Summit County approves Crossroads at Silver Creek in split 3-2 vote

A rendering of the proposed Crossroads at Silver Creek development near I-80 and U.S. 40. The project includes 90 homes, commercial space, trails and open space. Photo: CPD Silver Creek, LLC

Council increases affordable housing commitment to 24 units in mixed-use project near I-80 and U.S. 40

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — The Summit County Council approved the Crossroads at Silver Creek development in a 3-2 vote last week, clearing the way for a mixed-use project with 90 homes and 32,000 square feet of commercial space near the Interstate 80 and U.S. 40 interchange.

The council agreed to change the property’s zoning from Rural Residential to Community Commercial and approved the project’s master plan.

The development, proposed for the property at approximately 7131 N. Silver Creek Road, will include 66 townhomes and 24 affordable housing units.

That is four more affordable units than the 20 included in the proposal brought to the council.

The project also includes a 4,000-square-foot nonprofit or institutional building, along with a park and clubhouse.

The increase in affordable housing came during council discussion after members asked applicant Tony Tyler whether the project could include more.

Tyler, the authorized representative for property owner CPD Silver Creek, LLC, said years of design changes, engineering work, and holding costs had limited how much affordable housing the project could support.

He ultimately agreed to add four units.

“I’m happy to provide the additional four units,” Tyler told the council. “I think that’s totally reasonable and something that we can absorb inside of the project itself.”

Under the council’s approval, all 24 affordable housing units must be built before any other development on the site. The project will not receive a reduction in its affordable housing requirement for building those units first.

The council also required the developer to work with neighboring property owners to the west and north to make sure grading and drainage from the project do not negatively affect their properties.

The project is not fully finalized yet. The county and developer still must complete a development agreement spelling out the housing requirements, infrastructure improvements, and other conditions attached to the approval. That agreement will return to the County Council for final review and approval.

A much smaller project than originally proposed

Crossroads at Silver Creek has changed significantly since it first entered the county planning process.

County records show Tyler brought an earlier version of the project to the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission in 2023. At that time, he was seeking a different type of zoning known as Neighborhood Mixed Use.

The current proposal instead uses Community Commercial zoning.

Tyler told the council an earlier version included 146 residential units and nearly 300,000 square feet of space. The approved plan has been scaled back to 90 residential units and 32,000 square feet of commercial space.

Senior Planner Tiffanie N. Robinson said the property currently covers approximately 14.07 acres. Once a previously approved property boundary change tied to Silver Creek Road improvements is officially recorded, the parcel will be approximately 13.24 acres.

The Snyderville Basin Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the current plan after a July public hearing, Robinson said. The Planning Commission also approved related permits that depended on the County Council approving the zoning change.

Plans for the site include sidewalks and trails, bicycle facilities, a future transit stop and connections to nearby trails.

Robinson said approximately 6.71 acres, or about half of the project, is planned as open space.

The property also includes approximately 0.31 acres of wetlands. Robinson said the applicant completed a wetland review that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accepted.

Affordable housing drives the debate

Affordable housing became one of the biggest issues in the council’s discussion.

Some council members questioned whether the project offered enough public benefit to justify changing the property’s zoning.

Tyler said earlier versions of the project included a higher percentage of affordable housing, but the plan changed over years of design and engineering work.

“I want a project that I can actually build,” Tyler said.

Councilmember Megan McKenna said 24 affordable homes would still make a meaningful difference and pointed to other parts of the project, including trails, a park, transit access, and neighborhood commercial services.

The commercial portion of the project is expected to focus on smaller businesses serving nearby residents rather than a large grocery store.

Tyler mentioned possibilities including a specialty market, coffee shop, sandwich shop, or other service-oriented businesses.

Councilmember Chris Robinson moved to approve the zoning change and project plan with the additional affordable housing, grading, and drainage conditions. Councilmember Tonja Hanson seconded the motion.

The measure passed 3-2.