Gov. Spencer Cox signed Senate Bill 26 into law March 12, which legislators say may grant Dakota Pacific Real Estate the development rights residents are seeking to overturn in a countywide vote.
The battle is playing out on 50 acres around Skullcandy’s headquarters in Kimball Junction.
That’s where the Summit County Council approved a 725-unit neighborhood and a public-private partnership with a mix of residential, retail and civic buildings in December.
According to the Utah Lt. Governor’s office, more than 3,174 residents and counting have signed their names on a petition to put that development on November’s ballot.
The seven residents sponsoring the referendum need 4,554 signatures spread across three of Summit County’s four voter participation areas. The sponsors have expressed confidence they’ve turned in enough.
SB26 may override the effort. The bill’s sponsor, Taylorsville Republican Sen. Wayne Harper, says it puts the December agreement between the county and developer into law.
The bill’s language doesn’t mirror the development agreement exactly. But it does allow a similar amount of density, with 33% of the development as affordable housing.
That’s less than the development agreement, which included 240 developer-owned affordable housing units, 100 attainable units and 165 county-owned affordable housing units out of the total 890.
SB26 takes effect May 7.
Months prior, Dakota Pacific filed to form a town with its land, which would also circumvent county zoning. A self-appointed board would get land use authority.
The Lt. Governor’s office previously certified the company met the requirements to begin incorporation. Now, the Utah Population Committee has said it meets the intended population requirements. In total, the UPC believes the 725-unit neighborhood would house about 2,000 people.
Next, consultants will conduct a feasibility study, which will determine if the town could raise enough taxes to provide services. That study could take months.
