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Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) just announced an ambitious plan to build a new green resort development in North America. Ever Vail will be a $1B, 9.5 acre, multi-use resort village on the current site known as West Lionshead. If approved for development, Ever Vail will be the largest LEED-certified project for resort use in North America and one of the earliest developments to come under the LEED Neighborhood Development certification program.

In all, the total development will be about one million square feet, with 150-250 whole ownership condominium units, 75-125 fractional ownership condominium units, a 100,000 sf hotel, 100,000-150,000 sf of commercial retail, office, and restaurant space, and 100,000 sf mountain operations facility.

Importantly, Ever Vail plans are still being finalized and haven't been submitted to the Town of Vail for approval. Once approved, sales will start in about 2009, so this is very much a prospective project. Vail Resorts has partnered with Callison to help design and plan the development. Callison Principal Steve Harmon remarked on the partnership: "Callison believes sustainable design is good business and is honored to partner with Vail Resorts on leading the effort to create an innovative, smart-growth destination that uses land more responsibly, reduces resource consumption and minimizes sprawl."

As our writers here on Green Options have reported, environmentalism and climate change is always on the mind of winter resort operators, so seeking LEED certification is another way for resorts to consider the impact of their operations. The LEED for Neighborhood Development certification program (actually still in the pilot program stage) was officially inaugurated on February 1, 2007. It's a rating system established by the U.S. Green Building Council that integrates principles of smart growth, urbanism, and green building on a neighborhood level. Vail Resorts plans also to develop all of the buildings at Ever Vail to LEED criteria.

Image Credit: Vail.

Starting with the idea of creating a conventional community with a green twist, the Corbetts set to work transforming 70 acres in Davis into a livable green community that was good for the people, good for the earth. By lining the carefully planned east-west streets with southern-facing houses for maximum solar exposure, they enabled the Village Homes residents to acquire between 50-75 percent of their heating needs from the free (and endless!) source of the sun.

By 1982, the 70-acre Village Homes broke ground with the completion of a livable model now emulated and envied by developers and home dwellers the world over. With the narrow, curved east west streets, truncated to allow pedestrian use of the centralized community green space, the Corbetts specifically designed Village Homes to encourage transportation by foot and bike rather than by car. Designing a community to focus on the people rather than the vehicles, they opened up the development structure to allow neighborhood interaction. Another cool perk: With narrower streets containing less asphalt and more trees, the Corbetts unwittingly designed a community that is known to be 10-15 degrees cooler than surrounding neighborhoods in the hot summer months!

Other benefits include voluntary weekly potlucks, neighborhood work parties, edible landscaping, a lower cost of living. centralized play areas for children, a solar heated community center and swimming pool, two vineyards, an orchard, and two large common gardening areas.

To own a house in Village Homes is highly coveted by all familiar with the efficacy of the Corbetts’ designs. As one resident puts it, “A community is more than a physical location. It's a feeling of kinship. Living at Village Homes has enhanced our lives in many ways. I guess I could say I'm looking forward to growing old here." For more information on Village Homes or the Corbetts’ books on green development design, please visit http://www.villagehomesdavis.org/