Planning commission backs recommendation for Sunrise gondola upgrade at Canyons Village

Park City Mountain’s plan to replace the Sunrise chairlift with a new gondola at Canyons Village drew broad support from commissioners and the public on Jan. 9, 2024, and the Snyderville Basin Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward a recommendation to the community development director.

The project, presented by Park City Mountain executives and Vail Resorts’ planners, would realign the Sunrise lift and install a roughly 6,500-foot, 10-passenger gondola with a base terminal adjacent to Pendry Park City. Park City Mountain said the change is intended to reduce base-area lift wait times, add redundancy for wind-related holds and improve access for lodging guests, day skiers, ski-school participants and foot passengers. “It will get skiers and riders on the snow faster by reducing out of base lift wait times,” Park City Mountain’s Deidra Walsh told commissioners.

Staff described the permit as an administrative low-impact review subject to 12 criteria and said several service-provider conditions (engineering, utilities, water, power and other providers) must be resolved before construction permits are issued. Staff recommended approval with conditions and added one proposed condition requiring the county manager to confirm that the applicant is not in default of any requirements of the amended and restated development agreement — including the transportation management plan — before construction begins.

Applicants and staff outlined a three-phase approach: (1) permitting and entitlement work in collaboration with the Canyons Village Management Association and the county; (2) utility relocation, road realignment and staging; and (3) removal of the existing lift and installation of the gondola, terminals, towers and cabins. Park City Mountain said gobbler production and procurement would start soon after approvals and that the construction sequence is expected to span multiple seasons, with a targeted opening in the 2026 winter season if ordering and permitting proceed on schedule.

Public comment at the hearing was strongly supportive: the record and speakers cited more than 50 pages of support letters and roughly 80 letters submitted to staff. Business groups and tourism organizations — including Ski Utah and the Park City Chamber — urged the commission to recommend approval, saying the investment helps the area remain competitive and improves visitor dispersion.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on operational details such as queue (“maze”) capacity, unloading circulation at the Red Pine Lodge, ski-back/download options and construction staging. Applicants said the bottom terminal’s queue would comfortably accommodate about 15 minutes of hold-line capacity during peak wind events; the gondola will be downloadable so riders can return to the base; and the top terminal was sited to provide additional unload space and reduce conflict with Red Pine traffic.

After questions and discussion, Commissioner John (motion) moved, and a colleague seconded, to forward a positive recommendation to the community development director based on staff findings and conditions and with the additional pre-construction confirmation; the motion passed 7–0. The planning commission’s recommendation is advisory — the community development director is the final land-use authority for the low-impact permit.