Council approves EngineHouse ground lease and up to $2 million in fee waivers 4-1, sends Washington School House permit back to Planning Commission
July 13, 2023, 3:15 p.m. · City Council Chambers, 445 Marsac Avenue
On July 13, 2023 the council approved the EngineHouse ground lease for 99 affordable rental units at 1875 Homestake Road 4-1, with Council Member Tana Toly opposed over the nearby substation, and approved building permit and impact fee waivers of up to $2 million by the same margin. It granted in part and denied in part the Washington School House conditional use permit appeal and remanded it to the Planning Commission, 5-0. It also adopted a fire restriction and appeal-process code changes 4-0, and continued the community wildfire risk assessment. Council Member Max Doilney attended by video and was excused after the fee waiver vote.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item Closed · Other
Motion to close the meeting to discuss property
Approved · 5-0
Closed session ran from 3:19 to 4:00 p.m.
Item Work · Roads and utilities
Thaynes Canyon Drive and Hotel Park City parking study
Discussed
Staff asked to pursue a bid process for a walkability program requiring a $400,000 match; the minutes say a majority agreed, with no formal vote. Staff said striping and reclaimed underground spaces eliminated the winter deficit. Rubell noted the study did not account for adaptive skier access. Residents opposed parking on Thaynes Canyon Drive; a hotel homeowners' association representative proposed underground parking of at least 100 spaces.
- Grant$400,000
Item V.1 · Development
Ground lease with JF EngineHouse Developer, LLC for 99 affordable rental units, 1875 Homestake Road
Approved · 4-1
The relocation of the Recycle Utah center was removed from the agreement. Supporters spoke for the housing; others raised concerns about the substation, electromagnetic fields and parking reductions. Toly opposed the project because of its proximity to the substation and said the government should prove safety. Dickey cited the central location; Rubell called it a guidepost for the Bonanza Park planning process and noted a panel is studying substation relocation.
Item V.2 · Development
Appeal of Planning Commission denial: Washington School House conditional use permit for a minor hotel, 543 Park Avenue
Approved with conditions · 5-0
Dickey proposed denying the appeal in part because parking was insufficient, granting it in part because the Planning Commission erred in treating accessory uses as disallowed, and remanding to the commission to review the parking study and additional impacts. The appellant's attorney argued the project met parking requirements and clarified that dinner guests must arrive by rideshare or on foot. Rubell clarified that accessory uses would still need to be shown to be mitigable.
Item VI.1 · Taxes and fees
Building permit and impact fee waivers, EngineHouse affordable housing project, 1875 Homestake Road
Approved · 4-1
Waivers not to exceed $2,000,000. The chief building official said the fee waiver process was not ready. Rubell suggested a stepped waiver scale for future projects; Dickey said waivers make units more affordable. Toly voted no; no reason is recorded.
- Fee$2.00 million to JF EngineHouse Developer, LLC
Item VI.2 · Public safety
Resolution 13-2023: Community Wildfire Risk Assessment
Continued · 4-0
Rubell wanted the document kept as a draft for refinement and tied wildfire risk to workforce housing, noting only three firefighters live in town; the fire marshal said the fire district had responded to 32 wildland fires, three within city limits. Continued to a date uncertain.
Item VI.3 · Public safety
Resolution 12-2023: restriction on open ignition sources, open flames and fireworks
Approved · 4-0
Exceptions are case by case and do not apply to smokers, barbecues or previously permitted fire pits. Rubell asked why enforcement starts August 1 rather than on adoption; the motion said effective July 20, which differs from the August 1 start discussed earlier.
Item VI.4 · Subdivision
Ordinance 2023-35: Huntsman Estates First Amended plat, 5000 Royal Street
Approved · 4-0
First amended plat for Huntsman Estates.
Item VI.5 · City code
Ordinance 2023-36: Land Management Code review procedure and appeals
Approved · 4-0
Creates a permanent three-member, three-year appeal panel for broader land use applications, separate from the Board of Adjustment; the Planning Commission recommended it unanimously. Rubell favored eventually merging the two appeal boards; Dickey agreed to revisit it later.
What residents said
Substation next to EngineHouseParking on Thaynes Canyon DriveDevelopment moratorium request
A speaker asked council to require a road to meet city code before approving a five-home subdivision; another disputed the legal department's position on a well and questioned the handling of a Planning Commissioner's property; a speaker asked for a five- to six-month development moratorium; an eComment opposed any Deer Valley Drive North expansion that reduces the buffer.