Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Warm Springs plan retains its character

Guest opinion by HENRY DEAN


Henry Dean is a longtime Ketchum resident and Warm Springs Ranch (www.warmspringsranch.net) project director.


Public scrutiny of development projects?including the redevelopment of Warm Springs Ranch?is most certainly a good thing. What is not good is mischaracterizing the facts and the developers? plans in an attempt to polarize opinion.

Over the past several weeks, a few individuals have attempted to do just that. In the interest of correcting erroneous observations, please consider the following facts:

Each of the development partners is a property owner in Ketchum, and one is a long time, year-round Ketchum resident. More importantly, those actually responsible for what the future Warm Springs Ranch will look like?the land planners, architects, environmental, historical, and engineering consultants, and a host of others?are your neighbors and friends. We live here too. We understand just how special this place is. And we have a vested interest in creating something of lasting value that respects the land and its importance to this community.

For some to suggest that, under the proposed plan, Warm Springs Ranch will become nothing more than a parking lot with a hotel and condos is misleading and inaccurate. The redevelopment plan calls for the transformation of what is now a 9-hole golf course, limited exclusively for use by a few greens fee-paying golfers, into a nature preserve and parkland protected forever from future development and open to everyone for many recreational uses via a dedicated conservation easement to the Wood River Land Trust.

In fact, central to the land plan is that more than half of the property will be re-vegetated and restored to its native, pristine condition. Warm Springs Creek, after decades of misuse, dumping, channelization and neglect, will undergo a massive riparian restoration to improve wildlife habitat and fishing quality. The developers are also providing public access to this treasure with pedestrian footbridges, as well as the final link to the Bald Mountain Trail System, connecting River Run to Warm Springs.

"Hotel and parking lot?" Hotel, yes. Ketchum is badly in need of additional hotel facilities. What kind of hotel, though, is important. In this case, the hotel is small, intimate and maintains the area's character and scale. It will be anchored by a rustic two-story lodge with 12 guest rooms and meeting/reception facilities, with additional freestanding small cabins tucked at the base of Baldy. Parking lot? Hardly. Most vehicles will never be seen, as the plan calls for an enclosed parking structure and on-site motorized traffic will be limited to small, electric vehicles.

We've all had our memories and good times at the Warm Springs Ranch Restaurant. Under the proposed plan, that tradition will continue. Bob Dunn, who has managed the operation for 20 years, and Steve Roth, a partner in the development and long-time Ketchum resident, plan to welcome guests for many more years in a new structure because the old one has more than outlived its useful life. Same menu, same rustic character, same drinks and, most importantly, same friends.

The developers of Warm Springs Ranch believe that an informed public is vital to the well being of our community and its future. Central to this is the citizenry approaching new ideas with an open mind, understanding the facts and then forming an opinion of their own. It is not in the community's best interest to oppose (or support) a proposal without knowing anything about it other than the emotionally charged opinion of someone with an axe to grind. The developers and all those Ketchum residents associated with crafting the concept for this thoughtful, sensitive community welcome the forthcoming public scrutiny that will be given to Warm Springs Ranch.




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