SALT LAKE CITY — Opponents of proposed changes in ski area and canyon zoning ordinances rallied Tuesday, saying the changes expand ski resorts into public land, harming the environment and affecting drinking water.

The rally, organized by Save Our Canyons, was held in the Salt Lake County South Building at 2100 South and State Street, before a regular County Council meeting where the zoning ordinances were to be discussed.

"The reason we're here today is ... we've reached out to a lot of members of the County Council and not a lot of them have returned our phone calls," said Carl Fisher, executive director of Save Our Canyons during the meeting.

Rally participants congregated in the atrium of the Salt Lake County South Building holding signs and meeting other opponents of the proposed zoning changes.

"I value the wild character of the Wasatch and open space," said Joe Flower, a Salt Lake resident holding a sign that read "Say no to ski-stink," a play on SkiLink, a proposal to build a gondola connecting Canyons Ski Resort near Park City to Solitude Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon. "That resource is always under attack by developers."

The zoning ordinances, which opponents fear would pave the way for projects like SkiLink, were not voted on during the meeting. Councilman David Wilde suggested those interested in making public comments on the issue wait until future meetings when they would be voted on. But Councilman Randy Horiuchi received applause when he said if people wanted to make public comments, they could, despite those issues not appearing on the agenda.

Residents spoke about proposed changes to the Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone, the critical planning document that dictates what types of development and activities can happen in the canyons where the ski resorts of Alta, Brighton, Solititude and Snowbird are established. The ordinance also restricts development in the foothills of Emigration, Parleys, Millcreek, Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, Rose and Butterfield canyons.

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Multiple ski resort proposals that could ultimately more than double the amount of access to ski acreage in Big and Little Cottonwood canyons has Salt Lake City raising the alarm on how the developments could impact its watershed.

Revisions under consideration to the overlay zone include redefining what it means to be a ski resort so that summertime activities are more easily accommodated into development plans by resort owners. By their definition, ski resorts contemplate activities associated only with snow.

Revisions also would modify the criteria for granting waivers for construction activities that relate to slope grades. On gradients of 30 percent or less, for example, no waiver would be required.

Mike Goar, managing director of Canyons Resort, said he was aware of the rally and hoped SkiLink could be fairly judged.

"SkiLink is a simple gondola that will connect Canyons to Solitude," he said in a statement. "It does not expand terrain and it is not a precursor to any other development. It can also be a benefit to everyone in our state by further adding to the cachet of Utah’s renowned outdoor recreation offerings while, at the same time, creating jobs and enhancing the economy."

The Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone was created in 1997 and its original form prohibited construction on slopes greater than 30 percent. Planners wanted to keep private, residential cabins off steep slopes because of erosion and stability concerns.

In the ordinance crafting process, ski resorts argued the original language was too broad and would interfere with the installation of features such as ski lift towers or mid-mountain services. The ordinance was rewritten to include the waiver option that still includes environmental and safety conditions that ski resorts must meet.

County officials say the overlay zone needs to be overhauled because it's outdated and hard to understand. Salt Lake County Planning Director Rolen Yoshinaga said the change enables what has been allowed for years to occur through implication to be expressly addressed by the ordinance.

"What we are trying to do is clarify what has been somewhat assumed over the years," he said, adding that nothing in the current ordinance contemplates annual activities like Oktoberfest at Snowbird.

Such inflexibilities are in contrast to what other counties have in place that deal with ski resort development issues.

Summit County, for example, has a “resort center” zone with a set of uses that include summer, winter, residential and commercial.

In Utah County, the ordinance does not refer to the entity as a "ski resort," but simply a "resort." Under that ordinance, ski activities and "other closely related" activities are allowed and specific uses such as zip lines and alpine slides are permitted. Amusement-style rides are prohibited.

The U.S. Forest Service recognizes year-round use on its property, but explicitly prohibits swimming pools, tennis courts and golf courses.

County officials insist that Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone revisions are not being contemplated to allow for the installation of a mountain coaster at Snowbird — which has been vehemently opposed by groups such as Save Our Canyons — or to foster more development via The Canyons' proposal for SkiLink.

Over the course of the next few months, the county is soliciting input from people interested in canyons and foothills development issues in Salt Lake County.

On March 26, a Wasatch Canyons Today symposium will be held, featuring a panel discussion about incorporating some of the ideals contained in a report issued by Envision Utah dealing with the canyons. The effort reached out to more than 16,000 people to seek input on conservation and management strategies as they relate to watershed protection, recreation, transportation and development.

Email: aodonoghue@ksl.com, Email:hschwarz@desnews.com

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