Wednesday’s meeting was scheduled to be all about developer PEG Companies’ plans for traffic circulation at the base of Park City Mountain Resort. It was postponed at the developer’s request for more time to prepare.
PEG wants to develop the current surface parking lots into hotels, restaurants, condominiums, and retail space, while moving the existing parking underground.
The plans also include a new traffic circulation plan. Plans have evolved over numerous meetings stretching back to the summer of 2020, but have all contained some combination of an expanded transit hub, dedicated bus lanes, and additional stop lights in an effort to make getting around the base area as fluid as possible.
In a statement to KPCW, PEG VP of Development Robert Schmidt said PEG is “very focused on ensuring that every work session or hearing on this project is as productive as possible, and we are still reviewing feedback and options for our traffic improvements package to supplement all that we are proposing to do on site.”
PEG’s plans have also garnered significant public interest. One community group closely following the meetings is the Responsible Resort Area Development Coalition, or RRAD.
RRAD co-founder Deb Rentfrow says she thinks the meeting getting postponed isn’t necessarily good or bad, but she will be eagerly awaiting PEG’s future traffic plans for the base area.
“We don’t really have anything concrete that we can point to that says that it’s a positive thing," Rentfrow says. "We just feel like with the ski season having kicked off now, and all of the traffic problems and parking issues that are clearly occurring, it’s probably more obvious to PEG than ever that what their proposed plan is is probably not sufficient. In my mind, it’s probably bringing to light that, yeah, they’re gonna have to do more.”
Schmidt added that future plans will include what he calls a “transformative” new transit center, along with improved plans for traffic circulation and parking management.
Rentfrow says whatever PEG does come to the table with should help solve the greater issues of traffic and parking experienced throughout Park City, not just the PCMR base area.
“Deer Valley is actually having to tweet out that their parking lots are full too," she says. "It just goes to show that our whole town is suffering from a traffic standpoint and parking standpoint. If we’re going to allow more development, then we’ve got to be sure that we somehow attack the problems that currently exist, so that when this development comes in, it doesn’t exacerbate it.”
The next planning commission meeting for the PCMR base area project is tentatively scheduled for February 16th.
