Relief from dust, speeding cars and construction equipment may soon be in sight for Kamas Valley residents who have long bemoaned an increase in contaminants and dangerous road conditions along West 200 South.

Better known as Gun Club Road, West 200 South runs from the Ure Ranch area to the Kamas Valley Lions Gun Club and down to the back of the gated Tuhaye development bordering Wasatch County. Homeowners started complaining about the road in early 2024, reporting pollution in the air from dust and diesel exhaust, as well as noise issues, safety concerns, speeding and road damage.

Residents have claimed the traffic issues stem from the nearby Wakara development, which is in Wasatch County. However, the unpaved Gun Club Road in Summit County is the only viable access point for construction vehicles to reach the development.

The County Council on Wednesday approved a memorandum of agreement with Wasatch County and Jovid Mark II, the company spearheading the Wakara project, to create a paved road connecting Gun Club Road to S.R. 248. The remaining portion of Gun Club Road on the Ure Ranch property, east of the new connection, will be rehabilitated as open space.

Jovid Mark II is responsible for funding the road’s construction, which will need to meet the same standards as other county roads. The Wakara development’s homeowners association will be responsible for ongoing maintenance costs.

The agreement also includes the creation of a new trail on the Ure Ranch property, which Jovid Mark II will pay for in addition to the road.

The construction company has until the end of the year to obtain the necessary permits for the road project, including permission from the Utah Department of Transportation to connect to S.R. 248. The agreement also gives Wasatch County the ability to withhold building permits if Jovid Mark II fails to meet deadlines outlined in the document.

The County Council unanimously approved the memorandum of agreement, and councilors will officially vacate the remaining stretch of Gun Club Road after Jovid Mark II builds the new road.

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Kamas Valley residents say their “peaceful way of life” has been disrupted by speeding cars and construction vehicles on West 200 South, and it’s been almost a year since they asked the county for help.

Better known as Gun Club Road, West 200 South runs from the Ure Ranch area to the Kamas Valley Lions Gun Club and down to the back of the gated Tuhaye development bordering Wasatch County. Homeowners started complaining about the road in March 2024, reporting contaminants in the air from dust and diesel exhaust, as well as noise issues, safety concerns, speeding and road damage.

Some of the traffic stems from the nearby Wakara development, according to residents. The property is technically in Wasatch County, but Gun Club Road, which falls within Summit County, is the only viable access point for construction equipment to reach the development.

Yet Richard Wolper, CEO of the company spearheading the Wakara project, told the Summit County Council on Wednesday that a majority of the traffic last year was actually from Tuhaye. The gated development had a phase of construction involving utility improvements.

Wolper added that he approached property owners in the area about an easement allowing Wakara crews to bypass Gun Club Road altogether, but discussions stalled because he wasn’t able to reach an agreement about using the road in perpetuity.

Instead, he would need to put a timeline on Wakara’s access to the easement. Wolper said that would not be a feasible long-term solution because construction on homes in the Tuhaye and Wakara communities could potentially last decades.

He also spoke to Kamas Mayor Matt McCormick about paving the road to streamline traffic and cut down on dust, but McCormick was reportedly staunchly against the idea and requested Wolper continue to work on finding an alternative access point.

“I completely agree with you that when Tuhaye did that, it was backed up at 7 in the morning, and it was a dust storm,” Wolper said. “What I’m trying to do is please everybody and save my project. I’ve offered an alternative route. It didn’t work. We got an offer from you guys (the County Council) that had problems that we couldn’t overcome.”

The offer from the County Council included an agreement to pave the road to the county’s specifications at Wakara’s expense. Wakara and its homeowners association would also be required to pay for road upkeep, and the speed limit would be set to 35 mph.

The main issue with the county’s offer, though, was the inclusion of a 7-ton weight limit. Wolper said the restriction would not only prevent Wakara’s trucks from using the road, but it would also likely ban moving trucks and other vehicles unrelated to construction projects.

Jeramy Bristol, a Kamas Valley resident and founding member of the fledgling Kamas Valley Preservation Association, said he recognized it was a difficult situation but asked for relief on behalf of himself and his neighbors. He also said he didn’t agree with Wolper’s assessment that most of the traffic was from the Tuhaye development.

“This area of the valley especially is a very rural area. One thing that’s not been talked about is that when construction traffic is all gone, from the last public hearing, I heard that there’s going to be 600 trips a day, roughly, when those homes are filled and finished. Construction traffic might go away, but residential traffic will not,” Bristol added.

About 40 Kamas Valley residents, including Bristol, submitted a petition to the County Council before the meeting with a list of suggestions for long-term solutions. Those included closing a portion of Gun Club Road or investigating an easement to the north of West 200 South on open lands owned by the county.

County Councilor Chris Robinson said the easement was likely not a realistic solution, though. He explained the property is earmarked for open space preservation and the county could potentially lose millions of dollars by developing it. He also said the request conflicted with other feedback the County Council has received from Kamas Valley residents asking the government to prioritize conservation and preservation in the area.

Instead, Robinson suggested paving the road and implementing traffic-calming measures similar to Kilby Road.

“I would hope that you all would cut us a little slack and let us try to work out a solution that’s a good solution,” he said. “That’s some of the thought process that’s going through at least one guy’s head on the council.”

A handful of other residents also spoke up during public comment, telling the County Council they were frustrated with the traffic and safety issues in their neighborhoods stemming from the Wakara development in Wasatch County.

“My wife and me, we can’t walk on that road anymore,” said Andy Bath. “You take your life in your hands to get to the mailbox. I’ve replaced my mailbox four times in the last 13 months. … I don’t know which subdivision they’re going to because I’m not allowed to go in there. It just seems ridiculous to have a gated community in Wasatch County and we have to put up with all the traffic.”

County Council Chair Tonja Hanson said officials will continue to work on finding a long-term solution, but there were no decisions made this week.

“I appreciate your comments, and I appreciate those in the public who have shown up and sent us comments and for your presentation,” Hanson said. “For the gentleman who stood up and said, ‘This is not a short-term solution,’ it’s going to take us time to sort through this, but know that we are working on it, and we will continue to work on it.”

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