On Dakota Pacific. Let’s be Careful. Let’s slow it down. Let’s not fall into hubris.

This week the public won versus Dakota Pacific. Dakota wanted to build something that most people felt was bad for our communty. Most County Councilors were ready to vote for the project until 900 people showed up to vote opposition. The public stopped it.

Yet, now we are moving into the nest phase. We have heard that Friends of Summit County for Sustainable Development (Friends), the major opposition force to Dakota, is talking about working with Dakota Pacific to find solutions “that that people want.”

What The Friends need to understand are two fold. First, it is far easier in Summit County to oppose something than to finda plan that is better than. So, as they supposedly represent what Snyderviulle Basin residents want, they may find they know what we are against but they don’t know what we are for. So, I would encourage the group to find a way to understand what the community wants… not just what they don’t want.

More importantly, Friends, please don’t fall into the Hubris Trap. The standard play from development organizations, that fail like Dakota, is to bring you into the discussion and make you feel honored to be in the discussion. They make you feel like you have a voice. They then give you a little bit. For instance, they give you an extra 100 affordable locations but all the problems still exist. Yet, because you’ve met with them 5 times, and they gave you something, it is hard to say no. Now, it is your solution and how do you rally against it?

We need to slow down Dakota Pacific. We, as a community, need to change the Snyderville Basin General Plan to meet our current community. We likely need to change our neighborhood plans to fit our current demographic. That is years of work.