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Beetles play in Washington

GRANBY, Colo. — Lodgepole pine trees killed by bark beetles are ample along the I-70 corridor in Summit County and in Vail. But the dead trees there may be trifling compared with the Winter Park-Grand Lake-Kremmling area.

GRANBY, Colo. — Lodgepole pine trees killed by bark beetles are ample along the I-70 corridor in Summit County and in Vail. But the dead trees there may be trifling compared with the Winter Park-Grand Lake-Kremmling area.

A reporter for the local newspaper chain in Grand County recently toured the beetle-killed area by air with local pilots, and one photo is riveting. The forest below on the shores of Grand Lake looked like aspen trees in spectacular fall colors. Most of the forest looked to be dead or dying.

While a good many – although not all – people fret about the aesthetics of dead trees, the greater worry is about the potential for massive fire. "We’re definitely living right in a time bomb," said Mike Jolovich, the pilot.

That’s also been the word from any number of elected and other public officials. Reversing the position of the resort communities from even five years ago, county commissioners and others have journeyed to Washington D.C. twice this year to see changes in federal policy. While the locals railed against below-cost timber sales in years past, that’s now exactly what they want. What’s more, they hope to see money allocated to the Forest Service for timber removal.

In Washington, the Congressional delegation from Colorado seems to be unifying behind legislation. And, from the local perspective, they’re saying the right things. "The fire hazard created by bark beetles will impact our communities soon," said U.S. Senator Ken Salazar.

An outcome of that visit is that a task force of local officials has been delegated to draft a bill to be introduced into Congress. In addition, they hope to get Mike Johanns, the secretary of agriculture, which is the department in which the Forest Service is located, to Colorado for a tour of the blighted forests.

Just where the felled trees will go remains uncertain. Summit County is investigating a biomass plant at Frisco, and Grand County has talked about a biomass plant to heat the courthouse in Hot Sulphur Springs. Ditto in Eagle County and its courthouse in Eagle.

In the Grand Lake, at the western gate to Rocky Mountain National Park, some see a silver lining in the dead trees. "If anything, it’s opened up the panoramic views and let the sunshine in," reported Donna Ready, owner of Mountain Lake Properties.

Still, standing dead trees can draw down home prices anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000 per home, she said.

Beetles at the gates

EDWARDS, Colo. — Entire hillsides of lodgepole pine along the I-70 corridor in Colorado continue to turn rust as bark beetles continue to have their way with the old and vulnerable forests. In response, a gated community called Cordillera, which is located about 20 miles west of Vail, is spending nearly $500,000 to spray trees or cut them down. Spraying trees cost $11 to $12 per tree, whereas removing a tree costs $150 to $200, notes the Vail Daily.

Mammoth’s new brew is energy

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — The Mammoth Brewing Co. boasts of its high quality of water, snowmelt that percolates through the volcanic rock that characterizes the region. "We waited more than a century for our water, but you can enjoy our beers right now," says the company.

Within a couple of years, Mammoth Brewing could boast of another distinction. It has plans to expand, and in that expansion the company is creating a portfolio of wind and solar power. The goal is to make the new brewery completely independent of gas- and coal-produced electricity.

Sam Walker, the owner, is deeply involved in energy matters, and was the vision behind creating the High Sierra Energy Foundation. Mammoth also hosted an Off the Grid Energy Fest and Expo. The area is rich with potential development of geothermal resources.

Jackson workers live in Jackson

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — A new study reveals that 77 per cent of the people who live in Jackson Hole also live there. That figure comes as some relief, as many had suspected that an even higher percentage of the workforce commutes from across Teton Pass to the far-flung communities of Driggs, Victor, and Alpine.

Still, with an estimated 700 new jobs being created annually in Jackson Hole, there’s a clear gap between jobs and workers. Some 1,500 jobs remain unfilled.

What is creating the jobs isn’t entirely clear, at least to county commissioner candidate Kasey Mateosky, who owns a construction company. "I kind of struggle with who’s creating these additional jobs," he said. "Is it from bigger homes requiring more staff or techniques coming in and running offices here?"

To date, the Jackson Town Council has created 100 affordable housing units, and there seems to be broad support for more. Less clear is how these units will be provided because, as one town council member noted, housing always requires land and money. "We can’t manufacture either," said incumbent councilman Steve Harrington.

Real estate sales on the rise

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — Despite signs here and there of a softening real estate market, the story in Summit County remains one of a rip-roaring market. Real estate sales volume through June was up 22 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to numbers tallied by the Land Title Guarantee Co. in Breckenridge.

Billion-dollar project gets OK

MINTURN, Colo. — A giant housing development with an estimated value of $1 billion continues to make its way through the review process of Minturn, near Vail. The project proposed by Florida-based Ginn Co. proposes 1,700 housing units on 5,400 acres. The Vail Daily reports the conceptual plan for the project has been approved by the town’s planning commission, but notes that the harder questions will come as more precise plans are developed during the next three months. The project plans also call for a private ski resort serviced by eight chairlifts, a golf course, and a gondola connecting the lower-lying component of the real estate with the higher-elevation portion. All of this is on former mining lands, most of which were removed from the public domain in the 1880s.

Revelstoke resort clears hurdle

REVELSTOKE, B.C. — A broad policy document intended to guide development of a major resort at Revelstoke has been adopted by the municipal leaders. The resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, is projected to have the most vertical drop of any resort in North America, as well as a sizable real estate component at the base. Only a small ski area exists on the mountain, called Mount Mackenzie.

The Revelstoke Times Review describes the policy document as a major hurdle for the $800 million project. In general, the developers got what they wanted with, for example, "should" replacing "shall," reports the newspaper. The key issue was sewage treatment, which will become a twin task of the developers and the city.

A letter-writer in the paper, Jason Gross, urged caution. "It seems dollar-sign fever is running rampant," he said. "While there’s plenty to be gained, there is more that could be lost."

He urged a careful evaluation of changes. "Don’t get me wrong. Some change is good. Nothing can remain stagnant. The best changes, however, come from taking time with the decision-making process."

Ski runs are currently being cleared on Mount Mackenzie, and gondola towers are expected to be erected next summer.

Public affairs takes to the air

CANMORE, Alberta — A second and non-commercial radio station called Radio Free Canmore is being planned.

The Rocky Mountain Outlook says the new radio station will allow residents with musical tastes outside the Top 40 to host their own radio shows. However, public affairs programming is envisioned as the most important reasons for the station.

A coordinator explained that another forum is needed for the community, which is located about 15 miles down-valley from Banff.

For example, as the town considered a major new resort called Three Sisters, it became obvious that some words meant very different things to various people. Developers, for example, saw a golf course as green space, while conservationists viewed it as a development.

It’s a cultural thing — governor

VAIL, Colo. — So why haven’t Hispanics generally done better – in schools and also in making money? Richard Lamm, a former governor of Colorado, says it has to do with culture.

He believes Hispanics, but also blacks, need to adopt the cultural values of the Japanese and Jewish, both of whom generally have high respect for learning and ambition.

"I believe that there are elements of the Hispanic culture, both here and in Mexico and Central American and South America, that are simply not success-producing of the kind that other immigrant groups have had," Lamm said at a speech in Vail.

Lamm pointed to low academic performance by both blacks and Hispanics. Italian immigrants a century ago had similar problems of low graduation rates, but now Italian-Americans on average have high family incomes and high professional status.

The Vail Daily says that Lamm also stressed the need for the "social glue" that a common language provides. "I know no place where a bilingual, bicultural society lives at peace itself," he said.

He expressed the same thoughts 15 years ago at a seminar near Vail, but that one was attended by representatives of Canada. There, he was assured by high government officials from Canada that bilingualism was well accepted and not divisive.

A-Basin readies for expansion

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. — The Forest Service is proposing to allow expansion of ski terrain at Arapahoe Basin. The proposed expansion into Montezuma Bowl would increase A-Basin’s terrain by 70 per cent, to 837 acres of lift-served acreage, more than half of intermediate difficulty.

The ski area’s carrying capacity, or the number of skiers it can accommodate comfortably, will increase 22 per cent, reports the Summit Daily News. Work on the expansion, pending final Forest Service approval, is expected to begin next year.

Farmers’ market big in Vail

VAIL, Colo. — Like everywhere else, Vail now has a farmers’ market. And it’s becoming a big business. Begun five years ago with 20 tents, the Sunday even now has 120 tents, with vendors turned away. It may now be the biggest in Colorado, organizers say.

About three-quarters of those browsing for everything from fresh fruits to pieces of art are visitors, organizers tell the Vail Daily. Merchants are also happy with it. "There wouldn’t be anyone in (Vail) Village at 10 in the morning on a Sunday if it weren’t for the farmers’ market," said one shop owner, Tom Higgins.

Affordable housing comes on line

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. — The Yampa Valley Housing Authority continues to expand the affordable housing stock in the Steamboat Springs area. Thirty two-bedroom condominiums in a project called Fox Creek Village are expected to be ready for occupancy in October. And now, the local non-profit has put a parcel of land along the Elk River Road, located northwest of Steamboat. That project is being called Elk River Village, and it is envisioned for as many as 33 single-family homes on four acres. Housing authorities envision modular homes of up to 1,000 square feet, which they believe is large enough to accommodate two bedrooms and two baths.

Internal heating for python

KETCHUM, Idaho — It was no doubt the oddest work detail of the year at the St. Francis Pet Clinic in Ketchum.

A 60-pound python snake called Houdini was eating a rabbit in its cage when it forgot to quit gulping. Some hours later, the pet’s owner discovered that an electric blanket was gone and the python was ailing, and X-rays then confirmed cause and effect.

Veterinarians Karsten Fostvedt and Barry Rathfon consulted a couple of specialists, who explained where to make the 18-inch incision. "No vet has done a lot of surgeries on pythons, especially up here," Forstvedt told the Idaho Mountain Express.

For the record, it was a queen-sized blanket.

Stick & stones bland

AVON, Colo. — You may have noticed the architectural trend of late in ski towns and resort valleys of the West. Everything is sticks and stones, or what might be called the "Old World" look.

In what is being called East Avon, or the town’s original commercial section, plans are afoot for a new vision. To facilitate creation of that vision, Avon has hired the Design Workshop, but also Aspen-based architect Harry Teague.

Teague said Avon’s identity should be distinct from the themes evident in Beaver Creek and Vail Village. He urged against trying to incorporate existing styles.

"It’s like you took every color in the rainbow and threw it together and came up with taupe," Teague said, referring to a dark gray color. "Everyone’s trying not to offend everybody else, and the result is bland."

If Avon wants to attract young people – and that seems to be the chorus in every ski town these days – then it must be different, Teague added. "They’re starved for a groovy place, something that’s not logs and stones. I want a place like that, and I’m not alone. There are millions of us."

Yet farther east in Avon, the trend is toward more bland. There, beyond Wal-Mart and Home Depot, plans are afoot for another smaller national franchise to inhabit a 30,000 square-foot space.

No more shrinkage

SILVERTON, Colo. — The shrinkage of Silverton from its mining era seems to have ended, and a new expansion in the era of recreation and leisure has commenced. Latest evidence for that expansion comes from the pages of the Silverton Standard, which tells of new regulations drafted to regulate building in an area called "Quality Hill."

During the mining boom of a century ago, Quality Hill was the location of many nice, Victorian-style homes. Silverton wants the potential 92 new homes to mesh with the old. For example, windows on the principal facade should be one and a half times taller than they are wide, and appear to be double hung.

The new regulations also bar any fences in the front yards taller than four feet, although the sky seems to be the limit in the backyard.

Taller buildings OK

PARK CITY, Utah — As redevelopment occurs in an area of Park City called North of Main, the town is looking at bigger – but only in some situations. For examples, buildings would be allowed to be up to five storeys tall, but only if city officials decide those buildings are designed well. The city also aims for a cap on buildings of 20,000 square feet, but with exceptions for grocery stores and theatres. The town hopes for a mixture of locally owned business and national chains.

Would Home Depot look better in green?

CARBONDALE, Colo. — Carbondale residents continue to agonize about under what terms, if any, it will allow big-box retailers to set up shop in their town, located between Aspen and Glenwood Springs. Meanwhile, more and more of the retail action is happening at Glenwood Springs, at a massive shopping complex called the Meadows.

Carbondale’s newspaper, The Valley Journal, wonders if the debate would advance if The Home Depot were more environmentally acceptable. Specifically, the newspaper suggests a big box might be more acceptable if it came as a LEEDS-certified "green building, such as was done at a The Home Depot store in Boulder, Colo.

Granby says wait a while

GRANBY, Colo. – In terms of sheer acreage, Granby has been the most rapidly growing town in Colorado during this century. Most of that land is slotted for single-family homes of some sort, whether called "cabins" or some other name appealing to those wanting places for weekend getaways.

But what could be a deluge of time-share proposals has begun to arrive, and the Granby Board of Trustees wants to be sure the town gets what it needs from this new wave of development. To that end, they have adopted a three-month moratorium on vacation clubs, fractionals and other kinds of time-shares while it studies its taxing options.

They did so against the advice of any number of developers. One, Mike Claney, who helps manage the Inn at SilverCreek, warned that the trustees could "create a stigma about being anti-timeshare." Another, Rich Noble, with RHS Companies, a developer of vacation club fractional ownership projects, suggested that the impact of vacation-club owners is positive. Vacation-club owners spend more money than typical fractional ownership owners, he said.

However, both the mayor, Ted Wang, and a consultant, Barbara Cole, of Community Matters, had urged a longer, six-month moratorium, reports the Sky-Hi News.

What’s in a name?

TELLURIDE, Colo. — Sometimes when people move to the country, they’d just as soon not feel like they were on a street in town. That’s true at many places, and it came up again recently in San Miguel County, where Telluride is located.

There, county officials are trying to post road signs and assign addresses to all homes in rural areas. Trouble is, not all the country cousins like the signs, or even the addresses. The county commissioners suspect that, unless the public accepts the signs, they will mysteriously disappear. To forestall such tacit revolt, the county commissioners plan to invite the public to a meeting, to lay out the causes of their discontent.