Winter arrived furiously over the past week with several feet of snow piling up at high elevations in the Wasatch. Scores of skiers and snowboarders eager to reclaim lost days on the hill from last spring have emerged from COVID-induced hibernation, packing resort parking lots to sneak in a few early season turns before the lifts start turning. Energy and excitement for ski season abounds, especially in Park City where the town is looking to turn the corner from an extended economic swoon. The outlook hinges on control of the coronavirus pandemic and people feeling comfortable traveling to Utah. Amid Utah’s recently declared State of Emergency and Park City’s flagging lodging reservation numbers, neither seems certain. Anxieties are balancing on a knife’s edge yet again.

Optimism was building about a winter rebound after Park City experienced a summer of better-than-expected—though still frighteningly low—occupancy and revenue. National coronavirus case numbers ebbed, and naturally people started looking to the future and booking trips for the winter. Alas, reality bit and cases surged—acutely in Utah—and confidence began to wane. Emboldened by looser cancellation and refund policies, people have begun to cancel or postpone their trips.

Park City’s economy is a feast and famine affair with periods like the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day in addition to myriad holiday weekends being typically lucrative. The latest forecasts from the Park City Area Lodging Association show an expected 20% decline in traditional hotel occupancy from December through March, where the vast bulk of revenue is collected. Hotel occupancy is a leading indicator for the broader economy and the town’s budget health, which relies heavily on sales tax.

These numbers, however, are not necessarily indicative of overall visitation forecasts. People concerned about coronavirus are likely to steer clear of hotels in favor of VRBO and Airbnb rentals, which don’t have shared spaces like lobbies and elevators. Then again visitors with these tendencies are less likely to visit and spend money at restaurants and shops in town.

Nobody knows with any certainty where this will wind up, but perhaps recent positive news about vaccine efficacy will encourage more people to travel. Then again it could inspire them to hunker down for the winter in anticipation of safely liberated travel a year from now. What is certain is it’s dumping snow in the mountains and skiing remains a fun and relatively COVID-safe activity. Dust off the skis or snowboard and indulge in a little powder therapy when it makes sense for you. And for those who feel comfortable traveling, hotel rates have dropped with occupancy—between 10% and 12%—so you can save a bit of cash on your trip to Park City.

While most of Summit County takes a deep breath as the strangest summer season on record winds down ahead of what is certain to be a bizarre winter, developers, councilors and concerned citizens continue to advocate for their respective priorities. The inevitable churn of development never hibernates in the Park City area, even as coronavirus continues to stifle the local economy and upend daily life. The future for the mountain community is very much unwritten, and the time is now for interested parties to make their voices heard.

Hideout Plans Emerge Ahead of Public Hearing

The public hearing on October 12 regarding Hideout’s attempted annexation of land in Richardson Flat is rapidly approaching. The hearing, which can be attended remotely via Zoom or by dialing in with your telephone, at 6:00 p.m. on Monday is quite possibly the last opportunity for individuals to provide their input on the proposed annexation and subsequent development. The process has rankled many observers, Summit County Officials and Park City Officials as the effort to annex and develop the land moves forward under the provisions of an ill-considered and short-lived state law seemingly designed to serve a small special interest.

Google Maps satellite view of Richardson Flat area encompassing Hideout’s attempted annexation

Details of the proposed development have emerged from a litany of court documents owing to the several concurrent lawsuits facing developer Nathan A. Brockbank, Wells Fargo Bank and United Park City Mines Company among other defendants, as reported first by the Park Record. Among the planned developments is a 24,000-square-foot grocery store, a police and fire station, nearly 200 condos, a church, a school in the Park City School District and—preposterously—a chairlift that will whisk hikers and bikers to the highest point on Richardson Flat.

Thus far Hideout officials have steadfastly pursued annexation of the land in Summit County even after state lawmakers almost immediately repealed H.B. 359 due in large part to public pressure. Pressure and awareness are the only tools the public has at its disposal. If you want to express your opinion, join in the hearing on Monday, October 12 at 6:00 p.m. It’s hard to ignore the insidious appearance of scheduling the hearing on a holiday evening during Indigenous Peoples Day, but you can celebrate by engaging in civil discourse. Details for joining the meeting are below.

Meeting URL: https://zoom.us/j/4356594739
To join by telephone dial: US: +1 408 638 0986
Meeting ID: 435 659 4739

Transit Possibilities Abound

Untenable traffic situations have become commonplace in Utah, threatening to strangle the Central Wasatch as increasing numbers of tourists and locals want to visit and play in the mountains. While most recent efforts have been aimed at alleviating traffic woes in the Cottonwood Canyons, the Central Wasatch Commission is looking for a more all-encompassing solution.

The Mountain Transportation System (MTS) project is focusing on vastly reducing the reliance on individual vehicles when traveling to the mountains with a regional solution serving both the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back. Among the floated ideas are a gondola connecting Park City Mountain base area with the Brighton Resort base area, providing an “as the crow flies” connection between Big Cottonwood Canyon and Park City, which are only 4 miles apart but require a 45-mile drive in the winter.

Rapid-transit bus lines, aerial transportation systems with gondolas and trams and rail systems are all being considered, and can be viewed in detail on the Central Wasatch Commission’s Draft MTS Alternative’s Report. You can provide your input by taking the CWC’s build your own MTS survey or by submitting a comment up until October 18.

Everybody loves to complain about traffic, and the ultimate efforts taken to alleviate chronic and worsening congestion will have a huge impact on the quality of life in the area. Make your voice heard today while you still can, or forever hold your peace.

Read more of our community coverage here.

Hideout’s ongoing annexation attempt of land in Summit County won’t relent. What began with a hastily-signed, clandestine bill—H.B. 359—from a July special legislative session has become an ongoing saga exposing deep rifts in visions for the future of the Wasatch back. On one side are supporters of development being imperative to meet inevitable growth goals for the area. On the other are those who demand transparency and clear public benefit behind building. In the middle is Hideout, a municipality of approximately 1,000 people in Wasatch County which has doubled down on its unpopular effort to annex land from neighboring Summit County.

A quick recap for those who haven’t been paying attention. The aforementioned H.B. 359 was amended with language allowing a municipality to annex unincorporated land across county lines without outside approval. The amendment passed with little to no discussion, allowing Hideout to pursue annexation of land near Richardson Flat. Developers Nate Brockbank and Josh Romney—Mitt’s son, who has since been bought out of development rights by Brockbank—secured a pre-annexation agreement with Hideout to build a Kimball Junction sized development on the land. After intense public outcry and resistance from Summit County and Park City officials, lawmakers who initially supported the bill subsequently repealed it during an August special session, claiming the bill had been misrepresented to them. After a lawsuit by Summit County and an injunction from a district judge, it appeared the Hideout annexation was dead, a special interest project gone awry and exposed to the light of day. But Hideout wasn’t finished.

On September 10, Hideout began a new process to annex land in Summit County during the 60-day window before the repeal of H.B. 359 goes into effect. The revised annexation plan includes about 350 acres straddling Richardson Flat Road, reduced from the 650 sought in the initial annexation agreement. Hideout now has 30 days from September 10 to hold a public hearing, after which it can officially annex the land and determine how it’s developed.

The Hideout Council contends the town requires commercial amenities like grocery stores, gas stations, retail spaces, mixed cost housing and even a school. Hideout councilors and Brockbank insist everything has been done above board, according the letter of the law, arguing the town’s expansion is essential to gaining political legitimacy. Outside observers, however, find the unilateral process unseemly. H.B. 359 was quickly repealed by state legislators upon the public discovering its implications, showing there’s very little appetite for the move from anyone outside of Hideout.

Hideout itself was incorporated under a short-live state law, H.B. 446 in 2008. The town announced a public hearing about the proposed annexation will be held on October 12 and 6:00 p.m. If you have input on the issue of Hideout’s annexation or the way it’s been pursued, make sure to attend. It will most likely be virtual event due to public health restrictions.

Read more of our community coverage here.