Discussions about a package of lift upgrades Park City Mountain wants to pursue are scheduled to continue this week with an important step in the long-running process.
An appeal of a Park City Planning Commission approval of the upgrades, which was filed in late May, is slated to be heard at 10 a.m. on Thursday. The appeal will be held online.
Tim Pack, a civil trial lawyer selected through a competitive process, has been tapped as the administrative hearing officer.
Park City Mountain is seeking to replace the existing Eagle and Eaglet lifts with a six-passenger lift and install an eight-passenger lift to replace the current six-passenger Silverlode Express lift.
The Planning Commission cast a unanimous vote and received testimony from the public in broad support of the upgrades before the decision.
Six individuals — Frode Jensen, Catherine Jensen, Alan Theis, Marvin Kabatznick, Andrea Griffis and Allan Inglis — subsequently filed the appeal. They want the hearing officer to reverse the Planning Commission approvals and send the issue back to that panel with instructions to “consider and mitigate all reasonably anticipated detrimental effects and to consider all mandatory requirements.”
There have been concerns that the upgrades could lead to safety issues, as more skiers and snowboarders are attracted to the slopes. Park City Mountain disputes the contention that the upgrades could lead to safety issues.
The appeal, though, wants the Planning Commission to address the comfortable carrying capacity at the mountain resort, an industry metric measuring the size of crowds that a resort can accommodate. It wants the Planning Commission to address the “consideration of safety, downhill capacity and other detrimental effects.”
Jensen, one of the people who filed the appeal, said on Monday that he and the others challenging the approval support the lift upgrades even as they want the comfortable carrying capacity addressed.
“I think Vail Resorts and the city would be far better served if they addressed, up front and transparently, the capacity issues we have raised,” he said, referring to the Colorado-based owner of Park City Mountain.
Park City Mountain did not immediately respond to a Park Record request for availability by Deirdra Walsh, the vice president and chief operating officer of the resort.
Walsh has previously expressed confidence. In a June prepared statement, she said: “The Park City Planning Commission’s unanimous approval of the Eagle and Silverlode lift upgrades followed a rigorous and transparent public process that clearly demonstrated that these projects comply with all permit requirements. More than 80 community members — including Olympic athletes and industry leaders — spoke or submitted comments in support, underscoring the broad recognition that these projects will meaningfully improve the experience for skiers and riders, residents and guests. We believe that the city’s process for land use appeals will confirm that the Planning Commission reached the correct decision. We remain committed to the Park City community and to continuing to invest in improving the experience for all Park City Mountain guests.”
A link to the online hearing is available on the municipal website: parkcity.gov/government/city_council/public_meeting_listen_live.php. The direct link: us02web.zoom.us/j/87256823928.