The seven referendum sponsors say they’ve submitted 6,063 signatures to the Summit County Clerk’s Office.
State law gives Clerk Eve Furse and staff 21 days to review and verify signatures after they’re received.
If the sponsors have 4,554 signatures from Summit County voters, the county’s approval of Dakota Pacific Real Estate's development would be up to voters on the November ballot.
Dakota Pacific owns 50 acres around the Skullcandy headquarters, where the Summit County Council approved it to build 725 units, nearly half of that workforce housing.
The development passed 4-1 in December, along with a public-private partnership including 165 county-owned affordable housing units and amenities like an expanded transit center.
Seven residents petitioned for a referendum to overturn that approval.
They contend it will worsen traffic and that councilmembers didn’t negotiate a good deal. They’ve criticized that Dakota Pacific’s contributions to portions of the partnership are capped at $3.75 million.
Over the past three months of signature-gathering, volunteers spread throughout the county. That’s because the signatures must account for 16% of the voters in three of Summit County’s four voter areas, not just 16% of the entire county.
The sponsors say they’ve exceeded that requirement, gathering signatures from 20% of voters in one area, 26% in another and 28% in a third.
The sponsors turned in their first batch of signature packets in February. Furse said 21 of the 25 were bound incorrectly, invalidating up to 2,100 signatures. The sponsors dispute her finding and have threatened to challenge it in court.
“We maintain that all packets circulated are compliant with code and that all signatures are valid,” the group Protect Summit County told KPCW in an email Tuesday.
Furse has claimed she’s acting on the advice of county attorneys.
“At this time, we are working through the verification to ensure it is accurate and protects the processes by which Summit County residents express their political will,” county spokesperson Bridget Conway said.
During the effort, Dakota Pacific formed a political issues committee, Wasatch Back Future, to hire door-to-door canvassers and otherwise advocate against signing the referendum petition.
Separately, the real estate company applied to form a town out of its land which would give a self-appointed board land use authority. If approved, it’s unclear if that would circumvent the referendum.
Last month, the Utah Lt. Governor’s office determined Dakota Pacific’s land met the initial requirements to begin the incorporation process.
