Bear Mt. plan gets zoning change

Rutland Herald | November 10, 2017

By JULIA PURDY
CORRESPONDENT

Major renovations at Bear Mountain Lodge in Killington can progress under zoning changes approved 
by the Select Board. STAFF FILE PHOTO

KILLINGTON — The Select Board has approved a zoning change that will allow the proposed Bear Mountain Revitalization Plan to move closer to reality. Officials expect the change to result in a sweeping remodel of the Bear Mountain Base Lodge building and a cluster of new vacation home units adjacent to the lodge.
The zoning change reassigns 16 acres of the town’s Forest Reserve District on Bear Mountain to the abutting Ski Village District.
None of the 20 or so spectators at this week’s Select Board meeting, nor anyone on the board, voiced an objection. Barring an appeal, the change will become effective 21 days after approval.
The Forest Reserve District features limited roads and undeveloped, forested tracts. Recommended development includes single- family homes or duplexes on minimum 10- acre lots, or cluster housing and development for skiing.
The Ski Village District permits high- density, mixed uses. The new Ski Village-Falls Brook section will be subject to the same zoning bylaws as the rest of the Ski Village. Height regulations will also be amended to allow a maximum building height of 47 feet, or five stories, with a maximum roof- peak height of 68 feet.
The zoning change was requested to accommodate the higher residential density of his proposed Base Camp at Bear Mountain development, said Steve Malone of Ottauquechee Realty Advisors.
The company signed a purchase-and-sales agreement with Killington Ski Area for 25 acres adjacent to the base lodge, 16 of which are zoned as Forest Reserve.
Prior to reaching the Select Board, the proposed zoning change received approval from the Killington Planning Commission and encountered no opposition at a public hearing Sept. 13.
If all goes according to plan, groundbreaking will take place next summer for the next increment of luxury vacation housing at Bear Mountain, featuring skiin ski- out convenience to Outer Limits, Devils Fiddle and The Jug, as well as direct access to South Ridge via a new chairlift.
The Bear Mountain Revitalization Plan includes six multi- unit buildings and 18 duplexes containing approximately 130 units clustered on the hillside between the base lodge and the existing Sunrise Village.
Ottauquechee Realty Advisors estimates the total cost to develop the residential component at about $70 million with a retail value of $110 million, based on projected pricing for each finished unit.
“It’s a gross number,” Malone said. “It’s an estimate right now because we haven’t gotten into the marketplace.”
He added, “We always pre-sell before we build. We sell off the units that will enable us to pay off our construction debt. When the downturn came the last time, we didn’t have any unsold inventory.”
Ottauquechee Realty has two existing complexes in the Bear Mountain orbit — The Lodges and Topridge Townhomes, which include 24 and 62 units, respectively.
Overlooking all is the Sunrise Mountain Village of older townhomes, condos and a handful of single family homes, with Vista, the most recent addition, constructed in 2016. Including 172 condominiums, Sunrise by itself comprises 258 units altogether.
All three developments are under the umbrella of a master homeowne r s ’ association, said Richard Kolb, general manager. Current listings for Topridge are in the $600,000 to $1.5 million range, with the older Sunrise units listing in the mid-$100,000 to mid- $200,000 range.
Mike Solimano, president and general manager of Killington Mountain Resort, sees Bear Mountain as an all-around win.
He said in an email, “… the lack of a substantial amount of ski-on, ski-off housing has been a challenge for the resort and our guests. Guests want easy access to the slopes.”
He also sees the Bear Mountain expansion as a catalyst for the area’s economic growth.
“ The key to successful ski villages is having enough critical mass of guests around to create a great vibe that others want to be part of,” he said. “We clearly have critical mass of people in the winter.”
The project will be completed in two phases. Subject to permitting, next summer will see the construction of six multifamily condo buildings at an estimated cost of $45 million, as well as the remodeling of Bear Mountain Base Lodge.
Phase 2 is projected to begin in summer 2020 with the construction of 18 duplex residences, located at the base of Bear Mountain, for an estimated $25 million. Trail and lift changes are expected to add about $8 million.