Residents urge town to reconsider proposed 73-room hotel, citing infrastructure and character concerns
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Summary
Multiple longtime Highlands residents told the Town Board they oppose a proposed 73-room hotel two blocks from downtown, saying a recent pipe failure highlighted risks to water and other infrastructure and that the design does not fit the town’s character.
Several longtime Highlands residents used the public-comment period at the Dec. 11 Highlands Town Board meeting to urge the board to reconsider a proposed 73-room hotel near downtown, saying the project threatens local infrastructure and the town’s character.
Elizabeth Bryant, a year-round resident for 26 years, said a recent letter in the local paper described a ‘‘box hotel’’ two blocks from her condominium and that a recent broken pipe had already disrupted water service to her building. “I cannot imagine with a structure of that size, 73 rooms, and what it will do to our infrastructure,” Bryant said, adding she opposed the project and feared broader impacts on the town.
Gail Flynn, a resident of 35 years, criticized the hotel’s scale and appearance, saying the rendering “has nothing to do with Highlands, the Highlands that I know and love” and calling the structure “oversized” and lacking the warmth and charm she associates with the town.
The public comments did not include a formal presentation from the applicant and the record at the meeting did not establish whether the project had been granted final approvals; Bryant said it “seems to have already been approved,” but she did not cite a specific action at the meeting. The board did not take action on the hotel during the portion of the meeting recorded in the transcript.
Why it matters: Residents cited both practical concerns (a recent pipe failure and pressure on town systems) and cultural concerns (preserving Highlands’ historic, small-town character). Public opposition at a town meeting can prompt additional review, conditioning, or requests for supplemental infrastructure studies before a project moves forward.
What’s next: The transcript does not record a formal staff report or board vote on the hotel at this meeting. If the board considers the project on a future agenda, town staff or the applicant would typically present project plans, infrastructure impact studies and any recommended conditions for approval.