The Waitsfield Development Review Board will hold a site visit at Rider’s Outpost next week after project developer Jonny Adler presented an application to amend his existing site plan to add six 200-square-foot cottages and six two-season tent platforms to hold six to 10 tents. That site visit takes place April 20 at 10 a.m.
Adler pitched the changes at an April 11 meeting of the DRB. In addition to the cottages and tent platforms, he is seeking to add a 770-square-foot bathhouse to be used by guests using the tents.
Adler purchased the former Mad Bush Lodge (and former John Egan’s Big World) in January 2022 with plans to redevelop it into a hotel/restaurant and retail space catering to recreation, including cyclists. He received master plan approval for the project in June 2022.
Adler detailed for the board what he said was a modest expansion necessitated after installing a new wastewater system.
“We need a certain amount of units to pay the bank and keep this thing going,” Adler said.
He also told the board that the existing pond on the site had gotten weedy and clay filled and said it had been restored. The cabins, he said will be built between the pond and the driveway and are set somewhat lower than Route 100.
TENT PLATFORMS
Board member and acting DRB chair Gib Geigher asked about platforms for the tents and Adler said that because he can’t add infrastructure, the platforms will be moveable, and two people could move them. Board member Duncan Brines asked about the capacity for 10 tents on the six platforms and Adler reiterated that there would be no infrastructure with the pads and said he’d laid out places where there would by 20-by-30 foot pads and tents that might be 13 feet in diameter.
“Or I might do one bigger tent and two smaller ones on a pad,” he said.
Board member Jim Tabor asked about traffic and whether Adler anticipated changes to traffic and circulation by adding the 12 cabin guests and new 12-20 guests in the tents.
ADDING CAPACITY
“You’re adding capacity for 32 guests and 15 parking spots,” Tabor said.
Adler said he may have mis-written that figure and then said, “but I don’t see any major implications from the change and amendments to this master plan. To add these units won’t make a meaningful difference in traffic on Route 100,’ Adler said.
Board chair John Donaldson asked about the status of the current construction.
“As I read the application, it suggested that you updated the building plans to show what you’d build versus what was permitted. There’s been an expansion in space and an expansion in the number of rooms,” Donaldson said.
“Those were modest changes. One room was expanded from the old hotel reception area. That we’re turning into a room. We just got another key out of it versus vacant space. Along the back, by the steeper berm there was a sauna, or the remnants of one, and a large hospitality closet and another that we’re not exactly sure what it was used for. All of it was in terrible disrepair. We ripped that stuff out and, in its place, I was able to get a couple more keys back there. It’s a modest expansion back there. I don’t have the exact calculation,” Adler responded.
“Well, you love to use adjectives like insignificant and not much – how much did you expand beyond what was permitted?” Donaldson asked.
“We demolished 400 square feet and added 600 square feet,” Adler said.
“So, you needed a few more units, correct me if I’m wrong. You started with 18 and now if you count the tents and cabins as rooms, you’re at 35. Going from 18 to 35 is more than a few,” Donaldson said.
MAKE THIS SUSTAINABLE
“This is my primary work and it’s my job to make this sustainable. The costs have been 250% of what we anticipated. That’s where it’s at. The original plan had 16 rooms in the old hotel. Four of those were demolished and we’re turning those back into four rooms. There was a falling-apart apartment above the restaurant that was five bedrooms and two kitchens, all small. We turned that into two units, which connect. That’s 18 rooms. We added the flex room from the old reception, which makes 19 rooms, then we got two extra keys in the back which is 20 and 21 rooms. The six cabins and tent increase it from there,” Adler explained.
Donaldson pointed out that in the first round of master plan hearings last June, the board expressed concern about site lines onto Route 100 and the location of the access and asked that some trees be cut to improve access.
“It looks to me like you’re going to double the volume and double the rooms, why would the traffic not double? We need to start with basics and see what this does in terms of basics,” Donaldson said.
“This is my primary use. It’s my prerogative to make this proposal. It’s an application for six more units on top of what I already have and then in summer adding tent pads on top of that. The application is not for doubling. That’s an inaccurate calculation,” Adler said, adding that he had VTrans and fire marshal permits to widen the entry and said that the existing site is considered safe for 23 units worth of guests to be exiting to the left or right onto Route 100 and suggested that if it is safe for 23 units then it works for 27 units and if it works for 27 units, it could work for a few more as well.
AVAILABLE PARKING
Donaldson asked about available parking and overflow lots. Adler said the plan shows 39 spaces, plus two ADA spaces and a total of 17 overflow spots on the grass for 58 spaces total.
Donaldson said the calculation from the town zoning administrator showed a need for 67 spots.
“That’s news to me. We can get more,” Adler said.
Donaldson said that the board would continue the hearing rather than closing it and that after the site visit, the board would consider whether a traffic plan is needed. Adler said his understanding was that 100 peak hour trips a day triggered traffic studies and said his project is well below that trigger and that he’d oppose the time and expense of a traffic study.
There was further discussion about the safety of bikes getting to and from existing trails and the Rider’s Outpost. Adler said he plans to work with Yestermorrow and others to develop a shoulder on Route 100 to bring bikers from the corner of Bundy Road and Route 100, to the trails accessible by Yestermorrow.
IN FAVOR
Eric Friedman, executive director of the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce, spoke in favor of amending the site plan and the project saying he trusted that the DRB will make good choices.
“This is exactly the kind of project we need. I encourage everyone to take a look at the bigger pictures. This is the kind of thing we really need to encourage. There are 16 inns and lodges now – there used to be 35. This is what visitors are looking for, especially with the tents and cabins. We are behind the times here and we need this to be competitive,” Friedman added.
