Hi everyone and welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six, your local news podcast for all things Summit County Utah.

This week, we’ve got info on an important interlocal agreement between Summit County and the cities of Kamas, Francis, and Oakley, a bunch of important upcoming dates for events & some volunteer opportunities.

Let’s get into the news!

Interlocal agreement with South Summit cities

Summit County partnered with the cities of Kamas, Oakley, and Francis to receive a Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Technical Planning Assistance (TPA) grant of $150,000 to conduct a State Route 32 Corridor and City Centers Plan.

For some background, State Route 32 is a regional corridor that connects Oakley, Kamas, and Francis to recreation and economic activities in Summit and Wasatch Counties. The highway also forms the main streets for community life in those cities. 

The SR-32 Corridor and City Centers Plan will create a vision and plan for addressing transportation, land use, and economic development issues along Highway 32.

Staff requested the council approve the Interlocal Agreement, including a local funding match of $15,000, with Summit County committing to $5,000, with the remaining $10,000 from the partner cities. The county matching funds have been allocated to the transportation department budget for 2024. 

The project begins this summer with an expected completion of Summer 2025.

Council unanimously approved the funding in this week’s meeting. Next steps are formal adoption by all three municipalities, which is expected.

May Speaker Series
The health of the environment around us has a direct impact on our human health. The Summit County Health Department encourages the public to attend their next session in the Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series this May 2024 focused on “Health + Our Changing Environment”.

Attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas, concerns, and questions about how a changing environment along the Wasatch Back is impacting their health, and that of their family and community.

We will be hosting two events with the same topics and format to encourage participation and gather feedback from both the Eastern and Western sides of Summit County. The details are as follows:

• The first option is May 14: 5:30 – 7:00pm @ Kamas Services Building
• The second option is on May 20: 5:30pm – 7:00pm @ Swaner Preserve + Eco Center 

For more info and register visit: summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries

Summit Bike Share launch

Exciting news! Summit Bike Share will officially kick off its eighth season on Tuesday, May 14!

Summit Bike Share is the country’s first fully electric bike share. With stations located throughout the Snyderville Basin and open 24/7, Summit Bike Share offers an easy, fun and comfortable transit option for residents and visitors to explore all the greater Park City area has to offer. Learn more about the 2024 season (including our expanded pass options and brand new stations) at summitbikeshare.com.

Trails, Trash & Tunes

The Summit County Stormwater Coalition and the Summit County Planning Department are presenting the THIRD Annual “Trails, Trash and Tunes” event on Saturday, May 11th from 12pm – 4pm at the Wanship Trailhead (1975 Hoytsville Rd). 

The purpose of the event is to welcome in springtime and celebrate the Earth with some rail trail cleanup, education about stormwater, noxious weeds identification and more! There will be LIVE music, food for purchase, a beer garden, and a “Kids Corner” for the younger ones thanks to the Summit County Library.

Registration is free and not required to attend, but we would like to know who is coming! Please register at: summitcounty.info/trailstrashtunes24

We encourage event goers to bring water and an umbrella or hat for shade. We will have some seating available, but picnic blankets, camp chairs are welcome. Carpooling and biking/e-biking to the venue is highly encouraged.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE OPPORTUNITIES

Applications are due next week on May 1 to serve as a Volunteer on Citizen Committees within Eastern Summit County or Snyderville Basin. These committees are focused on providing feedback and recommendations to county leadership regarding the County’s Moderate Income Housing strategies for both of these regions.

Summit County is seeking: Two individuals to serve on the committee representing Eastern Summit County Moderate Income Housing Plan and two individuals representing the Snyderville Basin Moderate Income Housing Plan.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. next week on Wednesday, May 1. The requirements and additional details can be found online at: summitcounty.org/VolunteerBoards

For questions, contact Summit County’s Economic Development & Housing Manager, Elyse Kats, ekats@summitcounty.org

Upcoming Events

And, last but not least, here are some additional dates for important upcoming meetings:

• Cedar Crest Village Overlay Public Hearing  
  • Thursday, May 16 | 6 PM | Ledges Event Center
• Eastern Summit County General Plan Open Houses  
  • Tuesday, June 4 | 6 PM – 8 PM | Ledges Event Center
  • Tuesday, June 18 | 6 PM – 8 PM | Kamas Services Building aka Kamas Library  
• Cline Dahle Open House  
  • Thursday, June 13 | 5 PM – 7 PM | Richins Building

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six! The signs of springtime are in the air—The tulips and daffodils are starting to make an appearance. In today’s episode, we are going to highlight an exciting partnership between the Sheriff’s Department and South Summit School District, give details about upcoming speaker series events hosted by the Health Department, cover the latest updates on the Cedar Crest Overlay project in Hoytsville, and go over some important tick awareness and safety tips—remember when temps start to climb, these unwelcome hitch-hikers appear!

Alright, let’s get into the news!

 COUNCIL RECAP – SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER HIGHLIGHT

At this week’s Council meeting, Summit County Sheriff Frank Smith and Chief Deputy Kacey Bates honored and delivered thanks to South Summit School District Superintendent, Greg Maughan for his idea turned into reality— to bring a School Resource Officer into the South Summit School District. Summit County helped make this possible by providing half the funding for the position. Deputy Wes Stewart is the officer making strides in this important role in keeping students and staff safe at South Summit Schools.

Here is what Superintendent Greg Maughan had to say about the partnership during the council meeting:

“And that’s what this whole partnership has felt like is: the right people in the right place, at the right time to make this happen. So thank you to you as a council for  supporting that, thank you to the Sheriff’s department, and thank you, personally, to the Board for also being willing to invest in that kind of a partnership. IT’s already been fantastic and kids are already benefiting just from the relationship piece of things. They love our SRO, and that’s what it’s all about…”

CEDAR CREST OVERLAY UPDATE

The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission held another work session related to the Cedar Crest Village Overlay project on Thursday, April 18. 

The primary purpose of the meeting was to hear from the applicant and have an open discussion on their proposed enabling ordinance document, which includes development standards and the community structure plan. 

The applicant is hopeful that the ordinance will receive a recommendation from the planning commission soon. From there, it would be presented to the county council for their final approval. 

To be clear, an approval of the ordinance would not mean final project approval. Basically, the possible approval of this ordinance would provide guidelines for what the applicant’s future land map has to include. 

The Planning Commission had the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback for the applicant on the ordinance. From here, they will take the feedback and come back for a public hearing. The next tentatively scheduled meeting is on Thursday, May 16 at 6 PM. For more information about the project please visit summitcounty.org/cedarcrest.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPEAKER SERIES EVENTS IN MAY

The health of the environment around us has a direct impact on our human health. The Summit County Health Department encourages the public to attend their next session in the Climate Change and Public Health Speaker Series this May 2024 focused on “Health + Our Changing Environment”.

Attendees will have the opportunity to share their ideas, concerns, and questions about how a changing environment along the Wasatch Back is impacting their health, and that of their family and community.

We will be hosting two events with the same topics and format to encourage participation and gather feedback from both the Eastern and Western sides of Summit County.

The details are as follows:

• May 14: 5:30 – 7:00pm @ Kamas Services Building

• May 20: 5:30pm – 7:00pm @ Swaner Preserve + Eco Center

For more info and register visit: summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries

TRAILS TRASH TUNES

We’ve been talking about this event for the past few weeks on the podcast…but we’re here to spread the good word that The Summit County Stormwater Coalition and the Summit County Planning Department are presenting the THIRD Annual “Trails, Trash and Tunes” event on Saturday, May 11th from 12pm – 4pm at the Wanship Trailhead.

There are some exciting new developments to share about this already spectacular event: the first 50 attendees to arrive at the event to get a FREE meal voucher for food by Savoury Kitchen Park City!!!

The purpose of the event is to welcome in springtime and celebrate the Earth with some rail trail cleanup, education about stormwater, noxious weeds identification and more.

There will be LIVE music from Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, presented by Mountaintown Music, a beer garden with brews for sale by Offset Bier, kids activities thanks to Summit County Library with coloring, books, and games.

Registration is FREE and not required, but we would really like to know how many people to expect, so do us a favor and register TODAY to let us know you’re coming at: summitcounty.info/trailstrashtunes24

TICK SAFETY

Tick season has begun. Spending time outside could bring you in close contact with ticks. Ticks live in grassy, brushy, and wooded areas, or even on animals. Many people get ticks in their own yard or neighborhood. Long-sleeved clothing and certain insect repellants can help keep the ticks away. Light-colored clothing also makes the ticks easier to spot.

We want to encourage everybody to take protective action as the bugs come out this season. Here are things you can do to prevent tick and other bug bites:

• Use (EPA)-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE)
• Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass 
• Walk in the center of trails
• Treat clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin

If you find a tick attached to your skin, remove the tick as soon as possible. There are several tick removal devices on the market, but a plain set of fine-tipped tweezers works very well.

If you get a tick bite and develop symptoms like rashes, aches and pains, and the fever/chills within a few weeks, see your healthcare provider.

VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE OPPORTUNITIES

Apply now through May 1 to serve as a Volunteer on Citizen Committees within Eastern Summit County or  Snyderville Basin. These committees are focused on providing feedback and recommendations to county leadership regarding the County’s Moderate Income Housing strategies for both of these regions.

Summit County is seeking: Two individuals to serve on the committee representing Eastern Summit County Moderate Income Housing Plan and two individuals representing the Snyderville Basin Moderate Income Housing Plan.

Applications are due by 5 p.m. on May 1. The requirements and additional details can be found online at: summitcounty.org/VolunteerBoards

For questions, contact Summit County’s Economic Development & Housing Manager, Elyse Kats, ekats@summitcounty.org

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TODAY WE COVER…

• Number of committee appointments
• Election Updates
• Rail Trail Corridor Plan
• Third annual Trails Trash and Tunes

Committee Appointments

During this week’s council meeting, there were a number of appointments to various committees:

• Congratulations to Stacey Keahon who will serve on the Recreation Arts and Parks Advisory Committee until 2025.
• Cheers to Don Sargeant and Alex Peterson for their reappointment to the Eastern Summit County Planning commission–their terms expire in 2027. 
• Tiane Mooney was reappointed and Matt Nagie was appointed for his first term Snyderville Basin Planning Commission. 

Congratulations to everyone. Summit County appreciates your dedication and service.

Legislative Session Highlights

Deputy County Manager, Janna Young, appeared before Council this week to recap the 2024 Utah State Legislature General Session and highlight bills signed by the Governor that impact Summit County residents or require some type of action from the County.

We won’t go in-depth this week, because next week, we’ll have Janna on for a special episode of Summit in Six covering the 2024 General Session in-depth. Stay tuned!

In the meantime, you can browse her presentation at the link in our show notes.

Elections Updates

During the Summit County Democratic nominating convention on Tuesday night, current councilmembers Roger Armstrong and Tonja Hanson won the nominations for council seats “A” and “B”. That leaves candidates Megan McKenna and Thomas Cooke vying for seat “C”. Voters will be able to choose between these two seat “C” candidates during the June 25 primary election.


Keep in mind that a new law is taking effect in May that allows unaffiliated candidates to get on the November ballot by gathering signatures, so there may be write-in candidates. As of right now, the following individuals do not have Republican challengers…Frank Smith is the democratic nominee for sheriff, Greg Wolbach for recorder, Stephanie Poll for assessor and Corie Forsling for treasurer.

The Summit County Republican Nominating Convention is Tuesday, April 2 and will also be held at Ecker Hill Middle School.

Rail Trail Award

Summit County has been selected as a recipient of the 2024 Vernon Deines Award, presented by the American Planning Association (APA), for the county’s Union Pacific Rail Trail Corridor Plan. The Vernon Deines award is presented annually to recognize outstanding individuals and projects for their contribution to planning excellence in small towns and rural communities. 

The Rail Trail Corridor (RTC) Plan envisions a unified land use strategy along its Corridor to encourage coordinated, sustainable planning adjacent to the Trail. The plan is designed to cultivate a strong sense of community and offer opportunities for revitalization and resource protection along the 24-mile Corridor. It considers improvements to trail conditions and connections while simultaneously supporting the diverse needs of community members, trail users, and local businesses.

The Rail Trail Corridor Plan was approved by the Summit County Council on May 24, 2023 and can be found by visiting summitcounty.org/railtrail.

Trails Trash Tunes

Speaking of the Rail Trail—the Summit County Stormwater Coalition and the Summit County Planning Department are presenting the THIRD Annual “Trails, Trash and Tunes” event on Saturday, May 11th from 12pm – 4pm at the Wanship Trailhead located at 1975 Hoytsville Rd. The purpose of the event is to welcome in springtime and celebrate the Earth with some rail trail cleanup, education about stormwater, noxious weeds identification and more!


There will be LIVE music from SLC-favorite Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, presented by Mountaintown Music. There will be food for purchase, a beer garden with light bites and brews for sale by local brewery Offset Bier for the 21+ crowd, a “Kids Corner” for the younger ones thanks to the Summit County Library for activities such as coloring, books and games.


Registration is free and not required to attend, but we would like to know who is coming! You can register online at: summitcounty.info/trailstrashtunes24

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TODAY WE COVER…

• Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail
• Deadlines for Restaurant Grant and Cultural Grant applications
• Subsidized rain barrel sale
• Kimball Junction EIS public comment period
• UofU Work/Life Balance Survey

HISTORIC UNION PACIFIC RAIL TRAIL

This Monday, March 18, Summit County Manager Shayne Scott submitted a Letter of Intent to potentially assume ownership of the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail from Utah Division of State Parks. This is a non-binding commitment and jump-starts a process to study the feasibility of acquiring the property and next steps if we do. 

We want to be clear: there are no costs associated with Summit County acquiring the Rail Trail from Utah State Parks. the county is, however, assessing funding options and details related to management and maintenance that would come into play if we did assume ownership. 

Follow along for updates at summitcounty.org about this exciting potential acquisition. 

RAP TAX INFO

The Summit County Recreation, Arts and Parks (RAP) Grant and The Summit County Restaurant Tax Grant applications are still available online. 

The deadline for the RAP cultural grant applications is Thursday, March 28, 2024, at 5:00 PM. The deadline for the Restaurant grant application is Friday, March 29, 2024, at 5 PM. 

RAP Cultural Tax requirements must be a private nonprofit organization or institution registered with the State of Utah OR A municipal or a county cultural council – any other agency of the state or a political subdivision of the state is not a cultural organization – IN ADDITION: THE APPLICANT’S main purpose must relate to the themes of: Natural History, History, Art, Music, Theatre, Dance or, for (private nonprofits only) cultural arts.

Restaurant Tax Grant applicants must be a governmental entity, governmental subdivision, or nonprofit and use grant funds for the primary purpose of bringing new tourism from outside Summit County, preferably overnight visitors.

Applications must be submitted online. If you have any questions, contact Amy Jones at 435-336-3042. 

You can find the Restaurant Tax Grant application at summitcounty.info/restaurantgrant

You can find the RAP Cultural Grant application at summitcounty.info/RAPcultural

RAINHARVEST PROGRAM 2024

Summit County is partnering with the Utah Rivers Council to bring our residents a limited number of heavily discounted American-made rain barrels as part of the Rain Harvest program. Rain Harvest is a program that distributes rain barrels to Utah residents for the purpose of collecting rainwater that falls on rooftops for later use on lawns and gardens. This program offers residents the opportunity to affordably conserve water through rainwater collection. Residents of Summit County are invited to order these $55 rain barrels a rainbarrelprogram.org/urc, while supplies last.

Once the subsidized barrels run out, $83 rain barrels are available for purchase by any member of the public. The sale window will remain open until late April 2024.

The barrels will be distributed at a one-day, in-person event, on May 5 from 12-2pm at the Park City Sports Complex at Quinn’s Junction. Rain barrels will not be shipped to residents, so you really need to come to this in person pick up day. 

KIMBALL JUNCTION ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

This is the last week for the Kimball Junction EIS comment period, which closes March 27.

For some context, UDOT has reached the next milestone for the environmental study they’re working on for the I-80 and SR-224 area.

They published the Alternatives Development and Screening Report, which identifies criteria and measures to evaluate each multi-modal alternative such as potential transportation improvements, details for the screening process– such as how options move forward or are eliminated, and identifies which alternatives are carried forward for detailed evaluation in the Draft EIS. 

They evaluated three alternatives–these were presented to you last year based on the Kimball Junction Area Plan–and two are moving forward for further consideration in the EIS process.

Alternative A: a new split-diamond interchange that directs local traffic off of Interstate 80 prior to Kimball Junction, a pedestrian underpass at state Route 224

And Alternative C, extended turn lanes, lane widening, and a pedestrian underpass at SR-224.

UDOT is looking for feedback on all characteristics presented in each alternative for the final design and evaluation. 

UDOT is asking for Summit County residents’ help to find transportation solutions for our community by taking some time to review their report. They are looking for your input on the alternative screening process, the initial impacts analysis, the alternatives they’ll evaluate in the Draft EIS, and any new ideas you might have.

As mentioned before, there are only a few more days left to give your feedback! The comment period closes March 27, 2024. To give comment and learn more, you can visit the project website: kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov/ 

You can also share your ideas with UDOT by emailing kimballjunctioneis@utah.gov or calling 435-255-3186.

WORK/LIFE BALANCE SURVEY

The Social Research Institute at the University of Utah is still looking for about 200 more responses for their Work/Life Balance Survey. The purpose is to gather information to help employers know what they can do to better support low to moderate-income families to retain employment.

Participants are paid $25 for a 25-30-minute interview that can be done over the phone. They hope to have respondents from all across the state so you are welcome to forward this info to anyone in Utah – staff, clients, community partners, anyone!

To participate a person must be:

• A caregiver of a child under age 12, or a caregiver to a child 12 and older with a disability;
• Middle to low income (annual household income of $50,000 or less);
• English speaking

Visit bit.ly/uofuwlbs to sign up to participate.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND PUBLIC HEALTH SPEAKER SERIES

The Climate Change and Public Health speaker series planning team has been putting in a lot of work to bring some awesome events in 2024! If you are interested in receiving updates about this year’s events, visit summitcountyhealth.org/speakerseries.

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TODAY, WE COVER…

• A quick Cedar Crest Village update
• Kimball Junction EIS public comment period
• Upcoming Restaurant Tax Grant deadline
• Trout Unlimited Award for Summit County Lands + Natural Resources Department  

CEDAR CREST 

Up next, we have a quick update related to the Cedar Crest Village Overlay. The public meeting originally scheduled for next Thursday, March 21, has been canceled. The next tentatively scheduled meeting is set for April 18, 2024 (6 PM, Ledges Center).

You can find more information about the overlay at summitcounty.info/cedarcrest or at cedarcresthoytsville.com.

KIMBALL JUNCTION PUBLIC COMMENT 

Moving on, we have another reminder about the public comment period that is open now until March 27 related to the Kimball Junction Environmental Impact Statement or EIS. 

For some context, the Kimball Junction EIS is all about building a gateway corridor into the Park City and Snyderville Basin area that is safe, efficient, and comfortable for all users whether that be in a car, bus, bicycle, or on foot.

We are working towards a solution would accomplish the following:

• Less vehicle queuing on I-80 meaning fewer crashes and saved lives 
• A more comfortable pedestrian connection to neighborhoods on both sides of SR-224  which would create a more livable community 
• Faster access to resorts and other destinations in the Wasatch Back which would mean  more economic development and tourism​, and as a result, a successful 2034 Olympics

The study began in 2020 and as of this March 2024, UDOT has published the Alternatives Development and Screening Report online and is asking for public input on each of the alternatives they proposed. So this means they’re looking for guidance on what options move forward, are eliminated, or are revised to best serve the community. UDOT is planning to wrap up the study at the end of this year. The detailed evaluation is included in the Draft EIS—All of this is available online at: kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov

*Keep in mind that Alternative B, the grade-separated intersections with frontage roads did not continue into this next phase of planning. However, we still want to know if there are aspects from this proposed plan that you liked, for instance: the grade-separated “flyunder”, the public area connecting the neighborhood, or something else! This is your time to share your thoughts.

A quick note about the public comments: We hope everyone takes the time to weigh in. You can  submit your feedback online about different aspects of each design alternative at kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov. Making comments to the county or anywhere else like on social media will not be included in the official UDOT record. 

We also want to be clear…this comment opportunity is not a “vote” and we won’t be tallying the number of times a person “likes” an alternative. UDOT is looking for the public to identify characteristics of all alternatives that they’d like to see for the final design and evaluation.

Before we close out on this topic, it is important to note that Summit County is requesting UDOT add the Kimball Junction Interchange to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) which would mean that this project gets funding with plenty of time for design and construction prior to the 2034 Olympic games. Your comments are really important and have an impact on whether or not this project gets added to the Transportation Improvement Program.

Once again, you can visit: kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov to read more about the project and submit comments.

RESTAURANT TAX GRANT 

The Summit County Restaurant Tax Grant Application is open now through Friday, March 29 at 5 PM. The application can be found at summitcounty.info/restaurant and must be submitted online. 

Some requirements to be aware of before you start applying: Restaurant Tax Grant applicants must be a governmental entity, governmental subdivision, or nonprofit and use grant funds for the primary purpose of bringing new tourism from outside Summit County, preferably overnight visitors. The exact criteria for funding are outlined on the county website, again summitcounty.info/restaurant, and are attached to the applications.

Once applications close, the Grant Committee will review applications and make recommendations to the County Council in May. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Jones at 435-336-3042.

TROUT UNLIMITED AWARD 

And, last but certainly not least, County Lands and Natural Resources Director, Jess Kirby attended the Utah Trout Unlimited State Council annual banquet on March 14 where she accepted two awards that recognize Summit County for efforts in conservation and restoration of Utah’s watersheds.

Summit County is the first ever recipient of the Community Action Towards Conservation Habitat (“CATCH”) award which spotlights the county’s continual effort to improve the overall health of the Weber River watershed, years of collaboration on state World Resource Institute grants, and most recently efforts associated with the 910 Ranch and East Canyon Creek that runs through it. 

The “Community Conservation Partner” award was created by Trout Unlimited staff to honor the communities that are going above and beyond in local conservation and embodying the mission of their organization to bring together diverse interests to care for and recover rivers and streams for future generations. 

In his written remarks, Trout Unlimited director Scott Catton mentioned that this award specifically honors Jess Kirby, Director of Summit County’s County Lands and Natural Resources Department, for her work as a leading partner in conservation. He went into detail about how “she has teamed up with Trout Unlimited for many years to secure funding for projects that range from improving fish passage infrastructure on the Weber River, to building beaver dam analogs on small tributaries to improve water quality…” Reflecting upon her recent leadership in the acquisition of the almost 9,000 acre 910 Ranch near Jeremy Ranch, Catton said Kirby has wasted no time in initiating habitat restoration projects on the ranch throughout the forest area and along the four miles of East Canyon creek that flows through the property.

A huge congratulations are in order County Lands and Natural Resources Department! Visit summitcounty.org/countylands to follow along with the latest efforts of our Lands and Natural Resources Department.   

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six! Winter storms churned through the Wasatch this past week. For those powder-hounds out there we hope you’re getting some great skiing and riding in!

In today’s episode, we are going to cover the latest info from UDOT on the Kimball Junction interchange project, announce some appointments to our Board of Health, share council’s decision regarding the Maverick gas station project near Quinn’s Jct. and hear from the County Clerk about how this year’s presidential primary elections went.

Alright, let’s get into the news!

– Kimball Junction Interchange EIS
This week’s council meeting kicked off with an update from UDOT on the Kimball Junction Interchange project. UDOT representatives summarized their most recent progress on the Environmental Impact Statement (also referred to as “EIS”).

But before we get into the weeds of it, let’s take a step back and reiterate what this project is all about: building a gateway corridor into the Park City and Snyderville Basin area that is safe, efficient, and comfortable for all users whether that be in a car, bus, bicycle, or on foot.

We are working towards a solution would accomplish the following:

• Less vehicle queuing on I-80 meaning fewer crashes and saved lives

• A more comfortable pedestrian connection to neighborhoods on both sides of SR-224  which would create a more livable community
• Faster access to resorts and other destinations in the Wasatch Back which would mean  more economic development and tourism​, and as a result, a successful 2034 Olympics

The study began in 2020 and as of this March 2024, UDOT has published the Alternatives Development and Screening Report online and is asking for public input on each of the alternatives they proposed. So this means they’re looking for guidance on what options move forward, are eliminated, or are revised to best serve the community. UDOT is planning to wrap up the study at the end of this year. The detailed evaluation is included in the Draft EIS—All of this is available online at: kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov

*Keep in mind that Alternative B, the grade-separated intersections with frontage roads did not continue into this next phase of planning. However, we still want to know if there are aspects from this proposed plan that you liked, for instance: the grade-separated “flyunder”, the public area connecting the neighborhood, or something else! This is your time to share your thoughts.

A quick note about the public comments: We hope everyone takes the time to weigh in. You can  submit your feedback online about different aspects of each design alternative at kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov. Making comments to the county or anywhere else like on social media will not be included in the official UDOT record. 

We also want to be clear…this comment opportunity is not a “vote” and we won’t be tallying the number of times a person “likes” an alternative. UDOT is looking for the public to identify characteristics of all alternatives that they’d like to see for the final design and evaluation.

Before we close out on this topic, it is important to note that Summit County is requesting UDOT add the Kimball Junction Interchange to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) which would mean that this project gets funding with plenty of time for design and construction prior to the 2034 Olympic games. Your comments are really important and have an impact on whether or not this project gets added to the Transportation Improvement Program.

Once again, you can visit: kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov to read more about the project and submit comments.

– Also at Council this week…

• We had some Board of Health re-appointments: so congratulations to Ilyssa Golding and Chris Cherniak. Thanks for your continued service. And congratulations to newly appointed Michelle Downard and Stephen Trapp. All of these terms will expire December 31, 2026.
• The council also approved the permit for Maverick to build a Gas Station with a Convenience Store near the Quinn’s Junction interchange off I-40 exit 4.
• And lastly, during manager’s comments, Summit County Clerk Eve Furse went over the Presidential primary elections that took place this Tuesday, March 5th. She clarified why the Democratic Party nomination process was through an election process (mail in ballot, in person voting, ballot drop box voting) run through the County Clerk’s office and the Republican Party chose to hold and run their own Presidential Preference Poll through their caucus.

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INTRO 

Welcome back to another week of Summit County news on Summit in Six. We’ve got important election news and updates on some big projects like Cedar Crest and the Ure Ranch as well as Kimball Junction/ 224 traffic study updates. Let’s get started.

ELECTIONS INFORMATION

The 2024 Democratic Presidential Primary Election is coming on March 5, 2024. If you’re a registered voter that has declared their party as “Democrat”, or requested a Democratic ballot in writing, you should have received your ballot in the mail in mid-February. For voting information, please visit summitcounty.org/elections. 

Also on March 5, 2024, both the Summit County Republican and Democratic parties will hold a caucus to choose their party’s leadership for the next two years. The Republican Caucus will vote on their preferred presidential candidate nominee in addition to selecting their party’s leadership. Questions? Visit: summitcountyutgop.org/caucus/ or scdems.org/

CEDAR CREST (Derek)

The Cedar Crest Village Overlay project was back in front of the Eastern Summit County Planning Commission this week. 

On Thursday, February 29, the commission held another work session related to the project. They heard specifics from Larry H. Miller Real Estate about infrastructure phasing, water and traffic impacts, and their affordable housing proposal. If you couldn’t make the meeting, you can listen back to hear the details at summitcounty.info/cedarcrest229.

Following the applicant’s presentation, the Planning Commission continued the public hearing related to the overlay project and heard from several members of the community. Comments were mostly focused on how the proposal will impact surrounding properties, traffic and road impacts beyond Hoytsville Road, and what community benefits the project will bring the community outside of additional housing. 

Another work session and public hearing for Cedar Crest is scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at the Ledges Event Center beginning at 6 PM. More information on that meeting, including a virtual Zoom attendance option, can be found on the homepage of summitcounty.org under the News section.

And now, we’re going to take a quick break to learn about a short bit of Summit County History, from our intern, Alaina.

HENEFER, ECHO, and the PONY EXPRESS

Despite its modest size, Henefer holds a significant amount of Western history. John’s Park is a small park in the town of Henefer that serves as a historical marker of the area in which Pony Express riders once passed through. 

The new pioneer spirit drew settlers to the area, making it an ideal stopping place for goods, services, and information.

Weber Station was a multipurpose space that included a general store, blacksmith shop, saloon and jail. Its location at the mouth of Echo Canyon made it an ideal stop along the Pony Express route. 

Young Pony Express riders, William Page and George Little, would thunder past Cache Cave, and down into Echo Canyon as they headed to Salt Lake City carrying messages and goods.

URE RANCH OPEN HOUSE

On Thursday evening, Summit County hosted a second information session in Kamas about the Ure Ranch Property acquisition and gathered public input on what the community would like to see the land used for in the future. County Lands and Natural Resources Director Jess Kirby gave a short presentation summarizing findings from hundreds of public comments received at the first open house and online since late January. 

She went into detail about what a conservation easement is and the positive outlook of the county’s efforts to preserve the North Meadows for agricultural use and open space thanks to collaborative efforts with Summit Land Conservancy. The evening closed out with an engagement activity where attendees used stickers to indicate their sentiments about proposed ideas for portions of the 834-acre property.

If you would like to contact Jess and her team directly with questions about this land acquisition, feel free to email: countylands@summitcounty.org

Stay up to date on all things related to the Ure Ranch by subscribing to the project-specific email list: summitcounty.info/ureranchnews and visiting summitcounty.info/ureranch

KIMBALL JUNCTION Environmental Impact Statement

UDOT has reached the next milestone for the environmental study they’re working on for the I-80 and SR-224 area.

They published the Alternatives Development and Screening Report, which identifies criteria and measures to evaluate each multi-modal alternative (potential transportation improvements), details the screening process (how options move forward or are eliminated), and identifies which alternatives are carried forward for detailed evaluation in the Draft EIS. 

They evaluated three alternatives (presented to you last year based on the Kimball Junction Area Plan) and two are moving forward for further consideration in the EIS process.

Alternative A: a new split-diamond interchange that directs local traffic off of Interstate 80 prior to Kimball Junction, a pedestrian underpass at state Route 224

And Alternative C, extended turn lanes, lane widening, and a pedestrian underpass at SR-224.

UDOT is looking for characteristics of all alternatives for the final design and evaluation. 

UDOT is asking for Summit County residents’ help to find transportation solutions for our community by taking some time to review their report. They are looking for your input on the alternative screening process, the initial impacts analysis, the alternatives they’ll evaluate in the Draft EIS, and any new ideas you might have.

The comment period is open now through March 27, 2024. To give comment and learn more, you can visit the project website: kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov/ 

You can also share your ideas with UDOT by emailing kimballjunctioneis@utah.gov or calling 435-255-3186.

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to another week of news here on Summit in Six!

In today’s episode, we are going to cover some updates from this week’s county council meeting and the Dakota Pacific hearings. Then, we’ll wrap things up with some community engagement opportunities to keep on your radar. Let’s get into the news.

CHALK CREEK & INDUSTRIAL PARK ROAD.

In this week’s Council meeting, Council Members approved a petition request by the public to officially change the name of a section of a Summit County road from Industrial Park Road to Chalk Creek Road. Previously, the portion of Chalk Creek Road in Coalville City limits that makes a bend near the cemetery was called Industrial Park Road for approximately 630 feet, Industrial Park Road is a city-owned road that begins on the west side of the Coalville Cemetery. 

There were a few reasons for this requested name change: 

• There are no stop signs on this road from Coalville Main Street to the Wyoming border, which has caused issues and confusion with emergency response vehicles and package delivery services attempting to find Chalk Creek Road. 
• All of Chalk Creek is a County Road, and Industrial Park Road is a city-owned road. except for this small portion that was in line with Chalk Creek.

We appreciate the public bringing this issue to the county’s attention.

DAKOTA PACIFIC UPDATES

County Council resumed discussions with Dakota Pacific Real Estate, DPRE, this past Thursday, February 22 where representatives of Dakota Pacific provided a response and counter-proposal to Council’s requested changes to the development plan.

Highlights of the counter-proposal include:

• An increase from the Council-requested 500 total units to 695 total units
• A decrease from the total Council-requested affordable units at or below 80% AMI from 250 to 240.
• The number of 100-120% AMI units remained the same
• An increase in market rate united deed-restricted to ages 55+ from 82 to 90
• The addition of surface parking for apartments (compared to a parking structure)
• An allocation of $2.5 M in HTRZ or other public funds in exchange for moving an additional 20 market-rate apartments to affordable.

In addition, Dakota Pacific requested changes to the phased development schedule, which would allow them to begin building Senior Care, Medical Facilities, and up to 240 affordable units within 1 year of the signed development agreement amendment, which would allow DPRE to apply for affordable housing tax credits with the state.

In Phase 2, which begins with UDOT adding State Road 224 to the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, DPRE could build the majority of their market-rate units within 3 years.

In Phase 3, which begins with the start of construction on SR 224 (or no later than June 2029) DPRE could build their final 80 market-rate units.

After a Q&A session, individual Council members provided comments and shared concerns on the updated proposal. As a next step in the project, Council and DPRE agreed to conduct a third-party financial analysis of the proposal to be paid for by the County before further discussions, including a public hearing, are scheduled.

Please note the DPRE work session item scheduled during Council on Wednesday, February 28 has been canceled. Visit https://summitcounty.info/DPRE (all caps, case sensitive) to view the most current schedule of upcoming meetings and recordings of previous work sessions.

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH WORK-LIFE BALANCE SURVEY

The Department of Health and Human Services is working with the University of Utah on a survey about Work/Life Balance. The purpose is to gather information to help employers know what they can do to better support low- to moderate-income families to retain employment.  

Participants are paid $25 for a 25-30 minute interview that can be done over the phone. Their goal is to find 600 participants across the state.

To participate a person must be:

• A caregiver of a child under age 12, or a caregiver to a child 12 and older with a disability;
• Middle to low income (annual household income of $50,000 or less);
• English speaking

Visit https://bit.ly/uofuwlbs to sign up to participate!

URE RANCH OPEN HOUSE

A second information session for the community to attend and give input on the Ure Ranch property is coming up next week. Join us at the Kamas Library Building from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 29.

You may be wondering: “What’s the difference between this upcoming information session and the last one?” At the February 29th meeting there will be a short presentation by County Lands and Natural Resources Director, Jess Kirby. She will summarize the findings from the hundreds of comments received so far from the community online and in person. The presentation will dive into what a conservation easement is and what protections it provides regarding this property. 

The evening will close out with an engagement activity. If you can’t attend the presentation, you should still come for the activity and ask questions one-on-one with staff familiar with the project.

We must reiterate that no action has been taken in regard to the planning for this property. We are still in the public input stage and exploring what the community does or does not wish to see.

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