"A new land-use ordinance in the Town of Brighton is being hailed as a major win for hyperlocal, community-led stewardship in the Central Wasatch. Last week, the town passed ordinance OAM2025-001431, a measure that reshapes how ski resort expansion and commercial development can move forward in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon, according to the Winter Wildlands Alliance. The ordinance is designed to balance growing demand for winter recreation with protection of local ecosystems, watersheds and community character."
"In addition, the measure gives the Town of Brighton a much stronger voice in how land is used in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon. It sets up a clearer public process that more fairly balances the interests of local residents with those of the resorts and opens the door for organizations such as Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, Save Our Canyons, Winter Wildlands Alliance, and individual recreationists and conservationists to participate in meetings about the canyon's future."
Ordinance OAM2025-001431 reshapes rules for ski resort expansion and commercial development in upper Big Cottonwood Canyon within Brighton town limits. It clarifies and maps resort boundaries, permits future growth only inside those margins, and creates a formal town process to accept or deny proposed expansions. The updated code removes a carve-out that allowed commercial development in forestry zones, preventing Brighton and Solitude from developing those areas. The ordinance establishes a clearer public process that balances resident and resort interests and allows conservation organizations and individuals to participate in planning. The measure aligns town code with the Brighton General Plan, prioritizing open lands, forest resilience, and water and wildlife protection.
#land-use-ordinance #ski-resort-expansion #conservation #community-stewardship #watershed-protection
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