A proposal to build a mixed-use neighborhood with 90 residential units in Silver Creek is heading to the County Council for approval after years of negotiations with the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission. Columbus Pacific Development first submitted plans for Crossroads at Silver Creek in 20 23, but planning commissioners expressed concerns about the project’s scope given its location on a small 13-acre parcel near the Interstate 80 and Highway 40 interchange. The development team revived the proposal last summer with reduced density. Tony Tyler, a Columbus Pacific Development partner and Silver Creek resident, brought the latest iteration of the project to the Planning Commission on Tuesday to showcase an updated design and request a recommendation for the project to advance to the County Council. “This current plan in front of you today is the least dense plan we have ever presented to anyone, so there has not been a plan on this site where we have presented less density overall,” Tyler said. “In fact, if you go back to what we had originally, we had about double the square footage on the site.” The proposal includes 90 residential units, 20 of which would be affordable, leased apartments without ownership options. The remaining 70 units would be sold or rented at market rate. Specifically, 66 of the market rate units would be townhomes, while the remaining four are listed as apartments. The site’s 32,000 square feet of commercial space would be spread throughout seven buildings, and an additional 2,500 square feet would be earmarked for a clubhouse and pool. Another 4,000 square feet would be dedicated for “institutional use,” which Tyler said would most likely be a PC Tots expansion and childcare center. “For me, this is less about a community benefit for this project and more about a personal passion,” said Tyler, who serves on the PC Tots board. “I think that we should be doing everything that we can do to solve the childcare gap in our community, and when I have an opportunity to do something like this, I take it.” The potential development area is marked on the Snyderville Basin General Plan as a location for future mixed-use development despite its current zoning as rural residential. The rural residential zone allows one residential unit per 20 acres, meaning Columbus Pacific is requesting a rezone to community commercial to comply with the county code and increase the allowed density. However, Tyler emphasized his desire to build a walkable community center instead of “reinventing Kimball Junction” in Silver Creek. He said structures would be lower than 32 feet, with two-story residential buildings and one-story commercial buildings. “This one’s personal to me because it’s literally in my backyard,” Tyler said. “It’s pretty rare to be able to work on projects that can have a day-to-day impact on my personal life, so I’ve put a lot of thought, a lot of interest, a lot of effort coming up with what we thought would be the most appropriate development for this corner.” Tyler said the townhomes were designed to resemble single-family residences to enhance the community’s visual appeal and green space around each building. There would be a public park with multi-use courts, pavilions and playgrounds. The neighborhood was specifically designed to attract younger families, Tyler said, which is why there are multiple amenities for kids and a focus on two-bedroom units. “The townhomes, even though they’re market rate, are really attainable housing because they’re going to be priced at a point where they won’t have a lot of competition in the marketplace otherwise,” Tyler said, adding that he estimated the townhomes would sell for $700,000 to $1 million. Townhomes or condos in the Park City area typically range between $1 million and $3 million. The Planning Commission held a public hearing on the proposal before deciding whether to recommend the project to the County Council. A handful of residents said they liked the development in theory but thought Silver Creek was the wrong location for a mixed-use neighborhood and that it would change the rural nature of the area. “I bought there for less traffic, less retail, less people, less development,” said Elaine Minihan, who has lived in Silver Creek since 2004. “I think it’s a very special and unique neighborhood, and it’s the last place in Summit County that is not a junction.” David Overberg told the Planning Commission he bought his home in the early 2000s after looking at a Summit County zoning map. He said he chose Silver Creek because it was zoned as rural residential, which meant he wouldn’t see large commercial buildings in his backyard as the area developed. Terry Underwood, who has lived in Silver Creek for 20 years, said she thought the project “looked great for a high density development” but told planning commissioners they were making a “serious mistake” if they approved it. “If it goes through, I’ll probably move,” Underwood said. However, others said they were pleased with the proposal and thanked the development team for the care put into the design. “From my seat, this man owns dirt, and he’s entitled to develop it,” said Scott Witkin, who also works in real estate. “You’ve put more time into affordable housing than I have in looking at thousands of units. … The biggest dilemma is how you can accommodate everyone, and from what I’ve seen, this is as thorough and detailed of a job in terms of trying to address that than any proposal I’ve seen in any capacity.” Witkin encouraged his fellow Silver Creek residents to support the project because another developer could enter the conversation in the future if the application were denied. “It could be so much worse, and that’s my fear,” he said. “Hearing how conscientious the approach has been to this plan is very different than monetizing dirt as a fiduciary to investors.” Resident Kayla Pelegrin said she understood her neighbors’ concerns about traffic and growth, but added that she’s excited to have commercial businesses in the area because she wouldn’t need to drive to Kimball Junction as frequently. “I get what you’re saying. You’ve lived here a long time,” Pelegrin said. “Unfortunately, we’ve had a ton of change in this town. If change is going to happen in my backyard, who better to do it than the person who actually lives there and is going to be impacted by it directly?” Tyler responded to concerns about how the development would affect the rural character of Silver Creek after the public hearing, telling the Planning Commission that the project would bring community benefits to the entire area and that large swaths of “open space” in Silver Creek are typically “supporting” lots for wealthy property owners with second homes. “Does a 13-acre parcel that’s completely surrounded by development, which includes a truck stop and a Bells gas station … qualify as rural in nature?” Tyler said. “It’s not more dense than the commercial area right next door to it. … In a location like this where it’s completely surrounded by existing development, including the freeway interchange, I don’t think it necessarily negatively impacts the rural nature of Silver Creek.” Planning Commissioner Spencer Young said his only issue with the proposal is the lack of ownership opportunities for residents who qualify for affordable housing, which Tyler said he could consider adding if it would be economically viable for the company. Otherwise, the Planning Commission was generally in favor of the new design. “I think it’s by far the best plan,” said Tyann Mooney, the only planning commissioner who was on the panel when the project was first proposed in 2023. “I think it’s thoughtful. I think it’s not too high. I know that it’s more dense than people want in Silver Creek. However, I do believe that there’s a lot of density already in that area. … I’m hopeful that this will give a better opening impression to entering Silver Creek, especially now with the roundabout.” The Planning Commission unanimously forwarded a positive recommendation to the County Council regarding the rezone request and master plan development document. Commissioners also approved a conditional use permit allowing slight modifications to certain setbacks, which will only take effect if the County Council approves the project. If the County Council votes in favor of the rezone and master plan, the Planning Commission will review the proposal for a second time to create an official development agreement and review a final site plan. The post Crossroads at Silver Creek proposal moves to Summit County Council for approval appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less