Recent Deer Valley Lift 7 appeal is withdrawn

A rendering of the proposed lift corridor and new beginner terrain at Deer Valley's Park Peak. Photo: Park City Municipal

Project to develop Deer Valley's new beginner terrain atop Park Peak is back on

PARK CITY, Utah — Just days after filing an appeal to the Planning Commission’s decision granting Deer Valley a Conditional Use Permit that would allow the resort to develop land it owns, known as Park Peak and the Lift 7 project, the appeal has been withdrawn.

The appeal was made by the Bransford Land Company, and there are few details about the withdrawal. So, it appears the project will continue as planned.

The withdrawal came in the form of an email from Anne Bransford, the chairman of Bransford Land Company. “Effective immediately, Bransford Land Company, LLC respectfully withdraws our appeal to the Planning Commission’s approval of Lift 7 submitted on June 3, 2024. As always, BLC respects the efforts of your staff and Planning Commissioners. Thank you for your time and consideration,” the letter released to TownLift said.

The Bransford Land Company is a real estate entity based in Park City that owns significant parcels of land in the area. One notable holding is nearly 40 acres near Flagstaff Peak close to the Trump ski run at Deer Valley, known as the Bransford Parcels. The Bransford Land Company has been an outspoken critic of the Lift 7 project on Park Peak, and at a previous Planning Commission meeting, Anne Bransford proposed an alternative lift alignment that would use their land, arguing it would be safer and less environmentally damaging. They have criticized the planning process and the representation of their land’s potential by city officials and Deer Valley Resort.

Further details of the appeal withdrawal are not known, and a request for comment from Deer Valley Resort was not responded to by press time.

The Planning Commission weighed heavily on the decision to allow Deer Valley to re-designate the open space and approve the project. There were also concerns about managing wildlife in the crucially designated land and concerns about skier safety—namely, managing areas where beginner skiers and expert skiers would use terrain together and managing the areas where skiers would come into the loading zone for the new six-person lift. Ultimately, it was granted unanimous approval.

Once the development is complete, Deer Valley will become the 6th largest ski resort in North America. Combined with Park City Mountain Resort, the two Park City-based resorts will offer a total of just over 13,000 skiable acres—a veritable ski mecca.