Holland Lake Lodge expansion receives little support

By Gwyneth Hyndman

A proposed expansion of Holland Lake Lodge is not in the best interest of the public, has had a flawed public comment process, and the master development plan from Park City, Utah-based group POWDR has numerous inaccuracies, lacks essential information and ultimately should be denied, the Seeley Lake Community Council and about 15 members of the public heard on Monday night, Nov. 14, at the council's regular meeting.

The presentation was made by members of the Save Holland Lake group, an "ad-hoc, grassroots movement" that has risen above partisan politics in its goal to protect the ecology, culture and history of Holland Lake, said group member and co-presenter Bill Lombardi.

"I've never seen the valley so united," said Lombardi, adding that comments on the petition to halt the development had come from as far away as the United Kingdom.

"It's united across the country - we even have friends in London [who commented] ... wanting to protect the culture, history, ecology ..."

Of the 6,493 public comments that had been posted on the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) website, 6419 were against the project as is, and 74 comments were in support.

The master development plan is reviewed by the USFS.

Save Holland Lodge members have stated that following a meeting with USFS earlier this month, their understanding is that a decision will be made soon on the master plan being approved or denied.

"It is the impact on our water, wildlife - the traffic,"

Lombardi continued.

"We're making sure our voices are heard and that this permit is denied because it is not in the public's interest."

Built in 1946 as a guest lodge, following a fire that destroyed the main building that was constructed in 1924, Holland Lake Lodge has a 100-year history in the area. It was bought by Christian Wohlfiel in 2002. According to the lodge website, after 20 years, Wohlfiel "has partnered with POWDR to transition the lodge to the next chapter." Wohlfiel "will remain actively involved in the general operation and management through the transition," the website states.

Save Holland Lodge members have asserted that because the beneficial control and ownership of the lodge on state records changed to POWDR in 2021, this would then terminate the 2017 U.S. Forest Service (USFS) special use permit that the lodge is currently on, within public lands.

Co-presenter Dave Roberts said this alone should have meant that the proposal be denied. In addition, the master development plan was "full of errors and lacked essential information." He added that the way the process proceeded didn't allow for adequate time to comment.

"Emergency services, road use and water use aren't even touched on in the plan," Roberts said.

A crucial error, members have stated, is that in the scoping letter as well as the master development plan, the document refers to a permit that is 15 acres, while the special use permit states that the agreement is for 10.53 acres. "This area is easily verifiable with reference maps and current boundaries that have existed since 1961," notes in Monday's presentation state.

A day after the meeting, a letter was circulated from attorney George Corn stating that a review of the public documents showed that Holland Lake Lodge, Inc. had already violated its USFS special use permit because of its transactions with POWDR.

"Because of these violations," Corn states, "the permit was terminated according to the permit's provisions.

"In particular, the formation of a new joint venture between the two entities and related corporate transaction should cause the USFS to require the joint venture submit a new permit application, rather than to consider POWDR's request to expand the use of the existing permit as submitted in POWDR's proposed master development plan.

As Monday's presentation came to a conclusion, Roberts said that he, like most who opposed the proposed development, understood that the tourism aspect of the lodge - in some form - would continue.

"Something is going to happen there," he said. "I think we all have a different idea of what that might be. The Forest Service has told us that the next step is that people need to stay engaged. Whatever happens, [Holland Lake Lodge] is not going to just go back to being a piece of the wilderness."

While Wohlfiel did not respond to a request for comment by the Pathfinder, POWDR Vice President of Communications and Government Affairs Stacey Hutchinson said there had been "no change in ownership structure" since POWDR originally partnered with Wohlfiel and Holland Lake Lodge, LLC.

She stated that the company was "grateful for everyone who has commented - in person, on the USFS website, on our website, http://www.hollandlakefuture.com, through email and phone calls."

Many people had constructive ideas that they were now discussing how to incorporate into their plan, she stated.

"It is part of our company's ethos to ensure that future generations enjoy the good fortune to experience our outdoors as we do - with healthy ecosystems and wildlife, and clean air and water.

"This includes Holland Lake Lodge where guests have been coming for generations."