Old Stage Road Development Proposal

My Top Priority as Mayor

As mayor, my top priority will be to stop Solitude’s proposal to construct parking lots on Old Stage Road. Nothing is more critical to preserving the canyon’s future than ensuring this project never moves forward.

This is the most consequential challenge our town has ever faced. The project touches every part of our community – traffic, safety, the environment, and the legacy we leave for future generations. The message from residents has been overwhelming and united: we do not want this project.

I’ve studied the issue in depth. Here’s the short version of my assessment:

The Good News: The Town of Brighton has the authority, right now, to block this project – and we should act decisively.
The Bad News: If Alterra and Solitude remain determined, they can fight back through lawsuits, lobbying, and potentially pressuring state lawmakers to override local zoning.
The Best Outcome: Successful negotiations with Solitude will address the resort’s transportation and parking challenges while also establishing a permanent conservation easement on the Old Stage Road property.

This is a complex issue, and I welcome input, suggestions, and criticism. If elected, I will stand with the community and do everything in my power to stop this project.

Background on the Old Stage Road Property

In 2023, more than 15 acres of land on Old Stage Road were listed for sale (PDF 7.7MB) at $1.5 million. This property sits directly across from Entry #2 at Solitude Ski Resort, on the north side of Highway 190. It connects to Old Stage Road and rises through forested slopes toward the Forest Glen neighborhood.

Alterra and Solitude’s Interest in the Property

In 2023, Solitude Mountain Resort – one of two ski resorts in Big Cottonwood Canyon – and its Denver-based parent company, Alterra Mountain Company, recognized a growing challenge: parking.

Parking at Solitude remained limited. Despite introducing paid public parking in the winter of 2019/2020, promoting carpooling and ridesharing, and supporting public transit options, both the resort’s lots and the on-street public parking along the south side of Big Cottonwood Canyon Road were often completely full on busy days.

With Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT)  “2023 Record of Decision for Little Cottonwood Canyon” targeting the removal of all roadside parking, Solitude saw the writing on the wall: Big Cottonwood’s roadside spaces for resort visitors could soon disappear, effectively removing about 200 parking spots for Solitude customers.

When the Dunyon property on Old Stage Road became available, Alterra and Solitude recognized an opportunity to expand parking for the resort and purchased the property. However, the site was far from a perfect, turnkey solution.

Additional Information:
Salt Lake County Assessor Records: 12202 E Old Stage Rd. and 7080 S Old Stage Rd.

Developing Old Stage Road Parcel: Serious Obstacles

Difficult Terrain
The site is home to a thriving aspen forest that would need to be clear-cut to make way for access roads and parking lots. Its steep slopes would require extensive excavation and massive retaining walls, some as high as 40 feet, driving up costs and environmental impact.

Highway Safety
The property sits on the north side of SR 190. This means resort guests would either have to cross a busy highway on foot or rely on a continuous shuttle operated by Solitude whenever the lots were in use. Both options – crossing a busy highway or relying on a continuous shuttle – create serious logistical and safety challenges.

Access Rights
The parcel’s unique shape and boundaries would require an easement across land owned by Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) – a 172-acre parcel (13067 E Guardsman Pass Rd.) critical to protecting the canyon’s watershed.

The Dunyon family provided Solitude a “Declaration of Access,” citing historical use of the SLCDPU land via a jeep trail dating back to the 1960s. However, SLCDPU Director Laura Briefer told Solitude they would not be permitted to cross the city’s property to build or access a parking lot. In May 2025, she reiterated: “We have not given permission to Solitude. Nor are we obligated to.”

Regulatory Approval
Before Solitude could begin construction, the project would require approval from multiple authorities. The resort would first need to submit a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) application to the Municipal Services District (MSD), the special government entity serving the Town of Brighton and other member communities.

Once the MSD accepts the application as “complete”, the CUP must then be approved by the Town of Brighton Planning Commission, which serves as the town’s land use authority. Construction could only legally begin after both of these steps were successfully completed.

Community Opposition
The proposal to construct parking lots on the Old Stage Road property was met with immediate and fierce local resistance. Clearing a forest to create additional parking in an already congested canyon is deeply unpopular. While no formal poll has been conducted, discussions at the June 2025 “State of Solitude” meeting and conversations I’ve had with residents suggest that more than 90% of the community opposes the development.

At the time of the parcel’s purchase, Alterra was already in the midst of a decade-long conflict with the Palisades Tahoe community over the scale of a planned resort development – a dispute that ultimately was settled favorably for environmental groups in July 2025. By pressing forward with the Old Stage Road plan, Alterra risked another lengthy battle, this time with the residents of Big Cottonwood Canyon.

What the Proposed Parking Lots Would Look Like

In its April 15, 2025 Conditional Use Permit application (PDF 5.7MB) to the Municipal Services District, Solitude proposes constructing an access road and two parking lots with a combined total of 593 spaces (by my count 268 in the upper lot and 315 in the lower lot).

Additional Stats from the Conditional Use Permit Application:
Total Disturbed Area: 61,923 square feet (10.60 acres)
Total Roadway and Parking Lot Area: 232,440 square feet (5.33 acres)
Total Snow Storage Required: 63,384 square feet
Total Snow Storage Provided: 72,386 square feet
Parking Stall Dimensions: 20’ length x 9’ width
Pedestrian Walkway Width: 5’

How the Project Impacts Brighton

The Old Stage Road parking lot proposal is more than just a development project; it represents a fundamental threat to our community, environment, and quality of life.

Environmental and Ecological Costs
Loss of Habitat and Forest: A vast swath of thriving aspen forest would need to be clear-cut, which would further stress canyon wildlife.

Irreversible Impact: Once paved, these lands cannot be restored. The damage is permanent – we cannot “course correct” after the fact.

Increased Environmental Pressure: Additional cars, snow removal, and expansive paved surfaces would degrade water quality, fragment habitats, and heighten wildfire risk.

Traffic and Safety
Increased Congestion: The project would introduce roughly 600 additional cars into the canyon. On peak winter days, up to 7,000 vehicles (PDF 372KB) already travel SR 190. Even accounting for the 200 roadside parking spaces that may be removed, this represents a significant increase in traffic on a road already at capacity.

Safety Risks: More cars mean more pedestrian and vehicle conflicts, particularly near highway crossings and resort access points. This would create serious safety concerns for both visitors and residents.

Impact on Local Residents: Nearby homeowners would bear the brunt of the added traffic and noise, but the effects would ripple through the entire community. Every Brighton citizen would feel the consequences of more vehicles in the canyon.

Alternative Transportation Solutions
Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) Study: UDOT is currently conducting a Big Cottonwood Canyon Study, scheduled for completion in Spring 2026. The study is expected to recommend improvements to parking and mass transit at the base of the canyon in Cottonwood Heights. These enhancements are likely to more than offset the loss of roadside parking along SR 190, reducing the need for large-scale parking development on Old Stage Road.

Additional Solutions Being Explored: Including enhanced bus service and dedicated resort bus stops, tolling and traffic management, mobility hubs and improved transit connections

Brighton Nodes Project: The Brighton Nodes Project aims to build and improve transit hubs throughout Big Cottonwood Canyon, further supporting sustainable transportation and easing winter traffic on SR 190.

Skiing Quality
Strain on the Ski Experience: The Big Cottonwood ski resorts are private businesses, but they operate on National Forest lands that are owned by all of us. More cars mean longer drive times, longer lift lines, crowded trails, less powder, and an overall diminished experience for everyone.

Economic and Social Impacts
Privatized Gains: The parking lot project primarily benefits Alterra and Solitude, allowing a ski resort to profit from a publicly shared canyon while the local community absorbs most of the long-term costs.

Unsustainable Growth Mentality: This project reflects an unsustainable growth mentality, prioritizing expansion at the expense of environmental protection and the community’s capacity.

Community Values and Governance
Contrary to the Town’s Plan: The Town of Brighton General Plan (PDF 69.4MB) was adopted in 2022 with broad community input, guides long-term decisions on land use, transportation, and environmental protection. It prioritizes minimizing environmental impacts, preserving wildlife habitat, maintaining the town’s character, and supporting sustainable transportation. The Old Stage Road parking lot proposal runs directly counter to these goals.

We Can’t Wait: Some town issues allow for a “wait and see” approach, but the Old Stage Road parking lot project demands immediate action. Once the lots are built, the environmental, visual, and community impacts will be irreversible.

Local Governance: The Town of Brighton was founded to control our own future, and the message from the community is clear: residents do not support this project.

Long-Term Legacy: There is nowhere else like Big Cottonwood Canyon. Overdevelopment threatens what makes it special. Building these parking lots contradicts the principle of “leaving the campsite better than you found it” and jeopardizing the legacy we leave for future generations.

Where Are We Now in the Process?

Solitude’s Conditional Use Permit Application
In February 2025 Solitude submitted their first Conditional Use Permit application to the Municipal Services District (MSD). The MSD determined the application was deficient and in April 2025 Solitude submitted supplemental materials to address the MSD’s feedback (notably the number of parking spaces was reduced from 720 to 593 in the April application).

The MSD is presently reviewing the application. When they determine it is “complete” they will send it to the Brighton Planning Commission. Town residents will then receive a 10-day notice before the Planning Commission’s hearing to consider the application.

I don’t see how it is possible for the MSD to deem the Solitude application as “complete” when the parking lot access road needs an easement from Salt Lake City Public Utilities (SLCPU). And considering the director of SLCPU has stated there will be no determination on the easement until she reviews the UDOT transportation study of Big Cottonwood, it is unlikely the application can move forward before Spring of 2026 at the earliest.

This is good because if the Conditional Use Permit application reached the Brighton Planning Commission today, there is a good chance it would be approved. This is because the Planning Commission has its hands tied by Utah law on these types of issues. They must approve the permit if the detrimental effects of the project can be “reasonably mitigated.” Public opinion has no bearing on the decision. They can only focus on the merits of the proposal and its mitigation measures.

However, it looks like the Brighton Planning Commission may be ready to play a decisive card – shifting the framework from “we are legally obligated to approve the application” to “we have no legal authority to approve this project.” More on that below.

The Brighton Planning Commission Can Stop the Project (for now)

The Brighton Planning Commission is considering a proactive step to block the Old Stage Road parking lot project. Under current law, if the MSD accepts Solitude’s Conditional Use Permit application as “complete,” the Commission is legally required to approve it – as long as Solitude demonstrates that the project’s impacts are “reasonably mitigated.”

To avoid this outcome, the Commission is exploring revisions to Municipal Code Sections 19.04.070 (Zoning Definitions) and 19.24.030 (Schedule of Uses). The proposed ordinance amendment (OAM2025-001431) change would:
Clarify definitions: Define “Ski Resort” as snow-related and year-round activities within approved boundaries. Define “Ski Resort Support Facilities” (e.g. lodging, retail, parking, etc.) as only allowed within existing resort boundaries and in FM-10 or FM-20 zones.
Tie facilities to boundaries: Require that support facilities be located inside official ski resort boundaries, not on separate parcels elsewhere.
Establish maps: Adopt official boundary maps for Brighton and Solitude directly into the code.

The Planning Commission is an advisory body. It can only review and make recommendations for amendments to existing land use regulations to the Town Council; it cannot change the code itself.

In this case, if the Planning Commission recommends a revision to Municipal Code, the recommendation will move to the Town Council for a public hearing and a vote. Under Utah law, public notice and an opportunity for residents to provide input are required before any change can be adopted. If the Council acts quickly, the code change could be approved within a few weeks and be made effective immediately once adopted.

For the code revisions to apply to the Old Stage Road project, they must be adopted before MSD declares Solitude’s Conditional Use Permit application “complete.” If the application proceeds under the old rules, the new code will not apply retroactively. Any deviation from the standard review process and timeline could create grounds for a legal challenge.

Possible Responses from Alterra and Solitude

If the Town of Brighton amends the municipal code to block the Old Stage Road parking lot project, Alterra/Solitude could respond in several ways: abandon the project, postpone activity until conditions change, modify/scale down the project plan, pursue legal action, seek state-level intervention, or negotiate alternative solutions. Let’s break down these options further:

Abandon the Project: If the town blocks the Old Stage Road parking lots, the simplest option for Alterra/Solitude is to cut their losses and walk away from it. As much as I’d like to see this happen, given the significant investment Solitude has already made, it seems unlikely they would quit on the project.

Postpone Activity Until Conditions Change: Alterra/Solitude could put the project on hold, let the dust settle, and keep the option alive while waiting for circumstances to become more favorable in the future (e.g. regulatory updates, political shifts, easement approvals).

Modify / Scale Down the Project Plan: Solitude could reduce the size or footprint of the parking lots to make the plan more acceptable to the town and community. However, my impression is the project needs to be at least a certain size (e.g. at least 500 parking spots) to make it viable, making this a less probable choice.

Pursue Legal Action: Alterra/Solitude could attempt to sue the town, claiming the decision violates their rights. However, Utah precedent suggests that such litigation is unlikely to succeed. Read more…

State-Level Intervention: The Utah Legislature has a history of overriding local land-use authority, often in response to lobbying from developers or other special interests. Alterra/Solitude could pursue a similar path, seeking a state-level “carve-out” to bypass Brighton’s zoning power.

Going to the State Capitol could also potentially solve Solitude’s easement problem with the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU). If state legislators are already prepared to provide legislative assistance, they could just as easily draft a statute requiring Salt Lake City to permit certain “recreational or transportation improvements” in the watershed. Since Salt Lake City’s watershed authority comes from state law the Legislature is well within its power to limit or override the SLCDPU Director.

There is precedent for this kind of intervention. In 2023, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 84 Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone Amendments, which created a special zoning category allowing a developer in Kimball Junction to sidestep local land-use ordinances. The bill’s key provisions included creating a new zoning category that bypassed local zoning and land-use ordinances. Similarly, the push for the Little Cottonwood Canyon gondola is another example of the state government prioritizing developer and resort interests over widespread community opposition.

The key lesson for the Town of Brighton is that we cannot rely on the state legislature to honor the decisions of our local government. For Alterra/Solitude pursuing state-level intervention is not a sure bet. It would likely require years of lobbying and significant financial resources, with no guarantee of success.

Negotiate Alternative Solutions: Negotiation remains the most practical and productive path forward for Alterra/Solitude and the Town of Brighton. While litigation or state-level lobbying are always possibilities, both routes carry steep legal, financial, and public-relations risks. After recently resolving a 14-year dispute over the Palisades Tahoe development, Alterra has strong incentives to avoid another drawn-out conflict with another resort community.

With UDOT’s environmental study expected to wrap up in early 2026, major transportation improvements are already on the horizon for both Big Cottonwood Canyon and down in Cottonwood Heights in the coming years. This creates opportunities for collaborative solutions – the town could potentially work with Solitude to facilitate land swaps, purchase the Old Stage Road property, or provide some other local legislative relief to address parking concerns.

Over the coming months and years, it will be imperative for the mayor and Town Council to keep constructive dialogue open with Solitude. By shaping clear incentives and disincentives, the town can make conservation easement or alternative solutions more attractive than building out Old Stage Road. Parking and transportation challenges at our ski resorts are complex, but they don’t have to pit Solitude against the community.

In June, I met with Solitude’s General Manager, and my impression was the resort does not want to be at odds with the community. I believe Solitude and Alterra are open to solutions that meet their needs while protecting and preserving the canyon’s character.

What Happens Next Is Up to Us

The overwhelming opposition to the Old Stage Road parking lot shows just how much our community values Big Cottonwood Canyon. This proposal is one of the most consequential issues Brighton has faced in its short history, and the outcome will shape the future of our town.

It’s essential that residents continue to make their voices heard. Grassroots efforts from Stop the Lot, Save Our Canyons, and the Big Cottonwood Community Council (PDF 105KB) have done an excellent job explaining what’s at stake, but community engagement remains key.

On Tuesday, November 4, Brighton voters will choose a Mayor and two Town Council members. I’m running for Mayor because I believe our town must stand strong against this project. If elected, I am committed to stopping the Old Stage Road parking lots and preserving the canyon’s natural resources, community character, and quality of life for all residents and visitors.

This is a complex issue, and I appreciate your thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. Please share your feedback.