Council approves three Snow King master-plan development plans after changes to massing on Lot 57

The Town Council approved three development plans for Lots 53, 57 and 58 within the Snow King master-plan area on July 21, 2025, following a multi-meeting review that included direction on building scale and massing.

Council voted to approve development plan P24-168 (Lot 53), P24-174 (Lot 57) and P24-175 (Lot 58) after staff and the applicants made design refinements requested by the council and the Design Review Committee. In each case council’s approvals referenced the staff reports dated July 21, 2025 and the associated departmental reviews. Lot 57 drew the most comment from council and the public because neighbors said the previously proposed south building created a canyon effect; the applicant responded by stepping back corner walls and lowering several connecting stair/tower elements to reduce apparent bulk.

The Lot 57 revisions presented at the meeting included a six-foot setback on the northeast corner of the north building’s second and third floors and a three-foot reduction in the height of multiple connecting circulation towers on both the north and south buildings. The south-building revisions also added glazing and material changes on a third-floor module to lessen visual bulk. Applicant representatives said they tested multiple footprint and massing options and that the revised elevations better break large façades into smaller components while preserving required interior program areas.

Several neighbors and the Grandview Homeowners Association objected to the size and proximity of the proposed buildings. Grandview representatives told council they believe the Lot 57 south building still exceeds the scale intended by the master plan and that prior presentations had mischaracterized the distance between existing Grandview units and the proposed buildings. Staff responded that existing distances vary and that the master plan’s “bulk, scale and character” language is qualitative and must be judged on multiple design elements, not a single numeric setback.

Votes and outcomes: P24-168 (Lot 53) — approved (unanimous). P24-174 (Lot 57) — approved, 4–1 (Councilman Schechter voted no). P24-175 (Lot 58) — approved (unanimous). Councilmembers and staff emphasized the plans will return at final development plan for more detailed review of materials, landscaping, pedestrian access and any required conditions.

Why it matters: The approvals allow the applicant to proceed toward final design and permitting for multi-story condominiums under the Snow King master-plan zoning. Council and reviewers stressed the need to balance project scale with pedestrian experience and adjacent residential context; staff noted the PSP/resort zoning anticipates larger buildings in this area but recommended measures to reduce perceived bulk through setbacks, step-backs, and material articulation.

What’s next: Applicants will prepare development-plan-level drawings and permit materials addressing the conditions in staff and DRC reports (materials, sidewalk/landscape treatments, detailed elevations, and construction staging). Council and staff asked that the applicant provide clearer exterior material samples and additional site-distance and pedestrian-access detail when the project returns.

Applicant and public speakers included project architect and team representatives and several Grandview HOA representatives who requested additional reductions in bulk and clearer measurement evidence showing existing distances between buildings. Staff clarified that the planning process will continue to test massing and pedestrian frontage at the development-plan stage.