The Park City Planning Commission on Wednesday evening received just more than an hour of testimony — mostly from critics — about a development concept in Bonanza Park involving a large number of workforce or otherwise income-restricted housing. The Park City Council chambers were crowded fo r an important meeting as discussions about the concept, proposed on land owned by the Park City municipal government off the intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard, continued. The municipal government is partnering with Evanston, Illinois-based Brinshore Development on the proposal for 5 acres. More than 20 people testified. Critics worried about traffic, the height of the proposal and the possibility of lost views. There were calls for a new concept. Supporters argued the project would help with community vibrancy and be fiscally responsible. Some in the audience wore T-shirts supportive of an effort to convince Park City leaders to scrap the development concept and instead create a park on the land.  Rich Wyman, a longtime Park City activist and supporter of workforce housing, criticized the design. “It is too big, too dense, too tall and, importantly, I believe it lacks the creativity and imagination that this extraordinary piece of publicly owned land deserves. And I ask you to take the time to redesign it,” Wyman said. He also spoke about the original vision for the land when the municipal government acquired it — an arts and culture district — saying he supports that sort of development. “Imagine these 5.25 acres with fewer and smaller buildings, beautiful public spaces, affordable artist studios, rehearsal rooms, classrooms, recording spaces, and indoor and outdoor performance spaces,” he said. “And especially places for our young people. Young people in Park City need somewhere they can study, practice, create and actually do their art, whatever inspires them. Park City needs to provide that now. With Sundance leaving and the Kimball Art Center relocating to Kimball Junction, a permanent home for all of the arts is more important now than ever.” Wyman spoke about his backing of income-restricted housing but said he objects to “this design, this density and putting this much housing on this particular 5.25 acres.” “We need affordable housing and we need arts and culture. And we can address our housing needs without sacrificing this extraordinary opportunity for arts and culture. This is publicly owned land. We do not have to maximize every square foot,” Wyman said. Park City resident Chelsea Strong broached the financing aspects of the proposal. She said, “the incentive isn’t simply build affordable housing, it’s build the exact threshold that unlocks the maximum height, density and credit value. Those numbers move together by design.” She added, “A development like this is not primarily built to solve a housing problem. It’s built to be financially viable first, for the developer and for the tax credit investors.” She also questioned whether the housing would benefit people in the Park City area. “So, if the argument for this project is that it lets the people who work here also live here, does this deal’s tenant-selection plan actually include a local employment preference. Or are we building 106 units on public land at a height no other property owner in this town is allowed and calling it a workforce housing solution with no mechanism guaranteeing it?” she said. Andy Miller, who is married to Park City Councilor Molly Miller, testified in support of the concept. He described the project as “the kind of forward-thinking, sustainable planning that will keep Park City vibrant for generations.” “This proposed location isn’t just a site for housing. It represents a strategic answer to sprawl. By placing workforce housing centrally, we reduce the daily reliance on our (S.R.) 248 and 224 corridors. We aren’t just building units. We’re removing vehicle trips from our roads every single morning and afternoon,” he said. Miller said income-restricted housing is occupied all year and “provides steady, predictable foot traffic in places like Old Town at precisely the time when the community is wrestling with how to bring vitality back to Main Street.” “Workforce housing, just a small part of the overall mixed-use development, creates a central opportunity in a climate where nearly half of Park City’s housing stock operates as short-term rentals, artificially inflating costs based on visitor affordability rather than local wages,” he said. The Planning Commission was not scheduled to vote and addressed topics like parking and traffic projections in its discussion. There were comments about the traffic stress on intersections, the height of the proposal, sight lines, and that the open space that is proposed would be within the borders of private property. A line of people waits to speak at a Park City Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday evening about a development proposal in Bonanza Park that involves the Park City municipal government. The Planning Commission received just more than an hour of testimony. Credit: Jay Hamburger/Park Record The Planning Commission is scheduled to address the proposal again on Aug. 26. The development proposal includes: 88 units of income-restricted rentals. 18 rentals without income restrictions. More than 30,000 square feet for a variety of tenants, such as retailers, restaurants, cafes and art spaces for not-for-profit organizations. A childcare location. 2 acres of open space. The underlying zoning on the land has a maximum height of 35 feet, with an allowance for five additional feet for roofs that are gabled. A report drafted by the municipal government in anticipation of the meeting outlines the proposed heights. It says: “In response to the Planning Commission’s request, the applicant provided updated plans to reduce building height: Flat roofs with a maximum building height ranging from 46.5 to 55 feet above existing grade. Gables … with a maximum building height ranging from 46.5 to 55 feet above existing grade.” Heights above the maximum are sought for six buildings in the seven-building proposal. The Planning Commission on Wednesday spent time on the height, with some comments about the possibility that heights could be reduced. The post Park City crowd, mostly critics, fills room for hearing about Bonanza Park proposal appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less