Olympic Valley, CA – A grassroots organization has formed and begun raising funds to fight what it contends is an unnecessarily large expansion of the Village at Squaw Valley.
In December 2011, Squaw Valley Real Estate, LLC, owned by KSL Capital Partners, submitted an application to Placer County seeking adoption of the “Village at Squaw Valley Specific Plan” which proposes to plan development of 101.5 acres at the west end of Squaw Valley adjacent to the existing Village area. The mixed-use phased Specific Plan would develop over 1,000 new condo units, 29,000 square feet of new retail space, and a 132,000 square-foot indoor activity center based on a water park, all phased in over a 12- to 15-year period. Also known as the “Squaw Renaissance” plan, 80% of its developable area is in already disturbed areas.
A new group, The Friends of Squaw Valley (FoSV) has now launched a new website and begun raising funds to encourage project backers to scale back the scope of the Village expansion.
“Friends of Squaw Valley is supportive of a successful, vibrant village in Squaw,” said member Ed Heneveld. “Our concern is that the current KSL proposal is just too massive for our small community to endure. A smaller village would be more in balance with the existing infrastructure and would maintain the spectacular views of our wonderful mountain. Finding the right balance while retaining our community atmosphere and culture is our goal.”
Planners indicate that the current proposed Specific Plan, including a total of 1,093 units, is downsized from the 1,664 already allowed by current zoning. In concert with the proposal, developers have also indicated that they will complete a restoration of Squaw Creek.
The proposed Specific Plan is the first specific plan proposed under the Squaw Valley General Plan and Land Use Ordinance, which was adopted by Placer County in 1983. In order to approve the Specific Plan, the County would need to certify an Environmental Impact Report and approve a General Plan Amendment to adopt the Specific Plan, approve large-lot and small-lot Tentative Subdivision Maps, and approve Conditional Use Permits and Design Review Permits before this project could be constructed as proposed.