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Developer outlines long-range plan for 550 acres at Hill Air Force Base; interchange, canal relocation and connectivity flagged as priorities
Summary
Taylor Woodbury of Woodbury Corporation presented a master-plan update for 550 acres on the east side of Main Street at Hill Air Force Base, citing utility challenges, a planned UDOT interchange and canal relocation as key constraints and opportunities.
Taylor Woodbury, chief executive officer of Woodbury Corporation, updated the Sunset City Council on Jan. 21 about long-range development plans for about 550 acres of ground associated with Hill Air Force Base.
Woodbury said the joint venture that developed parts of the base has roughly 550 acres remaining and has built about 1,300,000 square feet of commercial space to date. He described the federal development mechanism in use as an enhanced use lease (EUL) and said the project's payment-in-kind (PIK) and related mechanisms keep revenues on the base and available to fund Air Force facilities.
"We are the largest enhanced use lease in the Department of Defense now, both in terms of size and in terms of dollars invested," Woodbury said. He described the arrangement in which revenue generated on the developed ground remains available to the base through a trust arrangement administered by MIDA (as presented) rather than being returned to Washington, D.C.
Woodbury said UDOT has progressed on an interchange project tied to the site; he was told bids are opening this week and the project remains on track to break ground in coming months. He and council members repeatedly raised connectivity and grade concerns between the east and west sides of Main Street, and he said the canal relocation and a buried box culvert will free developable land along the freeway. "We were able to bring it down from where we initially started, which was a big pickup," Woodbury said of the site grade after negotiating canal relocation and utility changes.
Discussion covered several implementation issues: access and connectivity across Main Street (including study of underpasses/tunnels and pedestrian bridges), water and other utility relocations, the planned frontage road on the east side connecting 5600 South to 200 South in Clearfield, and the presence of older 1200-series buildings the developer hopes to demolish to extend roads. Woodbury said utility work remains one of the principal constraints but that a partnership with the base on water delivery is yielding a solution.
Woodbury told the council that some local tax revenues are routed through MIDA and that approximately 75% of certain tax revenues are retained by MIDA with 25% flowing to cities (as explained in the presentation). He said timing is driven by market and infrastructure: a master plan effort in 2025, hopes for improved market conditions in 2026-27, and the interchange opening targeted in 2028.
Council members asked technical and planning questions about grade, road connections, canal alignment and snow/utility maintenance. Woodbury said MID A (as presented) and the developer contract with local cities to provide routine services (for example, snow removal and road maintenance) and that MIDA is responsible for utilities and for contracting for maintenance services.
No formal council action was taken; Woodbury said the company will continue planning work with the city and the planning commission and return with designs and community engagement as details are finalized.
