The Snyderville Planning Commision on Tuesday unanimously voted to recommend the new Kimball Junction Master Plan.
Snyderville Chairwoman Bea Peck says the plan, being sent on to County Council, aims to redevelop the Junction for sustainability, walkability, and better traffic management.
Peck told KPCW that they have reviewed the Kimball Master Plan in the past month.
“I think it’s a great aspirational plan to be part of the general plan and some well thought out guidelines trying to anticipate all of the growth that we are going to see,” Peck said. “That essentially is not new density as some of the public was concerned about but just filling in the density that’s already on the books and already legally allowed.”
However, in a public hearing before the vote, several residents from the New Park and Foxpoint Condos said they were worried that the Master Plan is a vehicle to shove new density onto their neighborhood.
Peck said they attempted to address rumors among the citizens. She said they only density going into the redevelopment would be what is already vested at Kimball Junction.
“Any new density would have to go through extreme scrutiny,” Peck explained. “We have a policy, 2.3, that doesn’t allow for new density unless certain compelling factors are reached and it’s a high bar. I think that helped hopefully those in the audience to understand some of the protections that are in place. This is essentially trying to manage some of the growth and density in terms of square footage that are already anticipated and on the books.”
A couple of residents also complained that although they live just across from Highway 224, they drove to Tuesday’s hearing. They said walking to the hearing would be a hazardous venture on black ice.
We asked Peck if the sidewalks are the responsibility of developers or the county. She said, probably both.
“It’s tough to legislate snow and ice,” Peck continued. “I think everybody just has to do the best they can. What this plan conceives of is better walkways, consistency in the sidewalks for size, width so that some of them can be plowed by the county or the developer. I think there’s more of a mishmash, if you will, of sidewalks that don’t create a smooth transition. So that’ll be something that any redevelopment or changes will try to address.”
Peck, also admitted that pedestrians also have an issue crossing Highway 224.