The Military Installation Development Authority, or MIDA, is overseeing massive economic development projects in Wasatch County, including Deer Valley’s new East Village resort base.
MIDA is a state agency originally founded to serve veterans and the military. It’s governed by appointed, not elected, officials.
In Wasatch County, MIDA has touted the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, plus forthcoming golf and equestrian facilities in the SkyRidge development, as fulfilling its stated mission. Some veterans, but not all, qualify for discounted hotel rooms.
The Grand Hyatt is one of up to eight hotels that will eventually be built in MIDA’s Wasatch County project area.
When the Design Review Committee for the project area met Tuesday [Dec. 17], county representatives weighed in during a discussion about the newly announced Four Seasons resort.
County planning director Doug Smith brought up the height of the development, which will include three towers of luxury hotel rooms, condos and amenities. He asked whether the height of the tallest tower, 165 feet and 11 stories above ground, was allowed by the site plans.
The question made MIDA planner Rob Donigan laugh.
“A waiver was approved increasing the height from what our standards allow,” he said.
That waiver was granted back in October, when Donigan sought a height exception for the towers. The maximum allowed by MIDA design standards is 120 feet.
Smith himself was the one who made a motion to approve the site plan and allow the extra height.
Still, he said Tuesday the guidelines for approving variances need to be stricter.
“A lot of times, when we’re asked to give a variance on some aspect, I would prefer to have some criteria for granting that variance, instead of just having it be completely at our discretion,” he said.
Wasatch County manager Dustin Grabau, who also sits on the committee, brought up dark sky standards.
MIDA planning documents say the agency “encourages lighting practices” recommended by the International Dark Sky Association.
Grabau asked if MIDA could create lighting zones, so the committee knows what kind of outdoor lighting is best depending on the type of development.
“A potential recommendation for future amendment is the adoption of lighting zone standards based on that model lighting ordinance, because it covers kind of a wide range of lighting circumstances,” he said. “Figuring out which of those would apply, I think, might help the DRC know – and might help staff know – which of those provisions apply in which circumstances.”
MIDA staff said they’d consider those changes in the next round of revisions.
A construction timeline for the Four Seasons hasn’t been announced. The grand opening for the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley is in January.
