Summit Land Conservancy is helping save Park City’s Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain is on the list of land being saved by the nonprofit Summit Land Conservancy. Photo: Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah. — The Summit Land Conservancy is a Park City nonprofit that liaises among landowners and land users while partnering with the public and the private sector to save land for enhanced experiences for all stakeholders. Prominently-perched Iron Mountain is their latest campaign, for which there is a matching grant.

“We are so grateful that both Park City Municipal and Iron Mountain Associates are partnering with us to consolidate this 484 acres of Iron Mountain,” Executive Director of Summit Land Conservancy Cheryl Fox said. “The permanent conservation easement will enhance management of the whole area, ensure public access to the Mid-mountain Trail, and maintain the sweeping views of Iron Mountain above the McPolin Farmland. Thanks to these partners, we don’t have to buy the land, but the Conservancy does need to raise $91,000 to cover transaction costs and long-term stewardship. We have a $10,000 matching grant right now. People can visit wesaveland.org to donate.”

In 2021 the Conservancy and the city agreed to work together to place a permanent conservation easement on about 326 acres that the City owns on Iron Mountain. The city acquired this land through various transactions in the early 2000s. While the city has no intention of ever developing the land, city officials agreed that placing the land in a conservation easement held by a land trust ensures that future governments maintain the land as open space.

Meanwhile, the Conservancy has been holding separate conversations with Iron Mountain Associates (IMA), the developer of the Colony. While all of the Colony lots have been sold, and the developer is closing up shop, IMA has a few remnant parcels of land. One parcel, high on the Wasatch Crest in Salt Lake County, was donated to the Conservancy in 2021. Now, IMA is willing to grant a conservation easement on an additional 150 acres and then give that land to Park City Municipal.

Summit Land Conservancy’s matching grant will double the first $10,000 in gifts and hope to raise these dollars and complete the transaction by November 2022.

To date, 7,000 acres of local lands have been saved from development by Summit Land Conservancy which is celebrating its 20th year in action.