I attended the affordable housing discussion on Sept. 17 with the Park City Council.
There was much discussion about how to achieve their goals by 2032. I came away thinking they are trying to force a set number of affordable housing into city-owned property whether it fits or not.
There was discussion about the people of our community not having the political will to do this. I think it is not a partisan exercise.
There are many people who voted for our present mayor and city council who do not want six high-rise buildings and 280 underground parking spots on the 5-acre parcel for common sense and rational reasons. All of these reasons have been discussed over the past few months at the Planning Commission and in numerous editorials.
An interesting side note was Aspen’s experience with their affordable housing. They now have workers living there who are at retirement age and no longer working, and they cannot displace them for a younger active workforce.
For me personally, the traffic issue needs to be addressed before you put any project on that parcel. The city has a responsibility to mitigate access issues for the safety and well-being of its citizens. The Park City website has a policy posted called a Comprehensive Emergency Management Program. They are totally ignoring this directive by pushing forward with the plan as designed.
It only takes one disaster or death to have a wake-up call and ask: What were we thinking?
It might be someone you don’t know, or it might be someone you love.
I would compare the Bonanza-Kearns intersection much like a river at times that is impassible and needs a bridge to emergency services and to everyday things that happen in a community, school access, going to and from homes, and to and from jobs.
In trying to solve one problem, affordable housing, you are creating other problems that will also be a problem for those already living here and those in our “affordable” housing.
Patricia A. Kipp
Park City