Dakota Pacific Real Estate has underscored the importance of integrating residential units and community gathering places into the Kimball Junction neighborhood, and Summit County officials are expected to take a site visit to the property next week so they can better understand the vision for the proposed mixed-use master plan.Members of the County Council were also hopeful they’ll develop a more cohesive plan for how to move forward with their affordable housing goals during a two-day retreat on Thursday and Friday at the newly acquired Skullcandy headquarters. The first day was dedicated to that point.“Do we want affordable housing or do we not? That, hopefully, will be a topic that we can more fully address … so that we can then meet again and give you some concrete feedback on 500 market rate and 250 affordable [units],” County Councilor Chris Robinson told the developer during a Wednesday meeting. “The council needs to come up with a more unified position on what we want with affordable housing.”Dakota Pacific’s most recent plan for the Park City Tech Center seeks to blend housing and community amenities, partly through a public-private partnership with Summit County. The County Council has to decide whether the benefits are a great tradeoff for the development.The developer would build 750 total units under its plan, while the country would add around 165 units of its own housing, likely targeted toward the local workforce. Most of the residences would be concentrated on the western portion of the property with smaller buildings, a clubhouse for tenants and a woonerf for the public in the southern area. Credit: Dakota Pacific Real Estate The northern portion of the residential area would have a mix of two to three story townhomes equipped with driveways or a garage as well as three to four story apartment buildings. Credit: Dakota PacificThe unit count is based on the assumption senior housing is counted under commercial density since it would have a business license. If that’s not viable, deed-restricted units could be worked into the housing plan.Most of the residences would be concentrated on the western portion of the property with smaller buildings, a clubhouse for tenants and a woonerf, or low-speed roadway shared with pedestrians, for the public in the southern area. The northern portion would have a mix of two- to three-story townhomes equipped with driveways or a garage as well as three- to four-story apartment buildings. Preliminary designs show a neighborhood park in the center with two- to three-story townhomes and twin homes or triplexes in the area. Steve Borup, Dakota Pacific’s director of commercial development, said Tech Center Drive could also be widened to create space for a “parklet” or other active areas. Several tweaks were made or suggested to the design, but he said the area is difficult to develop because of the terrain and slope.Borup was unable to say how many buildings would be included in the plan. However, Dakota Pacific CEO Marc Stanworth said the goal is to make it feel like a neighborhood. There will be more, shorter buildings spread out rather than fewer tall structures.County Council Chair and Vice Chair Malena Stevens and Tonja Hanson praised the developer for being considerate of massing the buildings, which past public feedback had been critical of. Stevens also suggested the county may reconsider whether it wants to contribute to the total number of affordable housing in the area or ask Dakota Pacific to eliminate some units to reduce the overall count.Stanworth said he would be disappointed if that were to happen because only building market-rate units could alter the plan — again. “If there’s one thing that’s been consistent from the get-go from our perspective, it’s that affordable housing has been important,” Stanworth said. He advocated for affordable housing to be integrated into the fabric of the design because it’s important for Dakota Pacific as “community builders here.”The east side of the project area is the focus of the public-private partnership between the county and Dakota Pacific. Stanworth was optimistic it would be an energized hub.New information was presented about a potential 2-acre amphitheater concept with a seating area for 850 to 925 people. Most of the capacity would be in the green area with around 125 people occupying tiered seating. A rendering from Dakota Pacific Real Estate shows what the public-private partnership plaza built in cooperation with Summit County could look like. Credit: Dakota Pacific Real EstateSome of the open space in the plan, the sections closer to the housing, would likely be private and maintained by those neighborhoods. The areas closer to a plaza built through the public-private partnership would be open to everyone, and everything would be connected through curated pedestrian walkways. The goal is for people to “get out, walk the dog, enjoy, interact and collide with neighbors,” Borup said. He estimated the entire green space area would be between 5 and 6 acres.There was also a more detailed design presented for a possible pedestrian bridge connection over S.R. 224 with landscaping, sitting areas, elevators or stairs and a potential future connection point for a gondola.A pedestrian crossing over S.R. 224 is included in Dakota Pacific Real Estate’s design for the Park City Tech Center project area. Credit: Dakota Pacific Real EstateHanson asked whether the entire project buildout would take 10, 15 or 30 years. Borup replied eight, starting from the moment Dakota Pacific is authorized.“Thanks for that reminder,” Hanson said. She was still uncomfortable about the total density. The developer has been adamant it needs to build at least 500 market-rate units to be financially feasible. Dakota Pacific and the County Council planned to take a tour of the site next Wednesday.The post Dakota Pacific, Summit County set site visit to help shape Tech Center project appeared first on Park Record.