St. Bernard moves forward despite pedestrian, water concerns

After months of delay, Taos Ski Valley, Inc. has gained the conditional use permit it needs to move forward with an expansive revamp of the Hotel St. Bernard, the original iteration of which was an iconic, central component of the ski valley in days of yore.

In a nearly three-hour, remotely-held meeting on Monday (Feb. 6), the Village of Taos Ski Valley Planning and Zoning Commission approved the permit with none of the seven conditions recommended by village staff. Several conditions, including a request that the developer further address traffic flow and pedestrian safety concerns on Sutton Place, as well as parking for the development, were the subject of intense debate among commissioners, owners of adjacent condominiums and ski valley residents.

“My concerns are primarily around streetscape design and traffic,” said Mary Tingerthal, owner of a Snakedance condominium. “I think it’s a mistake to proceed without a commitment to address that intersection across from gondolita” terminus, from which pedestrians currently walk across Sutton Place in an unmarked, uncontrolled crossing. A heated roadway will be installed uphill from the crossing area, as well as a single, downhill stop sign.

Commissioner Henry Caldwell, who also sits on the village council, was most concerned about the village’s ability to supply water to the new development, an uncertainty that was highlighted by an ongoing and, at times, catastrophic municipal water distribution system failure that began Dec. 28.

One of the conditions recommended by village staff had been to advise that, due to the scope of the water system repairs needed in the village, “the developer, TSVI, proceeds at their own risk,” with regard to the ability to obtain water for the new hotel.

“Are you willing to not hold the village accountable if we can’t deliver water in time?” Caldwell asked Talty.

“I think we’ll solve it in three years,” which is the expected project timeline for the new St. Bernard, Talty said. “I am willing to wait until certificate of occupancy.”

Planning and Community Development Director Patrick Nicholson noted that, even though the water-related condition and other conditions could be removed from the conditional use permit, “those items could filter down later in the review process.”

The new St. Bernard will consist of three buildings comprising a larger footprint than the original hotel that was owned by ski valley legend Jean Mayer, with a new “Chalet Mayer” building set to rise where the soon-to-be demolished original Mogul Medical Urgent Care Clinic stands.

The original St. Bernard structures were demolished last year. Nicholson characterized the project as an “extensive redevelopment of the Hotel St. Bernard property” which will see the “entire area reimagined into a high-end, multiple structure luxury resort.”

Nicholson has previously estimated that, before accounting for the 25-percent discount that is afforded exclusively to the ski corporation via a master development agreement, the project would bring the village around $1.8 million in development impact fees.

With the exception of a couple of Zoom participants who commented in the chat that the development was too large and not in the spirit of the original hotel, everyone who spoke ultimately expressed support for the project. In the end, three commissioners voted against issuing the conditional use permit, including Caldwell and Village Mayor Protem Tom Wittman, who chairs the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Four commissioners voted to approve the permit application, including village councilor Chris Stagg, who is employed by the ski corporation as a vice president. Near the top of the meeting, Commissioner Yvette Klinkmann requested that Stagg recuse himself from the vote to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Stagg did not return a message seeking comment.