A controversial affordable housing project proposed in Pinebrook appeared to be inching its way toward a decision after Summit County officials toured the site last week.
The Summit County Council on Wednesday visited the 1-acre lot on Pinebrook Road before hosting a work session with Sean Steinman, the property owner and CEO of development firm Resonance Ventures. No decision was made, but officials didn’t mention any new qualms with the proposal and signaled the time for a public hearing might be near.
The developer proposes building 22 townhomes restricted to people earning 30% to 80% of the area median income, and he is asking for the parcel to be rezoned from rural residential to community commercial. Steinman indicated it might be possible to reduce the total density to around 18 units, but the AMI range could shift to 40% and 60%.
Officials and residents have long debated whether the housing benefits of the project outweigh traffic, density and integration concerns. The developer argues the project benefits the community by facilitating moderate-income housing. The County Council agreed visiting the property helped them better understand the development’s design.
County Council Chair Roger Armstrong said the applicant likely has discussion fatigue after nearly two years of work and asked his colleagues to disclose whether they thought the effort was futile. Members said they wanted to ensure there were adequate trees to buffer the surrounding neighbors and hoped to keep the original AMI, which might mean keeping more units and sacrificing a bit of interior open space.
County Councilor Chris Robinson requested the developer return with a modified site plan with fewer units and said he’d like to see an open house where the community can weigh in. Neighbors might be more willing to accept the project if there’s a good-faith effort to collaborate.
“I think there are some legitimate things that could be done to make it approvable,” he said. “I think for you to have a viable project here, you have to have low AMI.”
Armstrong asked the developer to crunch some numbers and return with a final proposal before a public hearing is scheduled and possible action is taken. A date has not been set.
The Snyderville Basin Planning Commission unanimously rejected the proposal and forwarded a negative recommendation to the County Council in April of 2022 after opposition from Pinebrook residents. The panel determined the project doesn’t comply with Policy 2.3, which requires new developments to have “a compelling countervailing public interest.”
The County Council will have the final say.