Representatives of Powder Mountain and county planning staff presented the Powder Mountain master plan to the Planning Commission for discussion Thursday. The plan describes conceptual development, environmental constraints and proposed public services for a large resort-area site that spans the Cache–Weber county line.

Brian Carver, a planner working with JUB Engineers on the county review, described the plan’s contents and told commissioners the key outstanding issue is inter-county coordination: “Cache County has a responsibility to work with Weber County to make sure that your local agreements are in place to provide the necessary services to future development, primarily, fire and EMS and law enforcement,” Carver said. Carver recommended that interlocal agreements be in place before building permits are issued, and that technical studies (soils, hydrology and cultural resources) be required at subdivision or development milestones.

Powder Mountain representative Brooke Hans told the commission the project team supports dark-sky lighting standards and the project’s wildfire-defensible-space requirements. “We are committed to that,” Hans said, adding that Powder Mountain has worked with Weber County on similar code and development standards and that the team has drafted design standards they can refine with Cache County staff.

Commissioners and staff focused on three items: (1) ensuring fire, EMS and law-enforcement services are contractually confirmed with Weber County before significant development occurs; (2) establishing a development-tracking mechanism and defined triggers that would require additional traffic, safety or infrastructure studies at predetermined thresholds of development; and (3) creating design standards and a clear review path so the county can assess hotels, lodges and other commercial structures at a design-review stage while routine single-family subdivisions would continue under standard subdivision review. Brian Carver said Weber County already has a code framework that Cache County has used as a model.

No final action was taken Thursday; staff and the applicant agreed to return with recommended conditions, a draft timeline for interlocal negotiations and proposed development standards for review at the next meeting.