A positive update from Save Our Canyons concerning the proposed mountaincoaster:
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A Coaster-Free Wasatch!
This past Monday, April 18th, the Salt Lake County Board of Adjustment (BOA) decided the January 12th Planning Commission decision to allow Snowbird to construct a "Mountain Coaster" on the slopes of Mt. Superior was ILLEGAL, siding with Save Our Canyons’ and another appellant’s appeal. Members of the BOA went through each point of both the Slope Waiver and Conditional Use criteria as laid out by State and County Ordinances, giving the issue the discussion it was warranted, but never received during the rushed January Planning Commission Hearing. Through their analysis, per our appeal, the BOA decided that the mountain coaster was not consistent with the definition of a “ski resort” as found in the Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone (FCOZ) and that it was also not compliant with the Wasatch Canyons Master Plan, which governs land use in the canyons.
Both the Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News did a superb job covering the issue, which brought over 200 protesters to the Salt Lake County Complex in mid-March.
The controversial coaster united Save Our Canyons members, Snowbird patrons and condo owners, Alta residents, Alta School students and other numerous Wasatch lovers. Good things happen when we all work together! Thank you to everyone for elevating this issue and helping us reverse the County’s poor planning decision.
Snowbird has the opportunity to appeal the decision to the State of Utah once the decision is made final at the BOA’s next meeting on May 11th. Keep an eye on our website at
www.saveourcanyons.org for future updates and annoucements.
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