The Town of Alta is currently accepting public comments on a significant development proposal that will affect the future of Albion Basin and access to Grizzly Gulch. The deadline to submit comments is Friday, March 28 at 11:59 PM. Though only open for 3 days, this optional feedback form is one of many steps that will take place in the planning process over the coming years. Save Our Canyons has requested a 30-day extension of the feedback form, we will keep you updated if it is extended, and about future opportunities to shape the outcome of this proposed development.
Click here to submit your feedback before Midnight on 3/28!
More details:
In 2014, the Estate of JoAnne L. Shrontz was permitted to develop ten 8,500 square foot homes along the Albion Basin Summer Road, right in the middle of the standard backcountry touring approach to Grizzly Gulch. 11 years later, the developer submitted a new development concept that replaces those homes with a six-story condominium building at the lower portion of the parcel and the creation of a perpetual conservation easement on the upper 20 acres above the Albion Basin Summer Road. This plan is being presented as an alternative to a previously permitted 10-lot residential subdivision, which includes no conservation protections. Because this development on privately-owned land was already permitted in 2014, the ability to completely stop this development is limited. This alternative does, however, present an opportunity to consolidate impacts to a smaller footprint and solidify access to backcountry recreation.
The Summer Road is a beloved gateway to some of the most treasured backcountry destinations in the Wasatch: Grizzly Gulch, Wolverine Cirque, and Patsey Marley. Any development in this area will have lasting consequences for ecosystem health, water quality, recreational access, and traffic congestion in an already overburdened Canyon.
While Save Our Canyons would prefer neither option come to fruition, we believe that consolidating development near the base of the property is the lesser of two evils. The proposed conservation easement would help ensure the upper portion remains undeveloped and limit future attempts to widen the Summer Road—an important protection for the character and ecological integrity of the area.
We strongly urge the Alta Planning Commission to:
- Propose a third alternative that shortens the height of the proposed 6-story condominium to reduce impacts on the character and beauty of Albion Basin.
- Guarantee public access to Grizzly Gulch, Patsey Marley, and Wolverine Cirque in perpetuity by including it within the conservation easement.
- Increase the percentage of workforce housing units in the condominium development to reduce Canyon congestion and support workers who struggle to find stable housing options in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Our Submitted Responses
If you had to choose one of these two development concepts, which would you choose?
Condominium Building with Conservation Easement above the Summer Road
Why do you prefer that alternative to the other? What do you think the pros and cons to each alternative are?
The single-family unit alternative presents several concerns for Save Our Canyons and our members. It would contribute to the sprawl of development into relatively undisturbed alpine lands, impacting overall ecosystem function and increasing the likelihood of conflicts between private homeowners and recreators. This alternative does not include a conservation easement, leaving the area more vulnerable to future development pressures. Additionally, any increase in housing capacity, especially those that are not designated for worker housing, will inevitably lead to increased Canyon congestion. However, this option does offer the advantage of a shorter building height, which may result in less visual impact on the surrounding landscape.
The condominium alternative also poses challenges. Its taller building height will negatively affect the pristine visual character of the upper Canyon. While an extra 3 units of workforce housing will be helpful, 30 new units of non-worker housing will certainly increase congestion in an already overloaded Canyon. On the other hand, it includes a conservation easement that would place meaningful limits on future development and help preserve public access for recreation—an important consideration in long-term land use planning. For this alternative to be successful and well-received by the community, we suggest shortening the overall height and increasing the percentage of workforce housing units, without expanding the footprint.
Please provide any additional comments, thoughts or feelings on the development alternatives. Please keep in mind that more steps remain in the process before any development concept moves forward.
While Save Our Canyons would prefer neither option come to fruition, we prefer consolidated development near the base of this property. We believe the conservation easement will ensure the upper area is not developed in the future, and would limit any further attempts to widen the summer road.
We encourage the Town of Alta Planning Commission to ensure public access to Grizzly Gulch, Patsey Marley, and Wolverine cirque are protected in perpetuity, and request it be designated in the conservation easement. While we do not want to see a 130,000 sq. ft condo, we encourage the Commission to push for an increase in the percentage of workforce housing units in the condo development. This will limit impacts of the development on Canyon congestion, while supporting the workers who already have a difficult time finding stable housing in the Canyon. Further, to reduce disturbance of the Canyon’s visual character, we request a new alternative that shortens the height of the proposed condominium without expanding the footprint.
Any development in pristine alpine lands will disturb ecosystem function, water quality, traffic congestion, and habitat connectivity. Our hope is that the Town of Alta planning commission will choose the lesser-of-evils, and preserve public access while doing so.
Take Action
Click here to submit your comment before Friday, March 28 at 11:59 PM
Your voice matters. Encourage the Town of Alta to prioritize conservation, access, and long-term sustainability in its planning process. Let’s protect the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch Mountains for future generations.
