The plan for new lifts at Park City Mountain Resort is on delay.
PCMR wants to upgrade two of its ski lifts, improvements the resort says will ease congestion on the slopes by bringing skiers and riders farther into the resort more efficiently.
Park City had scheduled a public hearing at noon on Tuesday before the city was set to decide whether to issue the necessary permit. But on Monday afternoon, the city announced the hearing had been delayed until the end of the month.
According to the city, PCMR requested the delay after it learned the city was likely not going to accept the resort’s plan for dealing with potential parking issues related to the lift expansion. The city said the resort missed a Monday deadline to submit additional parking-related information.
According to a statement from the resort’s COO, Mike Goar, the short turnaround time from when the city requested additional information to the scheduled hearing led PCMR to request more time.
Parking has been a central issue in the city’s ongoing negotiations about developing the PCMR base area. Park City Planning Director Gretchen Milliken said this lift-related parking discussion is not related to the base area negotiations with developer PEG Companies.
The lift upgrades require an administrative permit and Milliken’s approval. The project would not be heard by the city council or planning commission.
According to Park City, one of the requirements in the 1998 plan that governs the city’s arrangement with the resort is that there is adequate parking to accommodate a lift expansion. If there isn’t, the resort is supposed to propose a way to mitigate the issue.
Milliken said the city is evaluating whether the new lifts will require more parking spaces than are currently available.
PCMR plans to replace the Eagle and Eaglet lifts with a new, faster six-person lift that wouldbring skiers and riders to the King Con ridge from the resort’s base area. The resort also plans to expand the Silverlode Express from a six-person chair to an eight-person one. Silverlode is a frequent choke-point for skier and rider traffic seeking to access higher points at PCMR.
The new lifts are part ofa $320 million investment in resort infrastructure PCMR-owner Vail Resorts is making companywide.
The public hearing for the new lifts has been rescheduled for noon on Monday, April 25, in the Park City Council Chambers. Public comment will be accepted until April 20.
