Local
State board to review Breckenridge gondola clearances near new townhomes
A Breckenridge homeowner says two Independence Townhomes buildings intrude into the BreckConnect gondola’s airspace, while the ski area says its review found no clearance or safety problem. Colorado’s tramway safety board is investigating and plans to discuss the dispute Nov. 4, days before the resort’s scheduled Nov. 6 opening.
A Colorado safety board is investigating whether two recently built townhomes near Breckenridge’s BreckConnect gondola comply with rules governing the lift’s operating clearances, after a local homeowner raised concerns about the buildings’ height and position.
Richard Himmelstein, 62, says roofline changes made during construction brought two buildings in the Independence Townhomes development too close to the gondola’s path. He has asked the town, the developer and the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board to examine differences he sees between approved plans and the finished construction.
The board has not concluded that the gondola is unsafe, and it has not ordered the lift to close. The central issue is whether the townhomes comply with applicable requirements and, if not, whether any violation poses a hazard requiring regulatory action.
Breckenridge Ski Area, owned by Vail Resorts, disputes Himmelstein’s claims. In an Aug. 8 letter to the board, lift maintenance director Adam Pino said the resort’s internal review found the construction complied with state law, board rules, approved variances and project agreements. The resort said the differences identified by Himmelstein do not affect required clearances, passenger safety or gondola operations.
Himmelstein said he believes the buildings encroach on the gondola’s airspace and is concerned about how an emergency evacuation might unfold near a building fire. The gondola carries skiers and other passengers between town and the ski area and can move as many as 3,000 people per hour, according to the information provided about the lift.
In a July email to Himmelstein, board administrator Joyce Young said the board could order a tramway to stop operating if noncompliance created an unreasonable safety hazard. The email described a possible regulatory remedy, not a decision that the BreckConnect gondola must shut down.
The board plans to discuss the BreckConnect issue at its Nov. 4 meeting. Breckenridge’s ski slopes are scheduled to open Nov. 6. The town and the Independence Townhomes developer declined to comment, citing active or pending litigation.
Himmelstein says he wants the parties to resolve the questions before the ski season. The resort maintains the townhomes pose no safety or operational problem; the board’s review remains pending.