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Referendum sponsors make case against Dakota Pacific development

Volunteer signature gatherer and former Park City Mayor Dana Williams (right) helps Summit County voters at The Market in Park City sign to show their support for putting the ordinance approving Dakota Pacific Real Estate's Kimball Junction development to a countywide vote.
Connor Thomas
/
KPCW
Volunteer signature gatherer and former Park City Mayor Dana Williams (right) helps Summit County voters at The Market in Park City sign to show their support for putting the ordinance approving Dakota Pacific Real Estate's Kimball Junction development to a countywide vote.

Signature gathering is underway in the Park City area as residents try to block a controversial Kimball Junction development.

Residents opposed to the mixed-use neighborhood and town center slated for Kimball Junction have until March 3 to gather 4,554 signatures from active voters.

That would put the Summit County Council’s Dec. 18 vote approving the development on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot, sooner than county staff initially believed.

In the Summit County clerk’s new voter information pamphlet, the referendum’s seven sponsors make their case against the development.

Their primary concern is “significant residential and commercial density,” which they say increases traffic.

Under the approved plan, the development would include more than 800 units of housing.

725 units of housing would go in Dakota Pacific Real Estate's neighborhood west of Skullcandy's headquarters, as seen above. 340 are deed-restricted as "moderate income housing."
Summit County
725 units of housing would go in Dakota Pacific Real Estate's neighborhood west of Skullcandy's headquarters, as seen above. 340 are deed-restricted as "moderate income housing."

Of that, Dakota Pacific would build and own 725 homes for sale or rent. Nearly half — 340 units — would be workforce housing.

In their voter information statement, the sponsors say Dakota Pacific isn’t helping the community if it builds more market rate housing.

They claim the company wants to build five market rate units for every one moderate income unit, when the ratio in the development agreement is in fact 385 to 340, or 1.1 market rate unit for every moderate income one. State law allows the county to request factual corrections before it distributes the pamphlet.

Of those 340 moderate income units, 100 are called “attainable,” meaning they’re for people making 100% or 120% of the county’s median annual income. Only the attainable housing is subject to the sunset clauses referenced in the sponsors’ statement, meaning those units will revert to market rate housing in 25 or 35 years.

The rest of the moderate income housing is permanently for rent for those making 80% or less.

But median incomes are higher in Summit County than other places around the state and country. The median annual income for a family of four eclipsed $150,000 last year.

People signing to put the ordinance approving Dakota Pacific Real Estate's Kimball Junction development on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot must include their addresses. Sponsors must get 16% of voters from Summit County's four voter regions.
Connor Thomas
/
KPCW
People signing to put the ordinance approving Dakota Pacific Real Estate's Kimball Junction development on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot must include their addresses. Sponsors must get 16% of voters from Summit County's four voter regions.

The additional density means additional traffic, the seven sponsors say.

But county staff worry that without the development, long-needed funding to fix congestion on state Route 224 won’t materialize.

The sponsors contend the Utah Department of Transportation has to address Kimball Junction traffic with or without development.

Dakota Pacific told KPCW it will still build its housing and commercial units in phases only after UDOT puts the area on its formal to-do list and funds different improvements.

State law allows for a statement from Summit County officials that defends the county council decision in the voter pamphlet. It didn’t include one but has released a state-mandated fiscal impact statement claiming the deal with Dakota is worth millions to taxpayers.

Every Summit County councilmember has said they expected the state legislature to intervene if there was local opposition.

Dakota Pacific may have already found a solution in a bill passed last year that has allowed developers to pursue incorporation.

Jan. 8, it filed to make its land a town. Under the law, the company would appoint a town board that could oversee construction.

Decisions the board makes would supersede the developer’s contract with Summit County.

That said, the developer says it intends to honor that agreement even as it “will explore all opportunities provided to landowners” in Utah.

If Dakota Pacific proceeds with the incorporation process, any countywide vote may be moot.

To that, the signature-gatherers say “don’t take the bait" because the 2024 incorporation law is “wholly unconstitutional.” KPCW is unaware of a court case seeking to overturn the law.

If the sponsors are successful, residents will still get to vote on the county council’s decision, whether that decision is binding or not.

Sponsors are gathering signatures in-person around the Park City area this week. Times and locations are posted on their website called “Protect Summit County.”

Updated: January 21, 2025 at 9:33 PM MST
This story was updated with more information.
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