Hey everyone, welcome to another week of news here on Summit in Six. Today we go over a council recap of the Dakota Pacific conversation, the potential formation of a housing authority in Summit County and more. Let’s get into the news!

Dakota Pacific Continues 

Today, we’re diving into the latest updates on the Dakota Pacific project. Here are the key issues they discussed with the council this week:

Water Allocations

The first issue was water allocations. Council raised concerns about water shares for multifamily units, parks, and landscaping. Dakota Pacific assured them they can purchase water shares at a fixed price to address these needs.

Development Fees 

The second item council brought concern around was development fees. Affordable housing will be funded through a tax credit process. They debated how to split the developer fee. Dakota Pacific suggested 30% for themselves and 70% for Summit County, after negotiating down from their original 40%.

Open Space Funding

The third item was open space funding. Dakota Pacific proposed $3.5 million for open spaces, including parks, bridges, and community areas. They’ve added up to $200,000 more to align with council requests.

Housing Mix 

The fourth concern revolved around the housing unit mix as affordable housing remains a challenge. Dakota Pacific insists market-rate units are essential for middle-income earners. They also proposed AMI-restricted units with deed restrictions lasting 20-55 years.

Phasing

The final concern was how the project would be phasing out. Profits for the project will come in the final stages and Dakota Pacific reassured the council their phased plan hasn’t changed.

So what’s next? A draft agreement is in the works. The council will review it at the next meeting, but nothing is finalized yet.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Housing Authority 

Let’s talk about a big conversation in Summit County—there’s a push to establish a Housing Authority. But what exactly is that? A Housing Authority is a public agency focused on managing and providing affordable housing, especially for low- and middle-income families.

To create one, the county must show two things:

1. 
   
2. That Unsafe or unsanitary housing exists.
   
3. That there’s a lack of affordable, safe housing for moderate- and low-income residents.
   

Summit County is motivated to establish a housing authority because of the growing housing shortage in our area. The goal? Create solutions for middle- and low-income families who can’t find affordable options.

Four Key Focus Areas for the Potential Housing Authority & Moderate Income Housing Plan

• 
  
• Data Collection for building a housing and economic data dashboard.
  
• Employer-Assisted Housing to engage businesses to support housing for their workers.
  
• Utility Allowance Studies to help offset costs for residents.
  
• Incentives for Eastern Summit County by encouraging affordable developments with fee waivers and a $50,000 incentive fund in 2025.
  

The county has already allocated $250,000 for this initiative, with only $81,000 needed to kickstart the dashboard, incentive fund, and studies.

So Why Now?

Eastern Summit County Planning Commission lacks the authority that Snyderville Basin Planning Commission has in place to require affordable housing in new developments. A Housing Authority could help bridge that gap and strengthen partnerships with local towns to create real change.

The council is on board, signaling strong support for this move. Stay tuned as this unfolds!

Summit Bike Share CTA 

Although the 2024 Summit Bike Share season is officially over, we wanted to take some time to reflect on some big wins! The Bike Share had over 17,000 rides this season, a 20% increase from last year! AND, we added two brand-new stations at the Lincoln Station Apartments and Park City Hospital, expanding access to the bikes for our community. 

As we celebrate these wins, we also want to make sure we hear from the community too. What do YOU want to see from the Bike Share next season? 

Take Summit Bike Share’s End-of-Season Survey to help us create a service that best reflects YOUR needs & values. You can take the survey at summitcounty.info/season24. 

Be a Dark Sky Steward

Pollution of our natural environment is not limited to daytime hours only. Light pollution hinders access to viewing the starry night sky, and has negative impacts on our area’s beloved wildlife, human health and more. This is why your local leaders at both the city and county level have committed to encouraging dark sky-friendly lighting practices!

According to area development codes: by the end of this year, on December 31, 2024, all outdoor light bulbs in Park City and unincorporated Summit County must be 3,000 degrees Kelvin or less, and all outdoor lighting fixtures must be fully shielded and down-directed. If you have any questions about this ordinance, visit summitcounty.info/darkskies.

Seasonal Parking in Summit County 

And finally just a reminder that seasonal parking limits went into effect last week, Friday, November 15, and will run through April 15, 2025. This means no on-street parking on County roads (unless otherwise marked by the County) is allowed. For more winter safety reminders, including the winter trash policy from Republic Services and County snow storage guidelines, please visit summitcountyutah.gov/publicworks.