Old Substation Site Transfers to Park City for New Downtown Park (UT)

PARK CITY, Utah: Today the Park City Municipal Corporation celebrates taking title to a half-acre parcel of land that will become Park City’s newest “pocket park.” The transaction was made possible by a significant donation of land value by the previous owner, Utah Power.

The property, located at the bottom of Park City’s historic Main Street at the intersection of Park Avenue and 9th Street, was formerly used by Utah Power as a substation site. The property had been identified by the city as a top priority for acquisition through its $10 million open space bond fund.

Utah Power donated most of the value of the property, which resulted in a savings to Park City of $1.3 million. Park City purchased the property for $400,000. The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit land conservation organization, facilitated the transfer of the property from Utah Power to the city.

“We are excited to be a part of this transaction,” said Bob Richer, who chairs the Citizens Open Space Advisory Committee. “The one-half acre parcel in the heart of Old Town will help us achieve a more open feeling in a rapidly developing area, check development, and enhance overall livability in Park City.”

“This conservation project could not possibly have succeeded without the involvement of Utah Power,” said Eric Love, TPL project manager. “The substantial value of the company’s donation made it possible for the city to afford the purchase.”

“Utah Power is pleased to be able to make this property available for the enjoyment of future generations of Park City residents,” said Bill Landels, Executive Vice President. “This is part of our continuing commitment to support the communities we serve in many different ways.”

In response to rapid growth in the area, the city council of Park City began expanding its open space acquisition strategy in early 1998. The council asked TPL for help creating the open space program and formulating a referendum to provide funding for land purchases. With support from TPL’s public finance program, the $10 million open space measure passed with overwhelming voter approval.

Park City’s first priority for acquisition was a scenic 20-acre property known as Richards Ranch located along the city’s S.R. 224 entry corridor. To help leverage the city’s staff capacity, TPL negotiated the purchase of the Richards land and conveyed it to the city in August 1999.

The Trust for Public Land, founded in 1972, has helped protect more than 1 million acres nationwide, including watershed, forest, scenic, and agricultural lands, as well as parks, greenways, and historic landmarks. TPL recently launched its “Greenprint for Growth” campaign to help sprawl-threatened communities protect lands as a way to guide development and sustain a healthy economy and quality of life. More information on TPL is available at www.tpl.org.

Utah Power serves some 622,000 customers in Utah, and is part of the ScottishPower group of companies, which serves 1.5 million electric customers in five western U.S. states and 5.5 million UK customers-about one in five British households. The company’s activities span the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity, as well as natural gas supply, water and wastewater services, and telecommunications.