Presentation from the Sept. 8, 2010 Open House

Comments collected during the Sept. 8, 2010 Open House

The Planning Department proposes to undertake a master plan process for the Eagle Vail Commercial Area to:

1.    Establish a clear vision for this area within unincorporated Eagle County, and;

2.    Establish clear goals, objectives and strategies to influence and otherwise direct the coordinated public and private reinvestment in, and redevelopment of this area.

Although typically perceived as being part of the Eagle-Vail Planned Unit Development (PUD), the Commercial Area is independent of the PUD and is zoned Commercial General (CG). However, the Strip is included within the Eagle-Vail Metropolitan District boundaries. Since the early 1970s, this area has developed into primarily a retail and service commercial business area. The Commercial Area’s linear land ownership patterns, regional location between employment and housing centers as well as its direct access to State Highway 6 – an arterial roadway bisecting the study area – are viewed as significant attributes which contribute to the value and desirability of the area for continued commercial use and potential redevelopment into a more mixed use center.

Key aspects of this area to be addressed with any master plan include:

• continued investment opportunity and the relative affordability of commercial and light industrial land as well as commercial space available to local businesses and entrepreneurs;
• multiple property ownership patterns including the Colorado State Land Board (SLB) and the potential for multi-phased redevelopment and reinvestment (public-private finance) opportunities;
• maintaining a varied base of service and retail commercial uses that serve surrounding communities;
• State Highway 6 corridor capacity planning, access control and safety improvements as well as multi-modal transportation opportunities;
• improved pedestrian and vehicular circulation and connectivity within the Strip and with other areas of the Eagle-Vail PUD;
• capacity planning to include water rights, water and sanitary sewer treatment capacity, and;
• integration of the Eagle River corridor, including protection of riparian areas, restoration and enhancement opportunities, improved public access as a recreational amenity and using building and public space orientation to strengthen connections to the river.

The county has retained the services of Mauriello Planning Group (MPG) to assist the county in the master plan process. As well, the county will be working closely with the Eagle-Vail Joint Governance Board during the project to ensure that the needs and desires of the Eagle-Vail community are incorporated into the plan.