Representatives from Midway, Heber and Wasatch County participated in an interlocal meeting to receive updates on about a dozen agenda topics that impact the Heber Valley and surrounding areas.
The 230-mile Wasatch Loop Trail, when complete, will circumnavigate the Wasatch Mountain Range from Ogden to Provo. The $15 million Provo River Parkway section is a part of the trails project. Wasatch County Council Member Kendall Crittenden says the section of trail along the Provo River in Wasatch County is coming close to design completion.
“It’s about 75% designed and this is one little, short section. I can't remember. Three, four, five miles of that. There’s already a trail up to Vivian Park. So, this section will go to Vivian Park up to the trail that comes around the west side of the Deer Creek reservoir. So it would connect that little section because of the railroad there and other things, it’s going to take some technical design and that's been done. He showed us an example of some of the trail that will be cantilevered out over part of the river that narrows down in certain places.”
Wasatch County requires all new developments provide 10% affordable housing. County Planners are in the process of updating affordable housing requirements. Developers currently have three options to either build housing inside the development, in a different location or pay a fee in lieu. Crittenden says they are considering increasing the fees which are currently $28,000 per ERU. (Equivalent Residential Unit)
It ought to be really around $80,000 per ERU. So, we're looking at that. That's the one that we get pushback from, obviously developers, and other sources. I know the 28,000 is way, way lower than what Summit County and even Park City has charged for a fee in lieu.”
Park City Mayor Andy Beerman delivered the segment on Bonanza Flat, sharing the infrastructure updates that have been done by the city since the 1350 acres of Wasatch County alpine land was acquired in 2017. Since then it’s been put into a conservation easement. Heavy traffic on the twisting and narrow Guardsman Pass Road is a safety concern for officials. Because it is owned by the state, UDOT would be responsible for any upgrades. Meanwhile, better services like designated parking and toilets have increased use and some worry it compromises the conservation efforts in Bonanza Flat. Crittenden says the human impacts and parking violations need more enforcement.
“As he explained they kind of determined how many people would be a good number, I think it was 150 at any one time on Bonanza Flat. They’ve designed the parking lots they’ve made available to try to accommodate that number. Obviously on busy weekends and so forth it exceeds that number and we have an ongoing problem with people parking along the roads. And in some of that area, that becomes a very dangerous situation that narrows the road down to where it's really not a safe way to get through. Wasatch County, several years ago designated sections of that road as no parking and it’s posted as such.”
Beerman told the group that the Wasatch County Sheriff’s office and Park City Police Department are coordinating a shared jurisdiction for enforcement purposes.
Crittenden is leading a committee to make Wasatch County a second amendment sanctuary city. They have been slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions but he says they’re still collecting information and will soon present to the council.
A link to the entire Wasatch County Interlocal meeting can be found on KPCW.org.
