Telling the story of the East Vail bighorn sheep herd in a video was first seen as a quick thing, almost like a TV commercial. It quickly grew into something bigger.

The mini-documentary, “Home For The Wild,” was sponsored by the town of Vail, and put together by Capture the Action Productions. Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society also played roles in the film.

During an executive session at its Tuesday, June 7, Town Council meeting, the council drafted a response to a May 23 letter from Bill Rock, Vail Resorts’ executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Mountain Division. Rock’s letter had questioned the feasibility and timelines of a number of alternative housing options offered by the town in a May 13 letter from the town to the corporation. It also expressed a desire to see the condemnation decision overturned.

Since Vail Resorts in early 2021 announced it still planned to develop workforce housing on a parcel in East Vail — formerly known as Booth Heights — something hasn’t seemed quite right. That feeling is growing. The firm in April announced it would build on the property, with the company acting as the developer. That reversed a pattern of several years in which the company used third parties to build both high-end projects and workforce housing. That didn’t seem quite right.

Vail Resorts has provided a detailed, skeptical reply to a May 13 letter from the Vail Town Council offering alternatives to building housing on a parcel in East Vail. The letter, dated May 23 and signed by Bill Rock, Vail Resorts’ executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Mountain Division, states the company is willing to “engage” with the Vail Town Council on all its proposals. But, he added, “The reality is that our employees and the community need all these projects,” adding that a 2018 Eagle County housing study predicts a shortfall of 5,900 units by 2025.

Mayor Kim Langmaid really hopes the town of Vail doesn’t have to go through with the possible condemnation of a parcel of land in East Vail owned by Vail Resorts that has been mired in years-long controversy. There are alternatives. Langmaid and the rest of the Vail Town Council have sent a lengthy letter outlining those options to Vail Resorts. The company last month announced plans to build workforce housing on the Booth Heights site, a 5.4-acre parcel just north of the Interstate 70 East Vail interchange. That site has been controversial since it was proposed for housing in 2017. Much of that controversy is due the property being part of winter range for a herd of bighorn sheep. Critics, as well as some wildlife experts, contend the parcel is essential to the herd’s survival. Project supporters claim the site can house both people and animals.

A significant misconception within our community needs to be addressed regarding the proposed development of workforce housing in East Vail. The recent Vail Town Council meeting where the town ultimately voted to begin condemnation proceedings drew an impressive crowd of community members, including Vail Resorts employees, homeowners and citizens concerned for the welfare of bighorn sheep. The room had an air of hostility and accusations that overwhelmed the podium — ultimately pitting community members against one another and dividing a council. Subsequent social media posts, letters to the editor and public relations campaigns have portrayed very polarizing narratives on the issue. This is not what this community needs, and it’s worth correcting the narrative.

But most people will never know, nor understand how miraculous “our” Gore sheep herd is. And as magnificent and enduring as they are, bighorn sheep have their limits. History and science support the effort to preserve this land that these sheep call home. I am one of the many that have had the unfortunate necessity of working for Vail Resorts, and I can’t help but make a plea on behalf of the wild sheep that call East Vail home. We have all been impacted by Vail Resorts employee housing in some way, shape, or form, and to say this would have “no impact” on our bighorn neighbors, in their most vulnerable months, is simply untrue and ignorant.

The East Vail workforce housing project formerly known as Booth Heights is back. How the project progresses is still an open question. Vail Resorts, which owns the 23-acre parcel just north of the Interstate 70 East Vail interchange, announced in early April that it plans to build workforce housing on the site. The company, which over the past several years has outsourced development projects to third party firms, has taken on this project, and has hired OZ Architecture to work on the design. The original design drawings have remained with Triumph Development, which once had a purchase contract on the property.

VAIL — A team of wildlife biologists hired by the town of Vail has suggested how to best mitigate the impact of housing planned for East Vail, and the top recommendation is to find another location for the development. The Booth Heights plan proposes 73 residential units be built by Triumph Development on a parcel of land near the East Vail exit in an area that is a winter grazing range for bighorn sheep.

Shame on you, Vail Resorts – Rob Katz, Kirsten Lynch, Beth Howard.

The recent announcement that Vail Resorts (VR) plans to build a $17 million project for workforce housing on Booth Heights – the bighorn sheep habitat. Wow. Where have you been since 1964? And why the announcement now?