Dakota Pacific’s new plan for the land along Tech Center Dr. near the Skullcandy building is a slight downsize from its previous proposal that residents vehemently opposed in late 2021.
The Salt Lake City-based firm now wants to build 727 housing units, 237 of which would be categorized as affordable. Over 150 of those would be for people making less than 60% of Summit County’s area median income, which is roughly $56,000 annually for a one-person household.
Dakota Pacific has reduced the amount of housing it wants to build by a third. The total square footage of commercial space proposed is also 25% smaller than the previous plan.
Wednesday’s discussion on the project is the first time the county council will revisit it since the developer paused roughly a year ago to revise its proposal. Public comment will not be taken at the meeting.
Summit County interim manager Janna Young said the goal of Wednesday’s session is to familiarize the council with the new proposal.
“The council really just wants to better understand Dakota Pacific’s most current plan,” Young said. “It hasn’t come to the council before so this is an opportunity for them to discuss it with them in public, ask questions, learn more about it.”
County planning staff are currently peer reviewing a traffic study on Dakota Pacific’s proposal. A separate work session on the study is scheduled for Feb. 8.
The Dakota Pacific discussion is the last item on the agenda, and is scheduled for 6:45 p.m.
Earlier in Wednesday’s meeting the council will consider an appeal of a conditional use permit granted last year for a cidery in the Kamas Valley. The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission granted the permit late last year so a couple could use their 20-acre farm in Marion to open an estate cidery, which is like a winery but for cider.
One resident appealing the permit is Marion resident Lauren Halcik. She argues that the planning commission didn’t provide adequate chance for public input, and that the cidery doesn’t comply with land code as it is “not consistent with our underlying community values.”
Halcik is one of four neighbors who filed the appeal together.
The cidery owner, Brendan Coyle, previously told KPCW he felt the project aligns with conservation efforts popular in the community, as he intends to keep at least 75% of the property green and open.
Opponents showed up to protest the cidery at the subsequent meeting after the permit was approved, and the commission chose to not take public input because it had already voted.
The commission has final authority on that land use; the appeal pushes the matter to the council for review.
Young said the county’s lawyers are confident the planning commission’s decision will stand.
“The legal opinion in this matter going through the different points that the residents have brought up, the staff is saying that they do not see the planning commission had erred in this situation,” she said.
The council will also get an update on the Utah legislative session from Young, who is serving as interim county manager for one more week.
Former Kaysville City Manager Shayne Scott will officially take over as county manager on Monday.
Wednesday’s meeting begins at 2 p.m. at the Richins Building in Kimball Junction. The agenda and a link to attend virtually can be found here.