Weber County grant Nordic Valley developers taxing authority to aid expansion

OGDEN — Developers behind a major proposed expansion of the Nordic Valley ski resort now have the authority to levy a tax to help build roads, parks, and water and sewer systems to serve the envisioned community.

Weber County commissioners on Wednesday approved the creation of three public infrastructure districts with taxing authority to help cover the cost of certain infrastructure improvements key to the expansion plans. Developers anticipate levying some $47 million in property taxes over 30 to 40 years, according to the plans, though they have the authority to levy up to $240 million, $80 million per public infrastructure district.

The tax funds would be used to help finance road improvements in the project area, parks, and water and sewer lines, according to Stephanie Russell, the Weber County economic development director. Neither she nor other officials at Wednesday’s meeting offered a timeline for project development, but the varied elements of the ambitious plans — a long-term initiative — would likely take years to complete.

The Nordic Valley plans in their current incarnation have been in the works since around 2021 and generated plenty of attention in the Ogden Valley, where the resort is located. In fact, Wednesday’s action comes amid heightened focus on development in the zone and approval earlier this month of a ballot initiative calling for incorporation of the area, viewed by proponents as a means of asserting local control over future development. One area resident, Peggy Dooling-Baker, asked county officials at Wednesday’s meeting to hold off on action, ultimately to no avail.

The new city, which encompasses at least part of the Nordic Valley resort area, will be in operation within a year, she said, and leaders involved in the effort “should have a seat at the table in this decision-making.”

Weber County Commissioner Jim Harvey said he had received messages from some people asking that the county hold off on moving forward in light of the looming incorporation. A county legal adviser, though, said there are no laws she’s aware of requiring the county to hold off on action.

428 condos, 159 chalets, 230 hotel rooms

The Nordic Valley project area covers 512 acres, much of that skiing terrain and undeveloped expanses, but the focus of development would be a ski village around the base of the ski resort. According to a presentation created as part of separate efforts to create a tax increment finance district, the plans call for 428 condominiums, 159 chalets, 230 hotel rooms, 50 units for workers, and 56,059 square feet of commercial space.

Orem-based Nordic Valley Venture, owner of the expanse where the ski resort sits, envisions “a resort-oriented development in and around Nordic Valley Ski Resort with single- and multi-family dwelling units, hotel rooms, commercial space, and resort amenities,” reads the presentation, supplied by Weber County. Weber County is home to two other ski resorts, Powder Mountain and Snowbasin, which have been pursuing or considering expansion plans of their own.

The Nordic Valley project would require private investment, but the three public infrastructure district boards created with Wednesday’s action would provide a mechanism to help at least with public infrastructure development, though not the residential and commercial elements. Per the agreement approved by county commissioners, the maximum allowable property tax the public infrastructure district boards could levy is $500 per $100,000 of taxable value, and it would be applicable solely to the owner of the land, now Nordic Valley Venture.

Sitting on the three boards, each meant to assist with varied phases of the project, are two officials with Clyde Capital — Brandon Henrie and Brook Cole. Clyde Capital manages the Nordic Valley Venture land. The third member on each board is Laurent Jouffray, a board member of Skyline Mountain Base, owner of the Nordic Valley ski resort.

Russell emphasized that the creation of the PID boards won’t create financial repercussions or debt obligations for the county. State law outlines guidelines for the creation of PIDs, a relatively new mechanism. “That is solely on the developer and the PID,” she said.

Separately, Nordic Valley also seeks the creation of a community reinvestment agency that would allow it to generate tax-increment financing funds, also for infrastructure development. Tax-increment funding represents property tax revenue generated by the added value of a parcel brought on by new development. In Nordic Valley’s case, the funds would come from the taxing entities serving the area encompassing the resort, including Weber County, Weber School District, and the Weber Fire District.