Talisker restaurant proposal returns to Planning Commission

A rendering of the proposed restaurant the Talisker Club is seeking approval to build on Twisted Branch Road in the Empire Pass area. Photo: Talisker Club

PARK CITY, Utah – Park City’s Planning Commission will take up a long-discussed proposal at a work session Wednesday for a private restaurant on Twisted Branch Road, deep within Deer Valley’s Empire Pass area. The restaurant would serve members of the Talisker Club and operate as a ski-in/ski-out amenity off the Bandana ski run.

The proposed structure includes a 2,862-square-foot building and a 2,807-square-foot outdoor patio for dining and events. The applicant, Jeff Butterworth of Talisker Club, is seeking a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to move forward with the project. The current plan marks the latest iteration of a concept first approved by the Planning Commission back in 2008, which expired due to inactivity.

One issue at the center of Wednesday’s work session is how the building’s height should be measured—whether from the original “existing grade” or the current “final grade” after 15,000 cubic yards of fill were added to the site as part of previous approved development work. If measured from the final grade, the proposed height is 26.5 feet, within zoning limits. Measured from the original grade, however, the building would exceed allowable height by about 8.5 feet.

Under Park City’s Land Management Code, an exception can be granted through the Master Planned Development process if the project meets several criteria, including preserving open space and avoiding visual and environmental impacts. City staff found the proposal meets those requirements and recommended further input from the Planning Commission.

Staff also confirmed that the restaurant would not impact public trail systems, nearby wildlife habitats, or visible ridgelines. The nearest structure is more than 1,100 feet away, and a visual analysis determined the building would not be visible from any designated vantage points.

Under the terms of the Flagstaff Development Agreement, the restaurant is required to remain private, accessible only to Talisker Club members, and cannot include its own parking. Instead, guests will access it via private shuttles or by skiing in. Employees will park off-site and be shuttled in. The building will also include a drop-off and delivery area and a screened trash enclosure.

Operating hours would run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the winter, with limited summer use planned for special events. The applicant also received approval from the Empire Pass Design Review Board for the building’s architectural design in December 2024.

The Planning Commission is expected to discuss the application and proposed height exception at its April 24 meeting, but no formal vote is scheduled. A public hearing and final decisions will follow at a future date.