PEG expects a vote on Park City Mountain base at the earliest in May

A rendering of the PEG development at the base of Park City Mountain. Photo: PEG Companies

PARK CITY, Utah — The scheduled public hearing for the project at the base of Park City Mountain on March 23 has been delayed at the request of the developer, Provo-based PEG Companies, and Vail Resorts, the owner of Park City Mountain.

In an interview with TownLift on Thursday, PEG President Robert Schmidt said they are taking time to address issues raised at last week’s planning commission meeting.

“We got some good feedback from the planning commissioners, there were some questions so we felt like if we took a little more time, we could answer them,” Schmidt said.

“This is a large project, and it takes time to go through a large and complicated project,” he added.

When asked when expects to see a final vote, Schmidt estimated the earliest would be in May.

Last week, there was a new project plan announced that involves paid parking and Vail paying Park City Municipal $5.3 million to enhance public transit. $2.9 million would go towards three new electric buses, $940,000 for operating costs, and $1.48 million in fixed costs associated with the enhanced service.

PEG is seeking to amend the 1998 development agreement on the lot at the base of the resort, and they are asking for exceptions to limits on building height and parking. Many have criticized that the new development would substantially block the views of the mountains in the area. Planning commissioners have also expressed doubt about the use of satellite lots (Munchkin, Park City High School, various Park and Rides) to make up for the lack of parking spots at the base.

Addressing the parking reduction, he said “people aren’t coming to the resort at one o’clock on a Saturday to go to lunch. They’re coming to ski and they will get lunch. So, do we need to provide a stall for that retail or restaurant space during the day, that is going to be really a skier who’s there skiing, who’s gonna get lunch.”

He said they are asking for the reduction because of “synergistic uses.”

“We’re not going to be negatively impacting parking on the site,” he said. “We’re just going to make it efficient.”

The city is requiring the project to achieve a 20% mode split at the intersection of SR-224 and Deer Valley Dr., which means removing 20% of the vehicle trips.

Schmidt said the paid parking will push people to carpool or take transit.

“Transit is always a tough one because it requires people to change… you have to take that first step, you have to do something that will move the needle.”

He said he believes Park City is committed to a transit-first policy. “I believe that what we’re proposing is going to contribute to that in a meaningful and substantive way.”

When asked how the project will benefit locals, Schmidt highlighted the new entertainment options the project will bring and the enhanced pedestrian access at the base.

“Right now, the base area could be a little lacking.” He said the company has talked with owners at the base, and they have expressed excitement about the prospect of the new development.

“We continue to move forward and have expectations that we’ll get something approved here to build this beautiful project and deliver a great amenity to the community.”

Discussing the entire process with the city, which started in July of 2020, Schmidt said “it’s been a challenging environment.” Adding that “it has been contentious at times.”

“We feel like what we put forward is thoughtful, meaningful, it balances multiple different needs on the site… we have to strike a balancing act to make it all work.”

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In other Park City Mountain news, Fox 13 had a camera crew record the resort’s mid-season update at Park City Council last week.