Aug. 28–The city of Woodland Park and the residents speaking out at Thursday’s meeting of the Planning Commission agreed that a Best Western hotel could be good for the Teller County town, but the five-story structure proposed by developer Bill Page needs to be redesigned.
“I’m not opposed to the hotel,” said Tammy Converse, who has lived in Teller County since 1986. “I’m opposed to ugly.”
The commission voted 6-1 to continue Thursday’s public discussion to Oct. 22. The delay will allow Page to redesign his plans in order to lower the proposed height, add a more pleasing roof design and, as the Woodland Park Planning Director Sally Riley said, “use some other materials” than the bland stucco in Page’s proposal.
Page did not oppose the recommendation to tweak his plan, which would have meant a tall structure that tops out 75 feet from the floor of a lower-level parking garage to the tips of stair towers at either end of Page’s architectural drawing.
“I’m all for redesigning, OK,” he said, throwing his hands in the air.
Those who spoke during the public comment echoed the planning staff’s concerns, with the height issue taking center stage. Converse, Kathy Stockton, Maude Williams and Bryan Kochis each said such a tall structure in downtown Woodland Park would impede views of Pikes Peak.
“We have a hell of a spectacular view. That’s why people come here,” said Kochis, who had been very active on social media opposing the blockage of those views.
“I applaud his (Bill Page’s) efforts and thank him for working with the community,” Kochis said.
Riley told the commission, Page and those in attendance that her recommendation to redesign follows several recent projects that were intentionally designed to reflect the mountain character and feel clearly seen around Woodland Park. She encourages the use of stones and wood timbers like those on the facades of Wal-Mart, Starbucks and a the Timber Ridge apartment complex that is under construction.
Riley said a redesign would likely reduce the number of rooms in Page’s initial proposal from 80 to possibly 60. “But we won’t know until we see Mr. Page’s redesign,” she said.
Page said he got the idea for building a hotel after the 11,000-square-foot space in the Gold Hill Square South shopping center vacated by Woodland Hardware was not filled. The developer said he received just two calls in the last year to inquire about his yellow “Space Available” signs.
Page said he needed to find a way to pay $60,000 in annual property taxes. He did a marketing study, and one proposal was to bring a Best Western to Woodland Park, he said.
The proposed hotel would fill the former Woodland Hardware store near the corner of U.S. Highway 24 and Colorado Highway 67. And the adjacent Sherwin Williams paint store and Goodwill thrift store would have to find other locations.
“This hotel will bring some people to stay in Woodland Park that aren’t staying here right now,” Page said.
