The proposed plan.
Yesterday, the Pacer County Board of Supervisors voted to approve The Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan—a substantial residential and commercial development plan at the base area of Squaw Valley Ski Resort.
The Board voted 4-to-1 in favor of the project after a 10-hour marathon meeting that entailed eight hours of comments from members of the public who were both for and against the project.
The project includes the development of up to 850 hotel, condominium, and residential units with a maximum of around 1,400 bedrooms and a 90,000-square-foot indoor adventure center, and has an estimated cost of up to $1 billion.
Here is the live twitter feed from the public hearing posted on the Sierra Sun.
The Background
This project was first submitted to Placer County in May 2012, and since then there has been around 400 community meetings and three revisions made.
The reason for the plan is rooted in the resort's desire to redevelop the unfinished village and reestablish the Squaw as a leading four-season destination.
“Here’s the truth,” Andy Wirth, Squaw Valley Ski Holdings President and CEO, said. “In the 60s and 70s Squaw Valley was the preeminent ski area in North America. It was the coolest place to go, it was the most bad ass mountain in the world. During the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s it stood still. We think the mountain is kick ass but there are parts that are sorely lacking. We seek to restore squaw to the status it used to be.”
View the specifics of the project here.
According to the project website www.squawtomorrow.com, it will provide new on-site lodging and recreation opportunities, more year-round local jobs, and on-site affordable workforce housing. It involves the rehabilitation of Squaw Creek, and over $22 million in annual tax revenue to help fund public services including schools, road improvements, transit services, and public safety.
As with any mountain town that has soul, there are many differing opinions and community members that deeply oppose the development.
The Argument
Those opposed are concerned the project will create too much pollution, traffic, and noise.
During the hearing yesterday, those against the project voiced concern about the impacts of the development on traffic and the environment. Some wished for a smaller development. And others were concerned about a potential waterpark.
Here's what people who oppose the project are saying.
Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery was the only “no” vote on the Board. “People really do want change,” she said. “They want to see a better village. They are just not convinced that this is the project that will get us to their goals.”
Those for the development argue they have addressed the concerns of the public and have reduced the project’s size by 50 percent. People for the project are in support of more jobs, more money from tax revenues to help fund schools and roads, more money for Olympic Valley environmental initiatives, improvement of hiking and biking trails, and the restoration of Squaw Creek.
So what’s going to happen?
In a press release sent out this morning, Sierra Watch (a company that developed the movement “ Keep Squaw True”) made it clear they are planning to take the project to court.
“Approval of this project was not only irresponsible, it was also illegal,” said Sierra Watch Staff Attorney Isaac Silverman in the release. “California has robust environmental laws for exactly this situation, and we are confident that reason and justice will prevail.”
Wirth says he had a 15-minute celebration about their win and went on to focus on getting the mountain open for the season. “What was approved and confirmed yesterday was the density, building heights, the footprint of the buildings, and what the buildings will look like,” said Wirth. “We still have a lot of work to do.
This story is just a summarization of the project and recap of yesterday's events. Here are some great resources for more information and background.
A few reported local news stories (there are tons of these on this project):
http://www.sierrasun.com/news/environment/squaw-de...
http://www.sierrasun.com/news/environment/squaw-de...
Sierra Watch's website:
http://www.sierrawatch.org/conservation-campaigns/squaw-valley/
Squaw Valley Tomorrow's website:
About The Author
stash member Leslie Hittmeier
Leslie is a freelance writer and photographer. Storytelling is her focus and she spends her time following badass skiers and climbers around in their natural habitats. As an obsessed skier and climber herself, she plays and trains in the Tetons.