Claire Humber & Gabby Voeller at ULI RDC
SE Group’s Claire Humber and Gabby Voeller presented at the Urban Land Institute’s Recreation Development Council (RDC) meeting in November 2023 alongside Darla Callaway from Design Workshop and Mark Baker from Wood + Partners.
The RDC is a group of developers, owners, and operators of resort projects and vacation homes in recreation-oriented communities, along with consultants who have partnered with these groups to design and implement their most notable projects.
The panel discussed the ever-increasingly complex intersection of resort development and community planning. Claire Humber opened the panel conversation with these remarks:
“What does community planning have to do with resort development? Increasingly, the answer to that question is everything. While there may have been a day when our resorts existed as islands of escape, supported by a small community down the road, built up around the gas station at the corner and visited primarily during a specific time of year, today’s resorts are thriving four-season communities. The lines have been blurred, and the challenges amplified. Communities are experiencing endless issues related to crowding, traffic, affordable housing, and the list goes on. For the development community, building projects within these communities is getting harder, more complex, and frustrating. So why are we here? As planners we work on both sides of this divide. Our goal today is to share some emerging tools and trends within this increasingly complex, “interconnectedness of all things” world of resort community planning, and some case studies that have harnessed new ways of thinking toward positive outcomes – a public/private “win-win.”
Some key takeaways from the conversation:
- The most successful development projects understand a community’s key priorities and align with town comprehensive plan goals.
- Developers and town staff should seek more opportunities for collaboration early and often throughout project planning, permitting, and construction.
- Going above and beyond typical community outreach and engagement efforts can lead to better outcomes for all stakeholders.
SE Group has over 60 years of experience working with ski resorts, communities, and developers at hundreds of ski areas around the world. We understand the complexities of resort planning and development, alongside the opportunities and impacts it creates for local communities.
Ski Areas and Mountain Resorts. We work to maximize opportunities and value, while creating extraordinary experiences at ski areas and mountain resorts—large and small.
Communities. We work with communities to envision and articulate their unique character, values, goals, and commitments.
Developers. From concepts and outreach to construction and operations, we leverage our deep expertise, decades of experience and insight, and key relationships to create the right solution for successful developments.
We are excited to continue these important conversations with our clients.
