Town Council Strategic Goals

SNOWMASS VILLAGE

TOWN COUNCIL

GOAL STATEMENT

ADOPTED MARCH 20, 2023

The Town Council remains firmly committed to the Aspiration Statement, Guiding Principles, Just Big Enough economic analysis, Plan Framework, and Strategic Initiatives found in the 2018 Comprehensive Plan.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Stewardship - Vibrant - Genuine - Active & Healthy - Balanced - Connected - Inclusive

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES OF SNOWMASS VILLAGE

  • Preserve and protect open spaces and our environment to ensure that nature is and remains the dominant feature of the landscape.
  • Promote environmental and economic sustainability and resiliency.
  • Focus on improved access and safety to make Snowmass Village more walkable and bikeable.
  • Continue to improve the multi-modal connections between Base Village, the Mall, and the Center.
  • Manage parking and transit to encourage efficient, effective, and sustainable mobility choices.
  • Focus on new development and/or redevelopment within the identified CPAs.
  • Encourage the update and renovation of older buildings Village-wide.
  • Strengthen local economic opportunities to assure vibrancy.
  • Continue to support a viable workforce and our commitment to workforce housing by exploring opportunities that best balance the character and resources of the Town.

These initiatives are of the utmost importance to the Town Council and, as such, the Council remains committed to moving them forward. Safety, Connectivity, Transit, Environmental Activism, Resiliency, Regionalism, Risk Taking, and Recruiting & Retaining high-quality staff all remain critical components to the Village’s success.

The overarching priority for this Town Council is:

Passionately Protecting the Community Character of the Village by Promoting Balance and Emotional Connectivity

The Town Council will focus on this priority by looking for creative solutions to address the many opportunities before us. The Town Council continues to recognize that we are not a traditional town, but rather a unique welcoming Village. We are Villagers, and we strive to bond and connect at a community level. The Village’s community character is based on a fundamental connection to and respect for nature, an excitement to explore the outdoors, and a focus on emotional connectivity to each other and to place. Snowmass Villagers are gritty, thrive on authentic experiences, adventure, and curiosity. Our Village character continues to be defined as: fun, community-focused, family-friendly, thriving, charming, resilient, safe, emotionally connected, accessible, nimble, adaptable, balanced, and unique.

To protect the unique character of the Village and to enhance emotional and physical connections to the community, this Town Council has identified four areas of emphasis:

1) Identify & Provide More Affordable, Community, Workforce Housing

Providing more affordable workforce housing options within the Village enables community members to contribute to the local economy AND helps to build a strong, emotionally connected and engaged community. Town Council remains committed to implementing the 2021 Housing Master Plan.

Understanding that Village residents are served by local governmental organizations that are physically outside of the town, TOSV will work closely with those partner entities to create a more inclusive workforce housing framework that will integrate additional people/positions/organizations into our housing program. TOSV will endeavor to leverage additional financial resources from these partners to help meet our respective housing needs.

2) Preserve, Protect and Retain Locally Owned AND Locally Serving Businesses

The Council recognizes that the Village is a tourist economy and that locally owned and locally serving businesses need support. The Council firmly believes that such businesses build community through relationships, creating places and reasons for people to gather, and are critical to the community’s character. The Council will work to prioritize and incentivize the needs of our local business community and will safeguard a high-quality visitor experience while focusing efforts to serve local residents first and foremost. If it is good for local residents, then it also benefits our guests.

3) Increase Community Engagement to Foster Emotional Connectivity

The Council will strive to increase effective community engagement to foster relationships, emotional connectivity and to protect community character. The Council will protect the community’s character by ensuring that public amenities, events, facilities, and services enhance and meet local community needs and interests.

A sense of community is created through meaningful connections and a welcoming atmosphere. These types of connections are critical. Knowing that a variety of issues (especially increased housing costs) are negatively impacting the community, the Council will find ways to have all residents and guests be more committed and emotionally connected to the Village and our community. The Council desires to build community among all long-time residents, new residents, part-time residents, and guests with the goal of everyone feeling comfortable, welcome, and engaged in the Village.

This Town Council is focused on offering a variety of opportunities to receive feedback, create connections, and listen. It is imperative to expand citizen access to the Council thus elevating community conversation, collaboration, and emotional connection to the Village.

The Council desires to maintain high-quality communications with its citizen Boards and Commissions. The Council will do this by asking for guidance and feedback from them. The Council will explore a change to the Town Charter to allow Councilors to serve as ex-officio members of Boards and Commissions.

4) Ensure Public Spaces and Facilities Meet Our Community’s Unique Character

The Town Council will strive to create and improve public spaces and facilities that promote health, safety, education, happiness, and enhance community character and connectivity. Understanding there are many needs and opportunities within the community, this Town Council remains open to them and is committed to focusing on the following projects. These are places where emotional connectivity “happen” and grow:

  1. Implement the approved enhancements to Town Park.
  2. Continue to evaluate the need for childcare options and plan for the expansion of the Little Red Schoolhouse. Town Council will also continue to explore other resources for expanding childcare and early childhood learning.
  3. Reinvigorate the Ice Age Discovery as a source of pride for the community.
  4. Encourage transit ridership by providing a Mall Transit experience that balances improved levels of service, safety and functionality with high-quality aesthetics that satisfies community needs and meets our rural Village character.
  5. Partner with Pitkin County to expand library services in the Village, including building a library facility adjacent to, or connected to the Recreation Center.
  6. Expand recreational opportunities for our trail network, including Nordic skiing.
  7. Commit to maintaining, renewing, identifying, and developing spaces for local community members to connect.