94% of residents condemn 865 unit Kimball Junction rezone ahead of pivotal vote today

Evening traffic at Kimball Junction on SR 224, where the proposed Dakota Pacific development is under consideration. Photo: TownLift

Summit County Council is likely to approve some form of a development agreement with Dakota Pacific Real Estate, county official says

KIMBALL JUNCTION, Utah – A development project between Summit County and Dakota Pacific Real Estate that has been 5 years in the making and has included lawsuits, legislative action and strong community condemnation culminates today ahead of a likely decision to build 865 – 915 new housing units and county infrastructure on a 51-acre property in the northeast corner of Kimball Junction.

A recent survey, conducted by TownLift, shows that 94% of Summit County residents oppose the project. Nearly 300 verified unique respondents,  whom live in Summit County, said they do not support the proposed tech center re-zone project.

Read the Survey Responses here.

Increased traffic in an already traffic-plagued area, the mass of the project being too big for the proposed area, infrastructure concerns and the sentiment that Summit County’s elected officials are negotiating a deal that citizens do not support were among the chief concerns.

Of the 18 respondents who did support the project in the survey, all referenced the need for affordable housing outweighing concerns about increased traffic.

An email sent to the constituents of the Summit County Republican Party called on people to attend the Wednesday meeting and tell County Council to support their constituents, not the developer.

“Ignoring years of overwhelming community outcry in opposition to Dakota Pacific, the Council has been negotiating with the developer behind closed doors and appears poised to vote for final approval of the project—during an afternoon meeting on the week before Christmas,” the email read.

Friends for Responsible Development shared in an email “It is imperative that representatives of the community show up in person or participate virtually to demonstrate the community’s long standing, unwavering opposition to this proposed high density, mixed-use residential development, and its related impact on our already horrific traffic and strained local infrastructure.”

County Manager Shayne Scott said Wednesday that some form of a development agreement amendment will likely be voted on today.

We have negotiated this entire calendar year with DPRE on a possible partnership that could include community benefits and a change in use in this area from a tech park to a residential, commercial, and civic uses. The council can choose to not take any action today. That is their prerogative. Since Summit County and the council are the ones choosing to decide something today, it seems more likely that some form of a development agreement amendment will be voted on today,” Scott wrote in an email to TownLift.

Scott added that the development agreement amendment may or may not be acceptable to Dakota Pacific Real Estate.

“If it is acceptable, we will start the process of moving forward on a joint venture agreement and partnership. If it is not, we will decide how best to proceed with having a technology park entitled in this area,” Scott added.

The situation is further complicated by the close scrutiny of the Utah State Legislature, which is monitoring the project’s progress. County officials worry that outright rejection could prompt legislative intervention or lead to extended legal battles.

“I think we’re carefully evaluating all options here, especially with the Utah State Legislature watching this process very closely,” Scott said.

A minimum of two “no” votes from the council would be required to subject an amended land use agreement to a public referendum by the county’s residents, allowing them to decide the fate of the project.

Dakota Pacific in brief

Summit County and Dakota Pacific Real Estate are negotiating a revised development plan for the Park City Tech Center at Kimball Junction after a court ruling excluded the project from S.B. 84, a law that would have bypassed county approval. The County purchased the Skullcandy building for $17.5 million from a DPRE subsidiary and proposed a public-private partnership for the project this fall.

The revised plan increases residential units to over 750, introduces a transportation center, and features pedestrian bridge. Public hearings and weekly meetings have engaged the community, with both parties aiming to finalize the deal by year’s end.

Today’s Summit County Council meeting is scheduled for December 18 at 4 p.m. at the Richins Auditorium. There is no public hearing or opportunity for public comment on the agenda.