Hideout, Utah
Encyclopedia
Hideout is a town in the northwestern corner of Wasatch County
, Utah
, United States
, in the northern part of the state. Lying just to the north and east of Jordanelle Reservoir
along Utah State Route 248
, the town was incorporated
in 2008 under a controversial, short-lived state law. The population was 656 at the 2010 census.
, in an area of the Wasatch Mountains known for its ski resort
s and other upscale recreation. The Hideout town boundaries extend from the Todd Hollow Apartments, at the northernmost point of Jordanelle Reservoir, south and east along Utah State Route 248, running past the submerged ruins of the ghost town
of Keetley
. The town encompasses the luxury planned community
of Hideout Canyon, still under development. It stops just at the Summit County
line, some 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Kamas
.
the Utah State Legislature
to pass H.B. 466. This bill
, backed by the Utah League of Cities and Towns and passed unanimously by the Legislature, amended the state law on petition
s to incorporate a town. The new provisions allowed a petition for a new town with 100–999 residents to be filed with just the signatures of the owners of a majority of the land area, even a single majority landowner. There was no requirement to ask the residents' consent. If the petition met the conditions of state law and its signers owned the majority of the land by value, the new law required the county government to grant the petition and appoint a mayor
and town council
from a list of individuals approved by the petitioners. In July 2007 Ruby's Inn, in Garfield County
, became the first to take advantage of the law, incorporating as Bryce Canyon City
. A petition to incorporate Hideout was filed in November 2007 by Richard Sprung, a real estate agent for Hideout Canyon. By then two other such petitions were pending in Wasatch County: Aspen (ultimately unsuccessful) and Independence
.
In February 2008, the Wasatch County Council voted to allow the Todd Hollow Apartments, home to the vast majority of the proposed town's population, to opt out of the incorporation plan, citing a state law permitting "non-urban" properties to opt out. The Council then denied the petition for insufficient population. By March 2008, the Legislature had amended the law again, unanimously passing H.B. 164, which required a petition for incorporation to have the support of half the residents, and provided for an elected mayor and town council. There must also be at least five petition sponsors, who were not allowed themselves to own more than 40 percent of the land. An effort to make the new law retroactive failed, and petitions filed under H.B. 466 went forward. Sprung sued in state court, insisting that Todd Hollow was obviously urban. The court ruled in Sprung's favor, ordering the county to grant the petition. The County Council voted to grant Hideout incorporation in June 2008, leaving Powder Mountain
in Weber County
as the only town proposed under H.B. 466 whose status is still unresolved.
As of the census
of 2010, there were 656 people residing in the town. There were 217 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 46.0% White, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 51.5% from some other race, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77.0% of the population, making Hideout one of two Utah municipalities (along with Wendover
) that are "minority
majority".
Wasatch County, Utah
Wasatch County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was named for a Ute Indian word meaning mountain pass or low place in the high mountains. Its county seat and largest city is Heber City.The county is governed by a county council with an appointed county manager.Wasatch County is...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the northern part of the state. Lying just to the north and east of Jordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir is a reservoir in Wasatch County, Utah, United States, just north of Heber City.Jordanelle Reservoir is fed and drained primarily by the Provo River, and is impounded by the Jordanelle Dam, an Earthen dam. The construction of the dam resulted in the reroutings of U.S. Route 40...
along Utah State Route 248
Utah State Route 248
State Route 248 is a highway in northern Utah that connects Park City with Kamas. In Summit County it is known as Kearns Boulevard.-Route description:...
, the town was incorporated
Incorporated town
-Canada:Incorporated towns are a form of local government in Canada, which is a responsibility of provincial rather than federal government.-United States:...
in 2008 under a controversial, short-lived state law. The population was 656 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Hideout lies about 6 miles (9.7 km) east-southeast of Park CityPark City, Utah
Park City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
, in an area of the Wasatch Mountains known for its ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
s and other upscale recreation. The Hideout town boundaries extend from the Todd Hollow Apartments, at the northernmost point of Jordanelle Reservoir, south and east along Utah State Route 248, running past the submerged ruins of the ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
of Keetley
Keetley, Utah
Keetley is a ghost town located in Wasatch County, Utah, United States. It began as a mining community, with a spur of the Union Pacific Railroad increasing the economic interest in the community for a short time. The village was submerged by the waters of Jordanelle Reservoir in 1995 along with...
. The town encompasses the luxury planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
of Hideout Canyon, still under development. It stops just at the Summit County
Summit County, Utah
Summit County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. In 2010 its population was 36,324. It is part of the Salt Lake City Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Salt Lake City–Ogden–Clearfield Combined Statistical Area. The county is...
line, some 4 miles (6.4 km) west-southwest of Kamas
Kamas, Utah
Kamas is a city in Summit County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Salt Lake City, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,274 at the 2000 census....
.
History
After almost two years of struggling with Wasatch County authorities over approval of its Hideout Canyon development, in 2007 the Mustang Development company successfully lobbiedLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
the Utah State Legislature
Utah State Legislature
The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 Representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 State Senators...
to pass H.B. 466. This bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
, backed by the Utah League of Cities and Towns and passed unanimously by the Legislature, amended the state law on petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
s to incorporate a town. The new provisions allowed a petition for a new town with 100–999 residents to be filed with just the signatures of the owners of a majority of the land area, even a single majority landowner. There was no requirement to ask the residents' consent. If the petition met the conditions of state law and its signers owned the majority of the land by value, the new law required the county government to grant the petition and appoint a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and town council
Town council
A town council is a democratically elected form of government for small municipalities or civil parishes. A council may serve as both the representative and executive branch....
from a list of individuals approved by the petitioners. In July 2007 Ruby's Inn, in Garfield County
Garfield County, Utah
Garfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 4,735. It was named for James A. Garfield, President of the United States in 1881. Its county seat and largest city is Panguitch.-Geography:...
, became the first to take advantage of the law, incorporating as Bryce Canyon City
Bryce Canyon City, Utah
Bryce Canyon City is a town in Garfield County, Utah, United States, adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park. The town, formerly known as Ruby's Inn, was officially incorporated on 23 July 2007 under a controversial, short-lived state law...
. A petition to incorporate Hideout was filed in November 2007 by Richard Sprung, a real estate agent for Hideout Canyon. By then two other such petitions were pending in Wasatch County: Aspen (ultimately unsuccessful) and Independence
Independence, Utah
Independence is a town in Wasatch County, Utah, United States. Lying just east of U.S. Route 40 southeast of Heber City, Independence was incorporated in 2008 under a controversial, short-lived state law. The population was 164 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
.
In February 2008, the Wasatch County Council voted to allow the Todd Hollow Apartments, home to the vast majority of the proposed town's population, to opt out of the incorporation plan, citing a state law permitting "non-urban" properties to opt out. The Council then denied the petition for insufficient population. By March 2008, the Legislature had amended the law again, unanimously passing H.B. 164, which required a petition for incorporation to have the support of half the residents, and provided for an elected mayor and town council. There must also be at least five petition sponsors, who were not allowed themselves to own more than 40 percent of the land. An effort to make the new law retroactive failed, and petitions filed under H.B. 466 went forward. Sprung sued in state court, insisting that Todd Hollow was obviously urban. The court ruled in Sprung's favor, ordering the county to grant the petition. The County Council voted to grant Hideout incorporation in June 2008, leaving Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain
Powder Mountain is a ski resort located east of Eden, Utah and stretching between Weber and Cache counties. Powder Mountain is less accessible to out-of-town skiers than other Utah ski resorts, and is primarily visited by locals.-History:...
in Weber County
Weber County, Utah
Weber County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a stretch of the Wasatch Front, part of the eastern shores of Great Salt Lake, and much of the rugged Wasatch Mountains. As of the 2000 census, the population was 196,533, an increase of 24.1% over its population in 1990. By...
as the only town proposed under H.B. 466 whose status is still unresolved.
Demographics
At Hideout's incorporation, the Utah Population Estimates Committee produced an official population estimate of 820. Most of the town's residents live in the Todd Hollow Apartments, with several dozen luxury homes scattered between Todd Hollow and the Hideout Canyon development.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 656 people residing in the town. There were 217 housing units. The racial makeup of the town was 46.0% White, 1.1% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 51.5% from some other race, and 0.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 77.0% of the population, making Hideout one of two Utah municipalities (along with Wendover
Wendover, Utah
Wendover is a city in Tooele County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,537 at the 2000 census, with a 2006 estimated population of 1,632....
) that are "minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
majority".