The Appalachian Trail Conservancy isn't satisfied with the Lower Towamensing Township Zoning Board's decision to allow variances for Blue Mountain Resort to build a hotel.

The conservancy filed an appeal this week, challenging the decision for development of Blue Mountain's Vista Lodge hotel/condominium.The group was denied standing at the April 14 zoning meeting, which meant that none of its testimony would be recorded and reviewed if the decision was appealed. The board decided that only the National Park Service and state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources have standing, because parts of the trail lie on federal and state park service land.The conservancy said it works on behalf of the trail through cooperative agreements with the National Park Service and DCNR. Because of these agreements it should be granted standing."We think they incorrectly ruled on the standing issue," said Karen Lutz, the Mid-Atlantic regional director in Boiling Springs.The standing is an important reason for the suit, said Mark Zakutansky, director of Conservation Policy Engagement for the Appalachian Mountain Club. The club is one of 31 clubs that takes care of a portion of the trail with the conservancy as the central authority.The conservancy is concerned that the board's decision could set a dangerous precedent. If another similar situation would occur elsewhere in the state, then it could be denied standing once again."Being denied that right is of the utmost concern to the ATC," Zakutansky said. "We need to appeal this decision."The ATC would like to have an opportunity to prove to the court via computerized mapping that the hotel would negatively impact the trail through light and sound pollution, he said.Preserving the trailMichele Miller, a resource program manager for the conservancy, said the Pennsylvania Appalachian Trail Act 24, which covers the actions of municipalities and their powers and duties, encourages and requires local governing entities to protect the trails through the state.According to the act, municipalities, where the trail passes through them, are expected "to preserve the natural, scenic, historic and aesthetic values of the trail and to conserve and maintain it as a public natural resource."The Lower Towamensing Zoning Board voted in favor of variances to allow for a slightly larger lot for the hotel; smaller front, rear and side setbacks; and an 85-foot tall hotel. The zoning allows for buildings to be 50 feet tall.One corner of the hotel would be 12 feet from the easement that permits the trail to run through the resort's property. The trail is about another 400 feet into the woods.Barbara Green, president and CEO of Blue Mountain Resort, said because of the upward slope of the land toward the easement, that portion of the building is actually 60 feet above ground with the other 25 feet partially underground."It's the least intrusive site we could pick, because it's already been disturbed," she said.The trees were removed years ago to create a ski slope, so the resort will not need to remove any additional forested area to build the hotel."We want Barb Green and Blue Mountain to be successful," Lutz said. "We feel strongly that there are other ways to accommodate guests."The conservancy and Green have discussed the possibility of the hotel being at the bottom of the hill or placed beside Summit Lodge, instead of behind it at the top of the slopes.Green said the land beside Summit Lodge is too steep to build the hotel there. As far as having it at the bottom of the slopes, this part of its purpose is to be conveniently accessible to guests attending weddings or conferences at Summit Lodge.Melissa Yingling, a marketing specialist at the resort, said that one out of 10 of the calls they get asks if there is a place on site to stay."I'm just doing what everyone else is doing," Green said about adding lodging. "I don't know if its global warming, but I need to make this a full 365-day resort."Since adding the Summit Lodge and warm-weather activities, Green said she has been able to keep and additional 20 full-time employees on the payroll year-round. She now has 80 full-time people and another 1,000 part-time employees."We're in the exact same business as the Appalachian Trail Conservancy," she said.Green said her business is meant to introduce people to outdoor activities where they can experience nature and enjoy it.She has suggested to the ATC an access point from the resort to the trail for hikers to come in and resort patrons to go out, but the ATC would prefer to preserve the primitive quality of the trail experience.Ryan McLaughlin, a thru-hiker from Lake Mary, Florida, said the primitive quality of the trail was nice, but "after a couple months, it's really nice going into a town or a restaurant."Similarly, Samantha Novack, a former thru-hiker from Washington D.C. and Danielsville native, said, "We're not survivalists. We rely on towns to do our laundry, eat, or bunk. It's sort of a welcome break."