Hotelier’s expansion plans on Deer Ridge receives scrutiny

Elkhorn Lodge owners are proposing a major expansion on 43 acres of secluded, timbered and undeveloped property.

This parcel crowns Deer Ridge, which divides the Fall River and Big Thompson drainages. It is adjacent to the historic landmark, Old Man Mountain, and is within 0.5 miles of RMNP. It is surrounded on three sides by undeveloped land or dispersed residences consistent with its rural character. This parcel, along with the surrounding properties, are heavily used by wildlife and serve as a buffer zone between the wildlands to the west, the re-development around Elkhorn Lodge and the industrial zone around Elm Road.

The proposed development is inappropriate in its location, its scale, its character, its burdens to the community and lack of redeeming benefits.

It would pave over acres of wildland and build multistory hotels on Deer Ridge where they would be visible from both Fall River and Big Thompson drainages. It would impose considerable costs on the community – traffic, noise and light pollution, stormwater runoff, over-burden our staggering water system, degrade views and displace wildlife- while creating little benefit. It would do nothing to stabilize our seasonal economy. It would bring primarily seasonal low-income jobs that would increase pressure on our tapped-out summer workforce, and the demands on the community non-profits that serve our neediest.

Meanwhile, the profits would leave the community in the pockets of out-of-state owners. Some of these objections are spelled out in more detail below.

First, the proposed development would irrevocably transform the views of thousands of visitors and residents from wildland to suburban sprawl.

The parcel crowns Deer Ridge. In recognition of its dominant impact on the viewscape, this is a Ridge Line Protection Area. According to the 2023 Larimer County land use code, development of protected ridgelines must “minimize the visible intrusion of buildings and structures … and thus preserve identified scenic views”. It is inconceivable that two three story hotels, surrounded by parking lots, at the top of this ridge would preserve our existing views of a wooded ridgeline.

Second, the proposed development is inconsistent with the current zoning. The parcel, which is in unincorporated Larimer County, is zoned as Rural Estate. Restrictions associated with this zoning prohibit commercial development, limit density and preserve the rural character of the area.

The property owner and developer are apparently seeking to avoid County zoning and land-use restrictions through a strategy of annexation by the Town, coupled with establishing Town planning documents and policies that favor their plans.

For instance, the 2022 Estes Forward Future Land Use Plan designated this parcel as “accommodation.” This is inconsistent with the neighborhood character and with the “Mountains and Foothills” or “Suburban Estate” designations for adjacent lots.

It is also the only undeveloped “accommodation” parcel in the valley. Apparently, the designation was acquired in anticipation of this development and slipped by the residents with no notification or discussion.

A second step was a rewrite the Town Development Code for Planned Unit Developments to align with their development plans. Approved in November 2024, the rewrite includes allowing high-density multi-story developments where zoning would otherwise restrict them, reducing opportunities for community objections and highlighting historic building preservation as a community benefit that would drive approval.

A third step is annexation by the Town, to be immediately followed by request for approval of their project under the PUD rules that have just been rewritten in their favor. It is the public comment requirements for PUDs that has driven the public unveiling of the project at a public meeting, which was poorly publicized meeting and scheduled during the busiest part of the Holiday Season.

Altogether this appears to be a manipulation of Town planning documents and codes to favor a project by an out-of-state developer whose motive is profit, and who has no interest in the wellbeing of our community.

Even if this parcel were annexed by the Town, the proposed development is not consistent with PUD standards. The Trustees were very clear that they expected PUDs under the relaxed ordinance to facilitate mixed commercial and residential development as urban infill, only when they provide considerable community benefits. The intent was not to destroy pristine areas or to provide commercial developers with an end-run around community-preserving zoning restrictions.

The revised Estes Park Ordinance § 3.4 Planned Unit Developments, D. Standards for Review, section 6 states, “The PUD shall provide public benefits that are advantageous to the surrounding neighborhood or the public in general to a greater extent than could have been accomplished through strict application of the otherwise applicable district or development standards.“

Under current zoning, this parcel could only be used for residential housing. With some 35,000 visitor pillows already in the Valley and a pressing need for some 2500 additional housing units, it is not clear how this proposed luxury hotel development would provide public benefit greater than its current zoning for housing.

In summary, the proposed development is completely inappropriate for the site. It is on a view-protected ridgeline. It is undeveloped, flanked by undeveloped land on 2 sides with suburban estate zoning on a 3rd side. It is within a few hundred feet to Old Man Mountain, within 0.5 mi of RMNP and serves as a wildlife corridor. Its muscular scale would impose considerable burdens on the neighborhood and community. It does not align with the spirit of the eased PUD rules.

If the town were to annex this property and permit its development under the newly eased PUD requirements, it would justify community perception of collusion between the Town and developers, for the benefit of developers, with no regard for the needs and values of the rest of the community.

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