In the final moments of their general session, and with no public comment, Utah lawmakers passed a hyper-local bill that requires Summit County to work with Dakota Pacific.A provision added to a major affordable housing bill during the twilight moments of this year’s legislative session will likely result in Summit County becoming home to a massive new housing development near Kimball Junction — no matter how bitterly residents or county officials oppose it.
The planning commission advised against approving the project, wanting more affordable housing, and because there was no plan to fix already strained traffic at the Kimball Junction intersection.— with others turned away because the room was full — to voice their opposition to the project and threaten to run a ballot initiative to stop the project. Dakota Pacific said it heard the concerns and would go back to the drawing board.
Beyond the high-powered lobbyists, Dakota Pacific has another friend in high places: former state senator Dan Hemmert, now the head of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. Hemmet, whose office is responsible for administering HTRZs, is also a former managing partner in the Dakota Pacific equity fund.
“There really was no opportunity for public input that anybody around here was aware,” Solomon said. “That was really frustrating and in our perspective it kind of flies in the face of the whole conservative notion of local control.” “I find the circumstances really troubling, especially when it’s so specific to a certain county and a certain project,” Stevens said. “We have an established process which allows for tremendous public input, which is critical when you’re changing land use. … It’s taking [our] zoning authority and forcing us to do something without public input.”
Councilwoman Malena Stevens said, “That’s not democracy.” She's spot on! This is Utah style democracy.
Wow! Was Romney’s kid involved again? (Sorry, I pay for the electronic subscription but it doesn’t work on Twitter.)
So convenient that the legislators “used to be” part of the building firm. Always follow the money it will always lead to the corrupt Utah legislators.
It is a typical utleg power grab. But at the same time, stop with this NIMBY crap. We have to build high density housing. Stop fighting it.
This is my shocked face
Unpopular take: I am glad the UT legislature did this. Build, build, build. This absolutely is NIMBYism. Traffic can be sorted and people can/will adapt. Local control isn’t great when it’s about exclusionary zoning and fighting density, which we need.
This is what happened out here in Herriman with the Olympia Hills project. We were told to suck it up, that change is going to happen wether we like it or not. It’s always fun and games until it happens in your backyard…
Any 👀 for this SpencerJCox? Not this one either?
This is what’s going to happen to Utah lake. I fear the legislature is gonna turn Utah lake over to developers. I strongly encourage the Trib to look into the dirty politics of what’s happening there. We CAN clean Utah lake much cheaper and not put 500k people on the lake.
Who actually runs this state? The politicians elected by voters? Or the lobbyists and special interests motivated by profit, not public interest?
Kimbal Junction is a traffic shit-show as it is. And does Summit County really have the water for all these developments?
But keep voting the grifters into office.
Whoa. You mean the Utah legislature is corrupt and beholding to their big developer donors
Tt's all about money, at least they had a say. In Midvale, they swore they sent out notices to everyone before razing three houses & building a 34 unit apt building but no one in the neighborhood got a single thing. These people don't believe they work for us, only themselves.
Patbagley Só a normal day for the Utah Legislature, helping their buddies out at any cost.
Patbagley Traffic is going to be horrendous.
The ol' backroom switcheroo . UtahWay in perfect focus .