Big Crowd Tears Into Treasure

Neighbors turn out en force to challenge the Sweeney family's plans
by Jay Hamburger OF THE RECORD STAFF
Posted: 02/13/2009 03:36:34 PM MST


Pat Sweeney listens on Wednesday as Planning Commissioners and a large crowd criticizes his family's Treasure plans. Scott Sine/Park Record

A big crowd tore into the Sweeney family's idea to build Treasure on the slopes of Park City Mountain Resort just above Old Town Wednesday in what was among the most lopsided and well-attended City Hall hearings in recent years.

Approximately 150 people attended the meeting, which was held at The Yarrow to accommodate the crowd. The speakers on Wednesday leveled wide-ranging criticisms on Treasure, but worries about traffic were especially notable. People who live on streets like Empire Avenue and Lowell Avenue are leery that many people will drive on their roads as they drive to and from Treasure.

The hearing, held before the Park City Planning Commission, was the first in what will be a series of meetings this year. It was scheduled

Kyra Parkhurst, who lives on Empire Avenue, describes conditions on neighborhood streets as she talks about the growth since Treasure won its overall approval in the 1980s. Scott Sine/Park Record after a lengthy hiatus in the talks that allowed the Sweeneys time to revamp their plans. But the redone designs have not appeased the people who live on the nearby roads.
They jammed into the meeting room and spent just more than an hour testifying against the project. The critics keyed on traffic, with Planning Commissioners, the Sweeneys and the crowd shown photos of the conditions, including one of skiers walking in the street close to where the project would be built.

Kyra Parkhurst, who lives on the 1000 block of Empire Avenue, used a makeshift map of the vicinity to illustrate her points about traffic. She talked about the number of pedestrians on the roads, said private-sector snowplows add to the congestion and parking is problematic. People in the audience yielded their allotted speaking time to allow Parkhurst to continue.
She disagreed with Sweeney assertions that a 1980s overall approval for Treasure remains valid. Parkhurst said many houses have been built since then, saying back then the neighborhood was made of "funky ski bums" instead of the families who live there now.
"I think they've missed the window of opportunity. The area has changed too much," Parkhurst said. Brian Van Hecke, an Empire Avenue

Brian Van Hecke, an Empire Avenue resident, tells the crowd streets are dangerous in Old Town and Treasure would damage Old Town forever. Scott Sine/Park Record
resident who is a leader in the Treasure opposition, charged the project would damage Old Town forever. He said Treasure is too large and the nearby roads are not adequate.

"Old Town streets are already dangerous," Van Hecke said, also contending that the neighborhood has changed significantly since the 1980s.
Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Diania Turner spoke to Planning Commissioners about her concerns with Treasure-related parking. Parking in Old Town is difficult already, she said.

"You can't even provide me with one parking place. That's just me," Turner said.
The Planning Commission took testimony from 22 people, with the speakers recounting their experiences in the neighborhood and their concerns about Treasure. Jack Thomas, the chairman of the Planning Commission, requested the crowd refrain from clapping. Police officers were stationed at the meeting, a rare police presence at a Planning Commission meeting.
Kevin King, a house designer and critic of City Hall's Old Town guidelines, offered tepid support, the only speaker on Wednesday to do so. He acknowledged the 1980s approval and said it is "inevitable" Treasure will be built. King suggested alternative ideas be considered, talking about somehow realigning roads through Park City Mountain Resort.

The Sweeneys are seeking an approval for approximately 200 hotel rooms, 100 condominiums and 19,000 square feet of commercial space on a hillside just west of Old Town. The project is part of the earlier approval, meaning that City Hall years ago granted the Sweeneys development rights at the site.

After the hearing, Pat Sweeney, who represents his family, said his side did not push Treasure supporters to attend the meeting. He said the crowd on Wednesday ignored what he sees as the Treasure benefits.

Sweeney also said the developers would make improvements to nearby streets, including installing a sidewalk on Lowell Avenue close to the project, to alleviate traffic, among other measures.

"They're not here to look at the positives," he said. Planning Commissioners indicated they were worried with the Treasure designs. They seemed unconvinced Treasure will boost business on Main Street, they criticized ideas for a conference center at the site, they questioned the Sweeney measures to handle traffic and they said pedestrian safety remains in doubt.

The panel is tentatively scheduled to continue discussions about Treasure on March 25.