Editor’s note: This is an updated version of this guest commentary, which should have been the one originally published. We are running this version in full and apologize for our error.

Once again, some members of the Summit County Council are on the path to approve the ominous Dakota Pacific commercial, retail and residential project on 60 acres in Kimball Junction.

The fourth public comment meeting in two years is scheduled for Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. at Ecker Hill, as if the council thinks they will hear anything different from a community that has been overwhelmingly opposed to this misguided development for several years. 

The entire plan is flawed with the council seriously considering approving an amendment to the Tech Park parcel in Kimball Junction with no locked-down and approved traffic mitigation solution anywhere on the horizon. 

The Utah Department of Transportation has informed the council that they cannot make any decision on this project until the end of 2024. It may even slip into 2025, and if and when they agree to some project, it will take five to seven years to complete. 

The council is under some self-imposed deadline to make a decision on Feb. 20, just five days after public comment. Understand that public comment is in no way a two-way conversation with the council. They listen but do not respond to concerns, and they will not take questions from the community.

We have recently learned that the reason for the rushed decision from the council is to accommodate possible actions from the Utah state legislators. It’s has been suggested that the Legislature may provide certain incentives to the county if a deal was made.  Those benefits remain undefined since the council has chosen not to reveal the details of their discussions with law makers. In any event,  it is clear the working sessions are scheduled to run concurrent with the legislative session.

Traffic is the overriding issue and even the CEO of Dakota Pacific, Mark Stanworth, was quoted as saying that without a traffic mitigation solution, the residents of the project would be gridlocked. 

Imagine that, this coming from the company that claims their traffic study shows traffic easing from the first study done two years ago in Kimball Junction.

 In the Feb. 1 working session with Dakota Pacific on the subject of density, Stanworth suggested that there was little to no room to reduce the number of units and doing so makes the project economically unattractive. This means that Dakota Pacific will not reduce its profit margins to reduce traffic or reduce the impact to the surrounding infrastructure.

What can the community do if members of the council vote to approve this project? We can vote those council members out who say yes on Feb 20!  That would include both Roger Armstrong and Tonja Hansen, both running for reelection. Vote in a candidate like Thomas Cooke who is opposed to Dakota Pacific for Seat 3. 

Please call and write to the council and tell them to have the courage to stand up for our little mountain town and reclaim self-determination. If they still vote yes against our will, then please support the referendum that will surely follow and retire those up for reelection.

It’s rare in our polarized political country that we can make such a strong statement in unity to those that think they and they alone know what is best for the community.

Please plan to attend the Public Comment meeting on Feb 15 at Ecker Hill at 6 p.m.  It’s up to the community now to stop Dakota Pacific! If we don’t voice our concerns and the council votes yes, we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

Gary Peacock is a Snyderville Basin resident.

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