Summit County Residents Invited to Provide Comments on Dakota Pacific Proposal

Summit County residents will finally have a chance to voice their opinions on a proposed development near the Park City Tech Center after months of anticipation.

The County Council is moving forward with its timeline to renegotiate a potential development agreement with Dakota Pacific Real Estate in the Kimball Junction neighborhood as officials focus on clarifying the final elements of a plan aimed at bringing community benefits to the area, establishing a public hearing. for 5:30 pm on Thursday 7 November at the Newpark Hotel.

County Council President Malena Stevens said officials will spend about 15 minutes explaining the details of the project. There’s the developer’s proposal to build affordable apartments and single-family homes on land behind the Skullcandy building, as well as a concept for a public-private partnership that could include an assisted care facility, civic space, retail businesses, underground parking and a new transit center. , a public library, and public gathering spaces such as an amphitheater. Feedback will then be collected for the rest of the meeting.

It will be the first time the community will be allowed to comment on the proposal officially. The County Council planned to hold a public hearing earlier this year, but it was regularly postponed amid prolonged discussions and multiple counterproposals.

Finally, a subcommittee was formed in the spring and talks took place behind closed doors. Specific elements of the public-private partnership were unveiled last month.

Steve Borup, business development director for Dakota Pacific, met with the County Council on Wednesday to explain some additional details of the proposal, including the gradual approach to build 750 units and the likelihood of state funds being allocated.

Borup suggested staggering how units are built based on a milestone or a certain amount of time. He said Dakota Pacific couldn’t allocate funds for the design without first knowing occupancy plans because the initial 80%-90% of units primarily recoup the project’s initial costs, and that doesn’t generate profits for the real estate project.

The gradual release would be based on the early stages of construction, not just when development begins or when units are occupied. Full occupancy typically takes between two and a half to three years after a project receives entitlement approval.

The first milestone is estimated to occur in December, if the county council approves the revised development agreement. Dakota Pacific would build up to 170 affordable housing units at that time with full occupancy expected by 2027.

The next phase can begin when the SR 224 project is added to the Utah Department of Transportation’s State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) list. Borup estimated that could happen in 2025 if the push to collaborate and find a solution for the corridor continues. He said state officials could be forced to move forward with the project if housing is built near a transit center, as proposed in the public-private partnership.

If that happens, 170 more units would be built, with full occupancy expected between 2027 and 2028.

The same number of units would receive the green light in 2026 and 2027 after the project has been in the STIP for one or two years. Total occupancy is estimated around 2028-29 for the first wave and 2029-31 for the second.

Development would stop after the first milestone if the SR 224 project never reaches the STIP.

“The worst that can happen is that we end up with 170 affordable units, and that’s all that will be released at that time,” Borup said. He estimated that about half of the total 250 designated affordable units would be built by the third milestone.

When construction of SR 224 is about halfway complete, 70 units could be built. Borup wasn’t sure what year that might happen. There is also the possibility that 90 units of deed-restricted senior housing could be created if an assisted living facility is not feasible in the area. Those units would be removed from the developer’s count.

The county is also considering building its own housing in the area as part of the public-private partnership, which could bring the total unit count to around 915. No information was shared about when they might be built.

STIP financing is crucial for Dakota Pacific to eliminate some of the risks, according to the development company. Once that happens, there is assurance that the project will move forward despite any changes to the schedule.

County Councilman Roger Armstrong advocated for Summit County and Dakota Pacific to work together with UDOT to ensure the most substantial improvement project moves forward.

County staff prefers Widening of the road and construction of an overpass. to connect the two sides versus other alternatives proposed by the state, such as building a split diamond interchange to divert traffic.

However, it is unclear if the design will be changed. UDOT staff plans to make a formal presentation this winter and a final decision could be made next summer.

The public-private partnership could cost Summit County $39 million. Podium parking is estimated to cost $20 million, a transit center $11 million and a pedestrian bridge $4 million. Officials are considering several funding sources to pay for it.

Other expenses would be split with Dakota Pacific, but the County Council wanted to better understand what that cost breakdown looks like and how some of the square footage was being used.

Once details are worked out and public comments are received, the Summit County Council can vote on Dakota Pacific’s proposal. That could happen by the end of the year based on the current schedule.

Voting to amend the development agreement would only affect the Tech Center land and does not guarantee that construction will occur on the Sheldon Richins parcel as part of the public-private partnership.