Summit County planners have big plans for a 30-acre parcel in Jeremy Ranch, but the County Council is wary of moving the project forward until a more comprehensive plan is developed.

Planning Department staff met with officials to present the results of the June open house on the Cline Dahle site and to determine next steps in the visioning process. Officials want to create a mixed-use space where the community can live, meet and recreate.

The site’s opportunities, including housing, natural spaces, street typology and gathering spaces, received 80% positive ratings. Participants expressed a willingness to build on the site and a desire for the development to fill a need that is lacking in the community.

However, officials doubted that the county would be able to make everything happen given the size of the property and were hesitant to move on to the next phase of planning without having a more concrete idea.

Summit County purchased the property on Rasmusen Road in 2017 and considered using it for transit-oriented development such as a park-and-ride facility, residential or commercial development. Some studies were done at the time, but officials decided to delay the decision until recently.

Only about 17 acres of the Cline Dahle property can be developed because East Canyon Creek flows through the area. Preferred uses for the site include various types of housing, commercial opportunities, a new fire station and playground, and a conservation easement for the wetland.

The most popular housing type was small, clustered single-family homes. Townhouses came in second. Community members expressed concerns about the height and architectural style of multifamily housing, but seemed to prefer designs that convey a mountain feel.

Planners learned that residents preferred streets with taller buildings and infrastructure that focused on people rather than cars, through sidewalks or green spaces. Wide streets with limited pedestrian accessibility were the least popular, suggesting a desire for connectedness.

There was also a demand for mixed-use gathering spaces that encourage social interaction as well as recreation and retail. A playground is planned for the site, but residents also liked ideas for an outdoor amphitheater, a small park with seating or a natural boardwalk.

One acre of land could be used to relocate the Park City Fire District’s Ecker Hill station to Cline Dahle, improving response times in the area.

The property is currently zoned rural residential, which allows a maximum density of one housing unit per 20 acres. Summit County officials would need to rezone the property before construction can begin.

But the County Council was unwilling to make that commitment without a clear plan. Members said the rezoning should be tied to specific developments, rather than being done across the board, to ensure the county gets the desired outcome and benefits from the project.

“I wouldn’t rezone the property today. I don’t think we know what we want to do there, and whatever we do in advance will be wrong unless we are very forward-thinking, and I don’t think we are that good,” said District Councilor Chris Robinson.

Summit County would also need to issue a request for proposals to find a developer to partner with. The request for proposals would need to describe the project and solicit bids for the work.

The district council was divided on whether it was ready to start this process without defining what it wanted on the site.

Robinson warned that a poorly drafted RFP would lead to poor designs.

Ward Councilman Roger Armstrong agreed, but added that he did not like the idea of ​​building residential homes on Cline Dahle.

District councillor Canice Harte disagreed. He hoped to send the application before the end of the year so the district could decide what to do about it.

“I don’t want to get so caught up in the process that we don’t come to a conclusion,” he said.

Chair Malena Stevens spoke in favor of moving forward. She said she saw a need, but wanted to know more about what the district actually wanted and what timeline it preferred.

Vice-Chair Tonja Hanson was also excited about exploring this opportunity.

Planning department staff plan to send a survey to council members to gather more information for the RFP. There will be a follow-up discussion and further analysis of the site, likely with a public hearing.

The county will then decide whether to proceed with the mixed-use development in Jeremy Ranch.