Salt Lake City, UT – The Salt Lake County Planning Commission last Wednesday voted unanimously to approve Snowbird’s proposed new location for a mountain coaster that caused consternation amongst some members of the local environmental community.
The commission’s approval is contingent on more detailed site plans and meeting various governmental agency criteria, all of which Snowbird officials say that the resort has addressed throughout the planning process.
“We are excited to provide another form of summer recreation for our guests and Utah’s growing population,” said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. “We feel today’s approval is a result of listening to various stakeholders, community groups and neighbors as well as working with Salt Lake County and City to create a workable solution for all parties.”
Snowbird hosted site tours for any interested individuals, community groups, councils and commissions prior to last Wednesday’s meeting in an attempt to address any concerns, which resulted in very little opposition during the Planning Commission meeting.
The new location for the resort’s proposed mountain coaster will be within Snowbird’s existing developed resort footprint on private property with loading and unloading at the base of the Peruvian Express chairlift. Much of the ride is obscured from the highway by the resort’s Cliff Lodge as well as trees and vegetation. An earlier proposal called for placement of the coaster on the lower south-facing slopes of Mount Superior, with a bridge carrying the coaster tracks over Utah Highway 210, the Little Cottonwood Canyon Road, a plan that drew the ire of Save Our Canyons and other groups dedicated to preservation within the canyons surrounding Salt Lake City, which depends upon snow melt from the canyons for its water supply.
“As with every project we undertake, water quality is at the top of the priority list,” said Bonar. “Scientific analysis dating back to Snowbird’s beginning demonstrates that year-round recreation is compatible with operating within a watershed.”
Snowbird now will begin the final design phase and work on installation timelines, currently expected to take place this fall or spring 2013.