Bonanza Views, Diminishing Returns

This letter from Mr. Gross, a former member of the Park City Planning Commission, is predictably sentimental. He argues for a park on the five-acre parcel at Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard, citing views and congestion. Views, while pleasant, do not generate revenue. Congestion is merely a symptom of desirability, and frankly, a well-managed inconvenience. The proposed 100 units, while modest, represent a potential return that a patch of astroturf simply cannot match. I reviewed preliminary renderings; the architectural plans, while leaning heavily into reclaimed timber – a tiresome trend – at least avoid the glass monstrosities Extell is erecting near the base of Deer Valley Resort. Prospector, Park Meadows, and Bonanza Park deserve considered development, not perpetually underfunded common areas. The issue of ‘contaminated soil’ is easily addressed with sufficient capital, a matter of cost, not consequence. One must always remember that even the most picturesque vistas become background noise when weighed against a solid IRR. Ultimately, the parcel offers significant value, and any deviation from maximum yield is fiscally irresponsible.