Summit County officials are expected to select a proposal to guide the development of a new neighborhood on a 30-acre parcel in Jeremy Ranch by year-end. However, one county councilor vehemently argued that proceeding now, without a clear vision for the site’s design, would be premature.

County Councilor Roger Armstrong on Wednesday dissented from his colleagues as the Planning Department presented its draft request seeking development proposals for the Cline Dahle property on Rasmussen Road. Staff advocated for a mixed-use plan that combines housing, natural spaces and small commercial opportunities — yet the lack of specifics raised many questions for the County Council.

Jeff Jones, the county’s economic development and housing director, said the request for proposals is in the research, collaboration and draft phase. A final draft could be presented to the County Council for approval by Sept. 25 and issued by the end of the month. 

Members of the County Council signaled that was possible, but it depends on the details of the plan.

Armstrong, though, argued officials haven’t done enough work to take a proactive approach to the multifaceted challenge. 

“We have this steady drumbeat of affordable housing without a plan. I’m concerned that I’ve lost touch with [my fellow councilors] because I keep asking for a plan and then this crap keeps coming up,” he said. “Whether that’s the strategy we want, we haven’t decided because we haven’t done the work that I’ve asked you to do. And last time I thought we said we weren’t going to pursue this RFP because we hadn’t done the work.”

Armstrong told staff during the previous meeting that the county needs to better understand its existing needs and set specific policies before committing to building more units. He issued a stern warning about being reactive to developers and chasing housing demand without a comprehensive plan for whom or how.

The county councilor was critical of the draft request for proposals because the current strategy allows the applicants to tell officials what they want to do with the property instead of giving the county the power to tell the developer what it will allow.

Summit County purchased the Cline Dahle parcel in 2017, considering it for transit-oriented development such as a park-and-ride facility, community housing or commercial development. Recent discussions have also included a new fire station and playground on the site. There could also be a conservation easement on the wetland area, which reduces the total developable acres on the property to 17.

The draft request for proposal did not reference a specific number of units that could be built on the site or the type of rezoning the county would consider. Jones did confirm there would be a clear phasing program and a master housing agreement with deed restrictions as well as pedestrian access on the site.

“I think this is an opportunity for us to do something that will better our community,” he said.

The Cline Dahle property is currently zoned as rural residential, allowing for a maximum density of one unit per 20 acres. However, it could be changed to a community commercial or a neighborhood mixed-use zone to allow construction based on what a prospective developer asks for.

The project may also require more than just rezoning, according to Community Development Director Peter Barnes. He said some elements of the county code may have to be tweaked depending on the selected design.

Housing appeared to be the biggest hangup for the County Council. 

Jones outlined the existing housing demand and deficit, particularly for affordable units, in Summit County. He estimated between 518 to 652 units need to be built annually over 10 years to address a range of needs.

While Armstrong called for slowing growth and re-evaluating what’s being built where, some of his colleagues supported making small, thoughtful changes that keep the county evolving whenever possible.

“I’m also looking at some other factors that are really rearing its head right now,” County Councilor Canice Harte said. “What we’re really afraid of, what I think is happening, is we’re becoming largely a more and more affluent retirement community. And the more this pressure doesn’t provide any relief to keep younger families in the area, I think it’s actually going to really hurt the fabric of our community and it presents a fundamental challenge of who’s going to work in the restaurants. Who’s going to work in retail stores?” 

Harte, who has pushed for the RFP to be submitted by year’s end, encouraged planners to slow down if needed to ensure the document is done right. He said it’s clear the county doesn’t have a collective vision of what to ask for. He emphasized clarity is more important than timing.

Chair Malena Stevens agreed. She feared developers would petition the Utah Legislature if Summit County is unwilling to consider certain projects. Stevens said her mindset to managing the problem is not “no growth never,” but rather funneling development into appropriate places.

“There’s a community [in Pinebrook] that you don’t see in other neighborhoods because we haven’t allowed it to be built because of how we’re denying to put housing in these infill places where they can access this,” she said.

Barnes acknowledged there are unanswered questions in the draft document. However, he affirmed there will be a public process through the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission that allows the county to retain review, understanding and control.

County planners said officials must articulate their vision for the project, the culture of the community and other developments in the area through the request for proposals because there will likely be interest from outside the Wasatch Back.

Planning Department staff is moving forward with plans to create a more specific RFP based on council feedback. Proposals would be accepted until mid-November and reviewed by Thanksgiving. If a proposal is selected by 2025, a developer could start construction in April.

The County Council recognized the need to have a more intense conversation about housing during its upcoming retreat. 

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Redevelopment plans are in progress to better integrate Outlets Park City into the Kimball Junction area with a focus on building workforce housing and improving community spaces. Similar efforts to blend residential, retail and restaurant options are proposed on the eastern end of the Snyderville Basin with a Marketplace concept in Silver Summit, and the idea for Crossroads at Silver Creek could bring a grocery store or child care center to the community.

Summit County must also consider the 125 acres on the F.J. Gillmor parcel along the U.S. 40 corridor that have been earmarked for future civic uses like a public works building, senior center or recycling facility; the conversations with Dakota Pacific Real Estate regarding a potential public-private partnership for a new transit center and town plaza near the Richins Building; and the possibility of a mixed-use development on the Cline Dahle site in Jeremy Ranch.

Depending on the project, those involved will spend hours laboring over the details of an application before deciding whether to grant conditional-use permits, plat amendments, rezone requests and master-planned development agreements — and the Planning Department warned they’re expecting an increased workload with more complex, significant projects being proposed on the West Side. 

Staff have emphasized the need for careful coordination between the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission and the Summit County Council. This coordination is crucial to balance development with community identity, adhering to local regulations and managing staff’s time.

“What we’ve found at the staff level is that some of these conditional use permit applications have become a lot more ambitious of late. Applicants are reaching out for more, and it involves a lot more analysis and a lot more involvement from the Planning Commission,” said Community Development Director Peter Barnes. “We’ve seen that lately on the amount of time that’s being spent on some applications. Some of which will have far more reaching consequences, I think.”

Planning Department staff hosted a joint meeting between the County Council and Planning Commission on Wednesday, the first since October 2023, to touch base with representatives and ensure both panels are on the same page when it comes to the future vision of Summit County.

Barnes affirmed planners are meeting all deadlines established by the Utah Legislature when it comes to the approval process. However, he expects that will become “significantly more impossible in the near future” as the volume increases and more departments are needed to coordinate on projects. 

“It’s going to touch every tool in our toolbox and it’s going to involve an intense amount of work from a lot of people,” Barnes said. It will only worsen as officials prepare for the 2034 Winter Olympics.

Part of the problem is that applicants have been trying to develop in a way that wasn’t anticipated by the current codes. Therefore, projects have become larger and more intricate, requiring additional work from county staff and greater involvement from planning commissioners, who are volunteers. 

Planning Commission Chair Chris Conabee cited flaws or gaps in the code that have created frequent issues with applications for major accessory buildings that are being used for commercial or private recreation facilities, and projects that don’t quite seem to align with the neighborhood dynamics. 

Three such ideas were proposed during the Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday night.

Members must approve projects that apply with county code. Conabee said the issue is then handed down to enforcement staff to ensure the properties are in compliance.

He also advocated for alternative modes of transportation such as walking or biking to be better integrated into planning efforts or the code. Conabee said sidewalks should be linked and development near the Rail Trail should be required to create meaningful connections.

The pressure is mostly at the staff level right now, but several pivotal projects on the horizon will impact life in the Snyderville Basin. Each is expected to bring dozens of new people and cars to the community.

The County Council acknowledged the Planning Commission’s hard work and dedication. They also stressed the importance of keeping Summit County residents’ values and needs in mind as planning efforts proceed.

County Councilor Roger Armstrong said the vision is enshrined in the general plan and development code. He was concerned the Park City area is becoming too crowded on roads and trails, cautioning planning commissioners to be careful not to continue adding growth.

“What do we want to become? …. I hope this place looks more like it looked when I came in than it does with just packing in as many human beings as we can,” Armstrong said. “I would ask you as you guys go through whatever this visioning process is, whatever the general plan process is, to remember who we are and what we can reasonably accomplish without compromising and destroying who we are.”

Canice Harte, a county councilor and former planning commissioner, urged planners to parse through what does and doesn’t make sense for each neighborhood.

Each planning commission is responsible for preparing the general plan and deciding on conditional uses, long-term temporary uses and subdivisions as well as making recommendations regarding the zoning map and amendments to the development code. The County Council is the legislative branch of the government with the final say on land use planning and development.

Officials didn’t make any decisions this week. The conversation was intended to guide planning efforts moving forward. The Snyderville Basin Planning Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month to discuss the latest applications.

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Two Snyderville Basin Planning Commissioners recently announced their resignations from the seven-member board, with one commissioner stepping down less than a year into her first term.

Last week, Greg Lawson officially announced he would be leaving his position because he and his family moved to Heber City in Wasatch County at the end of January. The commission’s last meeting was on Jan, 24. Lawson, who had previously served as a Park City Planning Commissioner from 1977 to 1984, was appointed in 2012. His term was set to expire on Feb, 28.

Lawson had a hand in recommending approvals of at least two major development projects during his time on commission, including the Silver Creek Village Center and the Whole Foods relocation (Canyon Corners development) on Landmark Drive.

Lawson said he initially planned on applying for another term, but his home in the Snyderville Basin sold sooner than he had anticipated prompting his letter of resignation last week. To serve on a Planning Commission, interested citizens must have resided in the planning district for which they are applying for at least one year. Applicants may also reside within incorporated areas.

“I likely would have reapplied for another term because I continue to be interested in the changes that are being proposed for the General Plan,” Lawson said. “But it really wasn’t possible to do that. I’ve been pleased to have served on the planning commission and I wish everyone who is still there and the folks who may be appointed good luck.

“What prompted my applying for the planning commission was the county was planning on updating the General Plan and Development Code and I had been active on some of the zoning issues that affected our neighborhood,” Lawson said.

Lawson said after the move, he will continue working as a project manager for The Colony at White Pine.

In early December, Julia Collins announced she would be leaving after accepting a position with Park City Municipal as a senior transportation and traffic planner. Collins had previously worked as the project manager for a long-range transportation planning assistance grant program with the Wasatch Front Regional Council. She was appointed in March of 2016.

“I was sought out by Park City Municipality and it is really exciting. The city and the county are jointly working on a lot of transportation concerns and I will be working with them behind the scenes on advancing transportation choices for our community,” Collins said.

Collins said she resigned from the commission because of the potential conflict of interest her new position could create. Her last meeting with the commission was on Dec. 13.

“I really enjoyed my time on the planning commission. I worked on exciting projects and my specialty was in pedestrian connectively and mobility,” Collins said. “I was one of the youngster commissioners they have ever had at 33 and with Becca Gerber on Park City Council, it was nice to be appointed when some millennials are starting to rise up and get involved.

“My time on the planning commission was a little bit shorter than I had anticipated, but I see it as one door closing and another opening,” she said.

Last week, the Summit County Council interviewed the following applicants for the position: Thomas Cooke, Malena Stevens, Georgi Gold and Tim Nemeckay. The County Council is scheduled to appoint two replacements during its Wednesday, Feb. 8, meeting. The new commissioners’ terms will expire on Feb. 28, 2020.

East Side vacancies

When Doug Clyde was officially sworn in last month as the newest member of the County Council, it created a vacancy on the Eastern Summit County Planning Commission. The County Council is scheduled to interview applicants for the seat on Wednesday.

Former Summit County Community Development Director Don Sargent is one of the applicants being considered for the position. Sargent resigned as community development director in 2013 after he faced increased criticism from the community over his decisions. Sargent oversaw approval of the Boyer Research Park, which led to questions about his personal relationship with the park’s project manager, Dave Allen.

Calee Lott, Clinton Benson and Gale Pace will also be interviewed for the open seat. Clyde’s replacement will be appointed for the remainder of his term, which expires in February 2018. He was appointed in 2012.

At the end of the month, commissioners Chris Ure, Ken Henrie and Sean Wharton’s terms are also set to expire. Ure and Henrie, who are each nearing the end of their third terms, will not be eligible to reapply.

Commissioners serve on a volunteer basis and are responsible for making recommendations to the County Council regarding zoning, amendments to the respective Development Codes and application reviews.

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