Park City— An all-rental community featuring integrated affordable housing units, Highland Flats, has been proposed for the Highland Estates neighborhood of Park City by a development partnership between Colmena Group, Breen Homes, and Jake Breen, Managing Broker of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Utah Properties. Located on a 40-acre parcel by the I-80, Highway 40 interchange, Highland Flats will consist of 410 units. 35 percent of those will be deed restricted affordable and workforce housing in an effort to address the countervailing public interest of providing high-quality affordable units to enable essential workers to live in the community they serve. The community, which will require all affordable renters to be primary residents, includes a mix of two-story Flats and Townhome rentals, a clubhouse, 68 percent dedicated open space, and connected trails. Ten acres have been set aside for a future Catholic Church parish. Highland Flats is on the bus route, so residents can conveniently get to work without adding to traffic issues, and the developers are planning an upgrade to the bus stop.
“Having grown up as locals with a love for the Wasatch Back and owning this piece of land for over a decade, we have thoughtfully considered various uses for it that best suits Park City’s needs and enriches the lives of individuals,” says Jake Breen of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Utah Properties. “As a result of meeting extensively with various community leaders, business owners, non-profits, and the Park City School District to gather their input, our conclusion is that the most compelling, countervailing public interest is the need for affordable rental housing. We hope our parcel can help fulfill that need, and allow those who serve our community to truly be a part of it with the common goal of achieving greater socio-economic diversity.”
Following a work session with Summit County Planning Commission on October 13th of last year, the developers have modified the proposal based on feedback they received. A public hearing is scheduled for February 23rd, during which the updated proposal will be presented. The most significant comment was to adjust Area Median Income (AMI) percentages and increase the number of affordable and moderate workforce units to total 144. Most notably, 80 percent of the affordable units are for those earning 30-60 percent AMI, income categories whose housing needs are largely unmet in Summit County. There will be an equal mix of one, two, and three-bedroom units across the different AMIs, with no distinction between market rate and affordable inventory. View the breakdown of AMI and rental rates on the Highland Flats homepage.
“The recent update to Summit County’s affordable housing plan shows that there is a significant deficit in affordable rental housing, in particular for those income earners in the 30% – 60% AMI range. Highland Flats will deliver 117 units in this range,” explains Nate Bullen, Partner and VP of Development for Colmena Group. “These are primarily the service industry workers who are the backbone of Park City, and we felt it was paramount to offer a solution that addresses their housing needs. Our land is a perfect location in terms of access for these workers and does not fundamentally change the residential nature of Highland Estates.”
Additional updates to the proposed community include adjusting the layout and height to respect all view corridors, other than the freeway, as well as adding trail connections to Highland Trail and the Rail Trail. The developers have also conducted a traffic study.
For more info about Highland Flats and to complete a brief survey about affordable housing, visit www.highlandflatspc.com.