Using preservation as a leverage to increase density around a historic structure could soon be a thing of the past, says Snyderville Basin Planning Commission Chair Mike Franklin.
The Summit County Planning Department is working with planning commissioners to craft language that will replace a section in the development code that, according to a Planning Department staff report, gave property owners a way to increase density.
“There were a couple of loopholes in it and people could potentially, and have, used those to their advantage,” Franklin said.
The purpose of the historic preservation section is to “encourage the preservation of historically significant buildings by enabling an adaptive reuse that requires minimal change to the distinctive characteristics of the building, its site and environment,” according to a staff report.
Earlier this year, Planning Department staffers drafted a temporary ordinance striking the language in the entire section. The Summit County Council adopted the ordinance in April. It is set to expire in October.
The section on historical preservation remains in the code, but it won’t be applicable until new language is added.
“Now, we’re updating the language to close the loopholes and put that back into the code,” Franklin said. “We want to encourage people who have historical landmarks and structures to preserve them as much as possible. However, we want to protect the county at the same time.”
Some of the language from the temporary ordinance currently under review states, “The basic purpose of the ordinance clarifies that, although an adaptive reuse of the property is allowed, it does not entitle the property owner to more density than is allowed in the base zone, and that the use must be contained within the historic structure.”
“I think the language is in pretty good shape,” Franklin said. “We gave them (staffers) a bunch of ideas and direction with how to proceed.”
Sally Elliott, former Park City Historical Society member, said the language update has been “a long time coming.”
“I have been working on it since 1992, when I wrote the county ordinance, and have been hoping for 23 years to have some stronger language in our code,” Elliott said.
There are dozens of buildings and homes in Summit County that are deemed as historic structures and listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, including several in the Snyderville Basin such as the Ecker Hill Ski Jump and the McPolin Farmstead.
“The preservation of the history of an area gives purpose and meaning to local stories and it helps people identify with others through those stories,” Elliott said.
Elliott said in the past, protective language was added into development agreements to ensure the preservation of certain sites. But now, that won’t be necessary, she said.
“We’ve just never had strong enough language in any part of Summit County so this is a great first step and a long time coming,” she said. “Everyone has worked very quietly behind the scenes for a long time to get this to happen.”
Once staff come up with draft of the language, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing and then forward a recommendation on to the County Council. Another hearing will then be held at the council level.
For more information about the temporary ordinance or to view the draft language on preserving historical structures, go to http://summitcounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/2315 .