April 1994: Tourist Invasion

by Jim Stiles

      The April issue of the Zephyr, and this column in particular, has made a tradition out of lamenting the biker invasion and the ever-growing influx of tourists into Grand County. It has become almost fashionable for all of us in the community to complain about our yearly dose of Spring Madness and the inconveniences we must all endure until late May, when the thermometer hits 90 degrees, the bugs come out and the bikers go home.

     And yet I am almost resigned to the fact that we can expect ever-increasing numbers in the years ahead, no matter what we do. The tourists come and they go. But we sometimes forget why they come here. Tourists don't come to Moab in the first place to buy T-shirts, or Southwest jewelry, or cups of espresso, or copies of this newspaper. They come here for the scenery. For better or worse they come to recreate, and whether we look at some of these outdoor activities as nothing more than shallow, self-indulgent forays into narcissism, it doesn't matter. They like to experience these sports on our rocks, and it's not likely to change.

     What worries me more than anything, more than the hundreds of thousands of people who already come here to visit is the fact that to some, there can never be too many. It's not the tourists that will change the face of Moab; it's to what lengths we will change to accommodate unlimited numbers. We who live here must deal with the changes every day of the year, while the tourists for whom the changes were made, are in and out in a matter of a few days.

     Any community that determines to base its economy on tourism must, obviously, cater to the needs of those visitors. Moab businesses have risen to the task of providing these goods and services over the last five years, and the downtown district seems to be prospering. There is now a variety of restaurants that did not exist in 1989. Galleries, jewelry stores, southwest art, T-shirt shops, outdoor equipment stores are all doing a healthy business.

     But for how long? How many more restaurants can open their doors before everyone starts to suffer? How thinly can the pie be sliced? What I hear at the coffee shops these days: that Moab could easily grow to twice or three times its current size, is some peoples' way of dealing with the too thinly sliced pie crisis. When the pieces get too small, the response is to get more tourists. Promote! The numbers rise, more businesses are built, and the pie shrinks again. And on and on and on.

     The fact is, Grand County is just about back to where it was, population-wise, in 1980. It's true; there are not the high paying jobs that could then be found in the energy industry. But barring a dramatic turn of events, those days are not likely to return. What we have seen in its place is a growing number of individuals who have established businesses of their own, and have found it's the most rewarding kind of employment of all. When you think about it, there are a lot of satisfied Grand County residents who may not make as much money as they might have in a salaried position at Atlas, but who are their own bosses and who have a feeling of independence.

     And yet, the Travel Council continues to promote and promote an area that has been discovered beyond our wildest dreams and nightmares. While the Chamber of Commerce or the Travel Council may argue that you can never promote a place too much, unlimited promotion can ultimately damage the small businesses that are thriving today.

     Consider Telluride for a minute. A few weeks ago, my friend Sam Taylor, publisher of the weekly Moab Times-Independent suggested in his editorial that Telluride really hadn't changed all that much in 20 years. He pointed out that there are no malls, no McDonald's, and no stoplights. Even its population has stayed fairly stable, around 1300. He got his information from the Telluride Chamber Resort Association.

     Well, the reason the population hasn't increased much in 20 years is probably because hardly anyone can afford to live there anymore. A house in Telluride that might have sold for $30,000 in 1975 can go for half a million in 1994. Flipping through the real estate listings in a recent Telluride paper, I found a three bedroom, one bath house, not much larger than my own little Moab bungalow, selling for $232,000. And how does this sound? Four beds, three baths, garage, and a jacuzzi...only $785,000. I think I'll buy two.

     You won't find too many of Telluride's 1975 population living there any more because the taxes were more than what they'd paid for the house in the first place. In his editorial, Sam opposed efforts by the County Council to cut the Travel Council's promotional budget in an effort to use the funds for other county services and said, "You can grow and still maintain quality."

     And he's right. It's just that we might not be able to afford the growth we've encouraged. We may end up promoting ourselves right out of our homes and businesses, and right out of town. As County Councilman Charlie Peterson said recently, "We want a town that is as nice to live in as it is to visit."

     I don't care how much Rupert Murdock offers me, I don't want to sell.

* * * *

     When we watch the changes in Moab on almost a weekly basis, a lot of us instinctively ask: How can this be allowed to happen? An orchard makes way for a subdivision, a vacant lot next to a residential area becomes a go cart track, and we rise up and yell, we want something done!

     And yet, as much as I detest relentless change and uncontrolled growth, it is extremely difficult to determine when the rights of an individual are outweighed by the rights of the community. Echoing the complaints of those residents of Spanish Valley, perhaps, who felt they had the right to deal with their junk as they pleased, the same might be said for anyone who chooses a particular use for their property. 

     I wouldn't fancy having a go cart track in my backyard, but I doubt if the guys who built the track thought it would be any more obnoxious than the big Diesel trucks that used to idle back there on that lot for hours, belching black smoke and rattling nearby windows.

     And the owners of the Emporium have taken a fair share of criticism lately for their newly painted turquoise color scheme for the historic building. A lot of people are really angry and they want something done!

     But it's their building. 

     So is there ever a time and a situation where the rights of the community at least should be considered with the rights of the individual property owner? I think there is. When a proposed use of a piece of property directly affects residents miles away from that property, when limited city services are provided to a business that operates outside the city limits, it's appropriate and essential to take a hard look at the proposed use and allow the public to participate in the process before any decision is made.

     The proposed Portal Recreation Area, (first mentioned in the Zephyr last December) according to its business plan would provide "a 2,200 foot low profile quad chairlift rising to the Portal Rim, a paved parking lot, giftshop and snackbar facilities, amphitheater and stage, scenic trails, shaded lookout points and night time illumination of the majestic red rock rims."

     The project would be visible to virtually everyone in Moab. Hundreds of thousands of people come here to see the natural beauty of our area. These towering sandstone cliffs that surround and embrace this little green valley are an integral part of the attraction.

     And still quoting from the plan, "Long range potential...includes but is not limited to the construction of outdoor cooking facilities, an enlarged professional size stage for major entertainment, expanded scenic trails, and a 100 unit motel."

     What may impact Moabites more severely than any other aspect of the proposal is the real possibility of 200,000 tourists (by the business plan's own projections) making their way up 500 West from the north and Kane Creek from the south to ride this tram.

     This is the kind of project where the citizens of the community should have the absolute right to at least express an opinion to the governing bodies of this county before any decision is made. While the proposed tram is situated in the county and is zoned for the type of use proposed, it must request services from Moab City in order to proceed. And so it may be that the City Council ultimately decides the fate of the tram; I hope they take the time to listen to all its citizen before they act.