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Beathard: Don’t be shy on Base Village

Jill Beathard
Editor’s Note
Jill Beathard

So far since I started writing this column, I have stayed away from the Base Village discussion.

There’s a few reasons for that, one being that most other topics are more fun to write about, and another that I’m guessing readers would like to hear about something else going on in the Village too.

Today I’m tackling it, although I’m not going to pick a side. I’ll leave that to the readers and my fellow columnists to sound off on in this paper.



However, I do have something to say on this. Every week, every day even, I hear strong opinions on how the town should respond to Related Colorado’s current application, but I don’t always see those same people making their voices heard in the public forum.

That doesn’t apply to everyone, and certainly this topic draws more public comment than others. But I think now more than ever, it is extremely important to speak out.




The Town Council has a big decision to make in the coming weeks, and unless you go to the meetings or submit your comments in writing, they won’t be on the record, and your elected representatives won’t be able to consider them when reviewing Related’s application.

Nobody wants to be a squeaky wheel, or redundant. Some people probably feel like it does no good to make the effort to show up, and after all, there are probably better things to do with one’s evening.

But it’s extremely important for the council and your fellow residents to know how you feel and to be able to discuss those thoughts out in the open. If those ideas you have can’t be part of the public discussion, then they have no chance of having an impact.

The town will accept written comments until the close of the public hearing, although to get them included in the council’s packet for each meeting, they must be submitted 10 days in advance. It’s too late for the first public hearing on Aug. 18, but there will be two, meaning the application will be presented during at least one more meeting.

Written comments should be submitted to the community development director at jwoods@tosv.com. They also can be snail-mailed to Town Hall’s post office box.

Or, better yet, just show up at Town Hall on Aug. 18. The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m., after the bike race rolls through town.

And feel free to send your thoughts in a letter to the editor. They won’t be part of the council discussion, but they will become part of the public discourse, which can have its own impacts. At the very least, I’d love to hear what you think.

Jill Beathard is the editor of the Snowmass Sun. Contact her at jill@snowmasssun.com.