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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS -- Citizens in Cottonwood Heights are waiting for the next move from a developer who wants city approval to build a resort, hotel and condos at the gateway of Big Cottonwood Canyon.
The city of Cottonwood Heights formed a committee of citizens to take a look at the controversial proposal. Now they've finished their report and say a commercial development should not be built at that location.
For years, the project -- originally zoned for large, single-family homes -- has generated intense controversy which erupted anew when powerful developer Terry Diehl proposed to amend the city's land use ordinance to allow for condos, a high-end hotel, retail space and restaurants.
A citizens' committee, formed by the city, studied the plan and now has its conclusion.
"It felt it was inappropriate in this site," says committee member Will McCarvill.
The 13-member committee found the Tavaci site is the wrong location for the proposed Canyon Resort Residential Rezone, the project concept is wrong for that location and that it's "not a location for commercial development."
I think the message is that in the city of Cottonwoods Heights, residents have a very high value on how our mountains look to us and our hillsides.
–Will McCarvill
"I think the message is that in the city of Cottonwoods Heights, residents have a very high value on how our mountains look to us and our hillsides," McCarvill says.
Now the ball is back in the court of Diehl, who didn't return KSL's phone calls or emails.
"Personally I feel that building 43 10,000-square-foot mansion homes on the side of this hill would be visually impactful to such a degree that higher density, more clustered would be a much better option visually for everybody," says city Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore.
The mayor says after earlier contentiousness, he's pleased by the involvement of citizens.
E-mails obtained by a conservation group revealed discussions had been going on for months before the public was informed about the rezone between Diehl and then-councilman Bruce Jones, who first brought up the proposal with the city's planning office.
The two also share a UTA link -- Diehl as board member, Jones as general counsel.
"I realize there was some concern early on about how this was handled. That there was a perception that perhaps there was some backroom dealings," Cullimore says. "I hope now the understanding is that that was not the case. We've opened the process up probably more than any other process in our history."
The developer is expected to respond to the committee's report at a city council meeting this Tuesday.
To read the committee's full report, [CLICK HERE].
E-mail: jdaley@ksl.com
