Vail to explore Booth Heights alternatives

Vail Mayor Dave Chapin announced Thursday that the Town of Vail has approached representatives from Vail Resorts and Triumph Development to explore an alternative approach to the Booth Heights housing development planned for East Vail.

“I’m pleased to announce that all seven members of the Vail Town Council are committed to advancing our leadership in good faith to discuss alternatives to the Booth Heights development,” said Chapin. “As such, we have directed our Town Manager to meet with the development team to express our interest in presenting an alternative approach that would advance both our community’s housing and environmental stewardship goals.”

The centerpiece of these discussions, according to the mayor, is an exploration of other viable town-owned housing sites that would provide equitable partnership opportunities for Vail Resorts to build deed-restricted homes elsewhere in town. Multiple sites are being studied including the Children’s Garden of Learning property and other town-owned properties in Vail. In exchange, the Town Council is expressing its interest in acquiring the 23-acre Booth Heights property on behalf of the community to determine its future use. In addition to discussing with Vail Resorts the Town Council’s interest in developing a public-private partnership to further the town’s collective housing goals, Town Manager Scott Robson has been directed by Council to facilitate a recently formed task force focused on improving forest health and wildlife habitat in East Vail in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

“I am proud to say this Town Council firmly believes an opportunity exists for a win-win outcome that not only achieves Vail Resorts’ objective to deliver critical deed-restricted housing in Vail by the fall of 2021, but also gives our public land managers a chance to protect and enhance the critical bighorn sheep habitat in East Vail which includes both Town of Vail and USFS-owned land,” said Chapin. 

“We ask the community to join us to advance these critical town initiatives,” said Chapin. “Together, we can work to bring balance to our priorities and elevate our vision to be the premier international mountain resort community.”

Chapin said the Town Council will provide updates to the community on the status of the discussions as additional details become available and looks forward to future public involvement on the issue.