During this week’s meeting, Basalt Town Council held a public hearing and introductory meeting for a possible 93-room Residence Inn by Marriott on the property of the former Movieland theater. Council was asked to consider a potential three-story, extended-stay hotel in El Jebel, as well as three onsite deed-restricted dwelling units designed for employees.
The application was submitted by WalshDupart on behalf of Bowtie Partners and part-time Valley resident Ben Moss. Moss, and his father Charles, owned and operated the Movieland 7 Theater until it closed on Jan. 22.
The proposed hotel is a franchise, meaning it would be owned and operated by Moss and Bowtie Partners, not Marriott.
“This property, and Movieland in particular, has been a multigenerational family business, and my strong desire is that this property’s next phase continue in that manner and spirit,” Moss said.
The application was not up for review during this meeting. Instead, the council was only asked to hear a presentation about the application and to identify what additional information might be necessary so that the application can formally be considered at a later date.
In response to a question by Councilor Hannah Berman as to why the applicant chose Marriott, which Berman referred to as a “big box brand,” Grant Dupart, of WalshDupart, responded that the brand was selected due to an existing market of traveling workers who are only allowed to stay at certain hotel chains.
The majority of the Basalt Planning and Zoning Committee did not support the proposal. The current Future Land Use Map in the Basalt Master Plan designates the site as existing land use, which would need to be amended should the proposal move forward. However, during its meeting, Planning and Zoning could not agree on whether a hotel is compatible with the site.
The application notes that 16 jobs would be created by the hotel. Due to town guidelines, the applicant would be required to mitigate the resulting housing demand created by these jobs by a minimum of 15%, or 1.35 units. The three-unit proposal exceeds that requirement.
The application includes a “good-
neighbor plan” in response to comments provided by the neighboring Sopris Village Subdivision to minimize the impact of hotel guests. The plan includes components such as the issuing of parking passes to guests, quiet hours enforced by hotel staff and on-site pet relief stations.
Due to comments from neighbors, the applicant also reached out to Marriott to request a reduction of brand signage and lighting in order to minimize the visual impact of the hotel as much as possible.
Councilor Angela Anderson, along with some citizens who offered public comment, was concerned about the hotel’s proximity to neighbors.
“I live in Willits and I see how close the Element [Hotel] is to those homes, and to think that this would be even closer really gives me pause,” she said.
Anderson and Councilor Elyse Hottel noted the community benefit of the hotel was still unclear. Mayor David Knight requested additional information from the applicant regarding traffic impact.
A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13.
In other news …
The second public hearing for a con-
tested commercial storage-residential development at 555 Basalt Avenue has been continued to Sept. 22 at the request of the developer. The second hearing was initially scheduled to take place on Sept. 8. However, the applicant submitted a continuation request due to both an emergency and in order to conduct additional neighborhood outreach.
The Town of Basalt, in partnership with the Basalt Library, is hosting a series of family-friendly movie nights in Lions Park this September. Moviegoers are invited to bring their own chairs, blankets and sleeping bags. Snacks and beverages will be for sale. There are three movies on the calendar this year: “Zootopia 2” on Sept. 11, “Hoppers” on Sept. 18 and “Jurassic Park” on Sept. 25. Gates open at 7:30pm and the movies start at 8pm.
Lastly, applications have opened for the 2027 Council Grant Cycle. Through this yearly program, Basalt Town Council will be awarding up to $35,000 to local non-profits benefiting the Basalt community. Applications are available on the town’s website and are due by Oct. 31.