Protect Summit County - Put Dakota Pacific On the Ballot

Story

Help Us Defend Summit County Voters — Fund Our Appeal Our Cause Summit County citizens overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to Ordinance 987, which amends Dakota Pacific's development agreement and introduces significant residential density to its Kimball Junction parcels. With more than 6,000 signatures, the petition to put the ordinance on November ballots far exceeded its goal and demonstrated the clear will of the people: we want a say in this project. What’s the Issue? The fine print of Ordinance 987 reveals myriad problems. The amended development agreement green-lights a high-density, mixed-use plan including 890 housing units, office/tech space, shops, new streets, and lots of developer fee waivers. Fine print reveals a lopsided "public-private partnership" which puts taxpayers county-wide on the hook for the lion's share of public "amenities" including an Olympic view park, plazas, a pedestrian bridge, and an 800-person seat amphitheater. More fine print reveals Dakota Pacific may build "up to" 340 units of deed restricted housing, but isn't legally obligated to the number of affordable/workforce units they promise. Concerns over traffic, congestion, tax increases, affordability, and the future character of our community sparked a citizen-led petition to bring the issue to voters in November 2025. But Summit County Clerk Eve Furse rejected almost half of our signature packets after she saw photos of one of our sponsors and another of our hardest working volunteers circulating petitions. Despite the clerk's and other challenges to our signature gathering process, our packets are compliant with Utah election code and supported by Utah law. And we believe despite her stated goal of ensuring the will of the voters is expressed, Ms. Furse's decision does the opposite and blocks democracy. Why This Matters If our appeal is successful, Summit County voters get to decide the fate of Ordinance 987 in November. If not, Dakota Pacific gets fast-tracked with the aid of the State legislature. This isn’t just about one project; it's about preserving the integrity of citizen-led democracy and pushing back against legislative interference on all local matters for all Utahns. Where We Stand We’ve retained Melanie Clark of Foley & Lardner to appeal this decision. We’re starting with a modest goal to cover initial legal work. But we need your help to continue: $5,000 fully covers research, a recent in-person meeting with the clerk, and the appeal filing. $10,000+ positions us to pursue higher court review if needed. If successful, any surplus will support voter outreach to ensure turnout in November. How You Can Help 1. Donate - Every dollar gets us closer to unlocking the ballot in November. 2. Spread the Word - Share this campaign with your friends, neighbors, and local groups. 3. Stay Engaged - Send us an email to get on our list, and volunteer to help keep this grassroots movement alive. Why It Matters to You This is about more than Kimball Junction; it’s about affirming that voter intent matters, and that citizens have a right to challenge local government decisions. When democracy works, we all win. We need all 6,000+ petition signers and our many more supporters to stand with us now. Let’s prove our voices will not be silenced. Thank you for helping us fight to have our voices heard this November.