The Bell Parcel: A Test of Whether We Mean What We Wrote

After an enlightening conversation with the ladies from the Mammoth Neighborhood Group, who introduced me to the Mammoth Lakes Community Vision, one thing really hit me. It's short (just seven values) but reading it through as someone running for Town Council, it landed differently than it might otherwise.

It opens with this:

"Surrounded by uniquely spectacular scenery and diverse four-season recreational opportunities, the community of Mammoth Lakes is committed to providing the very highest quality of life for our residents and the highest quality of experience for our visitors."

And then it lists what it takes to get there (as pictured)

I think it's genuinely a great short summary of what makes Mammoth so special, and I feel like it is aligned with my values as a candidate also.

But a vision statement is only as good as what we do with it. Right now, there's a real, active decision we have to make as a community one that will show whether we actually abide by these values or just quote them in planning documents: the fate of the Bell Parcel.

What's Actually Happening Right Now

The Town currently has a Future Park Amenities Survey open, looking at two potential sites: the Bell-Shaped Parcel and a possible expansion of Whitmore Recreation Area. The survey closes September 30. Depending on what the Town decides, resident input here will directly shape the future of the parcel and feed into the Parks and Recreation Master Plan.

Reading the Bell Parcel Through the Vision, Not Around It

I'd like to point to several of those seven values that feel relevant here:

Value 1: Sustainability. The Resources section identifies the Bell Parcel as one of the primary wetland areas within our Urban Growth Boundary. In other words, this isn't a site where wetlands might be a concern, the Town's own planning documents already flag it as one. Wetlands aren't just "pretty open spaces". They do measurable environmental work: water filtration, snowmelt and flood buffering, wildlife habitat, and more.

Value 2: Being a great place to live. Open spaces are part of what makes year-round life here sustainable for residents and wildlife alike.

A strong, participatory community in town government: The Vision names this directly as a value, not an afterthought. That means the survey closing September 30 shouldn't be treated as a formality; it should genuinely shape the outcome.

Value 5: Protecting the surrounding natural environment. The Vision explicitly calls for limiting the urbanized area and protecting our natural setting. Any use of the Bell Parcel has to take that seriously; this isn't just "we own the land, so let's build on it."

Where I Stand

For me, this isn't a close call: I believe the Bell Parcel should be preserved as open space, not developed.

And don't get me wrong, I am not opposed to development. But our Community Vision is explicit that we should be "limiting the urbanized area" to protect our natural surroundings and small-town atmosphere. We already have an urbanized core where growth makes sense: in and around the Village, including the Four Corners expansion, and down along Main Street as well. That's where development should continue to concentrate. It's already served by infrastructure, and growth in that area has already been part of our long-term development plans.

The Bell Parcel doesn't need to be asked to do that job too. Keeping it as open space is consistent with the Vision we already wrote down, and it's the outcome I'll be advocating for as this process moves forward.

Our values as a Town are outlined already. The General Plan and Community Vision aren't new; they're the standard we set for ourselves. The question in front of us now is whether the choices we make about places like the Bell Parcel actually reflect that standard, or just cite it.

If you live here, the survey is open through September 30. It's a small thing to fill out, but it's one of the few moments where your input has a direct line to what gets built. I'd encourage you to take it.

here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FutureParkAmenities

— Lakota