PATSEY MARLEY
SHRONTZ ESTATE
The Estate.
The 25-acre parcel on the lower slope of Patsey Marley Hill in Alta, Utah—formerly owned by long-time Alta residents JoAnne “Jody” and Dwane Shrontz—has been under various development proposals since the early 2000s. Following a 2014 legal settlement, the property was approved for a 10-lot subdivision, but in recent years, the Shrontz Estate has sought to pursue an alternative condominium development model.
This proposal is undergoing ongoing public review and regulatory examination by multiple agencies, including the Town of Alta, Salt Lake City Public Utilities, and the U.S. Forest Service.
The Development.
Friends of Alta (FOA) continues to closely monitor the proposed development of the Patsey Marley Hill property by the Estate of JoAnne L. Shrontz.
This proposal is not a simple matter of development vs. no development—it is a question of how best to balance private property rights with sustainable land stewardship, safe infrastructure, and long-term protections for the Alta community and environment.
Current Proposal Summary.
The Shrontz Estate’s current proposal would rezone 6.52 acres of the parcel from FR-1 (Forestry and Recreation) to FM-20 (Forestry Multifamily) zoning, allowing for a Multiplex / Courtyard building. Their proposal includes:
Please Note: The summary and following timeline below are not official records or language approved by the Planning Commission, the Town of Alta, or the Shrontz Estate. They were prepared by Friends of Alta staff to help the community better understand the issue.
Key Elements of the Proposal Include:
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Up to 29 residential condominiums, 1 ADA unit, and at least 3 workforce housing units.
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Density limited to 84,000 sq. ft. of saleable condo space.
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Building height restrictions below 8,875 feet in elevation (below the summer road) and no more than 8 stories, with step-backs on upper levels to reduce visual impact.
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Two engineered drinking water systems, subject to coordination with Alta Ski Lifts and regulatory approval, and a gravity-fed water tank.
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Anticipated use of less water than the original 10-lot subdivision (8,000 gal/day), though any increase must be approved by Salt Lake City Public Utilities.
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Need for Forest Service special use permits, updated utilities plans, access route alternatives, a public restroom management strategy, and a public restroom.
Background & Timeline Overview
The Patsey Marley Shrontz Estate development has a long and evolving history, with proposals and public discussions dating back to the late 1990s. This timeline highlights major milestones, design changes, and public meetings related to the Estate’s efforts to develop its property in Alta.
To support transparency, this summary outlines key interactions with the Town of Alta, including early concepts, legal agreements, and formal applications, along with dates and links to public records or meeting materials, where available.
Regulatory Conditions:
On July 15, 2025, the Alta Planning Commission held a public hearing and issued a neutral recommendation for the rezone request, contingent on fulfillment of the following
11 conditions:
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Water use limited to 8,000 gallons per day
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Secure a Forest Service Special Use Permit for access
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Develop and approve a restroom management plan
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Limit building height below the Summer Road at 8,850' elevation and no more than 8 stories
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Include two step-backs in the top three stories
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Enforce mechanisms for water allocation compliance
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Finalize a detailed conservation agreement
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Submit updated utility plans
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Include a live-in caretaker and residence
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Establish agreements with Alta Ski Lifts
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Install a gravity-fed water tank
The Town Council is to review the proposal next.
One community member voiced concerns about the Shrontz Estate’s lack of transparency and cooperation in pursuing its condominium project. While Alta Ski Area supported the concept as preferable to the approved 10-lot subdivision, it stressed that its support depended on coordinated planning with the Town, the Estate, and the ski area. The ski area also requested a ski lift easement as part of any agreement but reported little meaningful engagement from the Estate. The commenter urged that no zoning change be approved until access, water, and easement agreements are finalized and made public.
The Wasatch Backcountry Alliance (WBA) offered conditional support for the rezone, noting the benefit of consolidating development and preserving most of the parcel. Their support, however, hinges on permanently protecting the remaining 20 acres for human-powered recreation only, with strict prohibitions on ski lifts or resort expansion. Although WBA generally opposes development in this area, they acknowledged that a single condominium building paired with a binding conservation easement would be a more contained alternative to the 10-lot plan. They also emphasized the need to preserve public access and backcountry parking in Grizzly Gulch.
Archive: Earlier Proposals and Documents
This section provides historical background on earlier development proposals covered by FOA and federal reviews related to the Patsey Marley / Shrontz Estate property. These entries offer context for the current rezoning discussions.
2021 Proposal:
Condo-Hotel Concept
Utility Right-of-Way & Forest Service Review
FOA Comments on Prior Plans
On July 14, 2021, the Town of Alta reviewed a concept to use about 2 acres of the 25-acre property for a condo/hotel complex featuring around 40 condos and 40 hotel rooms. Access would be from the Summer Road, with the remainder left as open space. This was the first proposal for a condensed development
The Shrontz Estate proposal includes a water system and access improvements requiring U.S. Forest Service land. The water line would run beneath SR-210 and Albion Basin Road from the Bay City Mine Tunnel, serving both the proposed development and existing Grizzly Gulch homes. Access plans include widening a 710-foot section of the summer road with paved travel lanes and a cul-de-sac for emergency turnaround. In winter, a 10-foot plowed lane and 80-foot turnout would provide vehicle access, with traffic lights for safety. A groomed snow lane would accommodate on-snow vehicles (OSVs) and skiers. Cabin owners could use the new parking facility or the optional OSV overflow parking near the Forest Service gate. The Forest Service issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) in 2020, concluding that the proposed infrastructure would not cause significant environmental harm, clearing a key regulatory hurdle.
Below are archived comments submitted by Friends of Alta on previous iterations of the Patsey Marley development proposal. They reflect the perspectives of FOA at the time and are not indicative of our current position on the issue.
Additional Information.
2021 PROPOSAL .
On July 14, 2021 the Town of Alta reviewed the updated proposal for the Patsy Marley Shrontz Estate. The updated proposal would use approximately 2 acres of the 25 acres to build a condo/hotel complex. The structure would have approximately 40 condos and 40 hotel rooms available. Access to the structure would be from the summer road. This will allow the remainder of the property to be open space and remain native.
Next steps: the estate will need to submit a proposal with the request for a rezone of the property to accommodate the hotel and an amendment to the General Plan. Notification will be made for the various public hearings.
UTILITY RIGHT OF WAY PROPOSAL .
The project proposal contains two main components that require the use of Federal Lands managed by the US Forest Service: 1) a water system to serve the Patsey Marley Hill Subdivision, and 2) access to the subdivision’s proposed parking facility. The water system requires a utility right-of-way under the pavement of the upper end of SR 210, beginning near the applicant’s approved point of diversion (the portal of the Town of Alta’s Bay City Mine Tunnel) and the first 400 feet of the existing Albion Basin Road on Forest Service lands before it enters the Patsey Marley Hill Subdivision property (National Forest System Route (NFSR) 028). The water line would also provide emergency water service and fire protection to the existing dwellings in the Grizzly Gulch area of the Town of Alta, utilizing water rights currently owned by the applicant.
The proposed access to the subdivision includes a plan to widen the existing road above the end of the existing pavement for 710 feet to the entrances of the proposed Patsey Marley Hill Subdivision parking facility. The proponent’s proposed access for the existing road section beginning at the end of the existing pavement includes a 24-foot paved road section, a 2.5 foot paved shallow drainage swale on the upside of the road, and a 10-foot wide gravel shoulder section for a total width of 36.5 feet. A second access to the parking facility would be served by a paved 90-foot diameter cul-de-sac, which can also be used as an emergency vehicle turnaround in the summer and winter.
The following outlines seasonal usage:
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Summer Service and Usage – no change in current service and usage.
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Winter Service and Usage – A 10-foot wide plowed pavement section from the end of the existing pavement to the proposed parking facility entrance would be maintained. This single 10-foot plowed lane would be required to accommodate vehicular access both to and from the parking facility. An 80-foot long inter-visible turnout would be constructed at the mid-point of the access road to accommodate two-way traffic. Safety features, including traffic lights at each parking entrance/exit would be included.
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A 24-foot wide groomed snow surface for on-snow-vehicle (OSV)/skier/other nonmotorized traffic lane from the end of the existing pavement to the parking facility would be maintained on the downhill side of the road. The parking facility would be available to cabin owners for automobile parking and OSVs for a fee. If necessary, a 12-foot wide by up to 200-foot long parking area for OSVs could be provided just beyond the existing Forest Service gate for cabin owners who do not wish to use the parking facility.