The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission is focusing on preserving the area’s rural small-town character and protecting as much open space as possible in an update to an influential document.
The commission has been working for months on amendments to its General Plan, which is an advisory, nonbinding document designed to guide growth and development in unincorporated areas of the East Side. The Snyderville Basin uses a separate General Plan to guide the western part of Summit County.
A staff report says the update is intended to maintain the qualities that make eastern Summit County unique. The planning area is characterized by its rural communities, agricultural landscapes, water resources and strong connection to the surrounding natural environment, according to the General Plan.
“Periodic review and amendment help ensure that the Plan’s vision, goals, and policies continue to reflect community priorities, changing conditions, and anticipated growth,” the staff report says.
On Thursday, community members provided input at a public hearing about the staff’s initial draft of the updated general plan. Residents spoke about specifically moving to the East Side because of its rural and agricultural atmosphere.
One community member said a herd of cows came onto her driveway recently, and she preferred the noise they made to the noise of a city.
Another compared a rural community to a family, saying people knew who to turn to for help during the COVID-19 pandemic. The woman said people in a rural community care about each other and serve their neighbors.
Several community members said there had not been enough time to study the proposed amendments. The staff report and General Plan draft, totaling 72 pages, were posted two days before the meeting, though the discussions have been ongoing.
Planning commissioners decided they need more public input before making a recommendation on the proposed amendments to the Summit County Council, which has the final decision on any changes. Officials encourage more public outreach, which could include an open house or more hearings.
In addition, the commissioners want to shore up the draft plan with additional details.
“We’ve spent a lot of time looking at what’s in the document,” Planning Commissioner Bridget Hayes said. “What we have yet to do is look to determine what’s not in the document. I think most people here support growth, but we do not want to turn into Park City East. We need to put guardrails up that prevent that from happening.”
Planning Commissioner David Darcey said the “elephant in the room is the ability for a developer to come in now and develop 400 acres and put 2,000 or 3,000 homes on it.”
“I mean, we can say ‘rural atmosphere all day long until we’re blue in the face,” he said. “But what can we put that really comes across the same?”
Other goals in the Eastern Summit County General Plan are to provide moderate-income housing opportunities; consider incentives to encourage private sector development of moderate-income housing; promote a mix of housing types and availability; address the housing needs of county residents who earn less than 80% of the area median income, which is $134,160 a year for a family of four in Summit County; and reduce regulations related to accessory dwelling units.
The General Plan also calls for supporting a resilient and diverse economy in eastern Summit County by strengthening existing communities, supporting local businesses and agriculture, and encouraging economic opportunities that are compatible with the county’s rural character and natural environment.
Water-related goals include improving countywide drought resilience and institutional water efficiency, protecting local and agricultural water sources and coordinating with stakeholders to protect water delivery systems.
Another goal is to provide public facilities and services that protect public health and safety, support rural communities, promote fiscal responsibility and align with eastern Summit County’s long-term growth patterns.