Breckenridge Community

Sustainability

Tiernan Spencer
Conservation Biology
Statistics

- Average Household income: $65,000

- Breck attracts young population: 22.8%
from 18 to 24, 45.3% from 25 to 44, only
2.1% over 65
- Average Breckenridge Population: 4,540
- Capacity to hold 35,000 people
- Ethnicity is dominantly white, (95.56%)
White, Hispanic or Latino of any race were
5.44% of the population.
Environment
- Change policy so gray water is used for toilets,
laundry, etc.
- Stricter Environmental Policies for Vail Resorts
- Snowmaking/Water Use Development - LEED certified hotels,
new lifts using biodiesel
- Waste Policies
- Zero Plastic Bags - Must have reusable bags
- Better Education for Visitors of Proper Wilderness
Etiquette
- Better Invasive species control + wildlife protection
Education
- Have a Sustainable Tourism Guide for all
guests at every hotel, vrbo, etc.
- Educate guests about our healthy and
clean water!
- Stop selling plastic bottles!
- Hotels offer jug to fill up at market if
they really need to
- Free gardening classes
- Organization that helps you start your own
garden with the space you have
- Create a Nature-Based Learning Center
- Teach responsible habits at an early age
Equity

- Local Appreciation as well as ownership

- Integrating Sustainable Lifestyles Into
Community Values
- More Accepting Pet Policy
- Discrepancies between second
homeowners vs local workforce
- Second homeowners should pay higher tax
towards attainable housing
- Rarely Occupied homes vs Commuting
From Out of Town
Economics

- Parking Infrastructure
- Invest in more biking trails and more
flexible bus system
- Housing
- Better Employers
- Lots of Positions open, no places to
live/affordable for wages offered
Potential future issues with climate change
and water availability
- No snow, no Breckenridge Ski Resort
- High alpine species are not able to
migrate higher with warming temps
- Dustier winters will result in snow
melting faster
- Not able to store water in snow
- Top of a watershed, eventually goes
into CO river
- Heavier restrictions
Land Use Availability
7 miles long / 2 miles wide (5.3 sq miles)

- 2,200 developed acres

- 1,100 undeveloped acres (30% town-owned

land has been set aside for open spaces)

- 95% build out

- 41 acres of town-owned parks

- Town Council still talking about using dredged

land for affordable housing or parking
Transportation

- Breckenridge has a successful

transportation system
- Expand into unincorporated
Breckenridge to encourage others to
use public bus system
- Extend hours
- Buy fat bike racks for buses
Housing, Infrastructure, Job Availability
- Housing one of the biggest problems for
community
- Not enough affordable housing
- Wages are not high enough to live there
- 500 square foot home for $250,000

- Need more parking to accommodate for guests

- More jobs available than homes

- Need to invest in more sustainable communities i.e.

LEED designed apartment complex on a browned site
More suggestions Town government tax credits for
solar panels on ind. Homes
Continue to invest in conservation
Food Desert: invest in vertical
easements and land trusts to
farming in warehouse (Silverthorne?)
protect land from development
Invest in more community solar
gardens!
Incentivize biking and public
transportation
Charge for trash, recycling + compost
free
Free energy audits + town funded
options for energy-efficient home
improvements
 Creating the next generation!

Investing in our future is the

most important way to
create a more sustainable
community