Several dozen people gathered just off a busy Bonanza Park intersection on Tuesday morning to discuss the Park City municipal government’s concept for high-profile acreage amid new calls for radical changes to the vision. The crowd met steps from the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Bo ulevard on land that is owned by the municipal government. It was not an official municipal meeting and instead was organized by people with concerns about the efforts. Park City owns approximately 5 acres stretching inward from the southwest corner of the intersection. The municipal government acquired the land with the idea of developing an arts and culture district. That concept was abandoned, and officials are now considering a significant housing project with a development partner. There appear to be widening concerns in certain circles about a development like the one the municipal government wants to pursue. At least two members of the Park City Council — Tana Toly and Diego Zegarra — attended. There was limited talk about funding possibilities and traffic issues. The crowd generally appeared to agree with comments describing concerns with traffic at the busy intersection. Toly briefly mentioned the prospects of constructing a bus lane as she addressed the traffic issue. The gathering on Tuesday was held amid new calls for leaders to consider other options than the one that centers on housing. Some see the possibility of turning the land into a park. Organized opposition to the housing concept under consideration is anticipated. The crowd met at the former location of a gas station. The rush-hour traffic was heavy on Bonanza Drive, making it difficult for the crowd to hear speakers. One of the Parkites that addressed the crowd, Old Town resident Betsy Wallace, said she is a supporter of workforce housing but questioned where housing would be placed on the land and the number of units that would be developed. Wallace also argued that points of view looking toward Park City Mountain would be lost if the land is developed with housing. There are other places to build housing, she said. Wallace, in an interview, urged people questioning the concept to continue to press the matter. “Going to (the) City Council, letting them know how we feel. People just didn’t know that this process was this far along and they want the ability to have that voice,” she said. Wallace contended that a development would act as a divide between Prospector and other neighborhoods like the Iron Horse district. “When you build the buildings here, it creates this corridor of wall. And now you have just echo, traffic, everything coming into the worst intersection of town,” she said. If a project is developed, Wallace would prefer that buildings be set back from the roads to protect views and that a development include community space. Wallace’s preferred option for the land involves open space, an amphitheater and gathering spaces alongside a limited number of housing units to enhance the experience of residents living there. She wants Park City to conduct a traffic study early in the process. “And the ability for artists to come in and just explore and just make Park City that much more engaging, educational, everything that you want in a city. I think we have to do it,” she said. Wallace’s appearance on Tuesday was notable given her background as the onetime Sundance Institute managing director who oversaw the film festival. The arts and culture district that was originally envisioned on the land was to be anchored by the Utah offices of Sundance and the Kimball Art Center. Wallace was one of the key figures for Sundance during the earlier talks. The post Park City crowd shows concern about plans for municipal housing project off busy intersection appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less