Bear Mountain housing development in Killington receives Act 250 permit

By Katy Savage

After more than a year-long wait, developers were granted a permit to start phase one of a  102-unit ski on, ski off housing development in Killington. 

The developer, Ottauquechee Realty Associates, LLC, was awarded an Act 250 permit for Phase 1 of the three-phase project on June 1, pending a 30 day appeal process. 

“We’re pleased to have it but it’s basically cut into our available warm weather period that you can be building,” developer Steve Malone said.

The project, called Base Camp at Bear Mountain, located on Bear Mountain Road, was first considered 15 years ago, but was put on pause when the economy collapsed in 2008. 

With the Act 250 permit in hand, Malone will now execute a sales agreement that was put in place in 2007 to purchase 25 acres of land from Killington Resort.

“We’ve been on calls all morning with underlying contractors to make sure we can still get started,” Malone’s partner Richard Saunders said.

Phase 1 consists of building 12 duplex buildings, totaling 24 units. It also includes installing a gatehouse, an access road, driveways, parking lots, and water storage and distribution systems.  

“That’s the macros of the next 24 months,” Saunders said. 

Saunders and Malone applied for the Act 250 permit in December 2021 and moved through the extensive  process, which considers wildlife, building aesthetics, water and air pollution, and other factors, with few questions or concerns from state officials. 

The first step this summer is to move a snowmaking waterline, which sits underneath some of the build sites. The work will lower the grade of the Bear Cub Ski Trail, and deconstruct the Devil’s Fiddle  ski lift. 

“That’s the most sensitive piece of the infrastructure that has to be done and it has to be done right,” Saunders said. 

The Act 250 commission has not yet approved the master plan for the entire three-phase project, explaining   “there is not yet sufficient evidence to support such a conclusion,” under criterion 1A of the Act 250 law. 

The law requires the developers to show water health and environmental regulations will be met after site construction.

If approved, Phase 2 will build 72 residential units consisting of townhomes and multi-family buildings. Phase 3 will consist of six single-family residences. 

The Act 250 permit requires each phase of the project to be built out in its entirety before proceeding to the next phase. The developers have also stated they plan to build homes only when they have purchase and sales agreements. It’s unclear how long it will take for the entire project to be completed. 

“It depends on the market, the economy,” Malone said. 

Saunders and Malone have sold about 15 units so far and spent last week reconnecting with those buyers.
“I’m sure they’re going to be thrilled because they’ve been waiting,” Saunders said.