Summit County adds 16 acres at Highland Flat, eyes Silver Creek-Kimball Junction link

PARK CITY, Utah — Summit County is moving to purchase another 16.13 acres next to its recently acquired Highland Flat property, expanding the publicly owned land at the U.S. 40 and I-80 gateway and potentially opening the door to a future multimodal connection between Silver Creek and Kimball Junction.

The County Council on Wednesday authorized the county manager to proceed with the acquisition of parcel SS-32-B-2 and spend up to $2.27 million, plus closing costs, subject to due diligence and final closing documents.

The parcel sits next to the approximately 25-acre Highland Flat property the county purchased earlier this year.

Jessica Kirby, Summit County Lands & Natural Resources director, told the council the new parcel is being acquired at the same per-acre price as the adjoining property.

“One of the strategic placements of this property” is an existing underpass beneath the highway, Kirby said.

The county has been working for years to secure a final easement associated with the underpass, she said. Acquiring the parcel could help create a connection from Silver Creek toward Kimball Junction.

“It really does allow us to secure that final easement that we’ve been trying to get for years and years for that tunnel,” Kirby said.

Kirby said future work by the Utah Department of Transportation in the corridor could also create an opportunity to expand the underpass and potentially incorporate a wildlife crossing.

Council members also discussed the possibility of using the broader Highland Flat property for recreation or other public benefits in the future.

Summit County purchased the adjoining 25.48-acre Highland Flat parcel earlier this year. The county said in June that it intended to preserve the property largely as open space while considering uses including trails, agriculture, passive recreation and limited community-serving amenities.

The county previously considered development proposals involving both Highland Flat parcels. In 2021, the properties were included in a proposed general plan amendment and rezone for a 410-unit multifamily and attached single-family housing development.

Kirby told the council Wednesday that the newly proposed acquisition does not include water rights. Any future development requiring culinary water would need to secure service separately.

The purchase will be made using money generated through the county’s open space program. Kirby clarified that the county has already spent the original $50 million in voter-approved open space bond proceeds and is now using leveraged funds associated with the program.

Council members unanimously approved moving forward with the purchase.