Ivory Homes may still develop more than 400 acres in Browns Canyon, but the approvals process is now dependent on county officials rather than the state government.
The Utah Lieutenant Governor’s Office previously confirmed it received a request for a feasibility study to create a preliminary municipality, dubbed Lost Creek, in Browns Canyon on New Year’s Day. However, the request was ultimately denied because the department had already received multiple filings for preliminary municipalities in other parts of the state.
State law only allows two preliminary municipality filings per calendar year, meaning Lost Creek was automatically disqualified from consideration.
But Ivory Development President Chris Gamvroulas, who was also listed as the preliminary municipality’s primary sponsor, said in an interview with The Park Record that the company already hoped to work with the county rather than pursue incorporation. He called the preliminary municipality application a “backstop,” or safeguard, for the development if proceedings with the county weren’t moving along at a “timely and predictable” pace.
Now, it appears that working with the Summit County government is Ivory Homes’ only route to create a residential community along Browns Canyon Road. The company submitted a request to establish new zoning in the area last month, with plans to collaborate with the Summit County Council on a development agreement if the project moves forward.
The proposal differs slightly from what was submitted to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, though.
In the application for the preliminary municipality, Ivory Homes estimated the neighborhood would have 193 single-family homes, 127 townhomes, 190 cottage homes and 10,000 square feet of retail space by the end of the project, as well as 255 nightly rentals on the south side of the development area. The company also claimed 642 full-time residents would live in Lost Creek following its last phase of construction.
However, the numbers outlined in the application with Summit County indicate Ivory Homes plans to build up to 3,000 residential units on 407 acres of land, with at least 10% of the homes designated as affordable housing. Construction would occur “over several decades,” with 100 units added each year.
The application included a “community plan” that described the developers’ vision for the area. It also laid out a request for a development code amendment to create the Lost Creek Community Zone, a new zone designed specifically for the Ivory Homes project.
The Lost Creek Community Zone would only apply to properties located within one mile of Lost Creek Road, which means it could not be used for future developments in other parts of the county. The zone would encourage building homes and roads based on the area’s topography and environmental concerns while also creating a community with dedicated open spaces and public parks.
“The overall layout is structured around the site’s natural drainage corridors, ridgelines and slopes,” the application said. “Hillside preservation areas are strategically designated to protect steeper terrain and visually prominent landforms, maintaining the natural character of the landscape and minimizing disturbance. … Road alignments follow natural contours, reducing visual impacts and infrastructure costs while improving safety and drivability.”
Information on how exactly the development would be situated was not immediately available, though, with the application saying further specifics would be determined at a later date through negotiations with the County Council.
“The Community Plan is intentionally conceptual in nature, allowing for refinement through future subdivision, site plan and phased development approvals while maintaining consistency with the approved vision,” the document said. “Together, the Community Plan and the development agreement are intended to ensure that future development occurs in a manner that is consistent with county policies, responsive to community needs and aligned with the long-term public interest.”
The application said the development would provide a range of lot sizes and housing types to support “diverse household needs, life stages and income levels.” Ivory Homes also emphasized its focus on pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, as well as open space preservation.
“Development areas of the project are clustered in the locations that are best suited for construction,” the document said. “This clustering allows for more efficient infrastructure extension, preserves larger contiguous open spaces and reinforces a clear transition between developed and natural areas. The result is a pattern of growth that feels embedded in the landscape rather than superimposed upon it.”
Summit County residents with reservations about the project have mentioned the size of the community and water access as two key concerns. The county application is the only document so far to address water rights and sewage, although specifics remain unclear.
Generally, though, Ivory Homes said it anticipates developing sewer infrastructure that could then be connected to the regional system operated by the Eastern Summit County Water Conservancy District as part of a future expansion. The company also plans to build a water reclamation facility in phases based on the number of online residential units, with the potential of decommissioning the plant if a regional facility is built at a later date.
The application said Ivory Homes “may” create a new public water drinking system, which could either remain independent or become part of the Mountain Regional Water Special Service District.
“However, new sources, adequate infrastructure and additional water rights will be needed,” the document said.
It did not provide any further details on what infrastructure or water rights need to be obtained or how that process will occur.
The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission is expected to review the Lost Creek Community Zone application and forward a recommendation to the County Council, although a date had not been set as of Monday afternoon. If the County Council ultimately approves the zoning request, it would then work with Ivory Homes to create a development agreement before construction begins.