After a Sept. 9 work session discussion on the 5-acre Bonanza Park site, the Park City Planning Commission is closer to making a final recommendation.
Commissioners are largely in favor of new building heights. The updated proposal dropped roofs down to about 40 feet from the ground to the top of decorative gables, which meets code. They also decided 7-by-12-foot gables are acceptable, as the original 12-by-12 design was too large.
The commission said it’s open to granting a height exception for one building, which has four floors instead of three, and would stand at about 49 feet.
Commissioners are also largely satisfied the project aligns with the city’s guidelines regarding housing and general plans. However, they’re still split on whether parking and traffic mitigation plans are sufficient.
The proposal includes 280 parking stalls, more than the 208 city code requires. Of those, 130 are for residents; the rest are for people who work on site or visitors.
Commissioners John Frontero and Seth Beal said they don’t want extra parking. Beal said more stalls means more people will drive.
“When we talk about traffic uses, I believe we have to change people's behavior, and in this particular development, there's no behavior to change,” he said.
Commissioner Matthew Day, on the other hand, said three-bedroom units should have at least two parking spots.
“It's just really hard to operate with, you know, a couple of kids running around and trying to get into soccer and ballet and whatnot,” he said. “We should be encouraging families to live here, not making it more and more difficult for them.”
The Brinshore Development team said bike path and bus connections would help reduce traffic congestion. They also said the project will largely follow the opposite of normal peak winter flows, with residents leaving in the morning and returning in the evening.
The commission, however, remains unsure if enough has been done to reduce congestion.
Commissioner Rick Shand also expressed concerns about open space. The project is 60% open space, with a playground, outdoor amphitheatre and grass area. However, Shand said locals and visitors may not know they can use it.
“The buildings essentially wall off the open space from the sidewalks,” he said. “I understand that there are portals and there are ways to access it, but to me, it kind of feels like walking into somebody's backyard.”
Brinshore Development will finalize plans before the commission’s Sept. 23 meeting. The commission may vote on the project then.
Park City Municipal is a financial supporter of KPCW.
