Local News

The Park City Council approved a request for funding Thursday by Utah Open Lands to help meet its deadline for the conservation of Armstrong Snow Ranch Pastures. 

The council meeting was standing-room only, as community members wearing red, in honor of Kerry Armstrong’s granting of the Red Barn parcel, filled Council Chambers.

Park City Council voted to donate more than a half million dollars to the purchase of the 19-acre Snow Ranch Pasture, land conservation deal. The City donated $3 million last year after the Treasure Hill and Snow Ranch Pastures open space bond succeeded at the poles. On Friday, Utah Open Lands received an anonymous donation of $200,000. They have until the end of June to raise another $100,000.

The first performances of the Deer Valley concert series, and Deer Valley music festivals are this weekend.

Deer Valley Senior Communications Manager Emily Summers gives an overview of the three concerts this weekend.

After 24 years, the saga of Sheriff Woody and Buzz Lightyear is coming to an end—apparently—with Toy Story 4.

It’s remarkable when a sequel is well-done and entertaining—even more so when it comes many years after the original film and it’s the fourth film in the franchise.

In “Toy Story 4” Pixar is continuing the fun and the adventures. But more to the point, they are still aware of the pathos behind the whole computer-animated world here—the idea that the toys yearn to be played with, to be loved—lest they fade away, forgotten and forsaken, like Puff the Magic Dragon.

Affordable housing continues to be an issue that local officials look to address.

Summit County and Park City affordable housing programs use a measuring stick of Area Median Income Summit County Economic Development Director Jeff Jones says that for housing purposes they look at targets that are 80% of the AMI and below.

Jones explains the unique challenge Summit County faces.

Park City Municipal and the Park City Community Foundation are forging ahead with their social equity efforts. 

To get everyone on the same page for the conversation around social equity, Park City Community Foundation Community Impact Director Ollie Wilder likes to break down the umbrella of social equity into three terms: diversity, equity and inclusion.

Utah Open Lands is feverishly working to secure the final funds needed to preserve the 19-acre Snow Ranch Pastures in Park City’s Thayne’s Canyon neighborhood. The deadline is Sunday. On Wednesday, Utah Open Lands announced the 16-acre Red Barn parcel, contiguous to the pastures, will be put under a conservation easement granted by the longtime landowner.

The conditions the property owner is placing on the land grant is outlined in this story.

The Park City Board of Adjustment on Tuesday partially reversed the decision by the Planning Commission to approve the Woodside Park Phase II master planned development, sending it back to the Commission. 

The Planning Commission approved the City’s housing development at the end of May on a 5-1 vote. Soon after, resident Doug Lee filed an appeal of the Commission’s decision. Because the City is the applicant on the project, the City Council voted to send the appeal to the Board of Adjustment for consideration.

After the recent incidents reported by the Summit County Sheriff’s office, the apprehension of a wrong-way driver on Highway 40 led to the arrest of another suspect on drug charges.

And a threat made against a store worker at Kimball Junction led to a trio of drug arrests.

The Sheriff’s department reported that earlier this month, on the 16th, dispatch got several calls that a driver was heading the wrong way on U.S. 40. He was detained about eight miles south of Silver Creek Junction.

The Park City Council will consider amending the City’s annexation policy plan Thursday, in response to action by a neighboring municipality. 

The City Council in April discussed the possibility of expanding the City’s annexation area to include the Quinn’s Junction area, but recent discussions around annexation by the Hideout Town Council have expedited the need for decision making. Park City Manager Diane Foster says, procedurally, Hideout was required to notify Park City of the discussion—but they didn’t, and the City was caught off guard.

The director of the Sundance Film Festival, John Cooper, is stepping aside, after 11 years in that role and after three decades on staff at Sundance.

In a press statement issued Thursday, the Sundance Institute announced the change for the man known to one and all as simply “Cooper.” The release said that after directing the 2020 Festival, he will move into a newly created emeritus director position, where he will focus on special projects and overseeing the 40th anniversary of the Sundance Institute in 2021.

Curious and concerned Park City community members attended the public hearing for the Utah Department of Transportation’s SR 248 environmental assessment Wednesday. 

Representatives from UDOT peppered the lunchroom at Treasure Mountain Jr. High, talking one-on-one with residents to explain the 1400-page environmental assessment. Poster boards were set up around the room highlighting different parts of the project and the process, and Park City staff and councilmembers were also on hand to field questions throughout the two-hour open house.

Utah Open Lands is asking the Park City Council to donate another $550,000 dollars to the purchase of the 19-acre Snow Ranch Pasture, land conservation deal. The deadline for a decision is June 30. KPCW has details on the request and the short timeline the city has, to decide.

Utah Open Lands Executive Director, Wendy Fisher says they need a million dollars by Sunday. They’re asking the City to help with the final push. She says they were able to enter into an option agreement with the Armstrong families a little over a year ago.

The Jeremy Interchange Roundabout project is starting up in earnest. Summit County Manager Tom Fisher said it’s important for local drivers to stay informed, either by going to the county’s project website, or signing up to get emails.

Fisher told KPCW that the first big disruption on the project will start on Wednesday.

With Independence Day Celebrations coming next week, firework season is nearly here.

According to the Utah State Fire Marshall Class C fireworks can be sold now through July 25th.

Discharge of the fireworks is allowed two days before and one day after both Independence Day and Pioneer Day in Utah. You can set off your fireworks between 11:00 am and 11:00 pm on those days. On Independence and Pioneer Days fireworks can be discharged until midnight.

Wasatch County Fire PIO Janet Carson says they have not set any restrictions on fireworks so far this year.