For the week of February 5 - 11, 2003

Ketchum hotel plan
sent back to P&Z

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By GREG STAHL
Express Staff Writer

Casting a deciding opinion Jan. 29, Ketchum City Councilman Randy Hall gave a new downtown hotel proposal a negative review and effectively sank the 81-room, four-story, 55- to 59-foot-tall hotel’s potential to be built as proposed.

Without the votes to approve Ketchum attorney Brian Barsotti’s proposed Bald Mountain Hotel, the city council unanimously voted to remand an associated planned unit development application to the Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission. Hall and Councilwoman Chris Potters said the proposed building’s height must be curbed to gain approval.

Barsotti was clearly not happy with the council’s decision, but said he would take another look at building a hotel or motel at the site on Main Street. He said a franchise-operated motel, without first floor conference and restaurant facilities, might work.

"We’re kind of regrouping, and the architect’s taking a look at a motel or a 100 percent residential project," Barsotti said.

The Bald Mountain Hotel proposal was under review by the city of Ketchum for a year, and public opposition to the proposed hotel’s height, which was 19 feet higher than allowed by law, surfaced relatively late in the process. However, city council meetings held on the proposal in January were some of the best attended in Ketchum’s recent history.

Barsotti proposed to raze the historic Bald Mountain Lodge, which occupies an entire city block and fronts the city’s Main Street. Regardless of what happens to the hotel proposal, the historic lodge will be torn down, Barsotti said.

At the Jan. 29 meeting, Councilman Baird Gourlay excused himself from the proceedings, because Barsotti owns the building in which Gourlay operates a business. It is not a legal conflict of interest, said Ketchum City Attorney Margaret Simms, but Gourlay said he would not subject himself or his family to the public scrutiny he anticipated.

In previous meetings, Councilman Maurice Charlat made clear that he would probably vote for the hotel as requested. Potters made clear that she would not vote for any building taller than the city’s 40-foot height limit.

That left the decision up to Hall.

"I am in the hot seat," Hall acknowledged Wednesday night before reading a lengthy statement.

"I find that the benefits being requested by the developer would not be equal to the benefits that the city of Ketchum would receive," Hall said. "To be more specific, we would be giving away the heart and soul of our comprehensive plan and our design review ordinance. And for what?

"Will Ketchum receive some benefit from having this project go forward? Yes. Will we get some visitors circulating through town spending money? Yes. Will we receive some increase in our local option tax as a result? Yes. But I have to ask myself, ‘Would those benefits be any different with a hotel built within the guidelines?’ The answer is also yes."

Hall’s statement was received by a lengthy round of applause from the approximately 80 citizens in attendance.

Barsotti said he was annoyed with the way Hall handled the issue.

"He’s a politician, and he played it to the hilt," Barsotti said. "We negotiated with ourselves for four months."

 

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