Snow Park Village base area and Deer Valley Drive right-of-way vacation
Deer Valley Resort's petition to vacate portions of right-of-way on Deer Valley Drive and dedicate Doe Pass Road, tied to a master planned development and subdivision application for the Snow Park Village base area with a multimodal transit center. Neighbors and homeowner associations opposed it over traffic; council continued the petition March 16, 2023.
- Where it stands
- Approved
- Type
- Development agreement
- Location
- Deer Valley Drive West and South; Doe Pass Road
- Applicant
- Deer Valley Development Company
Every hearing and vote
March 16, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition to vacate right-of-way on Deer Valley Drive
Continued · 4-0
The resort said the vacation is necessary for a multimodal center with a transit center, restrooms, lockers, bike parking and a bus charging station, and would relocate the resort's front door north, add signals and crosswalks and widen paths and roads, and said traffic impacts would decrease. Mayor Worel said the standard requires findings of good cause and no material injury. Opponents, including homeowner associations and counsel for a condominium association, cited traffic, noise, idling pollution and a lack of compensation; a few speakers supported the pedestrian safety improvements. Staff made no presentation.
- Applicant: Deer Valley Development Company
June 1, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition to vacate Deer Valley Drive right-of-way and dedicate Doe Pass Road (Snow Park Village Base Area MPD)
Discussed
The 1978 master plan has had 12 amendments, with 209.75 of 2,110 unit equivalents remaining. The company proposes a six-bus transit hub, a gondola to Silver Lake, a one-acre park and about 2,250 parking stalls. Doilney questioned a 550-car gap between current parking capacity and planned stalls; Toly asked about school buses, employee parking and the state code on material injury; the city attorney said the council's authority concerned the right-of-way question. The company will return June 15 with state code information. No action.
June 15, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition to vacate Deer Valley Drive right-of-way and dedicate Doe Pass Road (Snow Park Village Base Area MPD and subdivision)
No action
The plan includes 2,236 parking stalls, a projected 7 percent trip increase, a transit hub, a gondola to Silver Lake Village, over 200 employee beds and a one-acre park. Opponents included representatives of homeowner associations and the Protect the Loop group; supporters included Ski Utah, the Chamber of Commerce and nearby hotels. Dickey said the plan did not meet good cause on its own and favored negotiation; Toly, Gerber and Doilney agreed, and Rubell asked for a legal opinion on material injury. The mayor summarized that council wants discussions with Deer Valley on traffic and infrastructure beyond the current proposal. The city attorney said the Planning Commission recommended removing council as the appeal authority for master plans; Doilney and Gerber did not want to serve as appeal authority on this application.
July 6, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition to vacate Deer Valley Drive right-of-way and dedicate Doe Pass Road (Snow Park Village Base Area MPD and subdivision): continued public hearing
Continued · 5-0
Homeowner associations and a group called Protect the Loop argued good cause was not shown and proposed alternatives such as microtransit, HOA shuttles and undergrounding the loop road; one speaker supported the expansion for its transit hub, park and gondola link; others asked for a continuance and a cost-benefit analysis. Rubell asked whether right-of-way vacations could go on the ballot; the city attorney said Utah Code limits ballot items and she was sure council could not. The mayor and two council members met with Alterra with no news to share.
August 29, 2023 · City Council
Presentation: Deer Valley Resort expansion
Discussed
Deer Valley described expanding terrain, a new portal and village, and transforming the Snow Park base. No action.
August 29, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition: right-of-way vacation and Doe Pass Road dedication (Snow Park Village Base Area MPD and subdivision)
Continued · 5-0
The mayor reported no progress yet, though both sides are negotiating in good faith. Speakers asked for a new traffic study, supported the Protect the Loop alternative or supported the expansion. Continued to September 28.
September 28, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition: right-of-way vacation and Doe Pass Road dedication (Snow Park Village Base Area MPD and subdivision)
Continued · 5-0
Public hearing held. One speaker raised traffic concerns and requested a new traffic study; one said the proposal lacked town-wide mitigation; one supported the project and asked for traffic solutions. Continued to November 2.
November 2, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition: right-of-way vacation and Doe Pass Road dedication (Snow Park Village Base Area MPD and subdivision)
Continued · 5-0
The mayor noted 15 public meetings over 16 months; she said noticing requirements kept the hearing open. Speakers supported Deer Valley's efforts, supported the Protect the Loop group, raised concerns about lost trees, concert traffic and signals, asked for new traffic studies, or cited a third-party study projecting a 34 percent daily traffic increase. Continued to November 16.
November 16, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition: right-of-way vacation and Doe Pass Road dedication (Snow Park Village Base Area)
Continued · 5-0
The mayor said discussions continue and the public hearing was set for December 5. Speakers from the Protect the Loop group and neighborhoods cited traffic, lights and dark skies and opposed vacation; a resort representative hoped for a good outcome. The mayor ended virtual public input after inappropriate comments. Continued to November 30.
November 30, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition: vacate Deer Valley Drive West and South right-of-way (Snow Park base redevelopment, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South)
Continued · 5-0
The mayor described a proposal of $15 million for transportation and affordable housing, a 15 to 20 percent parking reduction, integration of Deer Valley lifts with Highway 40 and a pedestrian village. Public hearings were set for December 5 and 14, with a possible vote on December 14. Most speakers supported the development but opposed the vacation or asked for traffic studies, a survey or details of the deal.
December 5, 2023 · City Council
Deer Valley Development Company petition: vacate about 114,337 square feet (2.62 acres) of right-of-way on Deer Valley Drive West and South (Snow Park base redevelopment, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South)
Continued · 5-0
Terms described by Dickey and the resort: $15 million from the resort matched by $15 million from the city for a regional transportation and parking facility, a 20 percent reduction in peak-day skier parking, paid parking, a new transit center, a gondola connection at Highway 40, emergency access to Doe Pass Road, at least 67.1 affordable unit equivalents and a Public Infrastructure District. The city manager said right-of-way cannot be sold and would revert to the resort if the city used it for another purpose, and that emergency responders said the vacation would not impede access. The city attorney explained that good cause gives broad discretion while material injury is narrower. Dickey believed good cause exists; Gerber and Toly cited benefits; Rubell listed terms he wants. Council agreed to direct staff to create a letter of intent and draft a vacation ordinance.
December 14, 2023 · City Council
Resolution approving a nonbinding letter of intent with Deer Valley Development Company (Snow Park base redevelopment, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South)
Approved with conditions · 5-0
Terms include a $15 million resort donation matched by a $15 million city contribution for a regional transportation facility, possibly with workforce housing; 1,360 parking spaces specified at Dickey's request; traffic signals installed regardless of the vacation; and a Public Infrastructure District levy only on resort-owned development. Rubell noted the letter is nonbinding and asked to strike a phrase on the purposes and uses of contributed funds; the minutes do not clearly confirm whether the strike was made. The fire district said emergency access was addressed. Many speakers supported it; others opposed or asked for delay, including questions about where the city's $15 million would come from. Counsel for several homeowner associations argued that Dickey and Doilney, who negotiated the partnership, had prejudged the issue and should be disqualified; the minutes record no response.
December 14, 2023 · City Council
Ordinance vacating a portion of Deer Valley Drive right-of-way
Approved with conditions · 5-0
The city attorney proposed redline changes making the vacation conditional on a public-private partnership agreement and related approvals; the council and the resort accepted them. The decision becomes final only on plat recordation and title transfer, and Planning Commission approval is still required. Doe Pass Road would be a public right-of-way in both directions maintained by the resort. Gerber said the partnership agreement was a good compromise; Doilney said liaisons did not enter negotiations with a preconceived outcome; Dickey said the partnership is a big win.