Heber City cannot move forward with a 4.2% property tax increase officials approved for fiscal year 2027. The Utah State Tax Commission prohibited the increase after notifying the city that it did not comply with a new state law. 

No remedy can be made as fiscal year 2027 is already underway, according to City Manager Matt Brower. 

City staff unanimously voted to approve the 4.2% increase on Aug. 18. That increase would have generated about $154,412 for Heber City in fiscal year 2027. Brower said the city will now have to operate without the additional revenue. 

The city will instead reverse expenditures by 4.2% for each department. 

Brower said the decision from the Utah State Tax Commission cannot be appealed or protested. 

“We are now into our fiscal year ’27 budget and making adjustments and moving on,” Brower said. 

It’s unclear whether the city will propose a larger tax increase for fiscal year 2028. The city relies on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data for every proposed tax increase and has, historically, aligned those increases with inflation. 

Heber City has increased the tax rate five times in the last 30 years. The last raise was in 2024 when property taxes were increased by 9.4%. 

Brower said he is not “100% sure” if a new increase will be proposed next year, or what that amount could be. 

“You could have a recession; the economy could boom. You just don’t know what’s going to take place in the next 365 days,” Brower said. 

The Utah State Tax Commission notified at least eight other cities of the same issue and said that their rate increases would not be certified, according to Brower. The Tax Commission is operating under two bills adopted earlier this year intended to curb larger tax increases in state municipalities. 

Brower said Heber City missed one step in the process, which included submitting a combined statement generated by Wasatch County. That’s a document that itemizes cities or entities going through Truth in Taxation. 

Heber City failed to post that document on its website two weeks in advance of the tax increase. 

Heber City will be “OK” without the added $154,412, Brower said. 

“We run a tight ship. We have some reserves that we’ll utilize, perhaps, and keep moving forward,” Brower said. 

Residents largely opposed the tax increase when it was first proposed at 4.8% in August and when it was reduced to 4.2%.

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Christian Johnston has been fly fishing in Wasatch County for years. As a West Jordan resident, he travels to the Wasatch Back to enjoy the views and abundance of fishing. 

Johnston was fly fishing at Deer Creek State Park on Saturday, when he caught and released two rainbow trout — both too small to keep. That day, the fishing was good, he said. But Johnston has seen the environment of Deer Creek State Park and the Provo River change over the years. 

Along with seeing low water levels, Johnston said people seem to care less for the environment. Visitors are leaving beer cans, cigarette butts and more behind, he said. He’s also concerned about harmful algal blooms, which seem to form nearly every year.  

Provo River Days volunteers set up at Deer Creek State Park on Saturday seeking to educate recreators such as Johnston about Provo River and water body health. The annual festival had four stops along the riverway where attendees and passers-by could learn more about the natural environment at Deer Creek State Park, Wasatch Mountain State Park, the Jordanelle Reservoir and Vivian Park. 

Sandy Wingert of the Utah Division of Water Quality said the major focus this year was on information and outreach. The Provo River headwaters lead into water bodies that provide drinking and irrigation water to Wasatch County residents and some along the Wasatch Front. 

Wingert said harmful algal blooms, like the ones recreators such as Johnston notice, are one concern. Elevated nutrient levels cause problems like harmful algal blooms, which lead to fewer people “out and about enjoying their watershed.” 

“There’s a lot of various water quality concerns we have in this area,” Wingert said. 

Elevated nutrient levels come from nonpoint sources much of the time, such as wastewater treatment facilities, construction, farmers who apply fertilizer to their land and more. 

To address environmental concerns, Wingert said they start by answering questions like what type of irrigation is used in farming, how much fertilizer is applied and where soil testing is done. Then, they restore eroded stream banks, work with the Wasatch County Health Department and come up with collaborative approaches to keep the environment and water bodies healthy. 

Eric McGill is an educator who brought along three friends: a barn owl named Tyto, an eagle owl named Bubo and an African pied crow named Sheryl. With her long beak, Sheryl took slips of paper from attendees who wrote down what they do to protect water bodies and sources.

Leave no trace was one. Keeping track of water use was another. 

McGill said his feathered friends are a reminder that it’s not only humans who are affected by the health of nearby water bodies. For instance, if the Provo River is low, that impacts wildlife and fewer animals and birds visit the area. 

Orem resident Mark Jones said it was nice to learn more about development in the area and how it might affect where he lives and also where he recreates in Wasatch County. Jones is an avid biker who travels to Wasatch Mountain State Park for rides, but he remembers a time when Deer Creek Reservoir levels were high enough to waterski in areas that, on Saturday, fly fishers easily waded through. 

“Right here was our favorite place to waterski because it was always the smoothest,” Jones said. 

The last time he was able to waterski in that area was about five years ago, he said. Now, he tends to recreate elsewhere. 

Rachel Winder was another volunteer with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. 

“A lot of my job is to make sure that we’re putting in practices that are going to prevent that pollution from reaching water bodies like a river,” Winder said. “We can all collectively exercise some stewardship over those pollutants.”

She hoped people would feel more connected with their watershed as a result of Provo River Days. After all, Winder said, it’s up to everyone to collectively care for their environment. 

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Alice Hicken believes in education; she said there’s always value in learning. Throughout the years, she’s watched each of her six children attend school in the Heber Valley. 

Hicken said it isn’t just her who holds stock in learning. 

“Education was really important in the lives of the pioneers,” Hicken said.

Multiple schools have been built in Wasatch County since the pioneer days. A history buff and homemaker with some time on her hands, Hicken woke up one day with an idea: What if she could collect photos of every school since the first settlers arrived in the Heber Valley?

Hicken decided to do just that.

The Wasatch County Senior Center now has renderings of Wasatch County schools no longer in operation lining its main hallway. It starts with a Fort Heber school built in 1859, traveling through time until reaching the 1975 version of Wasatch High School. 

“I just feel like we should remember the past and how important education was,” Hicken said. 

The renderings were created by artist Fred Merklich, who partnered with Hicken on the project as she found new photos of the historic school buildings. On Sept. 25, Merklich will host an art reception at the Wasatch County Library to celebrate the visual record. 

The detailed renderings show how the schools changed over time, transitioning from log cabin-style structures to pot rock and red sandstone buildings — a style repeated throughout Heber City architecture. 

Some old school buildings are dilapidated but still standing. One Wallsburg school is still seen in town. 

“You can’t miss it when you go into Wallsburg,” Hicken said, adding that the structure is not in the best shape. 

Another cabin-style building, the Center Creek School, still exists, but was moved from its original location. It now sits along S 3600 E in Heber City. 

And the Wasatch County School District still uses one of the old school buildings for its central office in Heber City. It’s the only building in the art lineup that is still fully operational. Hicken said she included it because of its history. 

The school buildings recognize the history and memories that connect generations of individuals. Hicken’s children attended the old Wasatch High School. Hicken herself once held a months-long substitute teaching role.

Standing in front of the artwork, Hicken pointed to the window of the classroom she taught in. Though she did not substitute teach for long, the experience made an impact on her life. 

Hicken believes that’s the point of connection for everyone — that schools offer experiences and the chance to build memories during formative years and beyond. Some in Wasatch County will remember the old Central School that burned down on Jan. 28, 1923, Hicken said. 

Fewer would remember the old Soldier Summit School. Hicken said that classroom area was popular in southern Wasatch County when railroad workers lived in the area.

“When you read about it, it was a big, booming place,” Hicken said. “Then somehow the railroad changed.” 

People often forget that Soldier Summit, a mountain pass reached by traveling through Spanish Fork or Helper, is part of Wasatch County, Hicken said. 

Along with renderings of the schools, Hicken explained the history of the Wasatch County School District, which was formed in 1887. With the motto “Seek Ye Learning,” the school district aimed to bring education to everyone in Wasatch County, to “continually pursue knowledge, wisdom and growth.”

Hicken said it was a pleasure to collect the photos and see the artwork, created by Merklich. The schools established in Midway, Center Creek, Daniel, Charleston and Wallsburg should all be remembered, Hicken said. 

Now that the project is complete, Hicken said she hopes the public will appreciate her work and Merklich’s. 

“We need to remember how important education was from the very beginning,” Hicken said. 

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Atop the Ameyalli Resort & Spa Residence Club rooftop, Michelin-star chef and James Beard award winner Charlie Palmer laid the table with his first meal at the resort. 

As Palmer spoke on the rooftop patio, he was surrounded not only by the Heber Valley landscape, Mt. Timpanogos and Wasatch Back foothills, but also by a group of people who had a stake in Ameyalli Resort’s development. A mellow breeze coasted through the patio as the sun set, and visitors had a view of Ameyalli’s landscape, soon to be built out with amenities and even more residences. 

Palmer said the first dinner, held on Friday, was a celebration. It was not only a recognition of what Ameyalli Resort has planned for the future, with residence sales already underway, but also a nod to the partnership between Ameyalli Resort and Appellation — a hospitality group Palmer co-founded. 

Palmer and Four Seasons President of the Americas Christopher Hunsberger first came together when Palmer was brought on as a celebrity chef partner. Appellation currently manages Appellation Healdsburg and Appellation Lodi, with other projects underway. 

Appellation Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California, is one example Palmer said shows his dedication to developing outstanding spaces with wellness and culinary excellence as a backbone. 

“Appellation is about being a very special destination,” Palmer said. “A place that I think is really special, that we can do something special.”

Palmer’s new book, “Wineland: Celebrating the heart of Sonoma,” published in June and shows exactly what drew him to cooking and creating new spaces in Sonoma County. He said projects like Appellation Healdsburg were “a dream come true.”

Now, Palmer brings that dream to Midway. 

First on the menu was something simple.

Juicy heirloom tomatoes with a basil pesto was served with peaches topped with a different basil-mint pesto and reduced balsamic. 

A creamy burrata and fresh greens complemented the light, summer flavors. On the side: Ballerina Farm biscuits spread with cultured butter and sprinkled with sea salt — another local tribute. Palmer paired the course with a crisp 2024 Sancerre.

The ingredients, he said, are what make the meal special. Start with the simplest, local products and add what makes those ingredients pop. Palmer also worked with Midway Mercantile chef and owner John Platt. Palmer said the first dish, and the two courses to follow, were indicative of what he and Platt do best.

As Palmer discussed the second and main course, the chef explained that great meals are also a partnership. Platt and Palmer worked together to create the meal, each bringing their own ideas to the table. Platt had vowed that he would never leave the building once he was set up in Midway. That is, unless Palmer called. Platt fell back on his nearly two decades of experience catering and got to work. 

Filet mignon with wild mushroom beurre rouge was cooked medium rare or medium well. That was straightforward enough for Palmer and Platt. It was the black truffle potato gratin that took more conversation, Palmer said. 

Platt hoped to make a “funeral potato” style dish that brought back feelings of home for Utahns. It’s a dish well known to those from Utah or the Midwest and is often a creamy, casserole-style potato. Palmer put his spin on it with a taste of black truffle. 

Working as a pair, the two were able to put together a hearty second course that felt “like home,” they said. The meat-and-potato course was then served with a 2021 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon from California. 

Platt explained where each portion of the meal came from, including nearby Velvet Acres Farms, Rustling Aspen Farms and Tagge’s Famous Fruit and Veggie Farm. 

“What could be wrong?” Platt said about the food. 

Palmer and Platt’s final course was another nod to fresh, seasonal food with a strawberry-rhubarb crisp. Spice from a rhubarb-ginger jam was paired with the creaminess of vanilla ice cream. The dessert course came with a glass of Cascina Montagnola Sornoine — a late-harvest sauvignon blanc.

Chefs cook for different reasons, Palmer said. For him, born and raised on a dairy farm in New York, cooking is about everything that’s local. It’s about what makes that specific place special. 

In Midway, what’s special is obvious to Palmer. When he was first introduced to the project, he said he recognized the value of the land, the surrounding mountains and the opportunities such a spot presented. 

Ameyalli, Palmer said, begins with wellbeing. For both Heath and Palmer, it’s obvious that there is a strong connection between wellbeing and food. Throughout the project, Palmer said he reminds himself of a few things:

“Be yourself. Be genuine. Take care of people,” Palmer said. 

Before the dessert course, Ameyalli founder and developer Charles “Chuck” Heath said Palmer and Appellation’s involvement in the resort is a recognition that the “whole goal” is to promote good living for everyone.

“I want to accomplish that every day at our resort,” Heath said. “We’re about community, enjoying what we have.”

Ameyalli’s future wellbeing programs are based on that philosophy. Heath said the water in the area is one of the promising factors of Ameyalli’s development. Midway is known for its Swiss themes and local charm, but also for the hot springs in the surrounding area. Heath said using that natural spring water connects the development to the land and landscape. 

“It’s not your typical development. We want to do it right,” Heath said. “We’re not here to put up a 10-story Marriott.”

Heath said the wait was worth it. He wants it “done right” for everybody, “not just us.”

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An 18-year-old Wasatch Alternative School student died in a fatal car crash on U.S. 40 on Monday evening. 

Utah Highway Patrol, the Heber City Police Department and the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash, which occurred around 4:45 p.m. within Heber City limits.

Heber City Police Chief Parker Sever said the 18-year-old driver crossed three lanes of traffic and collided with a delivery service semi-truck. Sever said it’s unclear what caused the collision. The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle.

The Wasatch County School District released a prepared statement about the accident on Tuesday.

“We are encouraging students who feel impacted by this loss to speak with their school’s counselors or social workers, who are available to provide support,” the statement said. “Our thoughts are with the student’s family, friends and all those who knew and cared for them during this difficult time.”

Sever said law enforcement agencies hope to learn more about the cause of the collision from a medical examiner’s report, which takes a few weeks to process, but it would reveal whether there were any medical issues happening at the time of the crash. 

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Midway resident Rees Jensen remembers the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks not only as an “unthinkable” disaster but as a reminder.

Every day, he said he recalls that he was supposed to be on the plane that hit the first of the towers. Only by chance did he decide to stay in San Francisco, where he lived at the time.

“I received the precious gift of life,” Jensen said. “Each morning we wake up with the time we have been given.”

On Saturday, Jensen and hundreds of Wasatch County residents woke up and chose to serve their community to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11. The tradition goes back more than a decade in Heber City.

Last year, more than 400 residents showed up. Ann Moulton of Just Serve said this year seemed even bigger, with Heber City, Midway City, Wasatch County and area residents putting together a list of community service projects. 

“When they serve, it makes them happy. That’s what I’ve observed,” Moulton said. 

The work included yard work for neighbors in need and park cleanups. Suicide prevention and outreach signs were installed at Deer Creek State Park and at the WOW trailhead. 

At one site, volunteers repaired worn American flags. 

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Denise Harris said, as a veteran and Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program leader, the task hit close to home. Harris said each flag has a varied lifespan depending on its use. 

Flags that line streets for parades, for example, may only last a few months in the elements. American flags are burned when they are retired. It’s the proper way to treat such a symbol with respect, she said. 

There are other ways to recognize the importance of the American flag. One is through the nonprofit Stars For Our Troops. That group preserves embroidered stars from woven flags and sends them to veterans. 

Heber City Manager Matt Brower led the project. He said the 85 flags in need of repair are used throughout the year, but especially during Fourth of July celebrations. 

Bryan Searing, a Heber City resident, drilled holes in new poles before securing new flags and rolling them up securely. Searing said he volunteers year-round with Just Serve. But he said Saturday was an important day to donate his time. 

“It’s a good way to remember,” Searing said. “A good way to feel part of the community.”

At Southfield Park, around 20 volunteers planted trees and installed new benches near the skaters’ pump track. Former Heber City Councilor Scott Phillips led the project. 

Phillips said he developed the idea after driving by Southfield Park and noticing parents lounging in the grass because there weren’t enough places to sit.

Planting new northern red oak and Kentucky coffee trees with members of the Wasatch County Parks and Recreation Department was another part of the project. 

Phillips was joined by his wife, Kristi, and daughter Annie.

Annie acknowledged the Day of Service was a family affair. 

“Always,” she said. 

9/11 happened years before Annie was born, but she remembers learning about the tragedy in school. 

“I really didn’t understand the severity of it at first,” she said. 

Kristi said she feels it’s a responsibility of older generations, who remember the disaster, to teach their kids about the terrorist attack. The Phillips were in New York City the day before the attack. They flew back to Salt Lake City on Sept. 10, 2001. 

“It was that close of a call,” Kristi said. “Just talking to Annie about the severity of it and what the nation felt.”

Annie said she was impressed with the number of people who participated in Saturday’s volunteer event. She said it’s clear that the events of Sept. 11 affected the entire nation. Volunteering is a good way to grieve the losses of that day and remember, she said. 

Kristi agreed. That day united the nation, she said. The Phillips family agreed that volunteering was exactly how they wanted to spend the day.

“We use it as a remembrance,” Kristi said, adding that it’s clear that Heber City remains united 25 years later.

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Brieann Charlesworth’s favorite card game is not easy to win. 

Boss Monster is a dungeon-run game where players experience increasingly difficult challenges as they level up. Teamwork is eventually required, and players can tackle rounds as duos to defeat each dungeon section. 

It’s different every time.

“I bought that game on a whim,” Brieann said. “I was like, I really am hooked. … It moves fast.”

That variety is something Brieann’s life partner, Matthew Goodrich, also appreciates in his games of choice. His favorite, Betrayal at House on the Hill, is a cooperative, hidden-traitor board game. 

“Think of it as like being in a ‘Scooby-Doo’ episode,” Matthew said. 

A team of players enters a haunted house to a slew of awry situations. New rooms are unlocked as the game progresses, eventually building the entire haunted house. 

“Then eventually there’s a haunting and one of the players is revealed as the betrayer,” Matthew said. 

It becomes all-against-one. The game has 100 different scenarios, and every new play is randomized. 

“So … almost infinite replayability,” Matthew said. 

Matthew still hasn’t played every possible version. 

The couple’s love of games is part of why Brieann became the owner of one Game Grid franchise location in Saratoga Springs. There, the couple found a community dedicated to learning and playing trading card games. 

Brieann said that community was sure to be found elsewhere.

So, she decided to open a new location in Heber City with Matthew’s help. It’s set to be open to collectors, players and enthusiasts by the end of September, or as early as Wednesday. 

Matthew said there are still a few kinks to work out and plenty of store setup to do before doors open to the public. He and Brieann said they are looking forward to what the Heber City community has to offer. 

Game Grid won’t just be a store that sells board games, trading cards and the like. It will be a home base for gaming enthusiasts to play with friends or meet new ones. 

That’s what the couple’s Saratoga Springs location has become. 

“There weren’t any amenities for people to just go and enjoy an evening that didn’t involve driving out somewhere,” Brieann said. “We wanted to do a community-like center, but it’s focused on games and just making sure everybody finds an interest in a group they want to be a part of.”

Matthew said these days he and Brieann don’t have much time to play games. But that’s because the pair are putting on near-nightly events, hosting new people and those already well-versed in the gaming community. 

In a post-COVID world, Matthew said Game Grid provides an intentional place where people can hang out, be social and have a reason to leave the house. 

“It’s been met with very good will and favor,” Matthew said. “People seem to really like it.”

There are plenty of game stores in Utah, Matthew said, but their Game Grid franchise stands out. 

“I think that we have set ourselves apart as a game store,” Matthew said. “Our location seems to stand apart as being meant for more people than just the hardcore gamers.”

There’s a feel to Saratoga Springs’ Game Grid that people appreciate, Matthew said. 

“They tell us that they like being here, and that it’s a place where they can come be a part of a community,” Matthew said. “Where traditional game stores are kind of more built around the competition and being good at games.”

It’s meaningful to the couple.

“The tables are open to use, so if you have a group that wants to play a game, maybe I have a demo available and you’d like to play. That’s open for you to sit down and try it out,” Brieann said. 

Brieann said the pair have not pursued much advertising for Game Grid Heber City, but they are already receiving calls asking if specific board games are in stock. 

While Game Grid is a Utah franchise, each store is independently owned. Brieann said that system works for her. 

“What works in one Game Grid and what’s popular there may not be popular in Heber, so it allows us that flexibility to change,” Brieann said. 

She chose Heber City as the next location because it had a “similar feel” to Saratoga Springs. 

“We’ve identified it as similar, as just maybe needing that community,” Brieann said. “You have a lot of new people that have moved in. A lot of new people looking for something to do.”

Brieann and Matthew hope to strike a balance between casual and competitive. But no matter what, their main goal to foster community remains the same. 

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Summit and Wasatch counties are Utah’s most expensive housing markets, according to a new report from the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. 

Utah ranks as the 10th most expensive state in the nation for single-family homes, with a median sales price of $559,900. Summit and Wasatch counties surpassed that number dramatically, with median sales prices of $2.2 million and $1.2 million, respectively, in the first quarter of 2026. 

Summit County saw a 5% decrease in median single-family home sales price from the first quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026. Wasatch County, however, saw a 21.8% increase in the same time period. 

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute reported that homeownership has fallen to “near historical lows,” though Utah’s homeownership rate continues to exceed the national average. In 2025, 68.2% of Utah households owned their home compared to 69.9% a decade ago. 

The report indicates that Utah’s housing demand will likely persist with the state’s growing population. Utah will need approximately 61,500 new owner and renter units targeting households ages 35 and younger, about 120,000 units for those aged 35 to 64 and another 98,000 for those 65 and older. 

Summit County Economic Development Director Jeff Jones said he’s not surprised by findings in the Policy Institute’s Report. 

In terms of homeownership, Jones said Summit County has significant challenges. 

“Different groups need different kinds of housing,” Jones said. 

Workforce populations and seniors have varying needs, Jones said, but there are also transitional and emergency housing needs. He cited the Cline Dahle project and others as examples of development that can help.

Cline Dahle is Columbus Pacific Development’s vision for affordable housing on about 30 acres of land in Jeremy Ranch. It’s a public-private partnership with the county, and developers pitched deed-restricted projects with a mix of units between 0% and 150% of the AMI, or area median income. 

Research for the project began in 2024, and implementation was scheduled for June 2025. 

“There’s no single solution that will move the needle without continued partnership,” Jones said. 

The Policy Institute findings are in line with research Jones has collected over the years.

Jones also revealed a breakdown of Summit County’s median housing prices by zip code. Park City saw a median housing price of $3.3 million in August 2026. Echo and Henefer had the lowest median housing prices in the county at $360,000 and $699,950, respectively. 

For every unit size, the maximum affordable rent reaches market parity at a lower AMI level than the maximum affordable sale price, according to Jones’ findings. 

The Policy Institute found 486 permitted residential units in Summit County and 959 in Wasatch County.

Jeffrey Bradshaw is the executive director of the Wasatch County Housing Authority, which supports Wasatch County residents looking to purchase a home. The group created a down-payment assistance fund to help qualified homebuyers obtain housing and supports nonprofit organizations working to help citizens afford housing. 

Like Jones, Bradshaw said the Policy Institute findings seemed in line with what he is seeing on the ground in Wasatch County. 

“It’s real expensive to build on the Wasatch Back, and folks can’t afford to buy homes,” Bradshaw said. 

He said there has been a sharp decrease in the number of down-payment assistance loans issued by the Wasatch County Housing Authority. Those loans sit at 2% interest for about 30 years. Bradshaw said it’s a good deal, but lately, it hasn’t been enough. 

“We haven’t made hardly any lately because the cost of housing is so high that down-payment assistance loans aren’t enough to help out,” Bradshaw said. 

To be specific, Bradshaw said that means just one over the past month. Those loans top out at about $30,000. With that one loan, Bradshaw said the board made an exception to grant the assistance to a couple making just over 80% of the area median income. 

The median household income in Summit County is $138,114, and in Wasatch County it’s $117,608. To afford a median-priced home with a 10% down payment, households in Summit County need an annual income of $427,300, and those in Wasatch need $304,900. 

But Bradshaw has not given up hope because there are programs that help, including rent-to-own opportunities and partnerships with groups like the Mountainlands Community Housing Trust. 

That organization gives applicants the opportunity to purchase deed-restricted homes. Buyers also put in sweat equity, helping to build the homes they will eventually own. 

He said the Wasatch County Housing Authority is also looking to hire a full-time executive director (Bradshaw is not full-time) who can implement new homebuyer assistance programs. 

Partnerships, Bradshaw said, are crucial. That’s especially true when the county or organizations like the Wasatch County Housing Authority work with developers. 

“The biggest challenge is being able to get them built somewhat affordable without it being too big of a subsidy,” Bradshaw said. “That’s the tough part.”

Building new homes in Wasatch County is a balancing act, Bradshaw said. 

“Developers realize they have to participate in it, but they’re out to make a living, too,” Bradshaw said. 

Despite rising costs and population, Bradshaw said organizations that help homebuyers in Wasatch County are heading in the right direction. 

“We’re here to try to help folks find places to live that they can afford,” Bradshaw said.

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Heber City resident and hopeful political newcomer Robert Duncan McNeill is stepping in as the Democratic candidate for Wasatch County Council at-large Seat A. 

McNeill, a Heber City resident, filed his intent to run on Sept. 1, one day after the party’s former nominee, Patrick Saucier, withdrew from the race. Having moved to Heber City in 2020, McNeill said he is confident he has what it takes to protect the “small town feel” of the Heber Valley and Wasatch County.

After all, McNeill said he wants to protect his “forever home.”

An actor who studied theater at The Juilliard School in New York City, McNeill said he is well versed in taking on new roles. That includes not only acting but also directing and producing. 

McNeill is best known for his role as Lt. Tom Paris in “Star Trek: Voyager,” a television series that aired in 1995. After that, McNeill went behind the camera. He’s directed around 200 television episodes and has been a producer on around five times that many. 

“The thing I love about television is the speed of it and the teamwork of it,” McNeill said. “There’s never enough time. There’s never enough money. You’re always fighting unexpected problems.”

Learning to work with available resources and anticipating surprises are some aspects of the job McNeill enjoys. He said those skills are easily transferable to what’s required for the county councilor occupying Seat A.

“I got a reputation for being someone who was very responsible and thinking outside of the box,” McNeill said. “I was brought in to kind of get things back on track to a number of shows as a producer.”

New and creative solutions are among his talents, he said. McNeill wants to utilize that work ethic as a county councilor. If elected, McNeill said he would focus on what he considers the main issues in Wasatch County: growth, maintaining the county’s rural feel and accountability. 

“The explosion of growth in Wasatch County, I think that is the No. 1 issue. The community and quality of life,” McNeill said. “I think community is a big part of it.”

Accountability is also top off the list. He said these days, he thinks the public wants representatives at the county level “representing them and not just special interests.”

“I think everyone wants their voices heard,” McNeill said. 

Making county processes more transparent is crucial for McNeill, who said the County Council has consistently shown its cards in that regard. 

“I think there’s a lot of good things that are happening at the council level, but I think it can be even better,” McNeill said. 

For example, he proposed giving community members more ways to engage beyond public comment periods. 

“There should be a response process that happens for some of these major development issues that has some time for people to respond,” McNeill said. “If we wanted to create a process for that, I think that would be great.”

McNeill admitted his biggest challenge will be never having held an elected position before. He would be a “freshman,” he said, albeit an enthusiastic one. But McNeill didn’t think that was such a bad thing.

“My biggest strength is, I think, bringing in some fresh voices,” he said. “I think, as a Democrat, I really value everyone’s voice.”

Whether someone has lived in Wasatch County for generations, is new or is looking to build — McNeill said everyone should have an equal say. 

“When everyone is heard, and things are transparent, I think that’s a strength,” McNeill said. 

McNeill will face Republican Rachel Kahler for at-large Seat A in the general election. There are also write-in candidates: Shawn Taylor and Jami Hewlett. 

The voter registration deadline is Oct. 23, and same-day registration is available on Election Day, Nov. 3. Regular general election ballots will be mailed Oct. 13, and all ballots must be in the possession of the Wasatch County Clerk-Auditor’s Office by 8 p.m. on election night.

The post Wasatch County Council candidate Robert McNeill values transparency, accountability appeared first on Park Record.

Heber City’s wildland urban interface map is expanding. 

Municipalities are required to adopt a wildland urban interface map — which shows areas where urban zones meet wildland and open space — under House Bill 48, which the state Legislature passed last year. 

The law is designed to help residents protect their properties by requiring fire-resistant, defensible materials in development, managing vegetation and ensuring water availability. Property owners can still build in high-risk areas, but new construction in such zones must comply with stricter safety and building standards.

H.B. 48 also aimed to help curb potential property insurance impacts. Insurance agencies can only determine high-risk properties as defined by the WUI maps adopted across the state. Heber City adopted its map earlier this year, but voted to expand it on Tuesday.

The Heber City Planning Commission amended the city’s WUI map to add land from the Wasatch Canal west of Valley Hill Boulevard, heading north along U.S. 40.

The change does not affect any of the underlying zoning regulations such as lot sizes or uses, heights or setbacks. Anything built prior to the adoption of the map change would be grandfathered in. 

“The intent here is to really mitigate wildfire and to mitigate the spread of fire through these areas as they bump up against undeveloped areas or hillsides,” Baron said. 

Wasatch Fire District Fire Warden Troy Morgan said the amendment adds requirements to increase structures’ resiliency in wildfire areas. He said essentially, the WUI code has three zones: wildland that’s undeveloped, wildland-urban interface and urban areas. 

“The concern that we have here is when we had initially drawn the map for Heber City and for this area, it followed the canal,” Morgan said. “But with this level of development and the density that we’re seeing, the proximity of houses to one another kind of exacerbates the potential spread of structure to structure.”

There are multiple fuel sources for fires: Grass, shrubs, trees and homes or structures. The WUI amendment would help mitigate the risk of wildfires and wind-event fires. 

Morgan also emphasized that the Wasatch Fire District can complete requested home hazard assessments, which would be submitted to the state. Those assessments could possibly lower fees for homeowners in high-risk areas. 

“We feel like we can take better care of our citizens,” Morgan said. 

That assessment is voluntary. Morgan said, overall, the city and Fire District have to work with the law that was passed. Residents can request an assessment from the Fire District at any time. 

“Unfortunately, we have to go with it, roll with the punches per se,” Morgan said. 

However, Morgan added there are benefits to the WUI. It requires neighborhood accountability. 

“You can do everything that you can to protect your home from a wildfire, but if your neighbors do not do any of that, they are the biggest risk for your structure in the event of a wildfire,” Morgan said. “This gives more bite to make sure everybody is doing what they are supposed to be doing to be more fire resistant.”

Expanding the boundaries of the WUI, Morgan said, helps the city get “ahead of the game” when thinking about upcoming growth and development. 

The Planning Commission adopted the WUI amendment on Tuesday.

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