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Town Council approves Marriott Residence Inn

The Vail Town Council is set to vote tonight on final approval of a hotel/apartment complex in West Vail. The Marriott Residence Inn would have 170 hotel rooms. The rest of the building would have just more than 100 apartments, most of which would be deed-restricted for workforce housing.

VAIL — A split Vail Town Council Tuesday gave final approval to an ordinance that will create a Marriott Residence Inn and 102 apartments on the site of the former Roost Lodge in West Vail.

After not quite two hours of public comment and discussion, the council voted 4-3 for approval. Greg Moffet, Jenn Bruno, Dick Cleveland and Mayor Dave Chapin voted for approval. Kevin Foley, Kim Langmaid and Jen Mason voted against the motion.

As in previous meetings, several neighbors spoke against the project, most citing the sheer size and density of the proposed structure. That structure will occupy most of the 1.99-acre site.



Adele Picking, whose condo is behind the proposed structure, said the height of the building will shade her completely and shade the parking lot of that complex.

On that theme, neighbor Jenny Lewis said the proposed hotel/apartment building will “completely dwarf” the rest of the neighborhood.

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“Please consider the neighborhood that’s going to be affected,” Lewis said.

Utilitarian action

During the council’s discussion of the issue, Bruno said this proposal is a tough one for the town.

“In a lot of ways, we’re hurting some community members, but we’re helping many more,” Bruno said. “This is about providing housing for people who want to live here and don’t have the opportunity.”

Explaining his vote, Foley said the project doesn’t meet the criteria established to create what the town calls a special development district. Those criteria include compatibility with other uses in the area, effects on neighboring property owners and traffic impacts.

Langmaid said she’s concerned about “setting the town” for future developments with this one.

Cleveland said he’d come to support the proposal throughout time, despite his long opposition to large development projects. That support has come from both the evolution of the project and full explanation of what the ordinance approving the development will, and won’t, do.

“I don’t take this lightly,” Cleveland said. “But we’ve given this due consideration.”


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