Deer Valley Resort and City Hall on Thursday indicated they had reached an agreement that aims to end a deadlock in the talks about an ambitious development concept at the Snow Park base, a deal that, if approved, could allow the resort to advance to another phase of the discussions.
Deer Valley and the municipal government have spent months in talks about the prospects of City Hall vacating parts of Deer Valley Drive West and Deer Valley Drive South in the area of the Snow Park parking lots, which would essentially remove those sections of road from the map of public streets, as part of the overall traffic circulation designs for a development.
There has been broad opposition, though, from people who live or own properties in the area of Snow Park. The opponents have been worried about issues like the traffic flow and safety.
Deer Valley and Park City officials have been engaged in closed-door discussions, and the announcement on Thursday was notable after an extended period when little information was released by the sides. The agreement is described as a partnership between City Hall and Deer Valley
The framework of the agreement, according to a statement from Deer Valley, includes:
- Deer Valley providing $15 million in funding for an expansion of what the resort describes as regional transportation infrastructure as well as in support of workforce housing.
- Deer Valley reducing the number of Snow Park parking spots as part of the project by between 15% and 20%, which, the resort says, will cut the number of vehicles on Park City roads at the busiest times.
Deer Valley also highlights the resort’s planned Mayflower base along U.S. 40, which could reduce traffic headed to Snow Park.
The City Council is scheduled to possibly cast a vote on Dec. 14. The elected officials will also hold a hearing on Tuesday at a meeting scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Marsac Building.
Should the agreement be approved, Deer Valley would re-launch talks with the Park City Planning Commission about the project. The planning panel would be expected to delve into a detailed review of topics like traffic and the layout of a project.
There was continued concern from the public during testimony on Thursday. The elected officials were told more details are needed about the Deer Valley funding and there is still worry about the road vacation.
There are development rights attached to the land where the Snow Park lots are located dating to the 1970s, when an overall approval for Deer Valley was secured. The resort, though, must win another approval from the municipal government before work can commence.
Deer Valley wants to transform the Snow Park base with residences, commercial space, a hotel and entertainment. Large garages would be built to account for the parking spots that would be lost as the land is developed.
The decision about the roads will be crucial to the broader discussions since the design of a Snow Park development hinges on what occurs with Deer Valley Drive West and Deer Valley Drive South.