Vail, CO
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2023 Annual Report: Commitment to Community
Prioritizing Public Services
Proactive planning and a commitment to excellence in the day-to-day business of the organization are priorities for the Town of Vail. In 2023, the town took steps to ensure its operations continued to meet the high expectations of its constituents.
A Busy Year for Planning and Building Activity
A Busy Year for Planning and Building Activity
The Community Development Department had a busy year in 2023, including:
- 601 building permit applications reviewed with 525 issued
- Total revenue generated from building permits: approximately $2.26 million
- 1,687 inspections and 722 final inspections
- Certificates of Occupancy issued for two large new construction projects: Residences at Main Vail which provided 72 new deed-restricted homes for the community, and the Marriott Residence Inn in West Vail
Significant Growth in Digital Outreach and Social Media Connections in 2023
Vail.gov became the official domain for the Town of Vail late in 2023, which was formerly vailgov.com. The effort was years in the making and included new email addresses and a new URL for the town. The transition to a .gov domain brings greater credibility and security to the organization.
Social media has played a strong role in the Town of Vail’s communications in reaching constituents where they’re at with relevant and engaging messaging. The town focuses on Facebook and Instagram to share messaging while also reaching people who may not be engaged with other forms of town communications. The Vail Police Department Facebook page has the largest audience with over 7,400 followers and nearly 1 million impressions while the Town of Vail and Vail Fire & Emergency Services Facebook pages saw the largest growth in impressions with a 40% increase from 2022.
The Town of Vail’s email lists, which allows users to opt-in to topics relevant to them, grew from 72,854 subscriptions in 2022 to 95,275 in 2023. Subscribe at www.vail.gov/vailmail.
EngageVail is the Town of Vail’s website for community members to review existing projects, give feedback, share ideas, discuss important topics and participate in surveys. This site saw 5,500 total visits with 197 max visits a day in 2023.
The Vail Local Marketing District (VLMD) hired two new agencies to support its media, website and campaign efforts to bring overnight guests to Vail. The VLMD customer database, which is used to better connect to and communicate with guests, grew 34% from 2022 to 2023.
The revamped Environmental Sustainability website, LoveVail.org, went live in 2023. It is a clearing house for local information on recycling, energy efficiency, sustainability plans, stream flows, snowpack and more. The site also tracks Vail’s progress toward its sustainability goals including waste reduction, ecosystem health, energy and climate, and mobility.
A new webpage to house daily, weekly, and monthly query reports is now live to promote transparency on the day-to-day responses of Vail Police patrol operations. These measures are used for community and department awareness. Data posted includes speed studies, road safety reports, daily and weekly call loads, and bear sighting reports.
Town Hosts Variety of Listening Events
Updated on 03/20/2024 10:58 AM
In addition to a robust digital presence, Town of Vail representatives took several opportunities to connect with constituents in person. From the annual community meeting, to the summer community picnics, to a series of focus groups on Vail’s Stewardship Roadmap, to the Ski with Electeds event hosted with Eagle County Government on Vail Mountain each winter, the town regularly creates opportunities for the Vail Town Council and town staff to see and hear from constituents in person.
Taking Care of Town Employees
The town of purchased five homes during the year to add to its own employee housing inventory, increasing the number of critical employees living in Vail and available during an emergency response. At of the end of 2023, the Town of Vail’s internal housing program owned 80 homes with 93 employee leases.- CommUNITY
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Innovation
New Engines for Vail Fire & Emergency Services
Updated on 03/18/2024 10:45 AM
Vail Fire & Emergency Services also took delivery of its first “Type 3” wildland fire engine. The Type 3 engine is smaller than regular fire engines while being larger than the Type 6 wildland fire engines currently used by VFES. The Type 3 engine is more maneuverable than regular fire engines while carrying more water and having a greater pump capacity. The new engine is particularly well-suited for protecting structures during a wildland urban interface fire.
New Engines for Vail Fire & Emergency Services
Vail Fire & Emergency Services also took delivery of its first “Type 3” wildland fire engine. The Type 3 engine is smaller than regular fire engines while being larger than the Type 6 wildland fire engines currently used by VFES. The Type 3 engine is more maneuverable than regular fire engines while carrying more water and having a greater pump capacity. The new engine is particularly well-suited for protecting structures during a wildland urban interface fire.
Public Safety Successes for the Police Department
Over the past year, the Vail Police Department achieved remarkable public safety successes through the exceptional efforts of its investigators, officers, and its vigilant drug task force members. One noteworthy case led to the apprehension of two suspects involved in hundreds of car break-ins and house burglaries statewide. In another high-profile case, two suspects responsible for the theft of $60,000 worth of jewelry from a local retailer were identified, ultimately leading to the recovery of stolen property, and linking the two suspects to over $3 million in thefts across the country. Additionally, Vail Police efforts resulted in the apprehension of four individuals responsible for 40% of bike thefts in Vail in 2023.
The Gore Range Narcotics Interdiction Team, comprised of Vail Police officers and Eagle County Sheriff’s deputies, continues to do an outstanding job of pulling drugs off the streets. During 2023, GRANITE investigated 34 felony level narcotics investigations and arrested 30 individuals. Drug seizures for interdiction stops and local drug cases in Vail, Avon, Edwards, Eagle, Gypsum, El Jebel and Basalt included 17.6 pounds of cocaine, 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 25.4 pounds of fentanyl, 3 pounds of heroin and 100 pounds of marijuana.
Servicing Vail's Vehicles and Equipment
The Town of Vail’s Fleet team services the many vehicles and trucks used by the town for transportation, road maintenance, emergency response and snow removal - totaling 194 vehicles and 140 pieces of miscellaneous equipment. Fleet’s ten-member team completed 6,117 work order requests in 2023, had an overall mileage of 1,520,532 miles on vehicles and another 12,443 hours on heavy equipment and Fire Trucks.
Transit Returned to Pre-Covid Ridership
The Town of Vail Transit Department drove 68,128 electric bus miles and 560,862 diesel bus miles in 2023, for a total of 628,990 miles. 2023 marked a return to pre-covid ridership numbers with the town transporting 2,781,104 guests.
Streamlined Process for Local Licensing Authority
In August 2023, Town Council approved the second reading of Ordinance No. 13, amending Chapter 2, Title 4 of the Vail Town Code regarding alcoholic beverages and the Local Licensing Authority. This amendment gave administrative responsibilities to the Town Clerk and replaced the 5-member Local Licensing Authority with one hearing officer. These changes significantly streamlined certain liquor license processes for customers.
Updated Five-Year Strategic Vision and Plan for AIPP
An updated Strategic Vision and Plan was finalized for the Art In Public Places (AIPP) program in 2023. The newly adopted strategic plan reflects updated goals and objectives reflecting the interests of the community.
Vision:
Town of Vail’s Art in Public Places creates a diverse and meaningful public art experience to engage the community and enhance its cultural vitality.
Strategic Goals:
Create an exceptional and diverse art collection.
Integrate public art through the town of Vail.
Engage the community through memorable and meaningful public art experiences.
Sustain funding for the AIPP program.