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Show Viewpoints The A-15 Park Record. Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, July 25-28, 2020 editorial Congress must act quickly to protect unemployed workers T guest editorial Don’t ignore the several perks of the Tech Center proposal GORDON MILLS Snyderville Basin Recent Park Record issues have presented letters and opinion pieces expressing valid concern over the proposed Dakota Pacific development in Kimball Junction. While each has presented concerns about the proposal, most especially traffic congestion, each has, in my opinion, overlooked some compelling reasons why this proposal is good for Kimball Junction and Summit County. In the spring of 2017, Summit County formed a committee to take a comprehensive look at Kimball Junction, with the specific charge to address land use, transportation/transit, neighborhood connectivity and way-finding signs. The committee, made up of area residents, was supported by Summit County staff planners. Over the ensuing 20 months, the committee developed the proposed Kimball Junction Neighborhood Plan Amendment to the Snyderville Basin General Plan. In subsequent public hearings before the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission and the Summit County Council, broad public comment was heard and factored into the approval decisions by these two bodies. The Neighborhood Plan as approved paves the way for a sustainable environment where people can live, work and recreate. It envisions the following attributes: • a mixed-use neighborhood • a people-oriented walkable environment • a seamlessly connected neighborhood • a variety of housing choices • high visual quality • centralized parking The Dakota Pacific proposal that impacts the west side of S.R. 224 is in sync with these positive attributes, and the approved vision. Its implementation is supported by the neighborhood mixeduse zoning proposal being prepared by Summit County. Traffic studies show the peak time traffic load added by the Dakota Pacific development, when fully built, appears to be less than what would occur with the build-out of the original entitlement. That said, the Snyderville Basin and Park City traffic problem needs to be resolved. Allowing the current agreement for this property to remain in place as The Park Record suggested recently in an editorial does not address the current traffic congestion. It merely kicks it down the road, until the public will demand the necessary political resolve to improve it. The Kimball Junction committee met with the head of the Utah Department of Transportation during the analysis and planning process to focus directly on how current and future traffic concerns could be addressed. It was advised that it would be necessary for Park City and Summit County to bring an agreed solution to UDOT. Past planning conversations have suggested that bus rapid transit is likely the preferred solution. The Dakota Pacific proposal reserves appropriate land to enable an appropriate transit center to be integrated into the project at a later date. While it would be preferable to incorporate a solution to our age-old traffic problem now, preserving the ability to add it later is relevant. While it is appropriate to expect the developer to participate in the cost to solve this problem, it should not be expected to carry the entire cost. In my opinion, it should appropriately be shared by Summit County, Park City and UDOT. The substantial growth that Utah and Summit County have seen and will continue to see must also be considered. New residents are going to live somewhere, and a sustainable transit-oriented development will provide an opportunity to lower their carbon footprint. The Kimball Junction Neighborhood Plan and the neighborhood mixed-use zoning lay the groundwork for a worldclass live-work-play environment. The Dakota Pacific proposal gives us an opportunity to begin moving towards that vision within the next few months. In preparation for whatever may happen in Kimball Junction, it’s critical that we begin moving now to address the traffic problem. letters to the editor Needless posturing Over the past few weeks, I have read with interest about Hideout’s intention to annex land in Summit County. This is something I first heard about on the radio over a year ago, and living on the S.R. 248 corridor, I was curious if my property would be affected. So far it is not, so maybe I can offer the following solution to this kerfuffle. From the annexation maps I have seen, I note that Hideout inadvertently left out the Superfund site on Richardson Flat. May I suggest that in the spirit of cooperation, that property be annexed into Hideout? I am sure that the current owners would happily transfer all rights and obligations to the town of Hideout as well. The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Additionally, I have read that Hideout is burdened with the high costs of maintaining a golf course. Using the same laws that Hideout is using to annex parts of Richardson Flat, perhaps Park City or Summit County would consider annexing this golf course. This would relieve Hideout of the financial burden, and pass this recreation facility to an entity with deeper pockets, and more expertise in getting the highest usage from an asset. One of the arguments for the annexation is the need for commercial and retail space. As an alternative to the annexation of the golf course, maybe Hideout should consider converting the golf course property into a lucrative strip mall. This would be more convenient to their residents, and would no doubt draw a lot of traffic from people heading for the Uintas. Now that I have everybody in an uproar, let’s all settle down, stop posturing and figure out how to come to a compromise. Why don’t all parties get together over coffee, spend some time talking about their families and how they are handling this pandemic, and then maybe see if they can do some old fashion “horse trading,” out of the spotlight that forces all parties to an “all-or-nothing” posture. Thomas Smith Kamas Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Distribution........................... Henry Knight ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Lindsay Lane Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn Mural is a call to action When my husband and I walked onto Main Street on a recent Sunday, I was delighted to see myriads of people working on a mural. At the time I was not aware that they were repairing damage caused by vandalism to the original mural. I was overjoyed to be in a city which celebrated diversity and was not afraid he end of the month could be a harrowing time for thousands of Summit County residents. That’s when the enhanced federal unemployment benefits that provide $600 a week on top of state aid are set to expire. The money, approved as part of the CARES Act in March, is a vital lifeline for people who’ve lost their jobs during the pandemic and are struggling to find new work. For many, it can be the difference between making rent or missing it, putting food on the table or going hungry. While Congress is working on another round of pandemic aid, Aug. 1 is a week away and as of Friday afternoon there was no framework in place to extend the unemployment benefits. It’s crucial that lawmakers quickly reach an agreement and avoid a lapse in payments for people whose lives have been upended by the pandemic. What will happen if they don’t? Ask the 9.5% of Summit County residents who remained unemployed in June, according to the latest figures released by the state Department of Workforce Services. Using the Census Bureau’s population estimate for the county, that’s some 4,000 people. Summit County residents should be flooding the phone lines of Utah’s congressional delegation until a benefits ex- tension is signed into law that ensures those people continue to get the help they need. We must also demand that Republicans resist their instinct to reduce the size of the weekly checks based on the contention that the money, which in some cases allows recipients to earn more on unemployment than they were making at work, disincentivizes people to find jobs. At first glance, the argument is rational. It’s imperative for the economic recovery, their thinking goes, that folks who are able to return to work do so. But many economists counter that the $600 payments are a net positive, as most recipients pump the money right back into the economy in the form of housing payments or trips to the grocery store. Further, oft-repeated concerns about the fairness of paying the unemployed more to not work ring hollow when viewed against Congress’s long history of opening the federal government’s pocketbook for corporations — be it Wall Street, auto manufacturers or the airline industry — any time they come asking, hat in hand. This time, it’s the well-being of thousands of our friends and neighbors in Summit County, along with that of millions of other Americans, at stake. Tasked with leading the country through a generational crisis, Congress must come together and do the right thing. guest editorial Vision for Tech Center hasn’t lived up to its promise. Officials should act accordingly. JEFF SMITH Former Snyderville Basin planning commissioner Given the hubbub around the revised planning for the Tech Center at Kimball Junction by Dakota Pacific, maybe some background from someone involved back then would be helpful. It is fair to have misgivings about any proposal that seeks to change a long-standing development plan. At the same time, it should be proper to re-think any plan that seems not to be working, especially when it is not reaching the promised objectives. I, for one, am proud to have been a part of the process of the original approval. As a six-year veteran of the Planning Commission, I was in the “deep end” of all the considerations of this project. The goals were lofty, the promises well presented, and the community benefit of hundreds of acres of open space in the Basin worthy. But the existing development plan is not working! When something is not working, do you stick your head in the sand and say “remember when” or do you seek to make adjustments that will bring about promised goals? As I remember, the goals were to: • Provide hundreds of acres of open space to the Basin at a price way below what the market could demand. That legacy is secure, the $25 million was well spent and the land a bargain then and now. • Bring high-quality employees to the Basin. • Bring creative companies into the Basin and secure the business-friendly nature of the valley. • Reduce congestion of automobiles, yet allow the traffic of wallets moving around the community to benefit our local businesses. • Secure a significant amount of affordable housing to fill the county’s deficit. • Build an environmental community that is sensitive. • Get it all built out in 10 to 15 years. to show it boldly. As I walked down a street free of cars, I knew I was in a city that accepted that work needed to be done to improve the lives of residents who had long suffered from discrimination. But the words and phrases painted along the mural made clear this was a work in progress that would take everyone to bring to fruition. I am also dismayed by the attitude of the Historic Park Street Alliance. I wish that it had fully supported this artistic celebration of life as it is now and how we would like it to be in the future. This mural is a joyous and serious call to action through art. Patricia Johns Grand Junction, Colorado Weigh in on proposal In 2008, western Summit County taxpayers approved a $25 million open-space bond to secure open space in Kimball Junction’s newly proposed Tech Park development. As the community representative for BOSAC (Basin Open Space Advisory Committee), I remember one of the key criteria for spending these open space monies was an analysis of how much housing density we could remove from the developer’s proposed plan. We then unanimously recommended this bond to the County Council for two reasons: It would secure the open views and recreational lands along S.R. 224, and it would permanently eliminate about 800 residential units from the developer’s plan. Today, new developers are asking I remember leaving one of the meetings and thinking, “In 10 years will I be proud of this addition to the community?” Well, now, it is almost 13 years into the future. I drove through that neighborhood last week and wondered where are the high-quality companies we were promised? But then, the market rules these decisions, and the market for this type of Tech Center just has not moved up the canyon. (Interesting to note that the University of Utah Research Park has also failed, and it will soon follow other research parks across the country as housing, retail and livable communities intersperse among the office buildings.) The goals are not being achieved. The property is largely vacant. The promised 15-year build-out is almost past. This development plan is not working! What can we do? Then I learned of the new proposal. I was impressed: • It could all be built at once, avoiding the construction traffic for years into the future. • It would more than double the affordable housing over the Boyer development. Almost like getting that for free. • It would bring real, living human beings to the Basin. They would live here, shop here and increase the viability of the existing neighborhood retail. • The buildings would designed to fit together, not one building after another, one architect after another trying to make a statement. • It would enhance the Kimball Junction neighborhood. (A neighborhood plan has been developed in which this new project fits.) I understand that some of you are not wholly in favor of this new development. If the concept needs tweaking, then tweak away. But do not judge this negatively out of hand. It is hard living with your head in the sand. for a change of use from the original plan. One of the more glaring requests is for 1,100 housing units. This request undoes one of the most important reasons we agreed to pay such a premium for this land in the first place. Tuesday afternoon, July 28, there is a public hearing on this newly proposed Tech Park plan in front of the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission. The county is under no obligation to permit the developer’s requested change of us. But they need to hear from their taxpayers. Please weigh in by Zoom call. Debi Scoggan Snyderville Basin It is a time for change Several recent guest editorials have questioned the appropriateness of the four murals painted on Park City’s Main Street. One of the murals supported the cause abbreviated as Black Lives Matter. Installing a temporary mural supporting citizens of our nation who are not treated equally by law enforcement and our criminal justice system is not about “picking favorites” or not valuing “all lives.” The artist who created the mural in question described what the current racial profiling situation in Utah is like for him and his children in a recent KPCW news article. Racism is still common in our state. Many members of our community feel that this is a time for change and change will only happen when a majority of our representatives in government, at all levels, are aware of a groundswell of demonstrated demand for change. Obviously what we have been doing for the past 120 years does not work, so maybe a different approach is required. If the City Council and mayor or the Summit County Council do not represent the interests of our community, they can be removed from office when we exercise our right to vote. Mike Washington Snyderville Basin Humbled by support from community Thank you to everyone in Park City and beyond who made Park City Ski & Snowboard’s (PCSS) Fourth of July “Fun Run” a huge success. Although the run was virtual this year, having 400 people participate, safely and at their own pace, while keeping this community tradition alive felt really special. The Fun Run is a 38-yearold community tradition started by Gary and Jana Cole. Thank you, Cole Sport, for working with PCSS to keep this tradition alive! I would also like to thank our community sponsors — Industrial Supply, Clifford Builders, Silver King Coffee, Vinto Pizzeria and Alpine Promotions — and everyone who participated. The Fun Run raised $10,000 in much-needed funds to support local winter sport athletes. I am humbled by the community spirit in our town and its love of sport. Christie Hind Park City Ski and Snowboard executive director |