Park City housing efforts will take decades, mayor says
Officials continue to outline work to address ‘essential problem’
The issue of work force or otherwise restricted affordable housing in Park City will not be solved in a timely fashion and will instead stretch for years, the mayor of Park City told a crowd on Tuesday.
Jack Thomas, in his first term as the city’s top elected official, addressed housing during a City Hall-sponsored gathering at the Spur Bar & Grill on Main Street. He said housing will be an “ongoing battle” for Park City.
“We have decades of work to do . . . It’s the essential problem,” Thomas told a crowd of approximately 50 people at an Aprés With Council event.
He described a situation starting long ago as leaders relied on the free market regarding housing. Thomas also said housing impacts other issues City Hall must address like transportation and energy. He said the essence of the community will be lost if full-time residents move out of Park City. Thomas, meanwhile, said housing values in Park City are increasing faster than other investment categories and it is not profitable for a developer to build housing that is affordable to a wide range of people.
Becca Gerber, a Park City Councilor who appeared alongside the mayor, said it is difficult for her to watch friends leave Park City based on housing issues. Gerber, who grew up in Park City, said Park City should not be seen as a “Disneyland.”
“We’re going to have to build very smart,” Gerber said.
She said leaders want 800 units of restricted housing inside the city limits and want people living “actually in Park City proper.” She said, though, Park City officials are also collaborating with Summit County leaders on housing.
The two elected officials did not provide detailed new ideas to address housing, opting to outline City Hall’s ongoing efforts. The municipal government is pursuing an aggressive housing plan involving developing a series of City Hall-controlled properties, particularly along the lower Park Avenue corridor.
But the discussion, though broad, further illustrated the concern in the community about housing. Park City has long been the most expensive real estate market in the state, pricing many rank-and-file workers out of the city. Leaders say there are numerous benefits when the work force lives in the community where they are employed, including reducing commuter traffic and ensuring socioeconomic diversity.
The Aprés With Council series and similar gatherings are designed as an opportunity for Parkites to discuss Park City issues outside the setting of official City Hall meetings. Two elected officials normally attend to field questions. The events typically cover a wide range of topics as the officials move from question to question. The gathering on Tuesday touched on topics like the Treasure development proposal, the Sundance Film Festival and the planned acquisition of Bonanza Flats for conservation purposes.
Niels Vernegaard, an Old Town resident and an opponent of the Treasure proposal on a hillside along the route of the Town Lift, told the mayor and Gerber he does not see City Hall as fighting Treasure. Leaders have left that to citizens, he said. At least one other audience member inquired about Treasure as well.
The mayor explained Treasure will not be put before the City Council as a result of earlier negotiations between the development partnership and a previous set of elected officials. Thomas maintained the decision rests with the Park City Planning Commission. The developers will decide how to proceed after a Planning Commission vote, he said. Thomas also said state laws are “very favorable to development” and the rights of property owners.
Other topics addressed at the Tuesday event included:
“Next question,” Thomas said, adding, “This is when I say ‘Thanks for sharing.’”
Park City police log numerous parking issues, including skier at the library lot
The Park City Library would appear to offer skiers and snowboarders a spot to park. But skier and snowboarder parking is prohibited at the library.
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