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PROVO, Utah (AP) — Some Utah County residents want Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort to keep development plans out of their area.
Members of the public expressed concerns about the resort and American Fork Canyon on Friday in the Utah County Commission's chamber in Provo, the Daily Herald reported (http://bit.ly/1NiwyLh).
A plan that was protested by Utah County residents and later scrapped would have given Snowbird access to land in American Fork Canyon.
Most of Snowbird is in Salt Lake County, and some residents said Friday that the resort should stay there.
A resort-built tunnel connects Little Cottonwood Canyon on the Wasatch Range with skiing in Utah County's Mineral Basin. Protect and Preserve American Fork Canyon and its supporters are worried development will continue and impede public access to an area that people have historically enjoyed.
Snowbird President Bob Bonar told Utah County commissioners Thursday that potential recreation opportunities in American Fork Canyon will not include development of hotels, condominiums or roads into Tibble Fork Reservoir.
He said land swaps in Utah County are not being considered.
Commissioner Larry Ellertson prefaced Friday's meeting by asking for accuracy.
"There have been some concerns and conjecture of things that were happening," he said. "I think we've known there have been some things that aren't happening, that were going to happen. I would ask that we focus on the accuracy of these today. It's important that we have open public dialogue."
American Fork Councilman Brad Frost said planning is needed to avoid potential problems with an influx of visitors.
"We can say we are respectful of personal property rights of Snowbird and that we could try to understand through the county what they own, because they are not forthcoming to tell us that," Frost said. "I would suggest that we find a way to find out what they own and that we respect their private property rights. But, let's not forget the public property. Let's respect public property rights as well."
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Information from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com
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