6,000+ Summit County residents overwhelmingly reject Council’s approval of Dakota Pacific development

A pile of referendum packets at the county clerk's office on Monday, March 3, 2025. Photo: Protect Summit County

“The signature-gathering effort has been nothing short of incredible—forty-five days, dozens of volunteers, and more than six thousand voters united in their voices want to see Ordinance 987 on ballots,” - Referendum Sponsors

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — A citizen-led effort to challenge the Summit County Council’s approval of Ordinance 987 – the Dakota Pacific development – in Kimball Junction has exceeded the required number of signatures, organizers announced Tuesday. More than 6,000 Summit County voters signed the petition, well above the 4,554 required.

“The signature-gathering effort has been nothing short of incredible—forty-five days, dozens of volunteers, and more than six thousand voters united in their voices want to see Ordinance 987 on ballots,” referendum organizers said. “This is a bipartisan movement the likes of which Summit County has not seen before.”

The referendum challenges the County Council’s 4-1 decision on Dec. 18 to approve an amended development agreement with Dakota Pacific Real Estate, allowing an 850-unit, mixed-use and housing development in Kimball Junction. Opponents argue the project will significantly impact local quality of life, worsen traffic and increase taxes, while supporters say it will bring much-needed affordable housing and economic growth.

In addition to surpassing the overall signature requirement, the petition needed to reach a threshold of 16% of registered voters in at least three of the county’s four Voter Participation Areas (VPAs). Organizers reported clearing that hurdle by significant margins, securing more than 20%, 26%, and 28% in three VPAs.

“Barring any election interference, we are confident Ordinance 987 will appear on November ballots,” organizers stated. “The referendum process is intended to give voters a voice when elected officials fail to represent us.”

While the petition appears to have gathered enough support, the validation process is ongoing. Some signers may not yet see their names recorded on the Utah Lieutenant Governor’s website due to a backlog in processing signatures. 31 of the 77 packets circulated were turned in on March 3rd, and it will take the Summit County Clerk’s office some time to process those, officials said. Organizers also anticipate challenges related to rejected packets.

On Feb. 19, Summit County Clerk, Eve Furse, threatened to throw out 21 packets containing nearly 2,000 signatures. The numbers reported by referendum sponsors include those signatures, but sponsors will file a formal injunction to contest the claim should Furse officially declare the petition insufficient.

“We maintain that every single packet was bound and circulated in compliance with current elections code and will fight vigorously to ensure every signature is counted,” organizers said.

The Summit County Clerk’s Office will determine the petition’s validity in the coming weeks. If validated, Summit County voters will decide the fate of the Dakota Pacific development in the November general election.

County Clerk threatens to toss out 21 binders of petition signatures