Deer Valley’s snowboarding ban received an unexpected albeit limited round of anonymous criticism during a recent City Hall-hosted open house that gave Parkites a chance to talk about what they like and dislike about their neighborhoods.

People at the event left numerous handwritten comments about their neighborhoods, including at least three that targeted the snowboarding ban.

One of the people, commenting about upper Deer Valley, said the neighborhood could be improved by “snowboarding@Deer Valley. ” Another said “need to let in boarders” Someone else wrote: “stop using tax $$ to maintain roads etc. in resorts that don’t allow ½ of locals to use i.e. snowboarders!”

Meanwhile, one of the people who left a comment suggested a tram linking Deer Valley and Alta, another mountain resort that prohibits snowboarders. That comment appeared to be in favor of the skier-only policy at the two resorts.

The comments about snowboarding at Deer Valley were included among numerous other ones that dealt with a wide range of issues. The event, designed for people who live outside of Old Town, drew less than half the number of people who attended a similar event that was arranged earlier for Old Town dwellers.

The disparity in the crowds offers more evidence of the high degree of polarization in Old Town as opposed to the outlying neighborhoods. The event designed for people in Old Town drew upward of 120 people while the one for the rest of the neighborhoods attracted approximately 50 people. The combined population of the other neighborhoods greatly outstrips the population of Old Town.

City Hall hosted the two events, known as charrettes, as officials continue their long-running discussions about updating the municipal General Plan, an overarching document that guides growth in the city. The redone General Plan will likely be presented in 2012, and both the Park City Planning Commission and the Park City Council will debate the changes.

Members of the Planning Commission and City Hall staffers chatted with the people at the events. The Parkites left numerous handwritten messages about their neighborhoods. Leaders asked people to describe what is unique about their neighborhoods and what improvements are desired, among other questions.

“I think most of the comments are pretty positive. Most of the comments I see are ways to improve where they live,” Charlie Wintzer, the chairman of the Planning Commission, said toward the end of the event.

Some of the handwritten comments included:

  • “Expensive real estate,” said about upper Deer Valley. The neighborhood was also called the “tourist heart.” People said upper Deer Valley could be improved if more year-round residents lived there.
  • People noted the traffic, the Rail Trail and access to Round Valley as being unique about Quinn’s Junction. They said the open space there is iconic as they also mentioned the United States Ski and Snowboard Association’s Center of Excellence as being an icon there. Someone, though, said the “lighting for playing fields is obnoxious” at Quinn’s Junction. The complaint likely refers to the lights at the Quinn’s Junction recreation complex rather than other buildings there. A commenter said commercial growth should be slowed.
  • Parkites who live in the area of Park City Mountain Resort, Silver Star, Thaynes Canyon or Aspen Springs said they would like additional parking spots for people heading to trails and someone said a neighborhood bar is desired. Someone wrote about traffic on Three Kings Drive becoming “a high speed route from resort.” One person likes live music at Silver Star while someone else said Thaynes Canyon was a “quiet unassuming community (until Silver Star came!!!”
  • Someone writing about lower Deer Valley saw the St. Regis Deer Valley as an icon while another message said “don’t build anymore.”
  • The Park Meadows residents who attended wrote about the Park City Municipal Athletic & Recreation Center, PC Hill and access to Round Valley as being icons in the neighborhood. Someone said the number of year-round residents in Park Meadows is unique while someone labeled Park Meadows a “high end neighborhood.” People, though, also said additional crosswalks are wanted and “cut through traffic becoming more of an issue.”