Developer making pitch for 4-lift ski resort near Richmond

[stefan]

Developer making pitch for 4-lift ski resort near Richmond
Jennie Christensen
Cache Valley Daily



If Dayton, Idaho resident Logan Checketts has his way it won't be long before the the so-called Cherry Peak Ski Resort is part of the Cache Valley landscape. Checketts says his group has met with Richmond City, Cache County, Utah State and Forest Service officials and he believes every issue that has come up has been addressed.

Now he's hoping the Cache County Planning Commission will say yes to his request for a conditional use permit that would allow the project to get off the ground. It could be at least 90 days before the commission decides whether or not to approve the permit.

On Thursday, December 1 commission members went over a long list of mitigations and agreed that most of their concerns have been met. However, it was pointed out that there are major mitigations that would have to be made where it requires working with Richmond City, the State of Utah, Cache County, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Checketts said he was disappointed but not surprised. After the discussion Thursday, Checketts was confronted with people both for and against the project. If ultimately approved, the permit would allow for recreational skiing and other winter sports activities. (See the Master Plan for the proposed resort here)

On KVNU's Crosstalk show Wednesday, Checketts said although the snow is great at the site northeast of Richmond in Cherry Creek Canyon, the resort would also be making snow.

"We're going to have four ski lifts up there," Checketts said. "We're going to have a nice lodge, a good ski shop. We're going to have a fun tubing hill up there.

"This area is really patterned after the ski areas that are catered to the family. We provide terrain for every skier of every level. We have the kiddie hill all the way up to the double black diamond."

Opponents have expressed concern about wildlife, the closeness to a wilderness area and about issues regarding access through Richmond City streets.

If approved, the resort would be located at approximately 11000 North 3200 East, east of Richmond.

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