Editor's Note: The original version of this report quoted Park City resident and former city councilmember Jim Doilney saying the Princes gave $1 million to the Park City Museum. Both the Princes and Morgan Pierce, executive director of the Park City Museum, confirm the Princes have not given the museum any money. The Princes also say they have not made any monetary donations or anything else of value to anyone who has written a letter of support on their behalf.
Matthew and Tatiana Prince own two homes on King Road just south of Park City Mountain’s Quit’N Time run on Treasure Hill.
“All we want to do is be good neighbors, turn two party houses into a single-family home that we can be proud of, and work with the community in order to do something that is beautiful,” Matthew Prince said at the last Park City Planning Commission meeting. “I’m proud of the fact that the Historic Society, Friends of [Ski Mountain Mining History], the museum, have all said, ‘This is something that if it was on the side of the hill, we would be able to point at and say it was inspired by the mines of Park City.’”
Commissioners asked if the new property would continue to allow short-term rentals.
“I am personally sanctioned by the Russian government for our support of Ukraine, and I’m on a kill list,” Prince responded. “I’m not kidding. So there’s no one other than my family that’s going to be allowed in this house.”
Prince grew up in the Park City area and is the CEO and founder of cybersecurity company Cloudflare. He’s the second wealthiest person in Utah behind Gail Miller, with an estimated worth of $3.7 billion.
Prince submitted letters of support from area neighbors. Pat Sweeney, who owns land in Old Town and has worked with the city to craft the development code governing Treasure Hill, fully endorsed the project. Park City Museum Executive Director Morgan Pierce wrote that the home would be an improvement to the city’s skyline.
Public comment submitted to the commission ahead of Wednesday’s meeting tells a different story.
Pierce said the organization's support for the project is "due entirely to the incorporation of similar design elements visible in the construction of the Silver King Mill building which is located further up King Road."
Pierce added: "We were greatly intrigued by this nod to our local mining heritage as raising awareness of this history and of the remaining mining structures on the mountain is central to our mission. We are also very indebted to the City and its Planning Department for their high level of scrutiny extended throughout the approval process to make certain this project, and all others, meet the City’s approved design guidelines and established municipal codes for the benefit of Park City."
A couple that has lived next to the Prince property for over a decade said the rental homes hosted well-behaving skiers, not wild partiers.
A homeowner on Rossi Hill with a direct view of the lot across the valley worries about nighttime light pollution.
Last month lawyers for Prince submitted a request for final action, which requires the commission to take action within 45 days.
“Our goal here is to move forward with the project and to do so in an expedited way, because this is a family that needs a home,” Prince attorney Wade Budge said at the last meeting.
Last year Prince attempted to subvert strict local land use rules in Old Town by going through the state legislature. His efforts were unsuccessful. About a month later, he and his wife purchased The Park Record.
Prince’s group pushed for a straw poll during the last meeting, but the commission did not indicate how they may vote. However, Commissioner Laura Suesser expressed concerns about the home not fitting with Old Town’s historic character.
“I’m not sure that this project uses the best planning and design practices,” Suesser said. “I am not comfortable with the project yet.”
Along with historic design compliance, the commission requested more information about various project elements, including excavation and landscaping plans.
Wednesday’s planning commission meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at city hall. A public hearing is scheduled for the Prince home.
