Heber City’s planning commission public hearing Tuesday showed locals are not intent on keeping quiet about possible annexation changes. Community members gave their two cents, and then some, about the potential 4,000-acre development Heber for which leaders are considering amending the city’s annexation map. What Heber leaders are calling the Wasatch Highlands project includes about 720 acres of School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration lands and 3,500 acres of property owned by the Christensens, who say they have been in Heber Valley for generations. City Planning Director Tony Kohler said that for the Christensen family, this opportunity would allow them to take advantage of property they have not yet had the chance to monetize. But, in order for the deal to go through, Heber leaders need to amend the city’s expansion area map. As of now, none of the 4,220 acres are included in that annexation plan. Prior to the hearing on Tuesday, Wasatch County Council expressed concerns for the annexation amendment involving traffic, sewer and water, density and location. Greg Whitehead of Philo Development said that the process is a welcome one, and he hoped the hearing could create a jumping-off point “that everybody can live with.”  “I love it up here. I want to keep it special,” Whitehead said. “This is a development that is growth. It does signal growth. However, my intent, our intent, is to keep this as tasteful and as community-oriented as possible.” Whitehead said that he grew up with recreational trails close by and wants to create that same access to public lands for the public in Heber Valley. “That’s why we’ve incorporated things like large amounts of open space dedicated and open to the public,” Whitehead said. “It’s not behind gates.”Debra West from Liberty Sanctuary in Heber City said she knows that they “can’t stop development.” West, who has been a Heber Valley property owner since 2015, said her priority is ensuring that they want partners who are “responsible about how they want to go about developing.” She said that once she learned more about the general plan for the SITLA and Christensen lands, she “really felt like it was a benefit.” “I care very much about this valley,” West said. “The Christensen family has been here since the beginning … I think that while this is a residential community, I think that there’s a lot that can be returned and celebrate that heritage.”According to Christensen family member Beau Thompson, despite the “issues or concerns that have to be worked out,” his family’s goal is to turn the Wasatch Highlands project into something that can benefit the community. “We want it to be something that gets shared,” Thompson said. Doug Smith, Wasatch County planning director, said that, despite assurances that they would not approve specifics of the project at the public hearing Tuesday, he was concerned because of the amount of units being discussed for the area and the congestion that amount of density could cause. “We are concerned about traffic on the street. Quality of life,” Smith said. “As Greg [Whitehead] mentioned, when people come down out of the development, they just go like water, whichever way is quickest.” According to the Wasatch County Council, in this particular situation under current zoning, approximately 25 units for every 160 acres would be allowed. Both the SITLA and Christensen properties are situated in and around Little Pole Canyon, and they border county developments known as Greener Hills and Wolf Creek Ranch. In those county developments, a density of one unit for every 8.8 acres is allowed in Greener Hills and one unit for every 160 acres is permitted in Wolf Creek Ranch. “We request that this discussion be continued and only entertained after considerable thought and study is given to the impacts this proposal has on the quality of life of all the residents of the valley,” a letter from Wasatch County Council read. This Dec. 10 public hearing was one the first steps in the project completion process. To finish the annexation policy plan process, there will be another meeting with the Planning Commission, then at least two more meetings with the Heber City Council. Plus, another quorum with the Wasatch County Council. The first in that series with the city and council councils will be held on Jan. 15, 2025. A recommendation will be made during the planning commission meeting on Jan. 28 later that month. Developers will only be able to apply for annexation of these 4,000-plus acres if the proposed change is made to Heber City’s expansion map area.The post Heber City public hearing prompts mixed reviews on a 4,000-plus-acre annexation plan appeared first on Park Record.