Ribbon Cutting at the Residences at Main Vail and Planning for Timber Ridge 

The town celebrated the completion of the new Residences at Main Vail in October, delivering 72 net new for-rent apartments in time for the winter season. Located at the Main Vail roundabout, on the town’s free bus route and in close proximity to jobs and services, amenities include individual storage unit lockers, on-site laundry, indoor and outdoor community gathering spaces, and a solar panel installation for on-site energy production with 100% electrification systems to minimize the carbon footprint of the new building. 

The strategic timing of the opening of Residences at Main Vail not only brought new homes to Vail for locals during a critical period, it also provided a place for residents to relocate as the town plans for the upcoming redevelopment of Timber Ridge Village Apartments. Of the new homes, 36 are now occupied by former Timber Ridge renters who were given priority placement. 

Concurrently, the development review and entitlement process for Timber Ridge was completed during 2023, with 293 new for-sale and for-rent apartments slated for the site. Construction of the new homes will begin in May of 2024 with the first residents scheduled to move in before the end of 2025.  

Bighorn Sheep Habitat Protected 

In October, the Vail Town Council voted to move ahead with the acquisition of the Booth Heights parcel through its powers of eminent domain. The 5-2 decision by the council came after a three-person commission appointed by the Eagle County District Court determined the value of the 23-acre Booth Heights property to be just over $17.5 million. Located in East Vail on the north side of Interstate 70, between the Booth Creek and Pitkin Creek drainages, the Town of Vail deemed the property essential for the preservation of its open space, wildlife and natural resources. Specifically, the parcel has been identified as critical winter habitat to the Vail bighorn sheep herd, one of the last two remaining native herds in Colorado. State wildlife experts have determined that development on this site would threaten the survival of the herd. 

Vail Public Library Celebrates 40th Anniversary 

The Vail Public Library celebrated its 40th Anniversary in its current location in 2023. Throughout the year, the milestone was marked in a variety of ways, including the annual Champagne Celebration. In attendance was Susan (Ford) Bales, representing the Ford family as it was former First Lady Betty Ford who cut the ribbon to open the Vail Public Library in the summer of 1983. In addition, former mayor Rod Slifer and several town council members from 1983, the original architects who designed the building, and former heads of the library gathered for the event.

Short Term Rental Inspections 

In 2023, life safety inspections of short-term rental units were conducted for the first time. These inspections focus on critical life safety provisions such as smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers to enhance the safety of visitors. Moving forward, short term rentals will require a life safety inspection once every three years. 

In addition, Vail Fire & Emergency Services partnered with the International Association of Fire Chiefs “Ready, Set, Go” program to pilot a first of its kind outreach: “Stay Wildfire Ready,” designed to prepare visitors to Vail for a potential wildfire and evacuation. The long-term goal is to provide visitor-specific wildfire preparedness information in every short-term rental. 

Town Removes Mandatory Court Dates for Minor Offenses 

In Vail, being ticketed for a minor municipal offense no longer means a court-mandated appearance. With growing consensus that criminalization was too severe a sanction for minor infractions, the Vail Town Council adopted Ord. No.  21 on Nov. 7, 2023. This ordinance reclassified municipal offenses as penalty assessments. The Vail Police Department played a pivotal role in advocating for the passage of this ordinance, emphasizing how criminalizing minor offenses placed unnecessary financial burdens on taxpayers and imposed disproportionate consequences on offenders. The shift to penalty assessments has brought about several benefits, including cost savings by eliminating the need for an officer to be present during court proceedings, and sparing individuals who commit non-threatening violations from time-consuming legal proceedings and associated attorney fees. 

Gore Creek Trout Camera 

Vail’s beloved Trout Camera came back online in late 2023. The underwater camera, a partnership with Eagle Valley Wild, is located near the International Bridge and streams live underwater footage of a deep pool which the trout love. Whether you’re in Vail or not, you can always connect with Gore Creek and see how the fish are doing by visiting www.vail.gov/fish-cam.