study would be needed in order to identify eligibility for
this funding source.
• USDOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and
Equity (RAISE) (formerly BUILD and TIGER): Since 2009, USDOT has
distributed grants for planning and capital investments in surface
transportation infrastructure. Grants are awarded on a competitive
basis for projects that will have a significant local or regional impact.
RAISE funding can support roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports, or
intermodal transportation.
• FTA §5311 Rural Area Formula Program: This program makes federal
resources available to rural areas for transit capital and operating
assistance. Rural areas are those areas with a population of less than
50,000 as designated by the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Surface Transportation Block Grants: The Surface Transportation
Block Grant program (STBG) provides flexible funding for projects to
preserve and improve the conditions and performance on any Federal-
aid highway, bridge and tunnel projects on any public road, pedestrian
and bicycle infrastructure, and transit capital projects, including
intercity bus terminals.
• Federal Stimulus: The West Vail Master Plan was developed during
a time when new federal stimulus became available to local
governments. The American Rescue Plan provides funding to support
transit, walking, and biking, particularly shovel-ready projects that
improve safety. In addition, a surface transportation reauthorization
bill – Build Back Better – is being developed in cooperation between
the Biden Administration and the 117th Congress. This surface
transportation bill promises to include funding support for local
multimodal transportation projects.
RAISE is the federal transportation bill passed in 2021
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State
• CDOT Funding Advancements for Surface Transportation and
Economic Recovery Act (FASTER): This category includes safety-related
projects, such as: asset management, transportation operations,
intersection and interchange improvements, shoulder and safety
related widening, and pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Projects are
advanced by local governments and selected based on priority and
data within CDOT Region 4.
• Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO): Funding from the Colorado Lottery
is awarded to a variety of project types, including trail projects, across
the state by the GOCO Board.
• Revitalizing Main Street Program: This program, operated under CDOT,
supports infrastructure projects that provide open spaces for mobility,
community activities, and economic development in the wake of the
COVID-19 emergency. These quick-win activities will improve safety
and create new community spaces to encourage healthy activity and
mobility in Colorado communities. Eligible projects encourage healthy
communities by creating more space for active travel through wider
sidewalks or reallocating vehicle travel lanes to bicycle lanes.
• Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP): Federal funds are allocated
by CDOT under TAP to transportation improvement projects that
expand travel choice, strengthen the local economy, improve quality
of life, and protect the environment.
Local
• Local Tax: Funds generated by sales, use, specific ownership, and
property taxes can be transferred to general funds or directed towards
capital projects. These can either be permanent or a local option tax
that is subject to voter approval.
• Transportation Utility Fees: Transportation utility fees are a financing
mechanism that treats the transportation system like a utility in
which residents and businesses pay fees based on their use of
the transportation system rather than taxes based on the value of
property they occupy. The fees are not subject to voter approval and
are based on the number of trips generated by different land uses.
They are enacted on property owners and renters alike, paid on an
ongoing monthly basis.
• Other funding options that could be considered with further analysis
are parking fees, transportation impact fees, and special assessments.
Great Outdoors Colorado funds many trail projects across the state
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INTRODUCTION
“The future West Vail is a complete neighborhood with increased housing
options for year-round residents, streets that support multiple modes of
transportation, and a vibrant, walkable destination where residents and
visitors can shop at local businesses and gather as a community. Though just
minutes from a world-class resort, West Vail retains the familiar, neighborly
character of a small mountain town.”
CHAPTER 5:IMPLEMENTATION
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IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS
This plan recommends that the Town deploy one of two pathways to
implementing the redevelopment of West Vail Center.
Special Development District
One pathway, a Special Development District (SDD), would be a new
district where an approved development plan would allow for uses on
the site different from the underlying zoning. Property owners would
voluntarily elect to participate in development planning and funding
and financing mechanisms through the SDD. This approach may allow
for more creativity, financial incentive to property owners, sharing of
costs, and public benefits to Town residents and property owners. In this
process the Town and the developer would work together to establish
the building heights, public spaces, unit mix, commercial spaces,
and other components. With a strong West Vail Master Plan guiding
the development decision, an SDD can have a transparent process
and bounds in which it is expected to perform. A SDD would not be
necessary to achieve Scenario 1.
Zoning Approach
The Town may also implement this plan through adopting a new zone
district or modifications to the existing CC3 zone district.
Scenario 1
For Scenario 1, simple modifications to CC3 would be required. The
allowable density would need to be changed from 12 units per
buildable acre to 18 units per buildable acre. Additionally, the
requirement that all housing units be EHUs would need to be modified
to allow for the new market-rate housing to incentivize redevelopment,
as depicted in the Scenario. Housing projects at less than 100% EHUs
should be considered. For additional detail about Scenario 1 zoning
recommendations, see the Zoning Recommendations section of
Chapter 2.
Scenarios 2 and 3
For Scenarios 2 and 3, a new zone district would reflect the design
principles and residential densities defined in Chapter 2. This option, the
new zone district, may result in a more predictable, faster development
process than the use of an SDD. However, the final product may have
less creativity in the design and there may be less cohesion as a result.
Under a zoning approach, the developer can build according to the zone
district’s regulations, as described in this plan, rather than the more
flexible but less predictable approach under an SDD.
Zoning updates must include requirements for housing types that
incentivize redevelopment while providing a strong supply of new
resident housing units. In commercial areas of Vail, inclusionary
zoning requires a minimum of 10 percent of new GRFA to be built as
EHUs. This plan recommends exceeding that minimum, with 50 to 75
percent of units as deed-restricted resident housing. Deed restrictions
should be structured within the Vail InDEED parameters: residency
and employment requirements but no income limits. The Town is also
considering a new housing mitigation fee program (linkage fees) to
replace inclusionary zoning at the time of this writing.
If a zoning approach is used, the following design considerations are
recommended to be followed:
• Allow more flexibility in how EHUs can be delivered in West Vail
Center, including flexibility in unit sizes, configurations, and parking
requirements.
• Allow slightly taller buildings so long as they provide public benefits
(i.e., sufficient resident housing) while maximizing protection of
viewsheds.
• Adopt and require design guidelines that add a layer of predictability
and ensure high design quality within West Vail Center.
Additional recommendations and guidelines for the updated zone
district can be found in the Zoning Recommendations section of
Chapter 2.
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TOWN PROPERTY AS CATALYST
The Town of Vail owns the land under Vail Commons, the eastern-most
parcel within West Vail Center. It was developed as a City Market grocery
store and the Vail Commons deed-restricted and employee housing
neighborhood. City Market leases the land from the Town and the lease
expires at the end of 2044 (49 years from 1996). The lease allows the
parties to renegotiate the lease terms upon expiration of the original
term; 4 years advanced notice are required. City Market has the right of
first refusal if the Town offers the property to another tenant at terms
more favorable than agreed to initially by City Market.
At any time however, the two parties could renegotiate the land lease to
allow redevelopment of or reinvestment in the property. The Town can
allow additional development density through zoning or a development
agreement to provide a financial incentive for redevelopment. The Town
can also continue to offer below market rent to the tenant. In a master
developer scenario, the lease could potentially be bought out to relocate
the store. With vision and leadership, the Town has options for being a
catalyst in West Vail Center by being proactive with this parcel.
Vail Commons
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FINANCING TOOLS
Colorado law allows several revenue generation and financing tools that
can be used to help pay for the elements of the redevelopment. Four
mechanisms recommended as most suitable for West Vail Center are
summarized below.
Business Improvement District
A business improvement district (BID) is a district-based quasi-public or
private agency governed by a board of directors that can be appointed
by the mayor, elected by the district, or assumed by an existing Urban
Renewal Authority (URA), Downtown Development Authority (DDA),
or General Improvement District (GID) board. BIDs are formed by
petition and election by a majority of non-residential property owners
to provide services such as planning, managing development activities,
promotion or marketing, business recruitment, and/or maintenance.
BIDs are generally operationally-focused and act as a type of manager
of a business district, focusing on maintenance, small capital projects,
and “clean and safe” types of activities. BIDs have the power to assess
costs of service to local property owners through either an additional
property tax (mill levy) or a special assessment charge. Examples in
Colorado include Downtown Boulder, Downtown Manitou Springs,
Downtown Grand Junction, and Cherry Creek North.
• Application: A BID could assist property owners in sharing costs to
implement Scenario 1. The BID could fund modest improvements
to parking circulation, snow removal, wayfinding and branding, and
similar activities. A GID described below could also be used.
Tax Increment Financing
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is authorized in URA plan districts
established by an URA which is statutorily authorized to remove and
prevent blight. The Vail Reinvestment Authority (VRA) is the Town’s
Urban Renewal Authority, formed in 2003 to assist with blight removal
and associated redevelopment activities in Lionshead. To form a URA,
the governing body of the municipality must identify four of eleven
factors of blight and that urban renewal activities are in the public
interest of regulating health, safety, welfare, and morals.
TIF works by directing incremental new tax revenue to the authority
to fund redevelopment projects and activities. Once the tax base has
been set as of a defined point in time, growth in assessed value (and
associated taxes) due to new development and market appreciation is
captured in the TIF area. TIF revenues can be bonded against or used to
reimburse costs as revenues accrue (pay as you go). Changes in Colorado
law in 2015 require the municipality initiating the TIF area to reach
agreements with other taxing entities if their mill levy is to be included
in the TIF. Prior to this change in legislation, URAs could unilaterally
pledge the new tax revenues from all taxing entities with a mill levy in
the affected area. To maximize the revenue potential, the Town and URA
would need to negotiate with other taxing entities.
The Town’s mill levy is 4.701 and Eagle County’s is 4.485 which generate
approximately $338 and $323 in property tax per $1.0 million of
assessed value as shown below. If all or a portion of the School District
mill levy of 24.069 is used, the potential TIF revenues and financing
potential would be much higher than if the Town only had access to the
funds in the Town mill levy. If resident housing is a significant portion of
the redevelopment, there may be a motivation for the School District to
participate to support housing for teachers and to grow enrollment from
local families.
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TAXING ENTITY RESIDENTIAL MARKET VALUE ASSESSMENT RATIO MILL LEVY
$ per $1,000 of Assessed Value
PROPERTY TAX
per $1.0M of Assessed Value
Town of Vail $1,000,000 7.20%4.701 $338
Eagle County $1,000,000 7.20%4.485 $323
School District $1,000,000 7.20%24.069 $1,733
Public Improvement Fee
A Public Improvement Fee (PIF) is a fee based on sales transactions
imposed by a development entity within its boundaries and used for
funding infrastructure improvements. The fee resembles a sales tax, but
it is an additional charge over and above the required state and local
sales taxes. In some cases, a PIF (implemented with a Town or County’s
involvement) replaces a portion of the local sales tax. This is referred to
as a credit PIF. These PIFs have most often been used on major regional
destination retail projects including Glenwood Meadows (Glenwood
Springs), Willits Town Center (Basalt), and Beaver Creek (retail sales
assessment).
The public pays a PIF as a percent of the value of a retail purchase or
transaction. PIF rates in Colorado (not including credit PIFs) are generally
in the 0.5 to 2.0 percent range. PIFs are a voluntary private contract that
can generate supplemental revenues for project-related infrastructure
without the requirement of an election.
• Application: A PIF could be applied to retail sales, including groceries,
in West Vail Center to assist with public improvement costs such
as structured parking and other infrastructure and placemaking
elements. The following table shows an example of how the retail
square footage of Scenario 3 generates revenue via a PIF.
RETAIL SQ. FT. SCENARIO 3 AVG. SALES PER SQ. FT.PERCENT TAXABLE SALES OR SPACE PIF ANNUAL REVENUE
185,000 $450 67%1.0%$558,000
Table 5.1: Mill Levy Potential Funding for TIF
Table 5.2: PIF Potential Revenue for Scenario 3
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General Improvement District
A general improvement district (GID) is a public infrastructure district
that applies an additional property tax or assessment to a specific
improvement area to pay for new public infrastructure (CRS 30-20-
501). GIDs can be used to fund any public improvement or service the
Town is authorized to undertake or provide. It is commonly used to
fund infrastructure facilities (such as roads, utilities, parking garages,
pedestrian improvements, and/or stormwater) in a defined district or
subarea shared by or serving multiple development projects.
A GID is initiated by petition of a majority of the owners of property
in the district. A GID can levy a property tax (additional mill levy) to
pay for the specified improvements. It can alternatively or additionally
levy an assessment which would allow for a varied fee structure based
on benefits. Revenues can be bonded against to pay for up-front
infrastructure costs.
A GID is a legal entity which is separate from the municipality, even
though Town Council can serve as the board of directors. As a GID is a
separate entity, a town or city is not responsible for the debts of the
district. The advantage of a GID over other types of special districts
such as Title 32 Metropolitan Districts is that the Vail Town Council can
serve as the Board of Directors for the GID and have direct oversight. In
contrast, metropolitan districts are often governed by board elected by
the property owner(s)/developer(s).
The GID can work in concert with the other tools listed above: TIF and
a PIF to combine the revenue sources to maximize the funding and
financing potential. A GID or other type of district financing tool is
recommended to be used in West Vail Center to assist with public costs
that support the plan’s vision and intent.
HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION
Chapter 3 outlines many recommendations for zoning changes, land use
code changes, and new policies and programs as they relate to housing.
As most of the recommendations in this chapter are regulation-based
and do not require capital investment, implementation can begin right
away with the Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC) and the
Town Council.
This plan recommends that the Zone District Recommendations (#1-4)
and the Town Code Recommendations (#1-6) are reviewed in detail by
the Planning and Environmental Commission (PEC) and submitted as a
package for adoption by Town Council. If recommended together, the
changes will act as an extension of implementing the West Vail Master
Plan and will have one public hearing process.
Alternatively, the PEC could submit the Code Recommendations first, as
they are less controversial and have more minor affects on development
and aesthetics in the neighborhoods than the zoning changes. This could
build momentum and support for the Zone District Recommendations to
come as a second package for adoption.
As for the recommended policies and programs, more research
and outreach are needed to understand the best approach to
implementation. Outreach to property owners will be key to
understanding the issues in more depth. What incentives property
owners would take to update their properties needs to be explored
further (#1). Short-term rental regulations (#2) have been a controversial
topic across Colorado especially in mountain communities. Fine-tuning
the right approach that works for West Vail will take targeted outreach
and analysis of how short-term rentals are affecting the long-term
housing market, hotels, and the sales price of homes. Allowing more
flexibility for Accessory Dwelling Units (#3) is straightforward, although
with small lots and not much developable land, these changes are
unlikely to have a big impact on new housing units.
Policy and Program Recommendations #4-7 will require collaboration
between the Planning Department and Housing Departments of
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141WEST VAIL MASTER PLAN
the Town of Vail. It is recommended that these departments meet
quarterly to discuss how they can collaborate on executing changes
that will further the implementation of this plan. For example, waiving
fees would be under the purview of the Planning Department, while
supporting Vail InDEED and furthering deed-restrictions would be under
the Housing Department. All of these policies further the housing goals
discussed in this plan.
TRANSPORTATION & MOBILITY IMPLEMENTATION
Successfully implementing the transportation elements of the
West Vail Master Plan over the next decade will require leadership,
partnership, and fiscally responsible budgeting. Chapter 4 identifies
the transportation infrastructure projects, transit services, policies,
and programs that are recommended in order to accomplish the
plan’s vision for West Vail. Table 4.5 identifies the priority phase for
each infrastructure project based on its ease of implementation, cost
estimate, community support, and importance in accomplishing the
established vision. The Town of Vail and its partners should work to
implement infrastructure projects based on the identified phasing.
Infrastructure projects in sum are expected to cost over $16 million;
therefore, strategically implementing projects over time will provide the
most benefit and incremental change.
The final section of Chapter 4 identifies a number of federal, state,
and local funding sources. These include a list of the current funding
sources and possible new external funding sources that the Town should
consider pursuing. A critical step in obtaining external grants is having a
Master Plan and project priorities that are supported by the community
and elected officials. Although projects are prioritized as a part of this
plan, this prioritization should maintain a level of flexibility. If a funding
source becomes available that is geared towards a certain project type
or location, the Town has the ability to modify the prioritization list
in order to leverage this opportunity. Although many smaller projects
are grouped in this plan as one project, the Town should consider the
phasing of projects, as appropriate. This means that projects can be
completed for part of the defined extent or only including part of project
description, if deemed appropriate. The desire to implement projects
in a phased approach may arise if there are opportunities through
partnerships, funding sources, repaving schedule, or changes in project
needs. Program and policy recommendations, as well as some transit
recommendations, do not require a capital investment and therefore
can be considered for implementation in the short-term.
Implementation of projects, programs and policies will require working
closely internally between departments (e.g. Public Works, Fire and
Emergency Services, Vail Transit, Vail Parking and Transportation Task
Force) and externally between partner agencies (e.g. Eagle County,
CDOT, ECO Transit, developers). The Town should continue to track the
metrics in Table 4.4 and conduct before and after studies to ensure that
this work is moving towards the goals and resulting in desired outcomes.
When implemented, the transportation recommendations holistically
will deliver the outcome described in the transportation vision and
goals.
Chamonix Lane bus stop
182
APPENDICES CONTENTS
APPENDIX A: PHASE 1 ANALYSES
APPENDIX A1 - LAND USE AND DESIGN ANALYSIS
APPENDIX A2 - EXISTING CONDITIONS INITIAL ASSESSMENT
DEMOGRAPHICS, HOUSING, ECONOMY
APPENDIX A3 - TRANSPORTATION EXISTING CONDITIONS
APPENDIX B: PUBLIC MEETING MATERIALS AND SUMMARIES
APPENDIX B1 - SEPTEMBER VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE PRESENTATION
APPENDIX B2 - WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS
APPENDIX B3 - DRAFT PLAN WEBINAR PRESENTATION
APPENDIX B4 - MEETING SUMMARY MEMORANDUMS
183
PEC Discussion Meetings
• June 13th, 2022
o Agenda Materials:
https://vail.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=176
89&MeetingID=1366
o Meeting Minutes:
https://vail.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?Attac
hmentID=18810&ItemID=17724
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-61322
• July 11th, 2022
o Agenda Materials:
https://vail.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/CoverSheet.aspx?ItemID=178
22&MeetingID=1367
o Meeting Minutes:
https://vail.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?Attac
hmentID=19103&ItemID=17907
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-71122
• August 8th, 2022
o Agenda Materials:
https://granicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/vailgov/3cbd
76f5516142ca4e642c9b6bbad4d40.html
o Meeting Minutes:
https://vailgov.granicus.com/services/minutes/reports/e1606c18-508c-
47d3-a6fb-efca85490fc8/attachment
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-882022
• October 24th, 2022
o Agenda Materials:
https://granicus_production_attachments.s3.amazonaws.com/vailgov/1ee
8cb0eed0bf541ae8a878fc62204060.html
o Meeting Minutes:
https://vailgov.granicus.com/services/minutes/reports/767089d8-b28c-
44ab-bbba-063393226787/attachment
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-
10242022
• December 12th, 2022
o Agenda Materials:
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/vailgov/3ad810c4-c007-11ec-a5da-
0050569183fa-af33d0a7-15c9-47e0-8792-de823332c71c-1670624880.pdf
184
o Meeting Minutes:
https://vailgov.granicus.com/services/minutes/reports/7c8d60c1-7a81-
4d3a-980d-e3cb2c41fcac/attachment
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-
12122022
• February 27th, 2023
o Agenda Materials:
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/vailgov/f9eaf009-a0dd-11ed-8145-
0050569183fa-af33d0a7-15c9-47e0-8792-de823332c71c-1677192712.pdf
o Meeting Minutes: https://legistarweb-
production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1817614/PEC_Re
sults_2-27-23.pdf
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-2272023
• March 27th, 2023
o Agenda Materials:
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/vailgov/74f1e99b-a0fb-11ed-8145-
0050569183fa-af33d0a7-15c9-47e0-8792-de823332c71c-1679611674.pdf
o Meeting Minutes: https://legistarweb-
production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1863204/PEC_Re
sults_3-27-23.pdf
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-3272023
• April 10th, 2023
o Agenda Materials:
https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/vailgov/907bcd49-a0fb-11ed-8145-
0050569183fa-81adea65-d31a-4968-b7dd-5917820b3881-
1680899375.pdf
o Meeting Minutes: https://legistarweb-
production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/1892775/PEC_Re
sults_4-10-23.pdf
o Meeting Video: https://www.highfivemedia.org/show/pec-meeting-4102023
185
Original Language Proposal (10/24/22)
ARTICLE 6K WEST VAIL MULTIPLE-FAMILY 1 (WVMF1) DISTRICT
SECTION:
12-6K-1: Purpose
12-6K-2: Permitted Uses
12-6K-3: Conditional Uses
12-6K-4: Accessory Uses
12-6K-5: Lot Area And Site Dimensions
12-6K-6: Setbacks
12-6K-7: Height
12-6K-8: Density Control
12-6K-9: Site Coverage
12-6K-10: Landscaping
12-6K-11: Parking
12-6K-1: PURPOSE:
The West Vail Multiple-Family 1 (WVMF1) district is intended to support sites for
single-family, two-family and multi-family dwellings in areas well connected to
transit that have an existing supply of multi-family residential dwellings. This
district will have densities between (9) and (18) dwelling units per acre. Deed
restrictions will ensure the maintenance of this district for year-round resident
housing. The WVMF1 district is intended to ensure adequate light, air, privacy
and open space for each dwelling, and to maintain the desirable residential
qualities of the zone district by establishing appropriate site development
standards.
12-6K-2: PERMITTED USES:
The following uses are permitted in the WVMF1 district:
(A) Employee housing, as further regulated by Chapter 13 of this Title;
(B) Multi-family residential dwellings, including attached or row dwellings and
condominium dwellings;
(C) Single-family residential dwellings; and
(D) Two-family residential dwellings.
12-6K-3: CONDITIONAL USES:
The following conditional uses are permitted in the WVMF1 district, subject to
issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with Chapter 16 of this Title:
(A) Bed and breakfasts, pursuant to Section 12-14-18; and
(B) Home child daycare facilities, pursuant to Section 12-14-12.
12-6K-4: ACCESSORY USES:
186
The following accessory uses are permitted in the WVMF1 district:
(A) Home occupations, subject to issuance of a home occupation permit
pursuant to Section 12-14-12;
(B) Private greenhouses, playhouses, attached garages or carports, swimming
pools, patios, or recreation facilities customarily incidental to multi-family
residential uses; and
(C) Other uses customarily incidental and accessory to permitted or
conditional uses, and necessary for the operation thereof.
12-6K-5: LOT AREA AND SITE DIMENSIONS:
(A) The minimum lot or site area shall be ten thousand (10,000) square feet of
lot area.
(B) Each site shall have a minimum frontage of thirty (30) feet.
12-6K-6: SETBACKS:
The minimum front setback shall be twenty (20) feet, the minimum side setback
shall be fifteen (15) feet, and the minimum rear setback shall be fifteen (15) feet.
12-6K-7: HEIGHT:
For a flat roof or mansard roof, the height of buildings shall not exceed thirty-five
(35) feet. For a sloping roof, the height of buildings shall not exceed thirty-eight
(38) feet.
12-6K-8: DENSITY CONTROL:
(A) Gross Residential Floor Area: Not more than forty-four (44) square feet of
gross residential floor area (GRFA) shall be permitted for each one hundred
(100) square feet of site area.
(B) Maximum density: eighteen (18) dwelling units per acre.
(C) Minimum density: nine (9) dwelling units per acre or the number of units
existing on the site on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this
Chapter.
(D) Redevelopment: Upon redevelopment, one (1) unit and fifty (50) percent of
all units in excess of nine (9) dwelling units per acre shall be required to be
deed restricted. Existing deed restrictions may not be used to satisfy this
requirement.
(1) If the required number of deed restricted units is a fraction of a unit
equal to or greater than one half (0.5), the number of deed
restrictions shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
(2) If the required number of deed restricted units is a fraction of a unit
less than one half (0.5), the number of deed restrictions shall be
rounded down to the next whole number.
(3) Exception. Redevelopment that results in a total of four (4) or fewer
units shall be required to record one (1) new deed restriction.
187
12-6K-9: SITE COVERAGE:
Site coverage shall not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total site area.
12-6K-10: LANDSCAPING:
At least forty (40) percent of each site shall be landscaped.
12-6K-11: PARKING:
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 10 of this Title.
ARTICLE 6L WEST VAIL MULTIPLE-FAMILY 2 (WVMF2) DISTRICT
SECTION:
12-6L-1: Purpose
12-6L-2: Permitted Uses
12-6L-3: Conditional Uses
12-6L-4: Accessory Uses
12-6L-5: Lot Area And Site Dimensions
12-6L-6: Setbacks
12-6L-7: Height
12-6L-8: Density Control
12-6L-9: Site Coverage
12-6L-10: Landscaping
12-6L-11: Parking
12-6L-1: PURPOSE:
The West Vail Multiple-Family 2 (WVMF2) district is intended to support sites for
single-family, two-family and multi-family dwellings in areas well connected to
transit that have an existing supply of multi-family residential dwellings. This
district will have densities between (6) and (12) dwelling units per acre. Deed
restrictions will ensure the maintenance of this district for year-round resident
housing. The WVMF2 district is intended to ensure adequate light, air, privacy
and open space for each dwelling, and to maintain the desirable residential
qualities of the zone district by establishing appropriate site development
standards.
12-6L-2: PERMITTED USES:
The following uses are permitted in the WVMF2 district:
(A) Employee housing, as further regulated by Chapter 13 of this Title;
(B) Multi-family residential dwellings, including attached or row dwellings and
condominium dwellings;
(C) Single-family residential dwellings; and
(D) Two-family residential dwellings.
188
12-6L-3: CONDITIONAL USES:
The following conditional uses are permitted in the WVMF2 district, subject to
issuance of a conditional use permit in accordance with Chapter 16 of this Title:
(A) Bed and breakfasts, pursuant to Section 12-14-18; and
(B) Home child daycare facilities, pursuant to Section 12-14-12.
12-6L-4: ACCESSORY USES:
The following accessory uses are permitted in the WVMF2 district:
(A) Home occupations, subject to issuance of a home occupation permit
pursuant to Section 12-14-12;
(B) Private greenhouses, playhouses, attached garages or carports, swimming
pools, patios, or recreation facilities customarily incidental to multi-family
residential uses; and
(C) Other uses customarily incidental and accessory to permitted or
conditional uses, and necessary for the operation thereof.
12-6L-5: LOT AREA AND SITE DIMENSIONS:
(A) The minimum lot or site area shall be ten thousand (10,000) square feet of
lot area.
(B) Each site shall have a minimum frontage of thirty (30) feet.
12-6L-6: SETBACKS:
The minimum front setback shall be twenty (20) feet, the minimum side setback
shall be fifteen (15) feet, and the minimum rear setback shall be fifteen (15) feet.
12-6L-7: HEIGHT:
For a flat roof or mansard roof, the height of buildings shall not exceed thirty-five
(35) feet. For a sloping roof, the height of buildings shall not exceed thirty-eight
(38) feet.
12-6L-8: DENSITY CONTROL:
(A) Gross Residential Floor Area: Not more than thirty-six (36) square feet of
gross residential floor area (GRFA) shall be permitted for each one hundred
(100) square feet of site area.
(B) Maximum density: twelve (12) dwelling units per acre
(C) Minimum density: six (6) dwelling units per acre.
(D) Redevelopment: Upon Redevelopment one (1) unit and fifty (50) percent of
all units in excess of six (6) dwelling units per acre shall be required to be
deed restricted. Existing deed restrictions may not be used to satisfy this
requirement.
189
(a) If the required number of deed restricted units is a fraction of a unit
equal to or greater than one half (0.5), the number of deed
restrictions shall be rounded up to the next whole number.
(b) If the required number of deed restricted units is a fraction of a unit
less than one half (0.5), the number of deed restrictions shall be
rounded down to the next whole number.
(c) Exception. Redevelopment that results in a total of four (4) or fewer
units shall be required to record one (1) new deed restriction.
12-6L-9: SITE COVERAGE:
Site coverage shall not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total site area.
12-6L-10: LANDSCAPING:
At least forty (40) percent of each site shall be landscaped.
12-6L-11: PARKING:
Off-street parking shall be provided in accordance with Chapter 10 of this Title.
12-10-10 PARKING REQUIREMENTS SCHEDULES
(B) Schedule B applies to all properties outside Vail’s “Commercial Core Areas” (as
defined on the Town of Vail Core Area parking maps I and II, incorporated by reference
and available for inspection in the office of the Town Clerk), except the West Vail
Multiple-Family 1 and West Vail Multiple-Family 2 zone districts:
(C) Schedule C applies to all properties in the West Vail Multiple-Family 1 and
West Vail Multiple-Family 2 zone districts.
Multi-family dwellings
If the gross residential floor area is 663 square feet or less 1 space
If the gross residential floor area is more than 663 square feet, but less than
2,000 square feet
1.5
spaces
If the gross residential floor area is 2,000 square feet or more 2 spaces
Single-family and Two-family dwellings
If the gross residential floor area is less than 2,000 square feet 2 spaces
If the gross residential floor area is 2,000 square feet or more, but less than 3 spaces
190
4,000 square feet
If the gross residential floor area is 4,000 square feet or more 4 spaces
191
Recommended Language (4/10/23)
ARTICLE 6K: WEST VAIL MULTI-FAMILY (WVMF) OVERLAY DISTRICT
12-6K-1 PURPOSE.
The West Vail Multi-Family (WVMF) overlay district is intended to
provide employee housing in new or redeveloped multi-family
dwellings in areas well-connected to transit. It is also intended to
provide flexibility from certain development standards in order to
accommodate redevelopment with employee housing.
12-6K-2 APPLICABILITY.
(A) The WVMF district shall only apply to property located within
the project boundary of the West Vail Master Plan.
(B) As an overlay district, the WVMF district shall supplement, but
not replace, the underlying zone district. In the case of a conflict
between the underlying zone district regulations and this Article, this
Article shall control. Where this Article is silent, the underlying zone
district regulations and any other applicable requirements of this
Code shall apply.
(C) The WVMF district shall only apply after a rezoning is approved
in accordance with § 12-3-7.
12-6K-3 PERMITTED USES.
The following uses are permitted in the WVMF district:
(1) Employee housing, as further regulated by Chapter 13 of
this Title; and
(2) Multi-family residential dwellings, including without
limitation attached dwellings and row dwellings.
12-6K-4 CONDITIONAL USES.
The following conditional uses are permitted in the WVMF district,
subject to issuance of a conditional use permit pursuant to Chapter
16 of this Title:
(1) Bed and breakfasts as further regulated by § 12-14-18;
and
(2) Home child daycare facilities as further regulated by § 12-
14-12.
12-6K-5 ACCESSORY USES.
The following accessory uses are permitted in the WVMF district:
(1) Home occupations, subject to issuance of a home
occupation permit pursuant to § 12-14-12;
192
(2) Private greenhouses, playhouses, attached garages and
carports, swimming pools, patios, and recreation facilities
customarily incidental to multi-family residential uses; and
(3) Other uses customarily incidental and accessory to
permitted or conditional uses, and necessary for the operation
thereof.
12-6K-6 LOT AREA AND SITE DIMENSIONS.
(A) The minimum lot size shall be ten thousand (10,000) square feet.
(B) Each lot shall have a minimum frontage of thirty (30) feet.
12-6K-7 SETBACKS.
The minimum front setback shall be twenty (20) feet, the minimum side
setback shall be fifteen (15) feet, and the minimum rear setback shall
be fifteen (15) feet.
12-6K-8 HEIGHT.
For a flat roof or mansard roof, the height of buildings shall not exceed
thirty-five (35) feet. For a sloping roof, the height of buildings shall
not exceed thirty-eight (38) feet.
12-6K-9 DENSITY CONTROL.
(A) Gross residential floor area shall not exceed forty-six (46)
square feet per each one hundred (100) square feet of lot area.
(B) The maximum density shall be eighteen (18) dwelling units per
acre and the minimum density shall be nine (9) dwelling units per acre.
12-6K-10 SITE COVERAGE.
Site coverage shall not exceed thirty (30) percent of the total site area.
12-6K-11 LANDSCAPING.
At least forty (40) percent of the site shall be landscaped.
12-6K-12 EMPLOYEE HOUSING.
(A) Thirty percent (30%) of all newly constructed residential gross
square footage shall be employee housing in conformance with
Chapter 24 of this Title.
(B) All employee housing shall be provided on site except for
developments that require a total of less than four hundred thirty-eight
(438) square feet of employee housing may provide the required
employee housing off site.
12-6K-13 PARKING.
Off-street parking shall comply with Chapter 10 of this Title.
12-6K-14 DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
193
(A) Applicability. The applicable dimensional and development
standards in the WVMF district and the underlying zone district, other
than employee housing, height, and setback requirements, may be
modified with an approved development plan.
(B) Process. An application for a development plan shall be
submitted to the Administrator. A complete list of the submittal
requirements shall be maintained by the Department of Community
Development. Certain submittal requirements may be waived or
modified by the Administrator if the applicant demonstrates that the
information is not relevant to the application. The Administrator may
require the submittal of additional plans, drawings, specifications,
samples and other materials if deemed necessary to properly evaluate
the proposal. Upon receipt of a complete application, the
Administrator shall refer the application to the Planning and
Environmental Commission.
(C) Hearing. The Planning and Environmental Commission shall
hold a public hearing in accordance with § 12-3-6. The Planning and
Environmental Commission may approve the application as
submitted, approve the application with conditions, or deny the
application.
(D) Criteria. It is the applicant's burden to demonstrate that the
development plan complies with the following, as applicable:
(1) Building design, including architecture, character, scale,
massing and orientation, is compatible with the site, adjacent
properties and the surrounding neighborhood;
(2) Buildings, improvements, uses and activities are
designed and located to produce a functional development plan
responsive to the site, the surrounding neighborhood and uses, and
the community as a whole;
(3) Open space and landscaping are both functional and
aesthetic, are designed to preserve and enhance the natural features
of the site, maximize opportunities for access and use by the public,
provide adequate buffering between the proposed uses and
surrounding properties, and, when possible, are integrated with
existing open space and recreation areas;
(4) A pedestrian and vehicular circulation system is
designed to provide safe, efficient and aesthetically pleasing
circulation to the site and throughout the development;
194
(5) Environmental impacts resulting from the proposal have
been identified in the project’s environmental impact report, if not
waived, and all necessary mitigating measures are implemented as a
part of the proposed development plan; and
(6) Compliance with the Vail Comprehensive Plan and other
applicable plans.
(E) Amendments. Minor changes to an approved development plan
may be approved administratively, in the sole discretion of the
Administrator. All other changes shall require a new development
plan.
Section 2. The table in Section 12-13-4 of the Vail Town Code is hereby
amended to add "West Vail Multi-Family" to the "Zoning Districts Permitted
by Right" Column for Type VII-IZ Employee Housing Units.
Section 3. Section 12-15-5(B) of the Vail Town Code is hereby amended
as follows:
12-15-5 ADDITIONAL GROSS RESIDENTIAL FLOOR AREA (250
ORDINANCE).
* * *
(B) Applicability. The provisions of this section shall apply to dwelling
units in all zone districts except single-family and two-family dwellings
in the Single-Family Residential (SFR), Two-Family Residential (R), Two-
Family Primary/Secondary Residential (PS) and Vail Village Townhouse
(VVT) Districts.
Section 4. Section 12-21-10(A) of the Vail Town Code is hereby
amended as follows:
12-21-10 DEVELOPMENT RESTRICTED.
(A) No structure shall be built in any flood hazard zone or red avalanche
hazard area. No structure shall be built on a slope of 40% or greater except
in single-family residential, two-family residential, or two-family
primary/secondary residential, or West Vail Multi-Family zone districts.
The term “structure” as used in this section does not include recreational
195
structures that are intended for seasonal use, not including residential use.
* * *
Section 5. Section 12-21-12(B) of the Vail Town Code is hereby
amended as follows:
12-21-12 RESTRICTIONS IN SPECIFIC ZONES ON EXCESSIVE
SLOPES.
* * *
(B) The following additional special restrictions or requirements shall
apply to development on any lot in a Hillside Residential, Single-Family
Residential, Two-Family Residential, or Two-Family Primary/Secondary
Residential, or West Vail Multi-Family zone districts where the average
slope of the site beneath the existing or proposed structure and parking area
is in excess of 30%:
* * *
Section 6. Section 12-24-1 of the Vail Town Code is hereby amended as
follows:
12-24-1 PURPOSE AND APPLICABILITY.
(A) The purpose of this Chapter is to ensure that new residential
development and redevelopment in the Town of Vail provide for a
reasonable amount of employee housing to mitigate the impact on
employee housing caused by such residential development and
redevelopment.
(B) This Chapter shall apply to all new residential development and
redevelopment located in the following zone districts, except as provided in
§ 12-24-5 of this Chapter:
(1) High Density Multiple-Family (HDMF);
(2) Vail Village Townhouse (VVT);
(3) Public Accommodation (PA);
(4) Public Accommodation 2 (PA-2);
(5) Commercial Core 1 (CC1);
(6) Commercial Core 2 (CC2);
(7) Commercial Core 3 (CC3);
196
(8) Commercial Service Center (CSC);
(9) Arterial Business (ABD);
(10) General Use (GU);
(11) Heavy Service (HS);
(12) Lionshead Mixed Use 1 (LMU-1);
(13) Lionshead Mixed Use 2 (LMU-2);
(14) Ski Base/Recreation (SBR);
(15) Ski Base/Recreation 2 (SBR2);
(16) Parking District (P); and
(17) Special Development (SDD).; and
(18) West Vail Multi-Faily (WVMF).
(C) The requirements of this Chapter shall be in addition to all other
requirements of this Code. In the case of a conflict, the stricter provision
shall apply.
(D) When any provision of this Chapter conflicts with any other provision of this
Code, the provision of this Chapter shall control.
197
From:Dominic Mauriello
To:Council Dist List
Subject:West Vail Multiple Family Overlay Zone District
Date:Friday, April 28, 2023 8:34:28 AM
Hello Town Council Members:
I am writing on behalf of my client Jack Bergey and an alliance of property owners in the
neighborhood that Jack has been coordinating with to offer support for the PEC
recommended West Vail Multi-Family Overlay District. I know you will be discussing the
proposal at your meeting at 12:30 pm on Tuesday.
The recent hearings and efforts by staff and the PEC have gone a long way to address the
concerns raised by property owners in the area. The proposed overlay district gives every
property owner a real opportunity to redevelop and help address workforce housing in a fair
and realistic way. One of our concerns, and one that I believe was shared by the PEC, was
adopting an ordinance that would sit on the shelf and that no one would take advantage of. I
believe the proposal will be effective and invite the type of redevelopment the Town wants
and needs in West Vail.
I wanted to note that the ordinance that is in your packet is missing a key change that was
recommended by the PEC. The PEC, after much debate, recommended an employee housing
mitigation rate for this overlay district of 30% (an amount equal to 30% of the net new
GRFA added to a property has to be in the form of EHUs or pay-in lieu if resulting in
less than 438 sq. ft., per the current Chapter 24 provisions). The ordinance shows 35%.
Again here, I believe the PEC was concerned that 35% was too heavy handed and might result
in few taking advantage of the ordinance versus many.
My client would like to redevelop his property this summer and we hope you can move
quickly to adopt this ordinance.
Thank you for taking this moment to consider our input.
Thanks,
Dominic F. Mauriello, AICP
Mauriello Planning Group, LLC
PO Box 4777
2205 Eagle Ranch Road
Eagle, Colorado 81631
970-376-3318 cell
www.mpgvail.com
198
From:JOHN & DIANA DONOVAN
To:Council Dist List
Subject:Rezoning West Vail
Date:Tuesday, May 2, 2023 12:03:29 PM
I think this is a big mistake that will destroy community rather than protect it. Your race to create units, beds, apts,
homes and now percentages is proof you have no idea what you are supporting through no fault of your own. All of
these are terms for measuring the amount of housing but they all have different meanings and none are truly
affordable. Developers snd “consultants” are the winners. Not Vail’s communities
Sent from my iPhone
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AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.2
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
TIME:15 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Jeremy Gross, Economic Development
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Economic Development Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
PRESENTER(S):Mia Vlaar, Economic Development Director and Jeremy Gross,
Special Event Coordinator
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
Council Memo - Economic Development Update 05032023.pdf
200
To: Mayor and Town Council
From: Economic Development Department
Date: May 3, 2023
Subject: Economic Development Update:
Second Cycle Special Event Funding
Vail America Days Update
I. 2023 Special Event Sponsorship, 2nd Cycle Funding Recommendations
Background
As part of the updated process for special event sponsorship funding, the Committee on Special
Events (CSE) and Event Funding Committee (EFC) reviewed a 2nd cycle of sponsorship
requests in April. The 2nd cycle allows events that occur later in the year, new events, and
events with an incremental increase to their impact to make a timely request for sponsorship
support from the Town. This was the first year the requests were split into two cycles. In the first
cycle, the town received 31 requests and approved sponsorship funding of $1,113,500. In the
2nd cycle, 16 events requested sponsorship with three of those requests being incremental to a
funding allocation in the first cycle: the Vail Ice Skating Spectacular, the Taste of Vail and the
Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. Additionally, Bravo! Vail has submitted an incremental request for a
one-time opportunity that will be reviewed at the CSE meeting on May 4, 2023.
The following events were reviewed in the 2nd cycle, with the respective sponsorship funding
recommended by the CSE and EFC.
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Town of Vail Page 2
Event Sponsorship Request Highlights
• The Spring Family Fest will incorporate performances from the Rock and Roll
Playhouse. The Rock and Roll Playhouse is a national entertainment brand that provides
popular music from a variety of genres to kids and family audiences.
• FREEFALL Bluegrass Festival is a new event that would bring world-class bluegrass
musicians to Vail for a multi performance experience in the fall.
• Handmade in Colorado Expo has been produced in several neighboring communities
throughout Colorado by an event producer that has a home in Vail. The fall event would
bring a vendor-based hand made goods market to the streets of Vail late in the fall
season.
• The Vail Ice Skating Spectacular is requesting additional funds to add a second day of
performances to the event. The skating shows have experienced high demand and have
sold out the last few years, with the 2022 event, featuring Olympic Gold Medalist Nathan
Chen drew the largest audience to date. The event producer is confident that adding a
day of shows will allow the broader community to attend a show during the holiday
period.
• Taste of Vail requested $25,000 in addition to the $45,000 allocated in the 1st funding
cycle. The incremental request was primarily to support the April event by bringing in
guest chefs from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and a return trip of some Vail chefs to
participate in the culinary event in Mexico later this year. Based on potential media
value, the VLMDAC has already provided funding support for the guest chef program.
The Event Funding Committee is requesting additional information and a meeting with
the Taste of Vail leadership prior to recommending any additional funding.
• The Vail Film Festival is returning to an in-person event for the first time since 2019. The
new dates are highly desirable as they work well with the film industry and they fall in
early winter when demand and occupancy are lower.
• The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens requested funds for their summer exhibit. The CSE/EFC
funded their winter program, and this funding is to support their Breaking Records
summer programming.
Requested Feedback
Ask questions or provide direction on the funding allocations as presented. A call up of any
decisions on these events can be made by Town Council at the two town council meetings
immediately following this presentation.
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Town of Vail Page 3
II. Vail America Days Update
Background
Town Council requested additional information on the proposed components of the 2023 Vail
America Days and parade to ensure it’s the best celebration possible. Below are key elements
currently proposed by the event producing team for the celebration on July 4, 2023.
Key Elements
Theme This year's proposed theme is "This Land is Your Land". The theme is intended to acknowledge and celebrate our public lands and the importance of the treasured natural environment to our extended Vail community.
Floats and Prizes
With a new focus on recruiting local businesses to participate in the parade, a $500 prize
has been created to encourage businesses to partner with their favorite non-profit with
their unique interpretation and depiction of "This Land is Your Land".
Music and More
The committee is soliciting regional high school and college bands and dance teams to participate in the parade. Returning in 2023 is the Denver & District Pipe Band, a fan favorite over the years. The Colorado State University band has also expressed an
interest to march in the parade. The parade will come alive with additional features like
regional steel drum bands, 'something else', and children's characters. The US Air Force
Academy honor guard has been approached to join local veterans' groups to lead the
parade, and the Buckley Air National Guard F-16 team and the Seven Falls Indian
Dancers will hopefully also participate. The event producing team will add patriotic
music along the parade route in various locations to contribute to the festive patriotic
feeling of the parade and the entire day.
Requested Feedback
Ask questions or provide direction on the elements of America Days as presented.
203
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.3
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
TIME:20 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Stephanie Bibbens, Town Manager
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Town Council Review of Draft Flag Policy
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
PRESENTER(S):Kathleen Halloran, Deputy Town Manager
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
230502 Flag Policy.docx
Flag Policy.docx
204
TO:Vail Town Council
FROM:Town Manager’s Office
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBJECT: Flag and Street Banner Policy
I.SUMMARY
The purpose of the attached draft Flag and Street Banner Policy is to establish a policy for the
display of flags on flagpoles on property owned or controlled by the Town of Vail. The rules and
regulations around the display of city or town flags is unique to each individual city or town. To
promote consistency, cities/towns may choose to implement a flag display policy via resolution
passed by the city/town council. Staff will return on May 16
th with a Resolution approving this
Policy.
II.BACKGROUND
When a town or other government entity chooses to fly a flag on town property, this is
considered government speech. Unlike the public’s First Amendment right to freedom of
speech, the government is not required to display any and everything that is requested by
members of the public. Rather, the city may choose to fly the non-governmental flags and
commemorative flags of its choosing. It is recommended that the town council develop a policy
regarding the types of flags the town will fly whether by request of a member of the public, town
staff, or the council itself.
Cities and towns have broad discretion on the extent of its non-governmental flag policy. A town
may choose to ban the flying on non-governmental flag outright, allow certain flags upon
request, or allow all flags. If a city or town chooses to fly certain flags upon request of the public,
it is important that the town reviews the requests in a non-discriminatory manner.
II.DISCUSSION
The Town of Vail does not have a Flag Policy currently. Staff is proposing the attached draft
policy for Town Council’s consideration. This policy was created with assistance from the Town
Attorney based on recent case law.
II.ACTION REQUESTED OF COUNCIL
Staff is requesting feedback from Town Council on the attached draft Flag and Street Banner
Policy. Staff will bring back a Resolution at the May 16
th meeting for approval.
205
Town of Vail
Flag and Street Banner Policy
PURPOSE
To establish a policy for the display of flags on flagpoles and the display of street banners on
property owned or controlled by the Town of Vail. This Policy is not intended to create any
public forum or limited public forum, and by enacting this Policy, the Town is not intending to
regulate the content of flags or banners except as expressly allowed by applicable law.
APPLICABILITY
This Policy applies to flags physically attached to any flagpole owned or controlled by the Town,
as well as banners or other decoration of any public street owned or controlled by the Town.
DEFINITIONS
"Flag" is any fabric, banner or bunting containing distinctive colors, patterns or symbols that is
attached to a flagpole.
STANDARDS
A. Flags
The Town may fly any of the following flags on flagpoles owned or controlled by the
Town, at any time:
The United States flag;
The Colorado State flag;
A flag associated with an official proclamation or order of the President of the United
States, during the period of time associated with the proclamation or order;
A flag associated with an official proclamation or order of the Governor of the State of
Colorado, during the period of time associated with the proclamation or order;
A POW/MIA (Prisoner of War/Missing in Action) flag, at any time; and
A "Fallen Heroes" or similar flag, recognizing a deceased member of the United States
Armed Forces, at any time.
A flag of any international government recognized by the United States.
A flag of any official Sister City of the Town of Vail.
All flags shall comply with the Town's sign code.
The Town Manager shall determine the placement of flags and the duration of the
placement; provided that, on any flagpole, the United States flag shall always be highest,
followed by the State of Colorado flag (if flying), followed by the other flags in any order;
and further provided that the flying of the United States flag and the State of Colorado flag
shall comply with all other applicable regulations.
Indoor Town flags shall be displayed at a minimum in the Town Council Chambers. The
Town of Vail flag shall fly at half-staff if either the United States or Colorado flag is at
half-staff. The Mayor may order the Town of Vail flag to fly at half-staff at the death of a
206
current or former Council Member, current Town staff member, or a historically
significant member of the community.
The Town will not allow flags that are obscene, or that arediscriminatory toward any legally
protected class, including without limitation race, color, religion, creed, national origin,
ancestry, sex (including gender, sexual orientation, sexual expression or pregnancy), age,
physical or mental disability and veteran status. In addition, flags or banners shall not
create a traffic or pedestrian hazard or interfere with traffic control devices.
207
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.4
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
TIME:40 min.
SUBMITTED BY:Mark Novak, Fire Department
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Fire Free Five and Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:Information only
PRESENTER(S):Paul Cada, Wildland Program Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:Information only
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
TC Memo CWPP Progress 05022023.docx
TC_CWPP_Implementation_Update_052023.pptx
208
To:Town Council
From: Paul Cada, Wildland Program Manager
Date: May 2
nd, 2023
Subject: Presentation on the progress made towards achieving goals identified in 2020 Vail
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
I.Purpose:
The purpose of this memo is to provide Council with an update of progress made towards
achieving the goals identified in the 2020 Vail Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The
presentation will also cover selected activities that will occur in 2023 that further the progress of
plan implementation.
II.Background
In 2020 the Town, in partnership with a diverse stakeholder group adopted the communities first
CWPP. This comprehensive plan identified five main goals to create community resiliency in the
face of an ever growing wildfire threat. Since the adoption of the plan, Vail Fire and Emergency
Services and our partners have aggressively pursued all opportunities to implement the actions
recommended in the plan.
III.Current Situation
The Town of Vail and Vail Fire and Emergency Services has built a reputation within the State
and across the Nation as a leader in creating community resiliency to wildfire. During the
development of the CWPP the stakeholder group identified two of the largest threats to
community vitality from wildfire are the risk of landscape scale high severity fire and the risk of
urban conflagration, structure to structure fire spread. These types of fire events were
demonstrated in the 2020 East Troublesome Fire (landscape scale high severity fire) and the
2021 Marshall Fire (urban conflagration).
Since the adoption of the CWPP in 2020 Vail has taken bold and innovative strides in
addressing these risks in our community. Informed by new science and with the awareness of
the community devastation left by the Marshall Fire, Vail placed significant focus and resources
on addressing structural ignitability around all buildings in the community. The structure itself
and the landscaping immediately surrounding the structure are the biggest determining factors
of ignitability from wildfire. What has been long know but until recently not quantified was the
risk of fire spreading from one structure to another in wildfire situations. Following the Marshall
Fire the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) released a detailed study which
quantifies the risk that structures share based on their proximity to each other. The study
concluded that structures built within 30 feet of each other share a high amount of risk and if
one catches fire the other is also likely to ignite. As a high density community, 62% of all
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Town of Vail Page 2
structures in the Town are within 30 feet of the nearest building showing that as a community
we have a high level of shared risk among structures.
Following a series of presentations to Town Council in the spring of 2022 Vail launched several
new programs to address structural ignitability at a community-wide level. The new programs
focus on creating a five foot wide zone of non-combustible landscaping around every building in
the community. This zone, the Fire Free Five, has been shown as the most critical zone of
landscaping to prevent structure ignition from wildfire.
Town Council directed staff and approved funds to ensure that all town owned buildings
conformed with recommendations of the Fire Free Five. Staff from Public Works and Fire
assessed each town owned building and developed a plan to remove non-conforming
landscaping and replace it with compliant materials. Landscaping was modified at all buildings
including the municipal complex, fire stations, library, parking structures and public works
facilities. Staff and contractors removed 40 trees, pruned over 120 trees, removed 80 shrubs,
and replaced over 10,000 square feet of combustible grasses and wood mulch with non-
combustible mulch.
In addition to the work on Town owned properties Town Council approved $200,000 in funding
available to community members to modify landscaping on private property throughout the
community through the Fire Free Five Community Assistance Program (FFFCAP). In total 66
properties (24 Single Family, 17 Duplex, 25 Multi-family) participated in the program. The
program provided $161,206 in financial assistance to the community which was matched by
$178,992 of private dollars.
Free and widely available resources are critical tools to ensure community members can easily
reduce their wildfire risk. Vail Fire and Emergency Services has operated longstanding
programs to provide community members with the understand of what they can do on their
properties through individual property assessment and a means to get rid of material they
remove with the curbside chipping program. In 2022 a total of 314 tons of material was
collected through the curbside chipping program, nearly double the amount collected in 2021.
VFES also launched a new community program, Community Work Days, in 2022 to give
community members a hand with implementing the Fire Free Five. 29 properties participated in
the program over 4 days, each receiving 30 minutes of work by VFES crews. Community
members worked alongside VFES staff to limb trees, rake leaves and create safer landscaping
around homes.
2022 proved successful with active engagement from community members and town staff
through the numerous activities and programs. VFES plans to continue existing programs and
expand offerings to the community. Public works staff is currently working on plans to install
demonstration landscaping at Donovan Pavilion and the Main Vail Fire Station to show high
quality, attractive fire free five landscaping.
Besides the substantial work occurring near buildings in the community VFES continues to be
actively engaged in ensuring large scale planning and implementation of projects is occurring on
the adjacent White River National Forest. Since 2020 the USFS and Town have been
cooperatively working on NEPA planning for the Booth Creek Fuels Project
https://www.engagevail.com/booth-creek-fuels-reduction-project . It is anticipated that a draft
Environmental Analysis will be released in May of 2023 for the project. This critical step will
pave the way for implementation of the project over the next 5-10 years. In anticipation of the
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Town of Vail Page 3
implementation phase the Town in partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the White
River National Forest has submitted a pre-application submittal for the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation America the Beautiful Challenge to fund $1 million of implementation over the next 4
years. If selected to proceed with the application VFES will present details of the application as
well as an ask for matching funds to support the application.
211
Creating a Fire
Adapted Vail- Updates
on CWPP activity and
plans for 2023
Paul Cada- Wildland Program Manager
212
CWPP Goals
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
1. Reduce the risk of a Wildland Urban Disaster within the
Town of Vail
2. Decrease the probability of landscape scale high severity
wildfire events
3. Build business community resiliency to wildfire disasters
4. Citizen engagement and preparedness
5. Support the utilization of forest products
213
Fire Free Five-Community Wide Solutions for Community Wide Risk
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
•Between 2017 and 2021 every property in Vail had a curbside wildfire
evaluation completed
•79% of properties (1532 parcels) evaluated did not meet
recommendations for the Fire Free Five
•Separation of structures ignited during wildfire is highly correlated to
large scale structure loss from wildfire.
•62% of all structures within Vail are built within 30 feet of the
nearest structure. This measurement is exclusive of all flammable
attachments and landscaping between buildings.
•Best available science from the Institute for Business and Home Safety
(IBHS), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),and
Colorado State Forest Service describe the first five feet from the
structure as the most critical zone for fuels reduction within the home
ignition zone (HIZ)
214
Fire Free Five-TOV Property Implementation
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
2022 Work
Performed tree removals, pruning and installation of non-combustible
buffers (rock mulch):
Vail Municipal Building
Community Development
Fire Stations 1, 2 and 3
Vail Library
Lionshead Welcome Center
Village Parking Structure
Public Works Administration Building
Buzzard Park Housing
Donovan Park
Removed 40 Trees
Pruned over 120 Trees
Removed 80 Shrubs
Replaced over 10,000 SF of combustible grasses and wood mulch
215
Fire Free Five Community Assistance Program (FFFCAP)
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
•66 Properties participated
•24 Single Family
•17 Duplex
•25 Multi-family
•$200,000 available in 2022
•$161,206 TOV Funds expended
•$178,992 Private match
•$340,198 Total investment in FFFCAP
216
Fire Free Five Community Resources
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
•Curbside Chipping Program
•282 participating properties
(increase of 158 properties)
•314 tons collected (152 ton
increase)
•Community workdays
•4 days in July and August
•29 participating properties
•More than 20 tons of
material was removed and
chipped as a result of the
program
217
Fire Free Five 2023 Implementation
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
•2023 TOV Properties
•Continue removals at: Lionshead Parking Structure, Vail Golf Clubhouse, Stephens Park, Buffehr
Creek Park, Ellefson Park, Red Sandstone Park, Chalet Road Pickleball Courts, Ford Park, Booth Creek
Park, Bighorn Park
•Demonstration landscaping: Donovan Park Entry, Fire Station 2, Vail Golf Club
•Fire Free Five Community Assistance Program (FFFCAP)- $230,000 in available funds
•Program covers 75% of implementation costs up to program caps
•Community Workdays
•July 8th- Intermountain/ Matterhorn
•July 16th- East Vail
•August 5th- Katsos Ranch/ Booth Creek
•August 13th- West Vail/ Potato Patch
•Curbside Chipping
•May 29th - October 20
th
218
Booth Creek Fuels
Town of Vail | www.vailgov.com/fire |
•Cooperative project with USFS began in 2020
•Project goals
•Create compartmentalization between Red Sandstone
and Booth Creek Watersheds
•Reintroduce fire into a fire adapted ecosystem
•Reduce fuel loading adjacent to community
•Future Implementation
•National Fish and Wildlife Foundation- America the
Beautiful Challenge
•Cross Boundary Treatment
•Fuels reduction work in progress on TOV land
adjacent to USFS project area
•Work supported by funding from The Nature
Conservancy
•Projects developed in consultation of Colorado
Parks and Wildlife
219
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.5
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
TIME:10 min.
SUBMITTED BY:George Ruther, Housing
ITEM TYPE:Presentation/Discussion
AGENDA SECTION:Presentation/Discussion
SUBJECT:Timber Ridge Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:Listen to presentation and provide feedback.
PRESENTER(S):George Ruther, Housing Director
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
Timber Ridge Village Apartments Redevelopment Update 05022023.docx
220
75 South Frontage Road West Housing Department
Vail, Colorado 81657 970.479.2150
vailgov.com
MEMORANDUM
To: Vail Town Council
From: George Ruther, Housing Director
Date: May 2, 2023
Re:Timber Ridge Village Apartments Redevelopment Committee Update
I.Purpose
The Timber Ridge Village Apartments Redevelopment Committee is tasked with providing
regular updates on the progress of the redevelopment of Timber Ridge.
The purpose of this agenda item is to continue sharing regular updates on the progress of the
Redevelopment Committee towards its efforts to redevelop the Timber Ridge Village
Apartments. This update will cover the following topics:
The redevelopment schedule with critical path milestones
II.Project Description
Timber Ridge II entails the new construction of 284 deed-restricted residential homes in 7
buildings with a total of 567 bedrooms replacing the 98 deed-restricted homes and 196
bedrooms that exist today.
A total of 270 enclosed, surface, and on-street parking spaces will be provided along with
convenient access to public transportation and added mobility solutions ensuring the
transportation needs of the residents are met.
The buildings will be comprised of 56 studio, 46 one-, 97 two-, 69 three- and 16 four-bedroom
homes. These homes will be available for purchase and rent, but all must be occupied by
individuals who work at least 30 hours per week in Eagle County and earn a minimum of 75%of
their annual income from said business.
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Town of Vail Page 2
The proposed development site includes the town-owned Timber Ridge Village Apartments and
the portion of adjacent CDOT ROW.
III.Schedule
The redevelopment of the Timber Ridge Village Apartments is planned to commence on May 1,
2024. With a May 2024 construction start, the first homes will be ready for occupancy by
November, 2025.
A development agreement between the Town of Vail and Triumph Development is required.
Currently, the parties are anticipating the review of a development agreement during the
evening session of the Vail Town Council on May 16, and subject to approval of an authorizing
resolution. The proposed development agreement will be available for public review by no later
than May 11.
The entitlements and permitting process will occur between now and March 1, 2024. More
importantly, to remain on schedule, a building permit application for the first phase of
development shall be submitted by no later than March 4, 2024. To that end, the development
review applications shall be submitted to the Town of Vail Community Development Department
by no later than June 26 for an initial public meeting with the Planning & Environmental
Commission on July 24. All meetings are open to the public and members of the public are
encouraged to participate in the review of this important community project.
Further, on April 20, the Colorado Department of Transportation Commission unanimously
approved a resolution authorizing the disposal of a portion of CDOT ROW adjacent to the
Timber Ridge development site. The Town’s acquisition of the adjacent ROW allows for the
development of a seventh building on the site. The acquisition of the parcel is expected to
occur later this summer.
The next regularly scheduled update from the Timber Ridge Village Apartments Redevelopment
Committee is set for June 6, 2023.
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AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Greg Roy, Community Development
ITEM TYPE:DRB/PEC Update
AGENDA SECTION:DRB / PEC (5 min.)
SUBJECT:DRB/PEC Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
PEC Results 4-24-23.pdf
DRB Results 4-19-23.pdf
223
Present:Robyn Smith
John Rediker
Brad Hagedorn
Reid Phillips
Henry Pratt
Bobby Lipnick
Bill Jensen
1. Virtual Link
Register to attend the Planning and Environmental Commission meeting. Once registered,
you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar.
2. Call to Order
3. Main Agenda
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Vail Mountain School, represented by Mauriello Planning Group
3.1
A request for the review of a proposed modification to a condition of approval for Vail
Mountain School Conditional Use Permit, pursuant to Section 12-9C-3, Conditional Uses,
Vail Town Code, to extend the completion date for the required Booth Falls Road
improvements from September 1, 2023 to September 1, 2024, located at 3000 Booth Falls
Road/Lot 1, Vail Mountain School, and setting forth details in regard thereto. (PEC23-0005)
Pratt recused.
Smith motions to table the item to the next meeting. Phillips seconds. 6-0-0
4. Approval of Minutes
4.1 PEC Results 4-10-23
Lipnick motions to approve. Smith seconds. 6-0-0 (Pratt absent)
5. Information Update
6. Adjournment
Smith moves to adjourn. Phillips seconds. 6-0-0
Planning and Environmental Commission Minutes
Monday, April 24, 2023
1:00 PM
Vail Town Council Chambers
PEC23-0005 Staff Memorandum.pdf
Attachement A. Applicant Narrative, March 27, 2023.pdf
Attachment B. Staff Memorandum to the PEC, June 13, 2022, with attachments.pdf
PEC_Results_4-10-23.pdf
1
Planning and Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of April 24, 2023 224
Design Review Board Minutes Wednesday, April 19, 2023
2:00 PM
Vail Town Council Chambers
Present: Kit Austin
Erin Iba
Rhys Olsen
Herbert Roth
1. Virtual Meeting Link Register to attend Design Review Board Meetings. Once registered, you will receive
a confirmation email containing information about joining this webinar. 2. Call to Order
3. Main Agenda
3.1 DRB23-0058 - Hall/Potato Patch Vail LLC Final review of an exterior alteration (paint/trim/siding/stucco) Address/ Legal Description: 794 Potato Patch Drive A, B/Lot 10, Block 1, Vail Potato Patch Filing 1 Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Carl & Kathleen Hall and Potato Patch Vail, represented by Kienzle
Construction DRB23-0058_meeting2.pdf
Erin Iba made a motion to Approve with the findings the application meets Town Code Section 14-
10-2; Rhys Olsen seconded the motion. Passed (4 - 0). 3.2 DRB23-0066 - Texas Townhomes Final review of an exterior alteration (landscape) Address/ Legal Description: 483 Gore Creek Drive/Lot 5, Vail Village Filing 4 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Texas Townhomes, represented by Pierce Austin
Architects DRB23-0066 Plans 4-19.pdf
Herbert Roth made a motion to Approve with the condition that the applicant shall receive approval
from Town Staff regarding the appropriate plantings for the bioswale on Tract A prior to the start of
work; Rhys Olsen seconded the motion. Passed (3 - 0); Kit Austin abstained.
3.3 DRB23-0080 - RIME Final review of a sign application Address/ Legal Description: 2211 North Frontage Road West/Lot 1, Highline Subdivision Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: RIME, represented by Fine Signs DRB23-0080 Plans 4-19.pdf
Herbert Roth made a motion to Table to the next available meeting; Rhys Olsen seconded the
motion. Passed (3 - 0); Kit Austin abstained.
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of April 19, 2023 1
225
3.4 DRB23-0028 - Finn Residence Final review of an addition (gym/windows/deck) Address/ Legal Description: 781 Potato Patch Drive A/Lot 21, Block 1, Vail Potato Patch Filing 1 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Benjamin Finn, represented by J+A
Architects DRB23-0028 Plans.pdf
Erin Iba made a motion to Table this application to the next available meeting; Rhys Olsen seconded
the motion. Passed (4 – 0).
4. Staff Approvals
4.1 DRB22-0143.002 - 333 BDR LLC
Final review of a change to approved plans (parking) Address/ Legal Description: 333 Beaver Dam Road/Lot 41, Block 7, Vail Village Filing 1 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: 333 BDR, represented by Shepherd Resources
4.2 DRB22 -0307.001 - White Longspur Capital LLC
Final review of a change to approved plans (windows)
Address/ Legal Description: 466 Forest Road/Lot 6, Block 1, Vail Village Filing 3 Planner: Greg Roy Applicant Name: Greg Perkins, represented by KH Webb
4.3 DRB22-0451.001 - Zimmermann Residence Final review of a change to approved plans (layout/finishes) Address/ Legal Description: 2665 Larkspur Lane/Lot 7, Block 2, Vail Intermountain
Development Subdivision Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Deborah Zimmermann, represented by NDG Architecture
4.4 DRB23-0054 - Vail Shack LLC Final review of a tree removal Address/ Legal Description: 4112 Spruce Way/Lot 2, Block 8, Bighorn Subdivision 3rd Addition Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Vail Shack, represented by Abel Forestry and Landscaping
4.5 DRB23-0067 - Town of Vail Final review of a tree removal Address/ Legal Description: 5137 Black Gore Drive/Lot 16, Block 2, Gore Creek Subdivision Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Town of Vail, represented by Greg Roy
4.6 DRB23-0073 - Stern Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (doors) Address/ Legal Description: 1116 Sandstone Drive 302/Lot A5, Block A, Lion's Ridge Subdivision Filing 1
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of April 19, 2023 2 226
Planner: Jonathan Spence
Applicant Name: Gary Stern
4.7 DRB23-0078 - Kelleher/Hess Residences Final review of an exterior alteration (landscaping) Address/ Legal Description: 2005 West Gore Creek Drive A, B/2005 West Gore Creek Drive Planner: Jamie Leaman-Miller Applicant Name: Cynthia Kelleher & Murray Hess III, represented by Crane Associates
4.8 DRB23-0079 - Franke Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (solar panels) Address/ Legal Description: 2712 Kinnikinnick Court/Lot 10, Block 2, Vail Intermountain
Development Subdivision Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Patricia Franke, represented by Active Energies Solar
4.9 DRB23-0082 Arousmith Holdings II LLC Final review of an exterior alteration (windows/door) Address/ Legal Description: 615 Forest Place/Lot 4, Forest Place Subdivision Planner: Heather Knight Applicant Name: Arousmith Holdings, represented by TenTwo Interiors
4.10 DRB23-0090 - Badzik Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (deck/railing/hot tub) Address/ Legal Description: 4153 Spruce Way 1/Lot 10, Block 9, Bighorn Subdivision 3rd Addition Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Charles Badzik & Kirstie Coffman
4.11 DRB23-0095 - Paasonen/Aer Residence Final review of an addition (doors/windows/fireplace conversion/deck/hot tub/tree removal)
Address/ Legal Description: 770 Potato Patch Drive 12/Lot 6, Block 2, Vail Potato Patch Filing
1 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Ville Paasonen & Emma Aer, represented by Beth Levine Architect
4.12 DRB23-0096 - Chateau Tremonte Final review of an exterior alteration (re-roof) Address/ Legal Description: 1890 Lions Ridge Loop/Lot 27, Block 2, Lion's Ridge Subdivision Filing 3 Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Chateau Tremonte, represented by Bailey Roofing & Exteriors
4.13 DRB23-0098 - The Hythe Final review of an exterior alteration (re-roof) Address/ Legal Description: 715 West Lionshead Circle/West Day Subdivision Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: The Hythe, represented by Turner Morris Roofing
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of April 19, 2023 3
227
4.14 DRB23-0100 - Dery Residence Final review of an exterior alteration (columns) Address/ Legal Description: 2735 Snowberry Drive A/Lot 12, Block 9, Vail Intermountain
Development Subdivision Planner: Jonathan Spence Applicant Name: Dan & Florence Dery, represented by Yat Construction
5. Staff Denials
6. Adjournment
Design Review Board Meeting Minutes of April 19, 2023 4
228
AGENDA ITEM NO. 6.1
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Jeremy Gross, Economic Development
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:April 5, 2023 CSE Meeting Minutes
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
Minutes_committee-on-special-events_minutes_summary_04.05.2023.pdf.pdf
229
Committee on Special Events Minutes
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
8:30 AM
Vail Town Council Chambers
Present: Douglas Smith Nick Conover Alison Wadey Kim Newbury Rediker Marco Valenti
1.Approval of the Minutes
1.a Approval of the Minutes from the March 1, 2023 CSE meeting.
CSE Meeting Minutes - 3-1-2023.pdf
Kim Newbury Rediker made a motion to Approve the minutes from the March CSE meeting; Marco
Valenti seconded the motion Passed (5-0).
2.New Business
2.a 2023 2nd Cycle Sponsorship Request Presentations
Time: 170 Min
04-05-2023 Presentation Schedule and Sponsorship Apps.pdf
No Action. CSE listened to the presentations by the event producers for 2023 2nd cycle of funding.
3. Adjournment
Kim Newbury Rediker made a motion to adjourn; Marco Valenti seconded the motion Passed (5-0).
Committee on Special Events Meeting Minutes of April 5, 2023 1
__________________________________________________________________________________
230
AGENDA ITEM NO. 6.2
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Missy Johnson
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:April 11, 2023 VLHA Meeting Minutes
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
2023-04-11 VLHA Mintues.pdf
231
Vail Local Housing Authority Minutes
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
3:00 PM
Virtually on Zoom
The Vail Local Housing Authority meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month
and open to the public.
PRESENT ABSENT
Steve Lindstrom
Craig Denton
Dan Godec
James Wilkins
Kristin Williams
STAFF
Missy Johnson, Housing Coordinator
1. Call to Order
1.1 Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 3:02 p.m. with all members present.
1.2 Zoom Meeting 1
2. Citizen Participation
2.1 Citizen Participation
No comment.
3. Approval of Minutes
3.1 Approval of Minutes
Presenter(s): Missy Johnson
VLHA Meeting Minutes March 28, 2023
MOTION: Williams SECOND: Godec PASSED: (5- 0)
4. Main Agenda
4.1 Resolution Approving the Purchase of a Deed Restriction Interest in
Property (Type III Deed Restriction) in the Town of Vail Legally Described
as Phase III Subdivision: Pitkin Creek Park Unit 11D, Eagle County,
Colorado with a Physical Address of 4051 Bighorn Road, Unit
11D, Vail Colorado; and Setting Forth Details in Regard
Thereto. Presenter(s): Missy Johnson
MOTION: Williams SECOND: Wilkins PASSED: (5- 0)
5. Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members
5.1 Matters from the Chairman and Authority Members
Presenter(s): Steve Lindstrom, VLHA Chairman
No open matters at this date.
232
6. Adjournment at 3:07 p.m.
MOTION: Williams SECOND: Wilkins PASSED: (5- 0)
Vail Local Housing Authority Meeting Minutes of April 11, 2023
233
7. Future Agenda Items
7.1
Vail Housing 2027
Land Banking
Investment Banker Discussion Review Retirement and Remote Worker Policies within Deed Restrictions
Vail InDEED and GIS Mapping
VLHA Webpage
VLHA Quarterly Financial Update
8. Next Meeting Date Tuesday, April 25, 2023 3 p.m.
Vail Local Housing Authority Meeting Minutes of April 11, 2023
234
AGENDA ITEM NO. 6.3
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Tom Kassmel, Public Works
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:Lionshead Snowmelt Repairs
SUGGESTED ACTION:
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
LH Public Notice.docx
235
NOTICE
LIONSHEAD SNOWMELT REPAIRS
May 1-June 30
The Town of Vail will be completing snowmelt system repairs in Lionshead this spring, with a
second phase to follow in the fall after Labor Day.
Spring work will begin on May 1st and is expected to be completed by June 30th. The Spring
work will generally be isolated to the eastern half of the Lionshead Village and sequenced as
identified below, pending weather and progress.
Work will require removal of pavers and snowmelt in multiple small areas at a time. Pedestrian
access will be maintained at all times to all open businesses; however, access will need to be
detoured around work zones.During the month of May through pedestrian access will be
detoured through the Arrabelle mall. No through vehicular access will be permitted during this
time unless specifically coordinated with the Town of Vail.
Work will generally occur Monday through Thursday 7am-7pm, with Friday and weekend work
only as necessary.If you have any questions or concerns please contact the on-site Project
Manager, Chris Delles at cdelles@vailgov.com 970-477-3418.
~May 1 -May 26
236
AGENDA ITEM NO. 6.4
Item Cover Page
DATE:May 2, 2023
SUBMITTED BY:Jake Shipe
ITEM TYPE:Information Update
AGENDA SECTION:Information Update
SUBJECT:April Revenue Update
SUGGESTED ACTION:Information Update
VAIL TOWN COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM REPORT
ATTACHMENTS:
230502 Revenue Update.pdf
237
TOWN OF VAIL
REVENUE UPDATE
May 2, 2023
4.0% Sales Tax
Upon receipt of all sales tax returns, March collections are estimated to be
$6,051,906, up 2.4% from last year and up 36.9% compared to budget. YTD
collections of $17,958,799 are up 6.8% from this time last year and up 40.9% from
the budget. Inflation as measured by the consumer price index was up 5.0% for
March. The annual budget totals $34.0 million.
0.5% Housing Fund Sales Tax
Upon receipt of all sales tax returns, March collections of the 0.5% housing sales
tax are estimated to be $731,494, up 1.6% from last year and up 32.4% from
budget. YTD collections of $2,183,465 are up 5.6% from this time last year and up
36.3% from budget. The 2023 budget for the housing fund sales tax totals $4.1
million.
Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT)
RETT collections through April 25 total $1,743,555, down (38.1)% from this time
last year. The 2023 RETT budget totals $7,000,000.
Construction Use Tax
Use Tax collections through April 25 total $657,699 compared to $599,518 from
this time last year. The 2023 budget totals $2,000,000.
Lift Tax
2023 YTD lift tax collections through March 31 total $4,265,597, down (0.5)% or
($20,305) from the same time last year.
Daily Parking Sales
Daily sales from the parking structures from November through April total
approximately $6,841,289, up $591,174, or 9.5% from this time last year.
Parking Pass Revenue
Pass sales for the 22/23 ski season (November through April) total $2,162,691, up
$808,879 or 59.7% from the prior winter season. This increase is due primarily to
the increased use and price of local value passes which were up $520,907 or
158.4% compared to the prior year. During the 22/23 ski season, local pass
holders were charged daily for the use of their pass. In prior years, local pass
holders prepaid their parking charges by preloading money to their passes. A
detailed chart of approximate passes sold by type is shown below. 21/22 ski
season numbers represent passes sold or used throughout the entire prior ski
season.
1 238
2022/23 Passes YTD
Sold 2021/22 Passes
Total
Season
Sold
Premier 22 Gold 66
Vail Village Business
Premier 65 Silver - Vail Village 60
Lionshead Business
Premier 11 Silver - Lionshead 6
Employee Plus 360 Blue 358
Employee 513 Pink 690
Eagle County Local 1,859
Eagle County Value
Card 1,699*
Vail Local 1,816 Vail Value Card 2,303*
Total 4,646 Total 5,182
*During the 2021/2022 season Value Cards were not recertified. The total number sold is estimated
based on the number of individual Value Cards scanned in the parking structures during the entire
2021/2022 winter season.
Value cards in prior seasons we often used in conjunction with other passes, such as the Blue
pass, to utilize discount parking in the structures on days that the parker’s other pass did not grant
access. This year, discounted parking is included with employee and business passes, reducing
the need for multiple passes.
Summary
Across all funds, year-to-date total revenue of $39.9 million is up 23.7% from the
amended budget and up 4.3% from prior year. The positive variance from budget
is due to higher-than-expected general sales tax, housing sales tax, and daily
parking revenue. During the 2023 budget process Council supported conservative
projections that reflected a normalization of revenue after experiencing historically
high revenue collections from increased visitation and inflation coming out the
pandemic.
2 239
2023 Budget % change % change
2018 2019 2020 Budget Variance from 2022 from Budget
January 3,597,610$ 4,079,994$ 4,076,145$ 3,422,209$ 5,217,125$ 4,080,000$ 5,898,420 1,818,420$ 13.06% 44.57%
February 3,818,356 4,137,087 4,285,633 3,691,850 5,686,585 4,250,000 6,008,473 1,758,473$ 5.66% 41.38%
March 4,167,880 4,237,933 2,243,518 4,364,797 5,912,059 4,420,000 6,051,906 1,631,906$ 2.37% 36.92%
Total 11,583,846$ 12,455,014$ 10,605,296$ 11,478,857$ 16,815,769$ 12,750,000$ 17,958,799$ 5,208,799$ 6.80% 40.85%
April 1,233,474 1,445,071 427,518 1,751,528 2,234,296 1,700,000
May 830,193 763,756 503,828 1,061,516 1,227,974 1,020,000
June 1,648,443 1,606,748 1,023,517 2,149,312 2,317,931 2,040,000
July 2,412,425 2,480,292 2,084,644 3,491,668 3,507,973 3,400,000
August 2,195,175 2,237,050 2,138,838 2,877,550 2,997,389 2,720,000
September 1,540,490 1,600,100 1,767,393 2,359,528 2,441,331 2,040,000
October 1,106,596 1,165,176 1,371,727 1,734,964 1,729,558 1,700,000
November 1,264,600 1,260,314 1,425,461 1,880,397 1,902,643 1,700,000
December 4,070,870 4,237,178 3,625,189 5,749,365 5,602,018 4,930,000
Total 27,886,112$ 29,250,698$ 24,973,411$ 34,534,683$ 40,776,882$ 34,000,000$ 17,958,799$ 5,208,799$ 6.80%40.85%
2022 2023 Budget % change % change
Collections Budget Variance from 2022 from Budget
January 645,487$ 518,000$ 719,261$ 201,261$ 11.43%38.85%
February 702,730 531,000 732,709$ 201,709$ 4.27%37.99%
March 719,717 552,500 731,494$ 178,994$ 1.64%32.40%
Total 2,067,934$ 1,601,500$ 2,183,465$ 581,965$ 5.59%36.34%
April 269,018 212,500
May 146,657 122,500
June 280,460 245,000
July 424,602 395,000
August 361,165 325,000
September 294,861 250,000
October 207,397 191,500
November 230,383 207,500
December 671,982 574,500
Total 4,954,459$ 4,125,000$ 2,183,465$ 581,965$ 5.59%36.34%
0.5% Collected
Sales Tax
0.5% HOUSING SALES TAX COLLECTIONS
2023 Budget Comparison
Actual 4.0% Collections 4.0% Collected
Sales Tax20212022
Town of Vail Revenue Update
May 2, 2023
4.0% SALES TAX
2023 Budget Comparison
324
0
Town of Vail Revenue Update
May 2, 2023
YTD 4% Sales Tax Collections By Year
Through March 31
March 4% Sales Tax Collections By Year
Through March 31
• March collections of $6.1M are up 2.4% from prior year and up 36.9% from budget.
$4,237,933
$2,243,518
$4,364,797
$5,912,059
$6,051,906
$0 $2,000,000 $4,000,000 $6,000,000
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
$12,455,014
$10,605,296
$11,478,857
$16,815,769
$17,958,799
$0 $5,000,000 $10,000,000 $15,000,000 $20,000,000
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
• YTD collections of $17,958,799 are up 6.8% from prior year and up 40.9% from the budget.
• Inflation as measured by the consumer price index was up 5.0% in March.
4 241
Town of Vail Revenue Update
May 2, 2023
March 0.5% Housing Fund Sales Tax Collections By Year
Real Estate Transfer Tax by Year
YTD Through April 2023
March Collections YTD Collections
• This chart shows YTD collections of 1% RETT, segmented by real property values. 2023
collections are down (38.1)% from the prior year.
$0
$250,000
$500,000
$750,000
$1,000,000
$1,250,000
$1,500,000
$1,750,000
$2,000,000
$2,250,000
$2,500,000
$2,750,000
$3,000,000
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Sales Less Than $2.5 Million Sales $2.5 to $5 Million Sales $5 to $10 Million Sales Over $10 Million
$2,030,090
$1,791,330
$2,849,638 $2,816,126
$1,743,555
• March collections of $731,494 are up 1.6% from prior year and up 32.4% from the budget.
YTD collections of $2.2M are up 5.6% from this time last year and up 36.3% from budget.
$719,717 $731,494
$0
$250,000
$500,000
$750,000
2022 2023
$2,067,934 $2,183,465
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
2022 2023
5 242
Town of Vail Revenue Update
May 2, 2023
Construction Use Tax by Year
YTD Through April 2023
YTD Lift Tax Collections
Through March 31
• Use Tax collections through April 25 total $657,699 compared to $599,518 from this time last
year. This is an increase of 9.7%.
$578,582
$370,942
$1,212,991
$599,518
$657,699
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
$900,000
$1,000,000
$1,100,000
$1,200,000
$1,300,000
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
• 2023 YTD lift tax collections of $4.3M are down (0.5)% or $(20,305) from the same time last
year.
$3,662,562
$2,905,686
$4,020,068
$4,285,902
$4,265,597
$0 $1,000,000 $2,000,000 $3,000,000 $4,000,000
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
6 243
Vail Business Review
February 2023
May 2, 2023
The Vail Business Review breaks down the 4.5% sales tax collected for the month of
February 2023. The 4.5% sales tax includes the town’s general 4% sales tax and the
0.5% housing sales tax supported by Town of Vail voters during the November 2021
election made effective January 1st, 2022. The housing sales tax will sunset on
December 31, 2051.
Overall, February sales tax was up from the prior year 5.5%. Retail increased 1.2%,
lodging increased 5.2%, food and beverage increased 8.4%, and utilities/other
increased 22.6%. Excluding the out-of-town category, sales tax for the month of
February was up 5.3% compared to prior year.
Town of Vail sales tax forms, the Vail Business Review, and sales tax worksheets are
available on the internet at www.vailgov.com. You can subscribe to have the Vail
Business Review and the sales tax worksheet emailed to you automatically from
www.vailgov.com.
Please remember when reading the Vail Business Review that it is produced from sales
tax collections as opposed to actual gross sales.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to call me at (970) 479-2125 or
Carlie Smith, Finance Director, at (970) 479-2119.
Sincerely,
Lauren Noll
Town of Vail
Sales Tax Administrator
7 244
Town of Vail Business Review
February Sales Tax Collections by Year
February 2023 Sales Tax
February 2022
Sales Tax Collections by Business Type
February 2023
1,848,965
Lodging
3,180,969
Food &
Beverage
1,334,394 Utilities &
Other
376,854
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
1.2%8.4%22.6%
Retail
RLFU
-$8,000,000
$12,000,000
4,136,309
4,293,354
3,693,712
$0 $1,000,000 $2,000,000 $3,000,000 $4,000,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $7,000,000
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
General Sales Tax
Housing Sales Tax
6,389,315
6,741,182
• February 2023 retail sales increased 1.2%, lodging increased 5.2%, food and beverage increased
8.4%, and utilities and other increased 22.6%.
• The figures above reflect 4.5% sales tax.
Retail
1,826,575
Lodging
3,023,909
Food &
Beverage
1,231,511 Utilities &
Other
307,321
$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
• This report represents collections of Town of Vail sales tax, as opposed to actual gross sales.
• On January 1st, 2022, Town of Vail sales tax increased from 4.0% to 4.5% on all items except food for
home consumption. 2022 and 2023 above include the 0.5% increase to sales tax, depicted in light
blue. Prior years show 4.0% sales tax collections.
• Total February 2022 collections were $6,389,315. Total February 2023 collections were $6,741,182.
• Overall, February 2023 4.5% sales tax collections were up from the prior year 5.5%.
5.2%
8 245
Town of Vail Business Review
February 2022February 2023
Geographic Area Trends by Year
February Sales Tax by Year
Sales Tax by Location
February 2023 Sales Tax
Other
Areas
14%
Lionshead
19%
Out of
Town
21%
Vail Village
45%
Other Areas
15%
Lionshead
20%
Out of Town
21%
Vail Village
44%
• Vail Village sales tax increased 7.1%, Lionshead increased 3.8%, Other Areas increased 2.1%, and
Out of Town increased 6.2%. Excluding Out of Town collections, all areas were up 5.3%.
• The figures above reflect 4.5% sales tax.
665,457
636,011
541,277
1,056,028
1,091,801
675,000
353,429
389,029
876,603
2,061,395
2,176,514
1,600,832
$0 $500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Vail Village
Out of Town
Lionshead
Other Areas
• This chart shows February sales tax collections by geographic area over time.
• 2022 and 2023 include the 0.5% increase for housing sales tax, depicted in lighter shades.
General 4.0% sales tax collections are shown in darker shades.
951,539
1,265,532
1,354,908 2,817,336
3,017,280
1,313,3491,439,273
971,281
9 246
Retail Business Sales Tax Detail
February 2023 Sales Tax
Town of Vail Business Review
Accommodation Services Sales Tax by Year
2,170,661
853,248
2,256,009
924,960
$0 $500,000 $1,000,000 $1,500,000 $2,000,000 $2,500,000
Apparel
$427,138
Grocery
$249,700
Gallery
$15,813
Gifts
$6,257
Jewelry
$64,014Retail Liquor
$92,140
Retail Other
$313,672
Sporting Goods
$604,644
Online Retailers
$75,117
Retail Home
Occupation
$469
• Overall, February 2023 accommodations services increased 5.2% from prior year. Short-term rentals increased
8.4% from prior year and hotels and lodges increased 3.9%.
• 2022 and 2023 include the 0.5% increase for housing sales tax, depicted in lighter shades. General 4.0% sales
tax collections are shown in darker shades.
• Short-term rental sales tax collection numbers include online marketplace facilitators like Airbnb and VRBO.
1,030,873
436,889
Hotel and Lodges
Short-Term
Rentals
2023 2022 2021
10 247
Retail 284,787.28 301,922.81 ‐5.68%
Lodging 565,508.97 545,866.88 3.60%
F & B 112,228.41 94,690.50 18.52%
Other 8,755.90 9,058.73 ‐3.34%
Total 971,280.56 951,538.92 2.07%
Retail 332,360.29 333,592.83 ‐0.37%
Lodging 708,536.63 698,025.17 1.51%
F & B 268,315.25 230,602.09 16.35%
Other 4,136.37 3,311.95 24.89%
Total 1,313,348.54 1,265,532.05 3.78%
Retail 324,544.07 348,333.42 ‐6.83%
Lodging 789,911.26 750,409.85 5.26%
F & B 3,143.89 2,837.09 10.81%
Other 321,673.93 253,327.60 26.98%
Total 1,439,273.16 1,354,907.96 6.23%
Retail 907,273.15 842,725.77 7.66%
Lodging 1,117,012.17 1,029,606.65 8.49%
F & B 950,706.65 903,380.96 5.24%
Other 42,288.07 41,622.23 1.60%
Total 3,017,280.04 2,817,335.60 7.10%
Retail 1,848,964.79 1,826,574.83 1.23%
Lodging 3,180,969.03 3,023,908.55 5.19%
F & B 1,334,394.20 1,231,510.64 8.35%
Other 376,854.27 307,320.51 22.63%
Total 6,741,182.30 6,389,314.53 5.51%
Retail Apparel 427,138.44 382,370.89 11.71%
Retail Food 249,700.20 247,161.49 1.03%
Retail Gallery 15,812.65 19,456.66 ‐18.73%
Retail Gift 6,257.09 8,196.03 ‐23.66%
Retail Home Occupation 468.63 271.01 72.92%
Retail Jewelry 64,014.29 45,355.08 41.14%
Retail Liquor 92,140.45 102,531.86 ‐10.13%
Retail Other 313,671.62 335,282.66 ‐6.45%
Retail Sport 604,644.33 617,040.15 ‐2.01%
Retail Online Retailer 75,117.10 68,909.00 9.01%
Total 1,848,964.79 1,826,574.83 1.23%
Cascade Village / East Vail / Sandstone / West Vail
Town of Vail Business Review
February 4.5% Sales Tax
2023 Collections 2022 Collections YoY % Change
Total ‐ All Areas
Lionshead
Out of Town
Vail Village
Retail Summary
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