Summit County planners have big ideas for a 30-acre parcel in Jeremy Ranch, but the County Council is worried about moving forward with a project until they can develop a more comprehensive plan.

Planning Department staff met with officials to present findings about the Cline Dahle site from a community open house in June, and to determine the next steps in the visioning process. Officials want to create a mixed-use space where the community can live, gather and recreate on.

Possibilities for the site, including residential housing, natural spaces, street typology and gathering spaces, received an 80% positive rating with attendees expressing willingness to build on the land and a desire for the development to fill a need that is missing in the community.

However, officials questioned whether the county would be able to achieve everything given the size of the parcel and were hesitant to advance to the next stage of planning without establishing a more concrete idea.

Summit County purchased the parcel along Rasmussen Road in 2017 and considered using it for transit-oriented development such as a park-and-ride facility, housing or commercial development. A few studies were conducted then, but officials decided to postpone making any decisions until recently.

Only about 17 acres of the Cline Dahle parcel can be developed because East Canyon Creek runs through the area. Preferred uses for the site include a variety of housing types, commercial opportunities, a new fire station and playground and a conservation easement on the wetlands. 

The most popular housing option was small, clustered single-family homes. Town homes were second. Community members expressed concerns about the height and architectural style of apartment buildings but seemed to favor designs that reflected a mountain feel.

Planners learned residents preferred streets with taller buildings and infrastructure that focused on people, rather than cars, through sidewalks or landscaping. Wide streets with limited walkability were the least popular, indicating a desire for connection.

There was also a demand for mixed-use gathering spaces that promote social interaction as well as recreation and retail. A playground has been earmarked for the site, but residents also liked ideas for an outdoor amphitheater, a pocket park with seating or a nature boardwalk. 

An acre of land could be used to relocate the Park City Fire District station in Ecker Hill to Cline Dahle, improving response times in the area.

The property is currently zoned as rural residential, allowing for a maximum density of one unit per 20 acres. Summit County officials would have to rezone the property before any construction could begin.

Yet the County Council did not want to make that commitment without a clear plan. Members said the rezone should be tied to specific development rather than done broadly to ensure the county receives the desired outcome and benefits of the project.

“I would not rezone the property today. I don’t think we know what we want to do there, and whatever we do in advance will be wrong unless we’re very prescient, and I don’t think we’re that good,” County Councilor Chris Robinson said.

Summit County would also have to put out a request for a proposal to find a developer to partner on the project. The RFP has to describe what the project is and solicit bids for the work. 

The County Council was divided on whether it was ready to start that process without defining what it wants on the site. 

Robinson warned that a poorly crafted RFP would lead to bad designs.

County Councilor Roger Armstrong agreed, adding he did not like the idea of housing on Cline Dahle.

County Councilor Canice Harte disagreed. He hoped to send out the request before the end of the year so the county can decide what it wants to pursue there.

“I don’t want to get so bogged down in the process that we don’t get to the result,” he said.

Chair Malena Stevens was in favor of moving forward, saying she sees a need, but she wants a firmer understanding of what the county actually wants and the preferred timeline.

Vice Chair Tonja Hanson was similarly excited about exploring the opportunity.

Planning Department staff are planning to send a survey to council members to gather further input for the RFP. There will be a followup discussion and further analysis of the site with the likelihood of a public hearing.

Then, the county will decide whether to move forward with a mixed-use development in Jeremy Ranch.