Park City investigating bulldozer violation in Bonanza Flat open space

Photo from Park City Trails and Open Space presentation on Thursday. Photo: Park City Municipal Corporation

PARK CITY, Utah — On Thursday the Park City Council was notified about an open space violation involving a bulldozer grading land in Bonanza Flat open space. Park City Trails and Open Space Manager Heinrich Deters called the incident “pretty egregious.”

“The most recent violation, which we sent you a letter on, with respect to the blading of what appears to be a fairly wide swath on the eastern edge of Bonanza Flat is a material violation that really needs to be dealt with,” Utah Open Lands Executive Director Wendy Fisher told the Park City Council on Thursday. “It is not okay, on so many different levels.”

Many details were not made clear because of legal repercussions.

She added, “Utah Open Lands has dealt with violations of this nature on other properties, and the courts recognize that this kind of a violation is serious. Especially because it involves — this is not property that that individual owns. This was not authorized by the owner of the property, and it does constitute a violation of the conservation easement.”

A previous case involving the Galena Soo’nkahni Preserve in Draper involved punitive damages of $250,000, Fisher said.

The Park City Council signaled support in investigating the matter alongside Wasatch County, which also has jurisdiction in the area.