Lehi City has instructed the Thanksgiving Point area to rework its development plan to address critical traffic and density issues, according to a 2018 report by the Lehi Free Press. The directive follows years of warnings regarding infrastructure failure and significant deviations from original land-use projections that were first highlighted during a city council work session in 2018.
Traffic and Density Concerns
The call for a revised area plan stems from long-standing concerns regarding the growth and density of the Thanksgiving Point Resort Community. During a work session held by Lehi City staff and the Lehi City Council on August 7, 2018, Mayor Mark Johnson informed the council that the area was facing a potential traffic crisis. The mayor noted that the current situation required immediate action to prevent a complete failure of the area's transportation infrastructure.
Development Projections Exceeded
The traffic issues are compounded by a significant mismatch between original development plans and actual construction. Mayor Johnson reported that the area has become overbuilt, specifically noting that residential development has far exceeded its initial projections. While residential space was originally planned for 358,000 square feet, the actual amount has reached 990,000 square feet. The mayor also noted that commercial and office spaces have flipped their intended ratios and are currently way over the planned square footage for office space.
Regional Data Confirms Crisis
Data from multiple regional entities has supported the city's concerns regarding the area's capacity. Research conducted by the Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG), the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the Wasatch Regional Planning Commission, and the North County Transportation Committee revealed that traffic levels are significantly higher than anticipated. Mayor Johnson stated in a 2018 interview that the studies showed 70,000 trips per day, which is 20,000 more trips than what had been originally planned.
Funding Loss and Road Opposition
The tension over infrastructure development was previously highlighted by a failed road project. A proposed connector road intended to run from the Mountain View Corridor through Porter Rockwell Drive and the Thanksgiving Point Golf Course was voted down by Utah County mayors within the Mountainland Association of Governments. This vote resulted in Lehi City losing 90% of $9.1 million in MAG funds that had been earmarked for the construction of the road. The decision to block the road was driven by opposition from approximately 65 Lehi citizens living in a residential area west of the golf course.
Historical Vision for the Area
The Thanksgiving Point area was originally envisioned as a destination-oriented resort community. Following the sale of a 400-acre dairy farm by the Fox family to Alan and Karen Ashton in the spring of 1995, the Lehi City Council approved an area plan in 2003. The plan's goal was to create a cohesive mixture of land uses, including commercial, residential, and recreational spaces, designed to provide family activities in agriculture, horticulture, paleontology, and the arts.
Path Toward Resolution
As the city moves forward with the demand for a new area plan, officials have emphasized the need to correct past planning errors. Mayor Johnson expressed a commitment to working with all relevant entities to solve the density and traffic problems, stating that the city would not 'kick the can down the road' or ignore the mistakes of previous administrations.
Additional Municipal Records
The Town of Bluff also maintains a record of legislative resolutions, though no specific connection to the Lehi development was established in the provided documentation.
