Time Machine: 40 years ago, changes to rockfall ordinance labeled ‘foolhardy’

40 years ago

May 17, 1985

The Vail Town Council conceded to changes in a rockfall and mudslide ordinance after realtors and developers argued it created unfair burdens on them, the Vail Trail reported.

The ordinance had been introduced more than a year earlier, after rocks crashed through homes in the Booth Falls area a year before that.

“The council agreed to drop a clause requiring Realtors notify potential buyers on first contact if the property is located in a ‘geologically sensitive’ area — the ordinance’s legal definition for a rock fall or mudslide zone,” the Trail reported.

The council also agreed to changes to the ordinance, which grandfathered in homes that had been damaged or destroyed by rockfall or mudslides, allowing them to rebuild without additional studies.

Support Local Journalism

Donate

Town attorney Larry Eskwith said that the request to allow property destroyed or damaged by a mudslide or rockfalld to be rebuilt without any study or corrective measures was “foolhardy,” the Trail reported.

50 years ago

May 16, 1975

After appealing regional forester Bill Lucas’ decision to designate the Beaver Creek area as a winter sports site and issue a ski area permit to Vail Associates, the state of Colorado received a 30-day extension on its deadline to reply to Lucas.

In addition to the state, the Sierra Club also appealed the decision.

Gov. Dick Lamm had been in conversations with Vail Resorts, and reportedly asked for the extension after representatives saw enough promise of positive progress on conclusions listed in the appeal. Representatives of Vail Associates had not yet had any conversations with the Sierra Club, however, but Bob Parker, the company’s vice president, said the company was hopeful it would be able to set up a meeting with the Sierra Club to increase the environmental group’s understanding of the ski area plans.

60 years ago

May 20, 1965

Excellent snow conditions, a long season, and widespread national publicity added up to a record ski winter for Vail, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.

“Unofficial figures indicate the area played host to 152,492 skiers between November 24 and April 25 — a 71.4 per cent increase over the 1963-64 ski season,” the Enterprise reported. “The area’s biggest single day was March 13, with 3,841 skiers using the lifts. March 13 was a Saturday, the first day of the American International Team races, an event which drew major television, radio and newspaper coverage for the resort.”

Peter W. Seibert, Vail’s general manager, stated that the area’s April performance indicated Vail’s 1965 decision to stay open until April 25 was well founded.

“Next year we plan to remain open until May 1,” Seibert said.

70 years ago

May 26, 1955

Sylvia Kelly of Gypsum represented the third generation of her family to graduate from Eagle County High School, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.

“Sylvia’s grandmother, Mrs. Pearl Jensen, was a member of the class of 1910. Mrs. Jensen’s daughter, Mrs. Dick Kelly graduated there in 1933 and Sylvia’s graduation occurred at the school’s forty sixth commencement program,” the Enterprise reported. “Miss Kelly will leave soon to enroll in Parks Business school in Denver.”

80 years ago

May 18, 1945

Eagle County men George Goosman and Vernon Brett were revealed to be a part of Gen. George S. Patton’s 12th U.S. armored division, otherwise known as the mystery division or the Hellcat division.

“The 12th was termed the mystery division since it was one of the few units taking part in the gigantic push which could not be mentioned in the press for security reasons,” the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported. “In the space of one week, from March 18 to 25, the 12th took dozens of towns, captured approximately 6,000 prisoners and disarmed half as many more, sending them back to surrender to trailing infantry outfits while the armor pushed on.”

On March 19, 1945, the Hellcats captured an estimated 2,500 prisoners, three ammunition dumps, a regimental supply train, 400 horses and 700 trucks and wagons. On March 20, the division took approximately 2,200 prisoners, killed an estimated 1,000 Germans, destroyed a locomotive and six cars, 20 tanks, 20 anti-aircraft guns, 15 artillery pieces and 50 wagons. And on March 21 the division took 1,000 prisoners, shot down two enemy planes and captured 12 rocket guns.