Paid parking proposed with PCMR lift upgrades, public hearing to be held Monday

The base of the Eagle lift. Photo: TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City Planning Department is scheduled to hold a public hearing for the proposed lift upgrades at Park City Mountain on Monday at noon after the first meeting earlier this month was delayed. The meeting will take place in City Council Chambers but will also be virtual via Zoom.

The resort is proposing to upgrade the Silverlode lift from a 6-chair to an 8-chair detachable lift and replace the Eagle and Eaglet lift with a longer single, 6-chair detachable lift.

The department delayed the April 12 hearing after it found resort owner Vail Resorts’ plan “did not provide substantive” parking mitigation, and therefore “was likely not acceptable for approval.”

The company revised its plans, and in newly submitted documents this week says it will implement paid parking with a required reservation system at Park City Mountain Village. The new program will include the Main, First Time, and Silver King lots.

Reservations will be required seven days a week up until 1 pm. After 1 pm, parking will be free and no reservations will be required. Parking will be free for cars with four or more occupants, in an effort to increase carpooling and public transit use.

A consultant’s analysis of the 2021-2022 ski season found that a $25 per day price structure would reduce parking demand by 11%.

The company also cites Beaver Creek Resort in Colorado implementing a $10 per day paid parking system several years ago, with free access starting at 1 pm. Prior to the change, lots at Beaver Creek were full on average 53 days per season. In the five years since paid parking has been instituted there, parking lots have filled an average of 8 days per season.

The report also discusses the success of Alta’s paid reservation system this year.

The company also plans to move 90 employee spaces from the Mountain Village to the Munchkin Lot, and said it will pay for a PC-SLC Connect pass for any employee that wants one.

The planning department has said that because of the 1998 development agreement between the city and the then-owner of the resort, POWDR Corp., includes an approved Mountain Upgrade Plan, which states that the development of ski facilities (including new/upgraded lifts) is subject to a staff-level administrative review, and does not require going in front of the planning commission.

Park City Municipal published all of the submitted written public comments this week, here’s what some in the community had to say:

Claudia Ehrenfeld, Board President of the Snow Flower HOA, located on Silver King Dr — the [Eagle] lift terminal will be 75 feet long and 20 feet tall and will be approximately 35 feet from the slope side of Building 2. We fully support the goal behind the new lift and enjoy working with Vail as friends and neighbors. In that spirit, we ask that PCMR and the Planning Commission delay making a decision and reconsider the placement of the lift and explore options for building the new terminal closer to the existing Eagle Lift.

Several Snow Flower residents wrote in separate letters that they are against the current plan. However, one outlier, who said they own six total units at the complex, said the plan “is a fantastic enhancement to PCMR & a benefit to skiing owners & guests.”

R.T. Winn, Medical Director for Deer Valley and Park City — Each of these changes will help relieve congestion and crowding.  Circulation will be greatly improved, thereby reducing wait times … Also, since crowding increases the likelihood of accidents, the changes should make the ski experience not only more enjoyable but safer.

Tom Clyde — I support the lift expansion. It is necessary to maintain some semblance of a quality ski experience with the onslaught of Epic Pass holders. The crowds we saw this winter are unacceptable and damaging to the guest experience. It damaged the reputation of the entire town. Expansion seems necessary.

Deb Rentfrow, co-founder of Responsible Resort Area Development Coalition — the Eagle lift was not foreseen as being either replaced, removed or upgraded. This is clearly shown in visual exhibits as well as in the language of the agreement. The Eagle lift was anticipated to remain and a new lift located below it and the First Time lift. The proposed new lift was to offload in the area of the Meadows and Assessment terrain. The proposed replacement of Eagle is anticipated to offload in the vicinity of the King Con offload location. This is a substantive change.

Walter Brett, Jennifer Lewis Brett — I have been a full-time resident of Park City and Summit County for the past 24 years and my wife has called Park City home for the last 48 years. We have seen much change in our town and recognize that our quaint little town has changed. Having a quality skiing experience is very important to us. We fully support the approval and construction of these two lifts and encourage Park City Planning to approve the projects.

Rob and Sara Sergent of Alpine Distilling & Alpine Pie Bar — Of tremendous value to local business owners is the world-class status of Park City Mountain Ski Resort. Local businesses, including ours, benefit from the continual investment in infrastructure to keep PCMR at the front of a very competitive field. My wife, Sara, and I support the proposed lift expansion(s) to improve skier flow and mountain access. Please reach out directly if we may answer any questions about our position.