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

In today’s episode, we are going to cover some important upcoming elections info, changes to the Dakota Pacific meeting schedule, updates on last year’s 910 Cattle Ranch and Ure Ranch property acquisitions, as well as an overview of Basin Recreation’s 10-year strategic plan that was presented to council this week.

Alright, let’s get into the news!

2024 Elections – Ballots Mailed!

Earlier this week, the Summit County Clerk’s Office put ballots in the mail for the 2024 Presidential Primary Election, so voters can expect those ballots to hit their mailboxes by this weekend. To learn more about this year’s election cycle and what you can expect, listen to a special episode of “Summit in Six” with County Clerk, Eve Furse, out now!
Visit: summitcounty.info/elections2024 to tune in. 

Dakota Pacific Meeting Schedule Update

We want to make the public aware of some scheduling updates involving Dakota Pacific meetings:

• There will be a meeting on February 22 at 3 p.m. at the Richins Building
• Dates and times for a public hearing/comment and final decision by Council are all postponed and to be determined. So stay tuned here for additional updates to the schedule.

You can view the current meeting schedule and recordings of past meetings as they become available at https://summitcounty.info/DPRE (all caps).

910 Cattle Ranch Update to Council

During the Council meeting this week, County Lands and Natural Resources Director, Jess Kirby gave an update on the two properties the County entered into option agreements to purchase in 2023: The 910 Cattle Ranch near Jeremy Ranch, and the Ure Ranch in Kamas.

First let’s dive into Ure Ranch Updates and upcoming opportunities for public engagement surrounding planning for this property:

• It has been almost a year since Summit County has come under an option agreement to purchase the Ure Ranch which is an 834-acre family farm located in the Kamas Valley. The Ure Family chose the County as the optimal owner and steward of this land for future generations. The first information session about the property was held on January 22nd. Around 150 community members attended.
  
• On February 29th, there will be a second information session for the community to attend and give input on the property. It will be held at the Kamas Library Building from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm. 

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 in regard to 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 to ask questions one-on-one with staff familiar with the project.

It’s important that we reiterate that no action has been taken in regards 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.

Now we will shift gears to updates regarding the nearly 9,000-acre 910 Cattle Ranch located in Jeremy Ranch which the County entered into an option agreement to purchase in August 2023. The property is one of the last contiguous mountain ranches privately held by a single landowner in western Summit County and the Snyderville Basin area.

Since August, County staff has been:

• Focused on gathering data on what wildlife are present in the area
  
• Creating a volunteer Ambassador Program
  
• Taking into consideration information from a USU extension capstone project on the “Prospects and Constraints for a Recreational Fishery on East Canyon Creek”

During the presentation, an update on funding for the property was given. So far $15 million has been secured and $40 million in pending grants, most of which should be announced in the spring.

You can stay up to date on information about this property at: summitcounty.org/910ranch

Basin Recreation Updates

Director of Basin Recreation, Dana Jones, presented to council this week on a 10-Year Strategic Plan and a 5-Year Trails Plan for the special service district.

The strategic planning process began in August 2022 and included extensive public engagement, an analysis of existing facilities and resources, feedback from stakeholder groups, and more.

For some background: Basin Recreation manages over 2,700 acres of open space and over 170 miles of paved, soft surface and natural surface trails. Like many mountain communities, Summit County has experienced significant growth over the last decade. This rapid population growth has surpassed the capacity for much of the existing recreational infrastructure provided by The District and surrounding recreation providers creating a shortage of facility space.

During their presentation to council, Basin Recreation staff also reviewed their 5-Year Trails Plan. Some of the key takeaways from that plan include:

1. Providing high-quality trail experiences
2. Developing a connected network of trails
3. Providing and supporting a diversity of trail experiences
4. Developing a sustainable and environmentally responsible trail system
5. Develop an all-season trail network
6. Provide programs to build a community culture of trail use

The plans will be finalized and released this spring, so stay tuned for updates at basinrecreation.org

Reminders…

Summit County Nonprofit Tax Exemption

We are going to close out today’s episode with a few reminders. The first reminder concerns Summit County nonprofits. The deadline to submit applications for tax exemption is March 1, 2024. This is for all renewal applications and new exemptions.

Organizations can complete their annual renewal or submit an application for a new exemption using the online application system. The system will allow an organization to apply online and submit all necessary documentation. Access the online system at summitcounty.info/exemptnpo

President’s Day: Lastly, we want to give a reminder that County offices are closed on Monday, January 19th in observance of President’s Day and we open our doors again on Tuesday, February 20.

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TODAY, WE COVER…

• This week’s Dakota Pacific-related work session.
• University of Utah Work/Life Balance Survey
• Summit County Mental Health Survey

DPRE MEETING RECAP 

On Wednesday, Council continued discussion regarding the Dakota Pacific Project in terms of Inclusionary Housing review and how it relates to the current proposal.

Before discussion begins there are some definitions to keep in mind. The first being Area Median Income (AMI). In simple terms, AMI is the median family income in a given region. The Summit County AMI for a family of four (4) is estimated at $148,600. 

When we look at AMI growth since 2017, there has been a 43.7% increase in AMI, which means that the median family income in Summit County has grown from $98,000 to $148,600 in the last six years (published annually so 2024 hasn’t been recorded).

The next term is Median Household Income which is income of households generated in the past 12 months, including the income of the householder and all other individuals 15 years old and over in the household, whether they are related to the householder or not. Because many households consist of only one person, median household income is usually less than median family income. The Summit County Median Household Income is estimated at $131,916.

An important term used often in these discussions is Affordable Unit Equivalents (AUEs). An “AUE” is defined as a “two (2) bedroom unit with nine hundred (900) square feet of net livable space, measured exterior wall to exterior wall”. Multiple smaller units together may constitute one AUE, or fewer larger units, according to the Snyderville Basin Development Code. 

For new commercial development, or expansion of existing commercial development, DPRE is required to develop or ensure the development of affordable housing to meet twenty percent (20%) of the employee housing demand generated by the new development. 

The proposed Plan C that Dakota Pacific is proposing includes 510 market rate units and 217 affordable units, totaling up to 727 units. There are an additional 20 units from the 510 Mark Rate Units that would be deed restricted “attainable” between 100%-120% AMI. 

There are different types of units that are being proposed in Plan C for affordable housing. The current plan proposes:

•     9 Studio units
•     87 1 bedroom units
•     98 2 bedroom units
•     17 3 bedroom units
•     6 4 bedroom units

Commercial Development in the current proposed plan includes:

•     26,000 SQ/FT of Commercial and Retail space
•     85,000 SQ/FT of low intensity, including, but not limited to, utilities, education, medical offices, light industry, and research parks
•     150,000/SQ/FT of medium intensity, including, but not limited to, banking and professional services
•     5,000 SQ/FT of restaurant/bar 

Based on calculations this area’s workforce will have an opportunity of offering housing to about 163 employees.

Senior housing is being proposed but is not going to be considered under “affordable housing” as it is intended for market rate housing, deed restricted by age but not by income. 

According to the Summit County Economic Development Office there is an existing housing unit deficit that Plan C aims to address. There is a projected need for about 3,928 – 5,523 total units of housing. And In Summit County there is an existing need for housing with:

•     Surplus/Deficit @60% AMI -142 Units 
•     Surplus/Deficit @50% AMI -484 Units 
•     Surplus/Deficit @30% AMI -725 Units 

Based on Wednesday’s presentations, Council review the proposal and came to a general consensus of changes they were looking for in the current Plan C, which they shared in  Thursday’s meeting. It includes:

• A total of 500 housing units
• Half of those units to be deed-restricted affordable housing.
  • Out of the 250 affordable units, 1/3 would be dedicated to 40% AMI or below
  • 1/3 would be 60% or below AMI
  • And 1/3 would be 80% or below AMI
• Of the 250 market-rate housing units, 1/3  would be deed restricted for seniors and 20 units would continue to be available at 120% or below AMI.

Additional stipulations included no nightly rentals or fractional ownership allowed within the project, the same commerical density already existing in Plan C, a private-public partnership for a parking structure to serve residents of the development and commuters utilizing the Kimball Junction Transit Center, a requirement for a Continuing Care Retirement Community, and associated medical facilites.

Council also requested a phased approach to the project tied to a UDOT fix of SR 224.

1/3 of the project would be allowed to begin, pending funding for 224 being granted and an HTRZ correction from the state legislature. This deal would be irrevocable, meaning if funding gets pulled, then the construction would need to stop. This first third of the project would also need to include affordable housing.

The remaining 2/3 of the project would proceed once the 224 project is completed.

Dakota Pacific representatives expressed concern related to Council’s wishes related to the structure of the phasing, the economic viability, and the timeline to update their proposal before the State Legislative session ends.

As a result, the public hearing scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 15 at Ecker Hill Middle School has been postponed to a later date. The public meeting scheduled at 3:30 p.m. on February 15 has tentatively moved from Ecker Hill Middle School to the Richins Building at Kimball Junction.

At this time, additional public meetings to negotiate changes will likely be added to the schedule. For the most up to date meeting schedule, including recording of past meetings, visit summitcounty.info/DPRE.

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!

MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY

The Mental Health Survey closes next week. Please fill out the survey so we can improve the mental health of all Summit County residents. We also ask that you please share this survey with anyone you know. This is our chance to make a positive impact on the future of our community and help make a healthier community for all. Visit https://summitcountyhealth.org/survey/ today. 

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TODAY, WE COVER…

• This week’s Dakota Pacific-related work session.
• Cline Dahle Visioning Exercise
• Temporary Zoning Ordinance for Subdivisions
• Parking Assessment Survey

DPRE MEETING RECAP 

On Thursday, February 1, the County Council held a special session to continue discussions with Dakota Pacific Real Estate regarding their property at Kimball Junction. After a look at traffic impacts and the Kimball Junction I-80 interchange last week, this week’s session focused on residential density.  As part of this discussion, Council Members reviewed the types of housing and the number of units Dakota Pacific is proposing as part of their Plan C proposal. The conversation centered around the ability for Dakota Pacific to potentially adjust the types of housing offered, such as affordable housing, and senior living, as well as the potential number of cars this would add to the area. 

For full replays of each special session and a look at the upcoming schedule, visit summitcounty.info/dpremeetings. 

CLINE DAHLE VISIONING EXERCISE 

At this week’s County Council meeting, the Council and the Summit County Community Development Department participated in a visioning exercise for the Cline Dahle property. 

For some background, the Cline Dahle property is approximately 30 acres of land just past Jeremy Ranch Elementary along the Rasmussen frontage road. Summit County closed on the property on January 31, 2017. 

So, on Wednesday, the Community Development Department presented the Council a site overview; context analysis; zoning/land use assessment; opportunities and physical constraints study; and an examination of potential use options for the Council’s consideration related to the property. 

The council moved through a series of six poster boards and were asked to share their thoughts about what makes a place great, what types of housing and neighborhood designs they might like to see on this property, what kinds of amenities, public gathering spaces, and open spaces would be preferred, and more. 

To be clear, this exercise was just to have the council define a list of priorities they have for the site that could be incorporated into future design concepts. This was just step number one! 

From here, staff will take all of the comments made at this week’s meeting and come back to council with a more refined vision for the property. After that, the public will be engaged to give their feedback and input for the property. We’ll be sure to keep our listeners informed with each step in this process as it moves forward. In the meantime, you can read more about this history of the property and listen back to this initial visioning session at summitcounty.info/clinedahle.

SUBDIVISION TZO 

Also at this week’s County Council meeting, a public hearing was held related to a temporary zoning ordinance (or TZO) that would amend the requirements for certain subdivisions in both the Snyderville Basin and Eastern Summit county development codes. 

In short, the TZO puts stricter timelines on review and response for subdivision applications for single family, two family, and townhome development applications. There would be up to four review cycles of 20 days allowed. It also changes the final land use authority for these subdivision applications. For applications 3 lots or less on the East Side and 9 lots or less in the Snyderville Basin, the final authority would become the Community Development Director; for applications 4 lots or larger on the East Side and 10 lots or greater in the Snyderville Basin the County Manager would become the final authority.  

The purpose of the ordinance is to bring the Snyderville Basin and Eastern Summit County Development Codes into compliance with the changes to state code made in Senate Bill 174 during the 2023 legislative session. The bill required that the County have the amendments in place prior to yesterday February 1, 2024.

So is there a reason it’s temporary? 

Yes, the reason staff pursued a temporary zoning ordinance is because they expect that legislation passed in the current 2024 Utah State Legislature General Session will change what is required. 

We will keep our listeners updated on the outcomes of this years legislative session and how it affects the subdivision process moving forward. 

PARK AND RIDE SURVEY 

Let’s talk about parking, Summit County! It’s no surprise to any of us that the majority of the Summit County workforce commutes into Park City and Kimball Junction from other cities, and Park City alone welcomes over half a million tourists annually. 

These transportation demands, combined with tourism, recreation, and special event visitors, contribute to significant congestion on the gateway corridors, SR-224 and SR-248.

During high-congestion times, drivers look for alternative routes through neighborhood streets, reducing the safety and comfort for pedestrians and cyclists. While the community has several park and ride lots, a comprehensive strategy integrated with public transit and active modes has never been identified.

So, Summit County and Park City are conducting a regional parking needs assessment and policy review of the park-and-ride facilities across the region. 

And, they want to hear from YOU! A survey has been developed to help gather YOUR comments and concerns about park and ride facilities, transportation, and parking. 

Take the survey today through Friday, February 9, 2024 at summitcounty.info/pnrsurvey.

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TODAY, WE COVER…

• Dakota Pacific public meetings
• Ure Ranch Open House Recap 
• Community Planning Lab Application Deadline Extension 
• Mental Health Survey
• Radon Awareness Month

DAKOTA PACIFIC DISCUSSIONS

On Tuesday, County Council resumed talks with Dakota Pacific Real Estate as part of a 6-month pause in litigation. Discussions on Tuesday and Thursday centered around transportation and traffic in the area.

UDOT’s study of the I-80 and SR-224 interchange at Kimball Junction and SR-224 from Kimball Junction through Ute Boulevard and Olympic Parkway were a main focus of the conversation, including the following proposals to the area:

• Alternative A: split-diamond interchange and intersection improvements
• Alternative B: grade-separated intersections with one-way frontage roads to the I-80 interchange
• Alternative C:  intersection improvements with pedestrian enhancements
• Other reasonable alternatives (if identified during the EIS process)

Alternative A would include a split-diamond interchange and intersection improvements. Some key characteristics highlighted by UDOT include: splitting traffic coming off I-80 so vehicles could exit earlier (near the outlets at landmark drive) or continue on frontage roads to stay on SR 224. The roundabout on landmark drive would become a traffic signal, and, finally, there would be a midblock undercrossing between Ute and Olympic for pedestrians who want to cross 224. This alternative would reduce traffic on 224 by serving the activity centers on the west side of 224. Alternative A is estimated to cost roughly $90M. 

Alternative B would include grade-separated intersections with one-way frontage roads to the I-80 interchange. Some key characteristics highlighted by UDOT include: having through lanes from I-80 go underneath the Ute and Olympic intersections while frontage roads provide access to businesses on each side of 224. The deck cover/park was removed from previous alternative B to accommodate the new design. Finally, moving the pedestrian undercrossing south down SR 224. This alternative would see the best travel speeds along the corridor. Alternative B is estimated to cost roughly $162M. 

Alternative C has similar characteristics to Alternative A. C would include intersection improvements with pedestrian enhancements. It would add more lanes in each direction along SR 224 and include dual left turning lanes for all signal approaches, and, finally, it would include a pedestrian midblock undercrossing between Ute and Olympic. Alternative C would create the least amount of traffic queuing onto I-80 which is dangerous for travelers. The estimated cost for Alternative C is roughly $35M. 

Council asked UDOT to come back to the table with an explanation of what Alternatives A and C combined would look like. The Council also felt as though Alternative B had too large of a footprint, too much pavement added, and the crossing at Ute was too far. County staff are interested in working with UDOT to redesign Alternative B to narrow its footprint.  

The Kimball Junction process is still ongoing. We will have a public comment period in late spring to hear what the community thinks. Our listeners can learn more about what happens moving forward and about these proposed alternatives at https://kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov/. 

The Dakota Pacific Public meetings resume next week on Thursday, February 1 at the Richins Building, tentatively scheduled for 3 p.m. The topic of that meeting will be a recap of Transportation followed by Residential Density. Visit summitcounty.org for the Zoom link and updated times and topics for all Dakota Pacific meetings as they become available.

URE RANCH RECAP

On Monday, January 22nd, the County Lands and Natural Resources Department hosted an Open House for the Ure Ranch Property. Over 130 attendees read about the purchase and contributed their ideas and feedback in this first round of public input. For those who missed the in-person event, there is an online opportunity to contribute thoughts through an interactive map at: summitcounty.info/ureranch. On that same site, you can subscribe to stay up to date on future community engagement events related to this land use planning project.

COMMUNITY PLANNING LAB APPLICATION DEADLINE

There’s still time to apply for the SPRING 2024 Community Planning Lab, a 10-week course that can help YOU understand the processes that drive local planning and land use policy decisions here in Summit County.

The deadline to apply has been extended to Wednesday, February 7. Learn more and apply at summitcounty.org/planninglab.

MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY 

Every two years, the Summit County Health Department asks the community to complete a mental health assessment. The results of the assessment help guide efforts to improve the healthcare of our residents. Have your voice and needs heard by filling out the survey today at summitcountyhealth.org/survey. The deadline to participate is February 16.

RADON AWARENESS

In case you missed it, January is Radon Awareness Month! Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is produced from the breakdown of Uranium in the soil. Radon enters the air of homes through cracks, pipes or ventilation.

The Summit County Health Department is offering $10 radon test kits for you to sample the air where you live. The more people that participate, the better  Summit County can track high areas of radon in our community. 

Visit any Summit County Health Department location in Kamas, Coalville or Park City to pick up your test kit today! If you have questions, contact the Health Department at 435-333-1511 or visit summitcountyhealth.org. 

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Today we cover…

• Dakota Pacific Litigation
• 2024 Legislative Session
• 2024 Work Plan for Summit County
• Ure Open House
• Summit County Mental Health Survey
• Radon Awareness Month

DAKOTA PACIFIC  

Back in December of last year, we reported that the Utah State Legislature had reached out to Summit County and Dakota Pacific separately to ask if each party was willing to pause the ongoing litigation and resume discussions. The County Council agreed to do so. The agreement effectively paused proceedings where they are and allowed for a 6-month period to continue discussions outside of the courtroom. 

At this week’s County Council meeting, representatives from Dakota Pacific were back in front of the Council to discuss key objectives of their Plan C proposal and some changes to the proposal that have been made. 

Some of the key objectives of Plan C include:

• Reducing full-time resident population, overall density, and traffic impact. 
• Maintaining a high percentage of affordable housing; 
• Increasing ratio of very low/low income units relative to higher AMI thresholds.
• Increase open space, community amenity opportunities, commercial/office uses, and housing opportunities for seniors.

Some of the changes they highlighted included: 

• Pulling about a third of residential units out (34%) and increasing the ratio of affordable & workforce housing from 31% to 33%. 
• Reducing overall square foot density by 430,000 square feet (-25%)
• Removing full-service hotel to maximize on affordable housing
• Reducing tallest building heights by 10 feet and revised plan to preserve view corridors
• Increase of privately owned residences from 12% to 25%
• Addition of a 2-acre “Central Park” community amenity and retail opportunity
• Incorporating some deed restricted senior housing
• Addition of 75,000 square feet of commercial space to promote economic diversity

From here, the Council will have a series of public meetings to discuss publicly the issues they see as outstanding, including traffic, HTRZ, residential densities, and more. Public meetings are beginning next week. Please visit summitcounty.org for the most up-to-date list of meeting dates, times, and locations. Please note that these are work sessions. Public comment will be taken at dedicated public hearings in the coming weeks.

LEGISLATIVE RECAP 

Earlier this week, on Tuesday, January 16, the Utah State Legislature General Session began. It will run until Friday, March 1. At this week’s County Council meeting, Deputy County Manager, Janna Young, gave the Council a preview of this year’s session and what it might entail. She shared that Summit County is particularly concerned about policy issues surrounding: transportation, childcare, EMS funding, and Olympics Planning. 

She also shared that there is no surplus money in the budget this year, so we are expecting a flat state budget. This means extra appropriations/funding requests from communities will be tough to get funded. We can expect the legislature to fund priority projects around education, transportation, water, energy, affordable housing, and tax cuts. Energy policy will also be a big topic this session. Legislative leadership is looking at a standard for what constitutes “green” energy so those sources can be promoted without impacting jobs. They are not interested in shutting down base power until there are substitute options. Summit County will be watching the debate around this issue closely as it could impact our 100% net renewable energy goals and work with Rocky Mountain Power to advance the Community Renewable Energy Agency (CREA). And, finally, we can expect that Affordable Housing will also continue to be a dominating topic this session as in past sessions. 

Over the next 45 days, Summit County’s internal legislative working group will track activity at the State Capitol and provide weekly updates to the County Council and to the public at Council meetings. Our listeners can also expect Janna to join Summit in Six for a special recap episode after the general session concludes. Stay tuned! 

WORK PLAN 

Every year, the County Council adopts an official work plan as a way to focus staff hours and align their work with the budget. It basically is a blueprint for what work Summit County will accomplish in the coming year. The 2024 Work Plan was approved. to Council at this week’s meeting. 

If our listeners would like to review the Work Plan and see what the County will be up to this year, please visit: summitcounty.info/workplan24.

URE OPEN HOUSE  

In March 2023, Summit County entered into an option agreement with the Ure family to acquire their farm in the Kamas Valley that is approximately 834-acres. To fund the purchase, Summit County will combine 2021 GO Bond (or Open Space) funds with funds from Summit Land Conservancy, limited development opportunities, state and federal grants, and other open space partners.

A Community Open House will be held THIS COMING MONDAY, January 22nd, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Kamas Services Building located at 110 N. Main St. in Kamas, to learn about and contribute ideas and feedback on possible land use. Childcare and light dinner will be provided. All are welcome to attend.

While no decisions have been finalized for the property use yet, the County is committed to preserving the majority of the wet meadows as protected agriculture and open space.

The remainder of the property is being considered for historic preservation, education space, community gathering venues, recreation opportunities, continued agriculture/ranching production, and community housing or local family businesses.

So mark your calendars for January 22nd from 6pm to 8pm at the Kamas Services Building. We hope to see you there!

MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY 

Every two years, the Summit County Health Department asks the community to complete a mental health assessment. The results of the assessment help guide efforts to improve the healthcare of our residents. Have your voice and needs heard by filling out the survey today at summitcountyhealth.org/survey.

RADON AWARENESS

In case you missed it, January is Radon Awareness Month! Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is produced from the breakdown of Uranium in the soil. Radon enters the air of homes through cracks, pipes or ventilation.

The Summit County Health Department is offering $10 radon test kits for you to sample the air where you live. The more people that participate, the better  Summit County can track high areas of radon in our community. 

Visit any Summit County Health Department location in Kamas, Coalville or Park City to pick up your test kit today! If you have questions, contact the Health Department at 435-333-1511 or visit summitcountyhealth.org.

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It’s our 100th episode!

Today, we cover…

• Application Deadline for Spring 2024 Community Planning Lab
• Community Engagement Opportunities: Ure Ranch Open House, Cedar Crest Overlay Meeting
• 2024 Presidential Primary Elections
• Radon Awareness Month
• 2024 Summit County Health Fee Schedule
• Applications Open for Summit County Board of Health Positions

CPL Application Deadline
It’s time to apply for the SPRING 2024 Community Planning Lab, a 10-week course that can help YOU understand the processes that drive local planning and land use policy decisions.

Learn more and apply at summitcounty.org/planninglab. The deadline is January 17.

Cedar Crest Village Overlay Meeting
Speaking of planning and land use, mark your calendars for an upcoming Eastern Summit County Planning Commission meeting related to the Cedar Crest Village Overlay. 

The meeting will take place on January 18, 2024 at the Ledges Event Center starting at 6 PM. The agenda and staff report for the meeting  can be found at summitcounty.org/agendacenter. You’ll just have to scroll down to the Eastern Summit County Planning Commission section. You can also find more information about the project itself at summitcounty.org/cedarcrest.

Ure Ranch Open House
In March 2023, Summit County entered into an option agreement with the Ure family to acquire their farm in the Kamas Valley that is approximately 834-acres. To fund the purchase, Summit County will combine 2021 GO Bond (or Open Space) funds with funds from Summit Land Conservancy, limited development opportunities, state and federal grants, and other open space partners.

A Community Open House will be held on January 22nd from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Kamas Services Building located at 110 N. Main St. in Kamas, to learn about and contribute ideas and feedback on possible land use. Childcare and light dinner will be provided. All are welcome to attend.

While no decisions have been finalized for the property use yet, the County is committed to preserving the majority of the wet meadows as protected agriculture and open space.

The remainder of the property is being considered for historic preservation, education space, community gathering venues, recreation opportunities, continued agriculture/ranching production, and community housing or local family businesses.

So mark your calendars for January 22nd from 6pm to 8pm at the Kamas Services Building. We hope to see you there!

2024 Presidential Primary Elections
Heads up Summit County Voters! Your ballots for the 2024 Presidential Primary Election will be mailed by the Summit County Clerk’s Office on February 13 and should arrive in your mailboxes around February 16. Keep an eye out! Election Day is March 5!

You can cast your vote in person at early voting on February 29, March 1, March 2, and March 4. Can’t make it in-person? Your completed ballot should be placed in a Dropbox by 8 PM on March 5 or be placed in the mail with a postmark of March 4.

Questions? Visit summitcounty.org/elections to learn more OR contact the Summit County Clerk’s Office at 435-336-3040.

Radon Awareness
January is Radon Awareness Month! But, “What is radon?” you ask? It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is produced from the breakdown of Uranium in the soil. Radon enters the air of homes through cracks, pipes or ventilation.

Protect your family by testing for radon in your home! Summit County Health is offering $10 radon test kits for you to sample the air where you live. The more people that participate, the better  Summit County can track high areas of radon in our community. Visit any Summit County Health Department location in Kamas, Coalville or Park City to pick up your test kit today! If you have questions, contact the Health Department at 435-333-1511 or visit summitcountyhealth.org

Summit County Health Fee Schedule
Every three years Summit County Health re-evaluates the fee schedule to ensure that fees accurately reflect the services being provided to the community. The 2024 fee schedule was approved by the Board of Health on January 8, 2024. The new fee schedule, which began January 8 , 2024 can be found at summitcountyhealth.org

Applications Open for Summit County Board of Health Positions
Summit County Health is opening applications for positions on the Summit County Board of Health.There are currently five positions open for applicants. Summit County Board of Health is specifically seeking a member from the following groups: 1) Park City representative, 2) Snyderville Basin representative, 3) North Summit representative, 4) South Summit representative, and 5) a Citizen at Large.

Interested applicants must submit an online application at: summitcounty.info/bohapp. For further information contact Amy Jones at 435-336-3042. Deadline for applications is 5:00pm, Wednesday January, 24, 2024. Interested applicants must be a resident of Summit County. 

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Today, we cover…

• A recap of this week’s county council meeting.
• Some important info on the 2024 election cycle.
• An upcoming community open house where folks can learn about and share thoughts on possible land uses for the Ure Ranch property.
• A reminder about the Summit County Travel Dashboard, a great tool that can help you plan your trips in and around the county with travel times, live traffic cameras, digital road signs, and local weather forecasts.

COUNCIL RECAP 

At the first County Council meeting of 2024, the Council appointed this year’s Council Chair and Vice Chair. Malena Stevens will serve as Chair, and Tonya Hanson will serve as Vice Chair! 

Also at this week’s meeting the council was given their 2024 committee assignments. Basically, these committee assignments designate which council members will have a deeper involvement and representation in various issues across the county. For example, Tonja and Chris will serve as Open Space Liasons throughout the year and Malena will act as the Early Childhood Alliance Liaison, and so on. 

For a full list of committee assignments, visit summitcounty.info/committees. 

2024 ELECTIONS 

We wanted to take a moment to remind our listeners about some important things you’ll want to know NOW for the 2024 Election Cycle. 

First, if you’re planning to file to run for office in 2024, you must do so before January 8th, 2024 (so that’s this coming MONDAY). For a full list of the offices to be filled at the regular general election, you can visit summitcounty.info/noticeofelection.

In the past, the filing period has been in MARCH. Anyone who is currently in office is likely aware of this change, but anyone thinking about filing may not be aware.

Second, the last day to change your political party affiliation for the 2024 Primaries is January 9, 2024. This coming TUESDAY! 

Next, to register, view, or update your voter registration go to www.vote.utah.gov. You might need to do this if you’ve moved recently, aren’t yet registered to vote, or want to vote in a 2024 primary for the Republican, Libertarian, or Constitution parties and are not yet registered with one of those parties.

Finally, if you’d like to receive a Democratic Ballot and are not a registered Democrat, you need to update your registration at www.vote.utah.gov requesting one or request one in writing.

If you have any questions about the 2024 Election Cycle, please contact the Summit County Clerk’s Office at elections@summitcounty.org or 435-336-3040.

URE RANCH OPEN HOUSE 

In March 2023, Summit County entered into an option agreement with the Ure family to acquire their approximately 834-acre farm in the Kamas Valley. To fund the purchase, Summit County will combine 2021 GO Bond (or Open Space) funds with funds from Summit Land Conservancy, limited development opportunities, state and federal grants, and other open space partners.

A Community Open House will be held on January 22nd from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Kamas Services Building located at 110 N. Main St. in Kamas, to learn about and contribute ideas and feedback on possible land use. Childcare and light dinner will be provided. All are welcome to attend.

While no decisions have been finalized for the entirety of the property use yet, the County is committed to preserving the majority of the wet meadows as protected agriculture and open space. The remainder of the property is being considered for historic preservation, education space, community gathering venues, recreation opportunities, continued agriculture/ranching production, and community housing or local family businesses.

So mark your calendars for January 22nd from 6pm to 8pm at the Kamas Services Building. We hope to see you there!

SUMMIT COUNTY TRAVEL DASHBOARD 

And, finally, in case you missed it, last year, together with UDOT and Park City Municipal, Summit County launched a Summit County Travel Dashboard. You can use this brand new tool to get updates every 10-20 minutes on travel times & road conditions for state routes in Summit County. 

It’s a great way to help ensure a safe trip, especially with the increased traffic ski season and sundance will continue to bring the next couple months! Visit summitcounty.udot.utah.gov to check it out! 

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TODAY, WE COVER…

• Grand finale of the year-long community visioning process
• Big Dakota Pacific-related news
• Property tax increase for Assessing and Collecting Fund 
• 2024 budgets 

OUR SUMMIT 

Last week, the Our Summit project team was in front of council to present a highly polished version of the Vision and Strategic Plan for Summit County. Prior to the presentation, community members, staff, and elected and appointed officials had the opportunity to make comments and suggestions and ask questions on the draft document. 

From here, the final version of the Vision and Strategic Plan will be available on the Summit County website by January 12, 2024. 

Outside the plan itself, some suggested next steps from the project team included: 

• Committing to an annual monitoring and evaluation of the Vision and Strategic Plan during a County Council meeting, retreat, or special session.
• Updating the County General Plans to align with the objectives, priorities, and strategies outlined in the Vision and Strategic Plan. 
• Updating and/or creating Future Land Use Maps that achieve the goals in each General Plan and utilize area specific values and priorities that have been collected during this process. 
• Encouraging future county department work plans to utilize and/or align with the objectives, priorities, and strategies outlined in the Vision and Strategic Plan. 
• Planning for ongoing engagement with the community to demonstrate progress toward community-identified goals. 

I’m sure this won’t be the last time we discuss the results of the Our Summit Community Visioning Process and how they will impact the work the County organization does moving forward. 

But, in general, we wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you to the community for their consistent and valuable feedback this past year. This Vision and Strategic Plan was built by YOU and we can’t wait to watch the ways it will make Summit County better moving forward. 

DAKOTA PACIFIC 

At this week’s County Council meeting, Council Chair, Roger Armstrong, announced that the Utah State Legislature had reached out to Summit County and Dakota Pacific separately to ask if each party was willing to pause the ongoing litigation and resume discussions. The County Council agreed to do so. 

The agreement pauses proceedings where they are and allows for a 6-month period to continue discussions outside of the courtroom. 

The Council will have a limited number of closed meetings to identify the specific issues outstanding and to set a timeline to discuss those issues publicly. We’ll be sure to keep our listeners updated on this process as it continues to move forward. 

TAX INCREASE  

The public hearings related to the county’s proposed tax increase for 2024 have come to an end. Following the series of public hearings, at this week’s County Council meeting, the Council decided to proceed with increasing the rate for the Assessing and Collecting fund as part of the Truth in Taxation process. This will allow the County to collect $1.4 million, money that would mostly impact the Assessor’s Office, Recorder’s Office, Auditor’s Office, and Treasurer’s Office. The increase will impact the average resident (with a home value of approximately $1.3 million) by about $23 per year. 

Through various budget cuts, the county was able to balance the budget enough to not proceed with tax increases for the General Fund or the Municipal Services Fund.

COUNTY BUDGET 

Finally, and also following the close of Truth in Taxation public hearings, the Council voted to approve the 2024 county budget. Our listeners can review the budget on the homepage of the Summit County website www.summitcounty.org. 

The Council also approved the following 2024 budgets:

• Park City Fire District
• North Summit Fire Service District
• Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District
• Mountain Regional Water Special Service District
• North Summit Special Recreation District  

OUTRO

Alright that’s it for today and for 2023! We’ll be back with more on Summit in Six in the new year! We hope our listeners have a happy and healthy holiday season.

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Today, we cover… 

• Winter weather reminders with the snow we’re expecting this weekend!
• Recap of this week’s County Council meeting
• Upcoming public engagement opportunities, including the upcoming Truth in Taxation public hearings and the Community Planning Lab’s Final Project Presentations. 

WINTER WEATHER REMINDERS

A winter storm warning is in effect for Summit County today, December 1, through 5 PM Sunday, December 3. Heavy snow between 8-16 inches is expected.

With that much snow on the horizon, we wanted to remind our listeners of two useful tools that can turn to this winter. 

The Trash Dash will be your go-to place for waste collection and recycling information. It has Republic Services’ Winter Weather Delay policy listed, information on how you can sign up to receive service updates from Republic Services straight to your phone, how and where you can report a missed service in your trash or recycling, what best practices are for your curbside service, and more. You can locate the Trash Dash at summitcounty.info/trashdash. 

Another really helpful tool to utilize as the snow starts to really accumulate are the County’s Winter Safety Reminders, which you can find at summitcounty.info/wintersafety. This document gives you information on snow plow operations, the county right-of-way and personal property, winter parking restrictions, how to properly mark your utilities, and more! Again, you can access that document at summitcounty.info/wintersafety. 

COUNTY COUNCIL RECAP

At this week’s County Council meeting, proposed changes to the county-wide fee schedule were discussed. The county wide fee schedule basically establishes the cost for services provided by the county. 

Some highlights of the proposed changes include: 

• The solid waste division recommends tipping fees for mixed waste, green waste, and animal carcasses be adjusted to $40 per ton at 3 Mile, and $36 per ton at Henefer landfills. 
• They also recommended fees associated “special waste” disposal at the landfills. If residents choose to dispose of a mobile home at the landfill, staff recommend a fee of $500 and for disposal of boats or campers a fee of $100. 
• The library was charging $40 for a six-week driver’s license class for Spanish speakers, however, the class has moved to a Zoom-based platform and the Library desires to remove this fee from the fee schedule as changing it to an electronic format has done away with overhead costs for the class. 

You can review a full list of proposed changes at: summitcounty.info/fees24. 

In two weeks, on December 13, the county-wide fee schedule will be back before the Council for a public hearing and possible approval. If residents have thoughts on the proposed changes to the fee schedule, the 13th will be the time to voice your comments.

Also at this week’s Council meeting, there was a discussion on child care in Summit County. The Early Childhood Alliance, in collaboration with Summit County staff, developed a proposal for the County Council’s consideration to assist childcare providers and families in Summit County. 

The County was asked to provide $200,000 of funding for an employer match program that would allow for childcare expenses to be shared by the employer, the employee, and the County with each contributing one-third of the cost. Eligibility would be based on the employee’s family size and household income and would apply to Summit County employers only. A program like this would allow employers to invest and retain their talent; help employees pay for quality childcare; and help childcare providers stabilize their businesses. 

Additionally, the County was asked to provide $130,000 for a Summit County Needs-Based Scholarship Program. This program would provide a needs-based scholarship, administered by a third-party contractor to Summit County residents earning less than 65% AMI. 

No formal decision was made, but the Council was interested in exploring if there was room to include at least a portion of the proposal in the 2024 County budget. More conversation will certainly be had on this topic as we move through budget discussions this month. 

BUDGET PUBLIC HEARINGS

Speaking of the 2024 county budget, several conversations took place this week amongst county staff and the council. The goal of these discussions is for the Council and the County to come up with a budget that might help avoid going through Truth in Taxation. There was a specific focus this week on what cuts need to be made to the tentative budget to make that happen. Next week, on Monday, December 4, the Council will meet again to continue these discussions.

An important reminder to our listeners: on Wednesday, December 6 and the following week on Wednesday, December 13, there will be public hearings related to Truth in Taxation. Truth in Taxation is a public hearing process that allows residents to learn about and comment on the County’s proposal to increase property tax revenues. 

With the exception of new growth, a taxing authority may not receive more property tax revenues than what was received the prior year. The property tax calculation does not consider inflation or other increases in providing services.

The Utah Taxpayers Association recommends that taxing entities address inflation by going through this process every five to eight years. Summit County last went through the Truth in Taxation process in 2017. Other special service districts in the County, such as Service Area #6 have not gone through the process since 2013.

You can find more information about these public hearings at summitcounty.info/truthintaxation. 

COMMUNITY PLANNING LAB

The Fall 2023 Community Planning Lab participants, some of your friends and neighbors, have spent the last 10 weeks learning about planning in Summit County and designing a project to benefit our community!

They will be showcasing their final presentations to the Summit County community on Monday, December 4 at the Kamas Valley Branch of the Summit County Library (110 N. Main Street, Kamas).

All are welcome! Please join us anytime between 6-8 PM.

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