Bridger Canyon Partners, L.L.C. – (BCP)
Frequently Asked Questions
Updated on 1.05.07
Bridger Bowl Ski Area
Q. Won’t this development cost Bridger Bowl a lot of money?
R. No. All improvements relating to this development will be the responsibility of BCP. BCP will be making many improvements around the base area and mountain improvements that will benefit Bridger Bowl and the public. The details of improvements impacting Bridger Bowl will be worked out between BCP and Bridger Bowl. Bridger Bowl will be responsible for costs only to its ongoing operation and any improvements they choose to make.
Q. Won’t this project cause lift ticket prices to increase?
R. BCP does not control the management or the board who runs Bridger Bowl. Any BCP believes if they can provide overnight accommodations for Bridger Bowl skiers, especially out of town guests, this will help Bridger’s bottom line, which in turn helps keep prices low and allows Bridger to pay for their planned expansion improvements.
Q. What’s in it for Bridger Bowl?
R. Bridger Bowl will benefit in many ways. Employee housing opportunities, year around recreational opportunities for non-skiers, overnight accommodations for Bridger customers, mountain and lift improvements, central water and sanitary service for the base area and additional parking for overnight and new base area users.
Density of Building and Building Types
Q. What are the density rights included within BCP’s 345 acres?
R. Excluding Bridger Bowl, Bridger Pines, the Lachenmaier and Hepburn property, BCP has within the base area zoning district 75 recreational home sites, 211 overnight accommodations and an additional 241 reserve overnight accommodations. In addition, there is employee housing and 4.75 acres of commercial zoning.
Density rights for the remaining acres in the Base Area owned by Bridger Bowl and private individuals include 15 recreational home sites, 42 overnight accommodations and 48 reserve overnight accommodations in addition to the existing 58 single family and condominium sites in Bridger Pines.
Q. What is Recreational Housing?
R. Housing located in the Bridger Bowl Base Area that does not have restrictions on length of stay, and includes attached and detached single family units.
Q. What is an Overnight Unit or Accommodation?
R. Permanent, separately rentable accommodations which are not available for full time residential use, except for the proprietors of a bed and breakfast inn. Overnight lodgings include but are not limited to hotel or motel rooms, hostels, cabins, bed and breakfast inns and time-shared units.
Q. What is a Reserve Overnight Unit or Accommodation?
R. Overnight accommodations that can be built after successfully completing the first 211 units provided full utilities and services are available.
Q. Will overnight accommodations be centrally managed?
R. Yes, there will be central reservations and management.
Q. Will BCP build out to the maximum density allowed?
R. This is a question BCP cannot answer today. BCP will follow the Base Area zoning requirements attached to the land.
Q. Is there any provision for employee housing?
R. Yes. There is a requirement for 10% of the new base area employees and an opportunity for Bridger Bowl should they decide to pursue housing for their employees.
Q. What is planned for the old Crosscut Ranch area?
R. Proposed is a new Crosscut Lodge building along with overnight accommodations such as cabins and attached chalets.
Q. What about gas stations and commercial uses?
R. No gas station is planned in the first phase. BCP would like to give local businesses the first right to open businesses. We do not favor having chain businesses and don’t see a big demand for retail type stores. The mix of commercial might include restaurants, general store, ski and bike shop, coffee shop and a few specialty stores.
Life, Safety and Fire
Q. Will there be private security on site?
R. The Gallatin County Sheriffs’ Department provides Law enforcement, with their dispatch located in Bozeman. Special security officers may be utilized to support and assist the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department by providing security and responding to other emergencies within Bridger Mountain Village.
Q. What will you do for fire service?
R. The new Base area will be served by the Bridger Canyon Volunteer Fire Department.
• All structures will be equipped with sprinkling systems.
• All structures will be constructed in accordance with the Uniform Building Codes (UBC) and (NFPA).
• A site for a future fire station will be provided by BCP near the main access road to Bridger Bowl.
• Access roads will be designed for emergency vehicles.
• All new power lines within the project boundary will be underground.
• Covenants will include provisions to help reduce the chance of fires and reduce the magnitude of any fire event.
Planning
Q. What is the south side of project designed for?
R. Overnight accommodations and single family residences are planned for the area south of Bridger Bowl’s existing base area and in appropriate areas to the south and east of Bridger Bowl’s day skier parking lot.
Q. How will access work to the south part of the site?
R. The south portion (Phase III) of the site will be accessed by a loop road that will access off the existing Bridger Bowl Road near the entrance and connect back to Bridger Bowl’s upper parking area near the Ski Patrol/Eagle Mount building. This road will also provide access to a backcountry trailhead parking lot the Forest Service desires to build west of BCP property (southwest of Bridger Bowls Ski Patrol/Eagle Mount building).
Q. How much light noise (pollution) do you predict there will be?
R. Lighting restrictions will be included in the covenants to reduce the amount of light pollution and to be unobtrusive to neighboring properties. Exterior lighting shall be subdued understated and indirect. Area lighting shall have concealed light sources and shall be either down light recess cans, or sconces w/ translucent or antique glass shades. No clear glass shades shall be allowed. Lighting shall be “down” type and shall not radiate out from the property.
Q. What will we see from Bridger Canyon Road?
R. Much of what you see from the road will remain unchanged, but some building will be visible in the Crosscut Ranch Meadow area and a few other areas screened by trees. BCC’s desire is to keep the impact from the road to a minimum. We will use cluster development and set buildings back in the trees where possible. We have a height limit of 35 feet consistent as with the rest of Bridger Canyon. Buildings will not be any higher than those already allowed in Bridger Canyon.
Q. How is the amount of parking determined?
R. By a formula based on the number of housing accommodations and commercial space.
Q. How will you enforce where day skiers will park?
R. Bridger Bowl and Bohart Ranch will continue to provide day skier parking which will not change as a result of this project. BCP will need to provide parking for all residential and commercial users in the new base area. Day skier parking, if any in the new base area will be very limited. How it is enforced has not been established.
Access to the new base area will be available by a shuttle service, skiing and walking. There will most likely be public parking for any commercial areas during non-skiing hours and the off season.
Q. In the interest of making it a year around facility will you have a conference center?
R. BCP is looking at weddings and some conference business, but it will not be on a large scale. BCP will also work with Bridger Bowl to assess how their buildings can be better utilized in the off season.
Q. Will there be covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R)?
R. Yes, there will be strict CC&Rs and design guidelines to address building design, materials and landscaping.
Q. Will the CC&Rs restrict rentals?
R. There will be central reservations for all overnight accommodations. The overnight accommodations are intended to be overnight rentals. BCP has not explored the need for any further restrictions on recreational sites (single-family homes).
Q. Will the project be phased?
R. Yes, the site has been set up in three distinct phases.
Phase I – Crosscut will be located north of the existing Bridger Bowl Road and will be adjacent to the Bohart Ranch Cross-Country Ski Center. Nordic trails in the Crosscut will connect to Bohart Ranch’s Nordic trails. Also included will be a new Crosscut Lodge as well as single family sites, cabins and attached chalet overnight accommodations.
Phase II – Mountain Village will be the new alpine base to the north of Bridger Pines and will include single family home sites, overnight accommodations as well as a commercial area.
Phase III – Slushman’s is the property south of Bridger Bowl Road and Bridger Bowl’s parking lot and will include single family sites and overnight accommodations.
Q. Where will you build first?
R. Phase I Crosscut area. The location of future phases will depend upon several factors including the timing of Bridger Bowl’s north expansion into the Bradley Meadows area, market conditions and infrastructure expansion.
Site
Q. What is the land size and where is it?
R. Approximately 345 acres surrounding the existing base area and parking lot in a horseshoe shape between Bridger Bowl and Bohart Ranch.
Q. Is this all the private property in the base area?
R. No. There are several other parcels including the existing Bridger Pines Subdivision (approximately 58 home and condominium sites), the Lachenmeir property of about 25 Acres, the 3.5 acre Hepburn property next to the Jim Bridger Lodge and property owned by Bridger Bowl.
Timing
Q. When will this project be constructed?
R. Submittal of the Planned Unit Development (P.U.D.) to the county occurred in December of 2006. Upon approval by the county, some infrastructure improvements may begin in the summer of 2007. Major construction is not likely until 2008.
Traffic
Q. How will you deal with the increased traffic in Bridger Canyon (State Highway 86)?
R. Traffic volumes within Bridger Canyon will increase due to the proposed development, continued Bridger Bowl skier growth, and the anticipated ski area expansion. Currently Highway 86 is operating well under peak design conditions. As traffic volumes within the canyon increase, some improvements will be needed. These improvements include the installation of a left-turn deceleration lane at Jackson Creek Road and a right-turn acceleration lane at the existing entrance to Bridger Bowl. These improvements will be required regardless of the construction of the proposed development.
Ultimately the traffic volumes along Bridger Canyon Road will be related to the total skier visits at the mountain. The proposed development will not significantly change the current rate of one vehicle trip per skier visit. However, the trip pattern of the proposed development will help balance the directional traffic within the canyon and allow the roadway to carry more daily traffic with better operations than without the development.
Traffic considerations both on and off site:
• Create a long term parking area for employees and guests who will be on the mountain for several days.
• Provide overnight accommodations.
• Employee housing for 10% of new base area employees.
• Concentrate the majority of overnight accommodations to within 1,500 feet or a 5-minute walk of the Crosscut Lodge, the new alpine base area and the existing Bridger Bowl base area.
• Provide an on mountain shuttle service during ski season and contribute to a public transportation system to/from Bozeman.
• Create a trail system that promotes and encourages walking, skiing or biking throughout the community. This will enhance the community character of the base area and discourage vehicular usage.
• Add a new north access road to relieve congestion on the existing entry and provide for better life/safety access for entire area.
• Motorized recreation activities will not be allowed (snowmobiles, ATV’s).
Q. Construction traffic will be an ongoing issue for many years and dust is a big issue now. Can the roads be paved?
R. Yes, all primary roads will be built to county standards and will be paved.
Q. Have you considered applying to make the Bridger Canyon Road designated as a “Scenic Highway”? This would require a 55 MPH speed limit in the canyon.
R. This has come up in several meetings; there seems to be some support and some opposition for the idea. However, upon checking with the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), eligible “scenic highway” routes must be entirely adjacent to public or tribal lands. Under these guidelines, Bridger Canyon would not qualify.
Q. Will there be dual access to the project?
R. The current Bridger Bowl access off State Highway 86 will remain and another entrance will be added to the north. This is to provide a second access for fire protection, life and safety for all base area users.
Q. Have you talked to the highway department about this access? There is a curve in the road in this area and it is not a very good location.
R. Yes, although there is a curve to the north of this entrance, BCP believes it meets all Department of Transportation requirements. This is also the historic entrance used for many years by the Forsythe Ranch.
Water
Q. How are you going to provide water?
R. The existing Bridger Base Water System, Inc. includes an existing 350,000 gallon water tank at the top of the property that is served by two existing wells. This system currently supplies water and fire protection for the Ross Peak community and should be adequate for the first phase of the project. BCP has drilled a number of new wells that confirm there is adequate water for the entire project. Final buildout will require a number of additional wells for supply along with the addition of another storage tank.
Q. Won’t these new wells have a negative impact on the ground water level?
R. There are historic test wells and water logs that indicate adequate water is available; our new wells confirm this. BCP will be processing a beneficial use permit through the State of Montana for the necessary water supply. This permit process will evaluate the impact these wells will have on the ground water level. Several neighboring wells were monitored during the required well pump tests to insure these wells don’t negatively impact neighboring wells. BCP will also have strict limits on the amount of irrigated landscaping allowed and will require the use of low water demand native landscaping and plumbing fixtures to reduce the amount to water needed for this project.
Water Quality
Q. How will sanitary services be handled?
R. Septic systems within the new base area will not be allowed. BCP will be constructing an enclosed state of the art mechanical treatment plant to handle all new dwellings and commercial buildings. The treated water from the plant will be released into an underground drain field.
Q. Will there be a holding pond or lagoon like you see at Big Sky?
R. No lagoon. All treatment will be handled within an enclosed treatment plant and will be screened from sight.
Q. How can we be sure this sanitary system is not going to impact the water quality in Bridger Creek and other wetland areas?
R. The wastewater treatment system will require a number of approvals from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality which will take into account the treated wastewater’s impact on the environment. BCP will need to obtain a groundwater discharge permit from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality which will require water quality testing in perpetuity to assure that the treated wastewater does not impact the water quality in the area.
Q. If the wastewater plant is state of the art, why not put it back into a cistern?
R. The design calls for a treatment plant, which will process the water to a high level, returning about 95% of the water back into the ground through a drainfield.
Q. Where will the treatment plant and drainfields be located?
R. The drainfields will be located directly east of Bridger Bowl’s parking lot. The treatment plant will be located between the parking lot and the drainfields.
Q. Is the treatment plant a chemical system?
R. No, it is a biological process.
Q. Who will manage wastewater system?
R. A state licensed operator employed by the sanitary district.
Q. Ground water is near the surface in this area, are you aware of this?
R. Yes, BCP re-mapped all the wetland areas in the summer of 2006. All planning has been done to avoid all designated wetland areas with the exception of a few small areas that will be mitigated as required by the Army Corp of Engineers. Building will not be allowed near any streams or in any designated wetland areas.
Wildlife
Q. Has animal migration been considered?
R. Yes, BCP has had a wildlife study done and the following recommendations have been included in the plan:
• Development of the Base Area will be sensitive to wildlife values and special wildlife protective covenants will be employed to assure as compatible a relationship as possible with human use of the Base Area.
• Dogs must be maintained within a private yard or on a leash at all times.
• Horses and other livestock will be prohibited with the exception of trail use and other such uses in designated barn and pasture areas.
• A list of native plants that are wildlife friendly will be provided and strictly followed. All non-native shrubs and trees are prohibited.
• Total open space of approximately 80% will be carefully protected and maintained.
• Artificial feeding of wildlife is prohibited.
• An educational brochure on wildlife will be included within general owner and guest information packets.
• Open garbage containers will be prohibited. Regular garbage pick-up from all accommodations will be provided and collection areas will use bear proof containers.
• Individual perimeter lot line fencing is prohibited and any perimeter fencing will be wildlife friendly allowing animal movement through the area.
• Hunting or any discharging of firearms is prohibited.
Miscellaneous
Q. What’s in it for me?
R. BCP will provide overnight accommodations to a variety of users (alpine, Nordic, backcountry, and off-season users). The overnight accommodations will be available to the public and will benefit local, regional and out of town guests. BCP will provide additional parking, a new base area, new lift(s), and mountain improvements. The forest service would like access to build a public parking lot for backcountry skiers needing access to the public lands south of Bridger Bowl. Some locals have suggested that it would be nice to be able to go ice-skating and have dinner on the mountain before heading home.
Q. Will snowmobiles or ATV’s be allowed?
R. No, not for public recreational use.
Q. Won’t the new base area create more drinking and driving problems?
R. BCP can’t solve the greater drinking and driving problems that may occur in the canyon. However, the base area will provide overnight accommodations, so those who choose to drink can stay on the mountain.
Q. Is there any assurance that the property will be properly maintained?
R. For recreational properties, there is always an incentive for owners to maintain their property. Overnight accommodations will need to be maintained to a high standard to make them appealing to both owners and guests. Any blatant problems will be handles through the Covenants and Homeowner’s Association.
Q. What happens if BCP sells their interest in the project?
R. BCP would like to build out the project, but there are no guarantees. BCP will be working with the community and county to craft the covenants, design guidelines and planned unit development language in a way that establishes how the project will look at built-out regardless of who builds it.
Q. Do you have enough power (electricity) and phone service in the area?
R. Yes.
Q. Will it be underground?
R. Yes, for all new service.
Q. What about cellular phone service?
R. Currently, there is no cellular service in this area. BCP will work with a local service provider to provide needed cellular phone service for life & safety reasons.
Q. Will there be any home sites for sale to the public?
R. Yes, BCP will most likely have some single-family sites for sale.
Q. Great that you are doing this, but with the best of intentions, what happens if there is a downturn in the market or the investors get cold feet? What guarantees will be in place to insure that you don’t sell out and leave a mess for the canyon residents to have to deal with?
R. No one wants to see an unfinished project. This is probably a 10 or 15 year project that will be executed on a phase by phase basis. Each phase will need to be economically viable. If there is a slowdown in the market there will be a corresponding slowdown to the development. BCP investors have patient money invested in this project and are well capitalized. As with any real estate venture, there is no guarantee of success, but BCP believes the location and timing is very good.
