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PARK CITY — Several Park City residents showed up Monday to share their opinions about a parking fee and new ski lift for Park City Mountain Resort proposed by Vail Resorts in an effort to reduce traffic and accommodate ever-increasing demand.
The resort wants to upgrade the Silverlode lift from a six-chair to an eight-chair detachable lift, as well as replace the three-chair Eagle lift with a six-chair detachable lift that travels higher up the mountain, city officials noted in a news release.
The proposed parking fee is an attempt to decrease demand for parking and offset traffic in the area.
"A (Park City Mountain Resort-retained) consultant predicted the possibility of an 11% decrease in demand for parking if the system charges $25 per day. The submittal says an 11% decrease is similar to the numbers at other Vail Resorts properties after introducing paid parking," city leaders said in the release.
Park City Mountain Resort has not yet set a price for the parking fee.
But some who live in the area expressed concern during an administrative meeting on Monday that the fee will bring more people seeking free parking onto their private streets.
"I really think that you're impacting the neighborhood in a poor way, you're impacting the community in a poor way," resident Deborah Hickey said.
She said the area needs a specific transportation plan in place before users get charged for parking. Those who can't afford a potentially $25 fee need a way to access the slopes, Hickey said, and taxpayers who live in the community should be able to park for free or for a discount as they shoulder the burden of public transportation funding.
Some, however, expressed optimism that parking fees could decrease early-morning traffic in the area.
Meeche White, with the National Ability Center, called the parking plan "fairly ingenious." She said it will motivate people to change their behavior and ease traffic congestion so everyone won't be rushing to the resort at the same time to get a parking place.
Some in a nearby Sunflower condo building, 401 Silver King Drive, also fear the new Eagle lift that Vail wants to situate 35 feet away from their building will bring noise and eliminate privacy at their homes.
"We support the Eagle lift. I think it's good for everyone, and we look forward to it. The problem is its position, that's all we're concerned about," resident Mike Mangano said.
Susan Bremer-Rossow, another Snowflower condo owner, said she wanted to present the opinion of "someone whose home is going to lose their view, and is not going to have access to the hill anymore because that's being taken away as a result of the lift."
Bremer-Rossow contend she will go from having a quiet, peaceful home to having a lift 35 feet from her window "and the noise that's going to create every day," and she fears it will "erode" her property value.
But a Vail Resorts official said during the meeting the company has found that other, similar lifts within that distance do not create a large amount of noise. He compared it to a gentle rain shower.
Other residents pointed to the need for fencing around their properties should the lift move close to them, increased investment in transportation infrastructure and innovative ways for everyone to access the resort.
After receiving public input, city planning officials changed the agreement with Vail to require the company to reinvest funds gained from parking fees to transportation, transit and or parking measures in and around the area. Company officials agreed to that and other requirements put in place after the public comment hearing.
A spokeswoman for Vail Resorts said Tuesday the parking updates would go beyond a fee, and that the resort plans to implement a parking reservation system with paid parking and free parking, as well as carpooling and transit incentives.
Parking will continue to be free after 1 p.m., and, at Canyons Village, as well as for vehicles with four or more occupants. Free parking will also be offered at the nearby high school on weekends and holidays, and at local park-and-ride sites with access to public transit.
Correction: A previous version said the resort proposes a $25 fee. The fee has not yet been set, but a study looked into the possibility of a $25 fee.
