The Lodestar condo
project in Mammoth, sent back to the drawing board a year ago, passed
through the Town Council recently without a single word of opposition.

The proponents of the project, Mammoth Crossing, asked for zoning
amendments to allow smaller setbacks from Minaret and a 38 foot height
increase. While tall buildings usually send at least a few residents
through the roof, on this project the opposition was silent.

The Planning Commission had concerns over the mass and bulk of the
original design, but after months of working with the Town on a new
design, property owner Chuck Brook said that they now have a better
project. The project is planned as 45 condo and fractional share units
with a height of 72 feet, 28 feet over what the zoning would allow.

When the project was first proposed, the Planning Commission found
that there was no community benefit to Lodestar. This time around
Mammoth Crossing will give the town $300,000 to buy open space as the
community benefit.

Council members wouldn't say which piece of land they would buy with that money because they were still in negotiations.

As for the town vision of a 'village in the trees,' the proponents
of the project said that most of the tall trees on the site would stay.

While a few people spoke in support of the project, no one stepped
up to the podium to oppose. The Council voted 5-0 to change the zoning
to allow the Lodestar Project to proceed.