The longtime planning commissioner has previously been the appointed board’s chair and vice chair.
He says it’s given him an in-depth knowledge of Summit County’s development code and the ability to address the county’s “growing pains.”
Cooke says he’s inspired by his daughter, who’s currently studying architecture and how spaces are built and for whom they’re built.
“I'm inspired to do what I can to ensure that—as our community grows and deals with growth—that it is a place that she wants to come back to, and has the ability to come back to,” he said. “Part of that is affordability, but part of it is also that it doesn't become so changed and indistinguishable from other places.”
He served on the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission when Dakota Pacific Real Estate first proposed rezoning its 50 acres in Kimball Junction for mixed-use development. Some residents objected to the development’s scope—over 1 million square feet and 727 new residential units—and Cooke touts his decision to forward a negative recommendation to the county council in 2020.
Summit County ended up suing over the Utah legislature’s efforts to push the development forward, but the lawsuit has been paused for renewed negotiations.
Cooke thinks the matter will likely be settled before November’s election. But he says his experiences on the commission, dealing with open meetings laws and county code, prepare him well for the county council.
“I do believe that land use land use code is sort of at the core of how we manage growth and deal with problems,” Cooke said. “Certainly, it's not the only pathway to get to council, but it's definitely a good place to cut your teeth.”
Cooke is also the digital strategist for the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective.
He previously threw his hat in the ring when Doug Clyde retired from council in 2022, but Summit County Democratic delegates selected Tonja Hanson for Clyde’s seat.
Hanson has also announced she’s running for council in 2024, as have incumbent Roger Armstrong, LBGTQ+ advocate Cami Richardson and former Francis mayor Byron Ames. All are Democrats except for Ames, who is a Republican.
Candidates may officially file to run between Jan. 2 and Jan. 8. Malena Stevens says she is not running for reelection.
