For the week of September 11 - 17, 2002

Sun Valley P&Z reaffirms Elkhorn demolition denial

Developer asked to provide 
project master plan

---

By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

Sun Valley Planning and Zoning commissioners Tuesday unanimously reaffirmed a decision made two weeks ago to deny the owners of Elkhorn Resort permission to implement the first phase of their redevelopment plan for the Elkhorn Village core.

In a 5-0 vote with Chairman Jim McLaughlin absent, the panel approved a one-page document confirming the commissioners’ Aug. 27 decision to deny developers CG-Elkhorn permission to demolish the River Rock Steak House, Treat Haus snack shop and Elkhorn post office buildings to make space for a new parking lot.

The document—which was reviewed by City Attorney Rand Peebles and presented by Community Development Director Jack Cloud—was put forth after a review of the far-ranging Aug. 27 decision.

Specifically, it lists several "findings of fact" and "conclusions of law" made by city officials.

The findings include determinations that the city was correct in requiring a Design Review application for the parking-lot project, and that city code provides the P&Z the ability to request additional information to help in making decisions.

In making their decision Aug. 27, commissioners told representatives of CG-Elkhorn that the developers needed to submit a detailed master plan of the large-scale redevelopment of the village before an informed determination could be made about the smaller parking-lot project.

Commissioners agreed that they did not want to approve aspects of the redevelopment in a piecemeal fashion, but would consider changes to the village as part of a complete demolition and reconstruction plan.

The proposed demolition of the commercial buildings on the north side of the village—originally slated to begin on Sept. 15—was identified as the first element of a larger plan to raze the 132-room Elkhorn Hotel and an assortment of other structures, but was not submitted as part of comprehensive master plan.

CG-Elkhorn earlier this year had outlined its intention to redevelop parts of the village with 56 fractional-ownership condominiums, 38 townhouses and a recreational complex, but did not ask for formal approval of the concept.

The "conclusions of law" In the one-page document approved Tuesday reassert that CG-Elkhorn will be required to submit a master plan of the entire project before the first-phase of the redevelopment can be considered for approval.

The conclusions note that a master plan will be required "to fully review and evaluate the scope of the demolition and the future development" of the site. They also note that the master plan must include a detailed demolition plan, a construction schedule and a detailed snow-removal plan.

The move by the city in the last two weeks to review the Aug. 27 decision came as a senior representative of CG-Elkhorn questioned whether the city had the authority to demand a master plan of the entire project before allowing any aspects of the redevelopment to begin.

In addition, Greg DeStefano, senior vice president for design and development for Greenfield Partners, last week said CG-Elkhorn officials were concerned that the city had changed its position about whether some demolition at the site might be able to proceed without a formal Design Review hearing.

The city earlier this year told CG-Elkhorn that the parking-lot project would need to have the P&Z’s formal Design Review approval because the buildings are attached to two residential buildings that are part of the Elkhorn Village Condominiums.

The city at the same time had suggested that the developers might get approval for other aspects of the demolition administratively if the first phase was approved by the P&Z.

City officials later clarified their position to say individual aspects of the demolition would not be approved administratively.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.