A planned employee housing expansion at Vail Ski Resort is facing possible condemnation by the Town of Vail as concerns surrounding a bighorn sheep habitat conquer the discussion, according to 9News. According to Greg Willis, the Director of Skier Services for Vail Resorts, the plan to build on five of the 23 Vail Resorts owned acres was approved in 2019.
Several large homes and a school have already been built in the area where the bighorn sheep are known to winter, but Kim Langmaid, Vail’s mayor, believes further construction would be too much for the herd.
“What we’re left with is a very small piece of very important winter range for the sheep. We need to do whatever we can to protect those sheep.” – Vail’s Mayor Kim Langmaid to 9News
Attempts were reportedly made by the town to move the employee housing expansion further downtown, but Vail Resorts was unwilling to partner with the town. Instead, the Town of Vail has moved forward with building their own affordable housing. A town council vote could result in the entire 23 acres being condemned and seized.
It feels a little hypocritical to see the town threatening to condemn the property while still allowing a school and several mansions to be built on the property, but the town’s attempt to move the project gives them some credit, in my view.
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