The development of a military and law-enforcement training center north of Coalville may receive a green light after members of the Summit County Council expressed support for the project Wednesday evening.
The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission shot down the development proposal last November. But the applicant, Utah-based ChamTech Enterprises, has appealed the denial of a permit to build the facility near Coalville.
ChamTech partner Anthony Sutera said he hopes to develop the training area on a roughly 2,500-acre stretch of rangeland northeast of the unincorporated town of Echo. The land is owned by Mike Schultz of Sawmill Ranch, LLC.
Echo is about 30 miles from Park City.
“This property is somewhere around six to eight miles from any population whatsoever,” Sutera said at a County Council meeting in Coalville.
Some people who train at the facility would learn sniper skills. Other courses could utilize all-terrain vehicles, communications equipment and surveillance and counter-surveillance techniques.
Sutera said ChamTech would not use explosives, chemicals, aircraft or high-volume shooting ranges. Those training at the facility would learn survival skills useful in war zones and during dangerous travel.
“We formed this company to address a lot of issues that we saw in the special operations community,” Sutera said. “The concept behind the training venue is to be able to give the guys who are out in the field some unique training.”
He criticized planning commissioners who voted against the development application.
“I felt like a lot of politics went into the decision that was made by the Planning Commission,” Sutera said.
Commissioners voted 5-2 to reject the project. Planning Commissioners Tonja Hanson and Jill Houston voted to support the proposal.
“Frankly, I think there has been some local favoritism for some of the local landowners,” Sutera said. “The objections that we got were so far out of left field that it frustrated me.”
Only rough roads access the area. Planning commissioners who voted to deny the permit said they were concerned about the costs of responding to fires and other emergencies.
“They have to prove that this is a significant community benefit,” Planning Commissioner Diane Foster said in a telephone interview Thursday.
Foster voted against the permit. Nearby landowners also expressed opposition for the project.
The remote area is used for agriculture and commercial hunting, critics say.
But Summit County Fire Warden Bryce Boyer said firefighters could reach the land with wildland trucks if a blaze ignites.
On Wednesday, the County Council postponed a decision on ChamTech’s appeal. The discussion is scheduled to continue in February.
County Councilwoman Claudia McMullin voiced support for ChamTech’s request.
“I really struggle with why this is so different from what already is happening with commercial hunting Commercial hunting just doesn’t have to go through these hoops,” McMullin said. “On some level I believe this application has been vilified unnecessarily.”
County Councilman Chris Robinson made similar remarks.
According to County Councilman John Hanrahan, “I’m finding that I’m not seeing the significant adverse impact on the adjoining property owners.”
But County Councilwoman Sally Elliott said she would vote against the appeal.
The danger of wildfires would increase if the facility is built, she said.
“We can barely adjust to what god gives us in the form of lightning,” Elliott said.
She also criticized Sutera for the negative remarks he made about the Planning Commission.
County Councilman Dave Ure said he also does not support ChamTech.
“The property is agriculture. It is not commercial,” Ure said.
Coalville resident Denny Wright owns property near where the training area is proposed. Wright cautioned the County Council not to overturn the decision from the Planning Commission.