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Hideout workshop explores toolbox for affordable and workforce housing as town prepares general-plan update
Summary
Planning staff briefed the council and planning commission on housing supply, deed-restricted units, and financing tools; members debated whether to adopt voluntary objectives in the general plan and to pursue regional partnerships and public education before mandatory requirements apply.
Chair opened a joint special meeting of the Hideout Town Council and Planning Commission to hear a data-driven overview of local housing supply and policy options.
Thomas, a town planning staff member, presented development counts and build-out estimates and said the town has roughly 935 units with certificates of occupancy and about 1,637 platted lots. He said the town’s build-out tally is approximately 2,867 units based on current subdivisions and that Silver Meadows would add about 600 units when complete. He also said Deer Mountain/Todd Hollow includes 74 federally funded, deed-restricted units limited to households at or below 60% of area median income.
The presentation highlighted differences between “workforce” or “attainable” housing and deeper, deed-restricted affordable housing. Thomas summarized typical deed-restriction practices (income checks, limits on equity gains, and multi‑decade affordability terms tied to Low-Income Housing Tax Credit financing) and said details for future projects remain under negotiation.
Commissioners and staff discussed which AMI (area median income) schedule applies. One planner noted that Silver Meadows affordability would be underwritten to the county where the property is located (likely Summit County), which affects the dollar thresholds tied to AMI. The consultant-style presenter reviewed financing options commonly used in resort communities: rezoning for density, density bonuses, fees-in-lieu, tax-exempt bond financing, layered tax-credit financing (4% LIHTC), and partnerships with nonprofit housing organizations.
Members noted that Utah law removed a general authority to require inclusionary zoning in 2023, so the state now expects towns reaching certain population thresholds to adopt at least three moderate-income housing strategies (for example, ADU allowances, fee waivers, or infrastructure investments) rather than a single mandatory percentage. Staff recommended the planning commission draft objective language for the general-plan update that could include a menu of incentives and negotiation points to use with future annexations and MDAs (master development agreements).
Public discussion and council comments emphasized the importance of educating residents before adopting policy changes. Councilors and commissioners suggested the planning commission prepare a policy memo and draft survey language so the town can test resident sentiment, then hold public education sessions and hearings as part of the general-plan process. The session closed with agreement that the planning commission will prepare recommendations for council consideration and that staff will identify which deed restrictions and projects (Deer Mountain/Todd Hollow, Silver Meadows, potential Deer Springs Phase 8) should be prioritized for preservation or deeper affordability.
The meeting did not adopt any binding inclusionary requirements; rather, councilors directed staff and the planning commission to return with draft objectives, outreach materials, and potential incentives for inclusion in the general-plan amendment process.
