Two Democrats are running for Summit County Council Seat C, and the candidate moving forward will face Republican Ari Ioannides in the general election in November will be decided in the June 25 primary.
Neither Snyderville Basin Planning Commissioner Thomas Cooke nor housing advocate Megan McKenna secured 60% of the delegate vote at the Democratic Party nominating convention in March, opening the choice up to Summit County voters.
The Park Record asked the two Democratic candidates to share their views on some important issues in an effort to help voters decide who will advance.
For more information about the election, including how unaffiliated voters can request a primary ballot, visit summitcounty.org/281/Voter-Registration-Elections.
What specific solutions or policies do you support to manage the need for growth and development while considering the unique character of the community? Does that look different to you in the Snyderville Basin area compared to eastern Summit County?
Cooke: In my seven-plus years serving on the Planning Commission, this is exactly what I have been doing, implementing the vision and the policies created by my colleagues and those who came before me. We currently have a rational general plan that articulates the community’s most important core values, with a mission to preserve natural open space and vistas, prevent suburban sprawl, and promote our mountain resort community. There are specific chapters on land use, open space, recreation and trails, housing policy (including the state-mandated Moderate Income Housing Plan which we are currently reviewing right now), natural and cultural resource protection, sustainability, and services.
All of these chapters touch upon some aspect, helping us realize the vision and goals of the community. It isn’t just my plan, it’s the community’s plan, carefully vetted and adopted back in 2015, but it is also fluid and requires updating. I have had the honor of upholding, defending, and amending it, and holding every development proposal that comes our way to the high standards set by the general plan and development code. Looking forward, we now have data from the Our Summit community research project that was extended county-wide, to move forward with data-driven approaches to revising both the Snyderville Basin and Eastern Summit County general plans.
The findings are not surprising: In almost every community surveyed from the Snyderville Basin to Kamas to Oakley to Coalville, the top three values are open space, access to trails and recreation, and protecting rural/community character. The biggest threat to all of these core values is unmitigated development. Where we share common values, we can share common strategies to manage growth, but with care and respect to the reality that rural character and community character mean different things in different parts of the county.
McKenna: Incorporating community input from our recent visioning process, Our Summit, is instrumental in managing growth and development as we update our general plans. The new community-crafted vision and strategic plan will help future planners and decision makers consider each community’s unique character.
Each community across Summit County has its own distinct history, identity and needs. Local voices must be included when policy decisions that impact them are being made. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to county governance. My policy approach across the county will be collaborative, data-driven, inclusive, pragmatic, and community-minded. I will forge partnerships with private businesses, nonprofits, community organizations, and local leaders to maximize resources and enhance our collective impact to address critical community needs.
I know first hand the challenges and community benefits that come with affordable housing. I understand well the need for a wide range of housing options for our lowest wage earners to professionals making more than 100% area median income. I also understand that a solution in one community may create more problems than it solves in another. Local context matters and must be considered.
While change is inevitable, sustainability and affordability are not. My future-forward platform is centered on sustainability, affordability, responsible growth, and regional collaboration. Responsible growth is transit-oriented development where we have the infrastructure to support it. Responsible growth maximizes community benefit while addressing current and future Summit County needs. I believe housing solutions are also traffic, climate, workforce, safety and community solutions and our policies should reflect a more holistic approach.
I support a regional strategic housing plan that incorporates industry best practices, including transit-oriented and clustered development; mixed use; deed restrictions; zone reform; waterfall provisions; rental/down payment assistance; employment generation requirements; incentive programs; short-term rental regulation; and public-private partnerships.
Do you think there’s a balance between the economic benefits of tourism and the impacts visitors have on the local infrastructure, services and residents? Describe your vision.
Cooke: Utah State University’s Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism defines Gateway Communities as “small cities and towns outside of significant natural amenities such as national parks, public lands, ski areas, and scenic rivers throughout the western United States which are becoming increasingly popular places to visit and live. As a result, many of these gateway and natural amenity region (or GNAR) communities grapple with big city issues, including severe congestion, lack of affordable workforce housing, and concerns about sprawl.” Does this sound familiar? There is always going to be a balance that needs to be struck between the positive impacts on our resort-based economy with quality of life issues for full time residents. I believe this is where my planning experience can be most valuable on the County Council.
Everything has a comfortable carrying capacity, including community recreation amenities like fields, trails, trailheads, passive recreation open spaces, and indoor rec facilities. We need to remember that many of our community recreation amenities are taxpayer-funded in one way or another over the long term, and residents of Summit County are willing and generous enough to share our attractions and amenities with tourists, day visitors from the city, and non-residents alike. There is a balance that needs to be achieved between the sharing of these great amenities, and the impacts created by overuse.
McKenna: I believe finding balance between the economic benefits of tourism and the impacts visitors have on the local infrastructure, services, and residents is critical to the quality of life and sustainability of our communities. Tourism accounts for a significant portion of our economy, generating more than 70% of our tax dollars. It is critical to our economic vitality, and like all industries, has negative impacts as well. Outdoor recreation-based tourism allows us to invest in and preserve the natural resources that local residents also cherish, such as our trails and open space. With that comes the added impact on our most beloved community assets. Maintaining a healthy balance requires strategic planning, regular monitoring/feedback, and adjustment.
While it can be far less destructive than extractive and polluting industries like mining, the jobs tourism generates are often low-paying and hard to fill. The cost of living in tourist destinations has become prohibitive for the local workforce and surrounding communities. As second homes and short-term rentals dominate the housing stock, jobs continue to outpace Summit County’s population and availability of affordable housing. Over 18,000 people now commute into Summit County every day to work. Our population is aging while school enrollment continues to drop. This contributes to traffic, childcare and labor shortages, rising greenhouse gas emissions, and a diminishing sense of community across the county.
While many Summit County residents are feeling the impacts, I have hope that sustainable tourism measures can help to rebalance and provide opportunities for all Summit County residents to thrive and prosper from one generation to the next. My vision includes public-private partnerships that significantly invest in our environmental and workforce challenges. I support the Park City Chamber’s Sustainable Tourism Plan, engaging employers, and reinvesting tourism tax dollars to minimize impact and maximize community benefit.
Summit County officials are involved in negotiations regarding several key projects from Dakota Pacific Real Estate’s proposal for the Park City Tech Center and the future of the 910 Cattle Ranch as well as planning for the Cline Dahle property, Ure Farm, and even the Skullcandy Headquarters. Name one project or initiative you would be the most excited to be involved in and why.
Cooke: Without a doubt, the acquisition of the 910 Cattle Ranch is, as current County Councilor Chris Robinson said, “the deal of a lifetime.” I spoke out on the record when the council held a public hearing to announce the acquisition back in August of 2023. I was quoted as saying, “The challenge ahead for us will be how we manage the paradox of having such a beautiful, natural open space amenity — the pristine 8,500-plus acres of the 910 Ranch — and safeguarding that role into the future from the threat of being loved to death.”
I’ll say it again: I am worried about this landscape-scale, critical piece of open space and wildlife habitat being loved to death, and playing a role and being a part of the team that can help provide and ensure responsible stewardship would be a top priority of mine. There are key players in place who should get so much more credit than they have to date, not just for negotiating the deal but also for securing federal funding outside of the county’s open space bond monies, so I’ll use this opportunity to thank County Lands & Natural Resources Director Jess Kirby in particular for all her work. But the team is going to need some more players, dedicated resources and committed support far into the future. This is a major undertaking for the county, and it needs to be studied on how best to manage it, and then done right. I would be excited and honored to be a part of it.
McKenna: I am excited to be involved in all Summit County projects. I will touch on Dakota Pacific as it seems to be the most contentious and my stance on it is often misrepresented. While negotiations with Dakota Pacific will likely have concluded by next January, I am supportive of the county negotiating for the best possible community outcome.
I am in favor of making the developer “build better than they bought.” My public comments regarding Dakota Pacific have only spoken to the need for affordable housing and encouraged the developer to negotiate in good faith with the county. A “just say no” approach risks a state takeover and even less local control.
As someone who grew up in the Snyderville Basin and has lived and worked here for decades, I have seen dramatic change. Most understand that we need to manage the change that is coming. Denying it is unrealistic. In order to protect our watersheds, sensitive lands and open space, we must prevent further sprawl and concentrate growth where we have the infrastructure to support it.
Dakota Pacific has development rights they will exercise one way or another. One hundred and 50 households reside at Liberty Peak, where Dakota Pacific already fulfilled their affordable housing component. They are entitled to build 24 times Skullcandy that would bring thousands more commuters at peak traffic times. It’s no longer 2008. The county needs to pivot to modern, sustainable and viable solutions that address transportation and housing needs, including senior and affordable housing.
I don’t advocate for developers and certainly don’t support Dakota Pacific and how they’ve conducted themselves. I advocate for the people and places that make up Summit County. I support negotiating with developers to maximize community benefit and minimize impact while addressing critical county needs.
Considering the likelihood that Utah will be selected to host the Winter Olympics in 2034, what factors should be prioritized when deciding whether to pursue this opportunity? How would you ensure there would be a long-term community benefit?
Cooke: It is clear that the 2034 Games will be about showcasing how a former and future host can take advantage of its strong legacy and existing capabilities to deliver an incredible Games experience for athletes and spectators during the event, while avoiding many of the costs, disruptions and wastefulness that has plagued many Games hosts in the past. We have heard not to expect any massive funding or physical infrastructure windfalls from federal or state entities, and the fact that we already have operational venues and capacity to host the world is what makes Utah attractive in 2034 and maybe beyond.
One of the reasons we have many of these venues is thanks to organizations like the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation who have operationalized venues and kept them viable through programming not just for elite athletes, but basically anyone in the community interested in learning or taking part in winter sport. A lasting benefit would be to ensure funding for facilities, operations, and programs like the Utah Olympic Park and Soldier Hollow (our neighbor in Wasatch County) long after the 2034 Games have come and gone. This is what will keep the Olympic flame burning in our community.
It is also important to realize that the way in which we host the Games relative to Summit County’s involvement is a significant opportunity to seek alignment on important shared values. With a “10-year runway,” we have a unique opportunity to be deliberate and realistic about how best to find alignment on solutions related to mobility, housing, air quality, renewable energy, water, equity and a number of other topics that are key to delivering both successful 2034 Games and improving the quality of life of our residents in Summit County.
McKenna: The decision to host the Winter Olympics does not reside with the Summit County Council, and several factors should be prioritized when planning and mitigating the local impacts and leveraging the community benefits of the Games. While the Olympic committee and state have made it clear we are not to expect a blank check for the Games, we are in a unique position, already having the venues in place, to invest in an equitable and sustainable Olympic Games that leaves behind a rich, long-lasting legacy.
I am grateful for the unforgettable Olympic experience I had working as a ski patroller in the 2002 Games and find the opportunity to vision our 2034 Summit County incredibly exciting. In the spirit of the Olympics, I believe we have an opportunity to throw an amazing, safe and net-zero Games, and also an opportunity to welcome the world with unity, pride and hope. I appreciate the Olympic ideals that promote peace, tolerance, understanding and inclusion, and what they will bring to our county.
I would look to partner with the Olympic Legacy Foundation, a tremendous resource for the county, as we plan and prepare for the 2034 Games and their legacy. Their mission to cultivate sport and life champions while bringing the Olympic and Paralympic spirit to youth, athletes, and the world can serve as an inspiration to all Summit County residents.
Establishing a 2034 Olympic trust will help to ensure a long-lasting Olympic legacy, while regional collaboration will be instrumental in leveraging local, federal, and state dollars for the needed infrastructure. This will allow us to minimize impacts and maximize community benefits while addressing current and future county needs. Creative and innovative transportation, energy, water and housing solutions will be the key to a successful Games and sustainable Olympic legacy in Summit County.
What is the biggest pressing issue in your mind that no one is talking about, or talking enough about?
Cooke: What is looming large in my mind is the yet-to-come, yet-to-be built, entitled density that exists throughout the county and just over our borders in neighboring Wasatch County. In addition to roughly 3,000 entitled residential lots in the Snyderville Basin alone, about 2.5 million square feet of commercial density (including the proposed Dakota Pacific project), plus a staggering 3 million square feet of resort density yet to be built at Canyons Village, much of what people are seeing built was entitled long before our current general plan was adopted through individual development agreements.
A simple way to grasp what 3 million square feet of density looks like: Take the size of Canyons Village today and double it. When people ask me, “when is it going to end, all the building?” the only answer I can come up with is that it will never end if we increase entitlements beyond what they are today. It is a profound amount of density that is neither inherently good nor bad. It just has to be managed with great care because density equals people, and people equals cars, under our current paradigm.
If you don’t like the traffic on S.R. 224 today, a good rule of thumb is that without the interventions of better transit such as planned Bus Rapid Transit, and doing everything we can to shape entitled development to be less car-centric and more pedestrian friendly, traffic will never be better in the future, no matter what the developers’ traffic consultants say. This is why experience matters.
McKenna: There are many pressing issues I am eager to address and I want to focus on making Summit County more equitable and inclusive for all residents.
As a 2024 Equity Enhancement Cohort participant who has been addressing local equity issues for decades, I will advance equity and inclusion at the organizational level. I am concerned about discriminatory legislation passed in the 2024 Legislative session, racist and anti-semitic bullying within the Park City School District, and the social and economic challenges working Summit County residents face.
I am committed to serving all county residents, especially our most vulnerable: young people, immigrants, families, seniors, the neurodiverse, people with mental health challenges, religious and racial minorities, the LGBTQ+ community, and our seasonal workforce. I support nonprofits and partners committed to addressing barriers to diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a former teacher, I know the tone we set at the highest levels has an impact on our community, and my ability to stay in tough conversations, facilitate them with respect, and ensure that all voices are heard are leadership skills needed in this divisive time.
My decision to run for Summit County Council was not to meet a personal or professional goal. The tremendous opportunity I had growing up here, my local work experience, and my background in environmental science, education and affordable housing have instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and the skills necessary to serve Summit County. I am rooted here and care deeply about the people and places that make up our communities. My motivation to run comes from my former students, my niece and nephews, and the working people of Summit County.
I am committed to a future-forward platform that aims to support a prosperous Summit County where all residents can thrive from one generation to the next.