The Park City Planning Commission and city staff are updating housing regulations and considering how “attainable” housing should fit into the code.
Attainable housing generally refers to homes for households earning between 80% and 120% of the area median income, or AMI.
The issue came up as the commission reviewed a proposed 32-unit development on half an acre on Lower Iron Horse Loop, near Lower Iron Horse Apartments and the Rail Trail.
The project includes seven affordable, 13 attainable and 12 market-rate units, along with 30 parking spots.
Under the city’s affordable master planned development rules, at least half of a project’s residential square footage must be deed-restricted affordable housing. City code defines that as housing priced at or below 80% of AMI.
City staff say about 18% of the Iron Horse project is affordable. But the applicant argues the attainable housing should be included in that equation as it’s still deed-restricted. If it were, the project would meet the 50% threshold.
Attorney Justin Keys, who represents the applicant, said recognizing attainable housing would better reflect the city’s 2025 housing resolution and goals.
“We've known that there's no housing available in Park City for people between 80% and 120% AMI, but there was no requirement for that to be built,” he said. “That's something that was added for the first time in the 2025 update to the housing resolution.”
The commission agreed middle-income housing is important and asked staff to start looking into how attainable housing can fit into the code. Still, Commissioner John Frontero said the affordable master planned development (AMPD) code does not count it the same way.
“The code currently is discounting the attainable, which is unfortunate because there is a benefit to attainable versus market rate, but our AMPD code doesn't quite recognize that,” he said.
Commission Chair Christin Van Dine agreed, saying the application doesn’t meet current code.
“I don't look at this as being a truly affordable master plan development,” she said. “Yes, it'll pencil better, but I don't think it hits the intent of what an AMPD is.”
The commission said it could support the project if it was revised to include more affordable housing.
However, the applicant’s representatives say that may not be financially feasible because of construction costs.
City planners will continue reviewing possible updates to housing code at future meetings.
Park City Municipal is a financial supporter of KPCW.
