Ketchum hotel clears first hurdle
P&Z endorses design of Bald Mountain
Lodge
By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer
Ketchum Planning and Zoning commissioners
last week approved the revised design of a proposed 85,000-square-foot hotel in
the downtown core, bringing the plan past the first of several hurdles it must
clear to gain final permission.
In a special meeting Wednesday, July 2,
the P&Z voted unanimously to issue conditional design-review approval to the
proposed so-called "Petite" Bald Mountain Lodge, a scaled-down version of a
hotel plan that was turned back by the Ketchum City Council in January.
The 4-0 vote, with Commissioner Rod
Sievers absent, came after a series of lengthy testimonials from area residents,
both for and against the proposed project. Commissioners at the end of the
three-hour meeting methodically determined that the project conformed with 44
separate design-review standards.
However, the P&Z declined to act on a
second application submitted as part of the project, that for a planned-unit
development conditional use permit. The permit for the PUD—which is essential to
the project—will be considered by the P&Z at its next regular meeting Monday,
July 14, at 5:30 p.m. in Ketchum City Hall.
At issue is a proposal by Ketchum attorney
and developer Brian Barsotti to build an upscale lodge at 151 S. Main St., on
the site of the existing Bald Mountain Lodge motor inn. The proposed hotel—which
would feature a 3,800 square-foot conference room, 1,000 square-foot board room,
and a fitness center—is planned to offer guest rooms at a cost of approximately
$225 per night.
Barsotti told the P&Z that he believes the
proposed hotel’s design would offset the impacts of its height, which would
reach 47 feet at various points. He noted that the proposed square footage of
the hotel is within the city’s established allowances. "There is going to be a
big building on this site," he said.
Barsotti noted that he does not want to
delay consideration of the revised proposal, despite the fact that the city is
preparing to consider relaxing some regulations that pertain to hotel
construction in the city center. "We’ve been at this long enough. We think it’s
time to get an answer," he said.
The city’s 40-foot height limit for hotels
is one regulation it may amend to allow developers more flexibility in design.
Project architect Larry Stricker said only
"a very small percentage of the entire site" would exceed the existing height
limit. The initial design of the hotel—which was approved by the P&Z but not by
the City Council—included a maximum roofline height of 59 feet.
Approximately 35 area residents attended
the hearing, with about half of the audience making comments on the new
proposal.
Of those who commented, supporters of the
project outnumbered opponents.
Bob Nero, president of the Sun
Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau, said his organization supports the
Bald Mountain Lodge proposal. "A property like this will really be a benefit, I
think," he said.
Jerry Seiffert, mayor of Ketchum from 1975
to 1988, said he believes the scale and design of the proposed hotel would be
appropriate for downtown Ketchum. "This application meets all the criteria for a
great place," he said. "There’s no reason you should turn it down."
Ketchum resident Steve Hogan said he
believes the project’s parking appears to be inadequate, and asked whether
Barsotti would run the operation as a "true hotel," or a combination of
timeshare units and hotel rooms.
Barsotti said he "wants to run a hotel,"
but might eventually consider selling some units as timeshare residences.
Ketchum resident Jake Jacoby, who has been
a strong critic of the project, said he is not opposed to new hotels, but is
opposed to the city granting Barsotti any of three waivers requested as part of
his PUD.
The waivers—including one to the city’s
40-foot height limit—will likely be considered at the P&Z’s July 14 review of
the project.
If the P&Z endorses the PUD application,
it will be forwarded to the City Council with a recommendation that they approve
the plan.
Commissioners last week did not formally
decide whether they approve of a proposed clock tower on the building that would
reach a height of 59 feet.
Barsotti said he thinks the tower "is a
nice element," but is "not critical to the project."
Commissioner Ron Parsons said he is not in
favor of the tower, but otherwise thinks "the project looks really nice."
The panel will likely consider at their
July 14 meeting whether the tower should be allowed through the PUD process.