‘No Community Appetite’ For Snowmass Club Redevelopment

A new proposal to add affordable housing, free-market units, and other amenities to the private Snowmass Club did not gain traction during a joint meeting with the Snowmass Village Town Council and planning commission.

Snowmass Club owner Eric Witmondt introduced a pre-sketch application of a redevelopment of the Snowmass Club that would add 60 units of affordable housing, five single-family “free market attainable” homes, new tennis and pickleball courts, and more. While the 60 units of affordable housing were favorable, council members, commissioners, and members of the public who filled the council chambers Monday did not see the larger community benefit in developing the private club. 

“The only reason that the town should consider allowing development here is if there’s really some public good that comes from it, and the only public good I see is maybe 25,000 square feet of employee housing,” said Councilmember Tom Fridstein. “But it’s not really the best spot for employee housing, we’d much rather have those up in the West Village core where they have access to services and transportation. I appreciate your effort on this, but I don’t really quite understand what the benefit to the town is.”

Council members and commissioners argued that the Snowmass Club development was not included in the town’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan — a 200-page document that was finalized after a community-centered planning process — and therefore was not a priority for the town’s development goals. The comprehensive plan specifies that most growth should happen within one of three already-established Comprehensively Planned Areas to keep the town “just big enough.” Those three areas are West Village (including the Snowmass Mall), Faraway Ranch North (including the Snowmass Center), and Town Park. 

With other housing developments and construction projects in the works, community appetite for a project that would largely affect only members of the Snowmass Club is just not there, Councilmember Susan Marolt said.

“I’m not sure the net effect would be that big of a benefit to our current crisis that we have for affordable housing, so to me that really doesn’t provide enough of a community benefit that I feel like it justifies all of the other expansion and construction,” she said. “In a time when I feel like our community is very concerned with community character and ‘just big enough’ and really the construction that continues to be part of our lives, I don’t really see much appetite for that.”

Witmondt introduced the plans remotely during the Monday night meeting. Members of the design team were unable to attend the meeting because of scheduling conflicts, he said. 

The pre-sketch joint meeting was intended to be an informal meeting to allow for free discussion of the proposal. If the Snowmass Club chooses to enter into the formal planned unit development (PUD) process, the Town Council would enter into its quasi-judicial function, meaning council members and commissioners could not discuss the project outside of formal meetings.

But planning commission chair Brian Marshack said it was hard to have a conversation when no one on the team was in the same room.

“I don’t even know how to address this proposal today, if you’re looking to get a green light from us I can’t do that, I have lots of additional questions,” he said.

The proposed affordable housing building would sit adjacent to the club commons. It is anticipated to be up to four stories to provide as much housing for local working residents as possible on the site, according to the pre-sketch application. It is proposed to be a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom units on the current maintenance site of the club.

The plan also proposes five single-family home developments near the old proshop building along Snowmass Club Circle and across from Two Creeks along Owl Creek Road. They are anticipated to be 4,000-6,000 square feet and would require constructing a new cul-de-sac off Owl Creek Road along the golf course. 

Over 15 homeowners in the Snowmass Club neighborhood submitted or signed onto public comment opposing the development, especially the proposed single-family homes. Homeowners also filled the Town Council chambers Monday night to express opposition for the plan. 

Several argued that the single-family homes would block views, disrupt the current Nordic skiing trail system, and that the new required street infrastructure is not sustainable. 

Witmondt said the Snowmass Club is aiming to provide an environmentally sustainable plan and approach that will maintain and upgrade the recreational infrastructure. The plan also aims to enhance summer and winter trail connectivity and preserve open space while “focusing on development in the areas where improvements already exist.”

“We’re going to utilize the sites that we have, and clustering developments to minimize extensive regrading and any blasting and any soil movements, and try to preserve as many of the natural features and views as currently exist,” he said. “The new housing opportunities are all going to be near existing infrastructure, which again keeps cars and buses off the road.”

Council members and commissioners both were concerned with the density of the proposal and they frequently said it would change the “community character” of Snowmass. Many of them also said since it is a private club, most of the community wouldn’t benefit from the development anyway.

“This is a massive development, and the comprehensive plan, not only does it not recognize this as a development area, but it was specifically discussed at great length as to whether it should be or could be a development area, and the answer was no,” said commissioner Jim Gustafson.

Witmondt said the proposal was not an all-or-nothing plan. The pre-sketch joint meeting was intended to have a conversation with the Town Council and planning commission about the future of the development.

“We are by no means saying take it all or leave it all, but we’re trying to have a discussion as to where you think there are some viable aspects of this plan and where you are very clear, such as Owl Creek Road, that it’s not even a discussion,” he said. “We understand that and we’re here for that feedback.” 

The Snowmass Club could adjust their proposal and apply for a PUD, which would start with a sketch plan application presented before the planning commission. It could also revise the proposal and hold another joint work session to get more feedback before going forward with the PUD application. 
In 2022, the planning commission unanimously rejected a request by the Snowmass Club to be rezoned as a “comprehensively planned area” so it wouldn’t have to go through the extensive PUD review process for new developments.

By: Lucy Peterson I Snowmass Sun I July 10, 2024