There has been much discussion this week concerning the proposal by the town of Hideout to annex a part of the nearby Richardson Flat. In some corners the comments have not been factually correct, and in others they have been very enthusiastic.
Hideout’s annexation policy plan was revised a year ago to include property in the Richardson Flat area, and public notice was provided to every affected entity at that time, including those that have publicly claimed to have been “blindsided.” We also know the developers met with Summit County and Park City on several occasions and these municipalities knew about the possibility of them working with us.
When the law changed to allow Hideout to act on its annexation plan, it moved forward in the best interest of its residents and the area. I would like to present the reasons why Hideout looked for a partner in this long-neglected area to invite them to join our town.
In 2018, Hideout hosted several public meetings with most of our residents, organized by Brigham Young University’s Urban and Regional Planning Department. These meetings were designed to elicit the areas in which distinct improvements could and should be made to the town’s quality of life.
Very high on the eventual list was the need to cope with the challenges that will arise as the Jordanelle area builds out. Echoing our town’s concerns, in March The Park Record reported about the challenges surrounding the influx of 20,000 residential housing units already approved for development around Jordanelle.
People will be in search of groceries, gas, take-out, dry cleaning, haircuts, coffee and many other amenities. A workforce will need to be found to supply these needs, which will bring housing challenges. These new residents will include families with children needing to be educated. These additional homes will also increase demand for police, fire and emergency services. Finally, with the ripple effects of COVID-19, many urban planners are projecting that businesses will increasingly be conducted remotely from home or at local office centers.
The pressure to satisfy these basic needs requires a proactive plan to address the spate of residential units slated to be constructed to the east and south of Park City. Additionally, Hideout believes this can be part of the solution to provide affordable, workforce housing that Park City and Summit County acutely need and have repeatedly said they want.
Hideout sees the solution to these challenges occurring in Richardson Flat and has asked the property owner to join our town. Richardson Flat is at the nexus of two major transportation arteries – SR 248 and US 40 – allowing the large number of new and existing residents throughout the Jordanelle area convenient access to shopping and many other services.
Developing this area also will make the existing but never used Richardson Flat parking area a highly valuable transit center for residents seeking to utilize Park City’s many amenities and skiing without the need to drive into town. Hideout also plans additional biking trails that would connect into the Rail Trail and a Spine Trail along SR 248. These new trails would provide alternate transportation to and from Park City and to communities to the east; and an option for cyclists who dread using the busy and dangerous SR 248.
Local, walkable shopping facilities (no big box stores) and situating a well-used transportation center in this location will reduce traffic and stress on Kearns Boulevard, as these new residents will not be forced into Park City. Without this development, the likely outcome is more traffic on Kearns Boulevard into Park City and more traffic into Kimball Junction. These current retail centers are too far to be conveniently reached by bus, so cars will be used, resulting in Sundance-like traffic on a daily basis.
We are committed to doing this the right way and are aware that Park City recorded an agreement more than 20 years ago regarding future restrictions on a portion of the land. We are happy to discuss how and whether these might be applicable as the new regulator of the land.
This annexation effort is a win-win for the residents and future residents along Jordanelle as well as the greater Park City community. It will reduce traffic, address community needs, provide needed workforce housing, and add miles of outdoor space for an active community.
Philip Rubin
Phil Rubin has served as the mayor of Hideout, Utah, since January 2018. He has been a resident of Summit and Wasatch counties since 2009. Rubin is a retired operations and supply chain executive having worked for several multinational companies around the world.