The Salt Lake Valley continues to grow, and properties near this parcel of land are being developed. As a community member, economic driver, and major landowner with over a century of mining experience along the Oquirrh Mountains, long-range planning is a hallmark of Kennecott. Annexing this land enables Kennecott to proactively plan as the Salt Lake Valley grows. With Utah being one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, now is the right time for Kennecott to annex this property and lay the groundwork for a multi-year process to plan and develop this land in a smart and sustainable way.
Kennecott is annexing about 2,200 acres into South Jordan which is west and southwest of current city boundaries. Part of this includes property owned by Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District.
Annexation is the process of bringing land located in the unincorporated county into the boundaries of a city, which facilitates long-range planning of municipal services, utilities, and infrastructure.
Kennecott and South Jordan City have been neighbors for more than 100 years, and the company has worked closely with the City since Kennecott’s annexation and development of the Daybreak community into South Jordan 20 years ago. With this partnership Kennecott can build on past successes to plan for and over the next decades, gradually create sustainable and innovative neighborhoods that celebrate the surrounding natural environment.
The land that Kennecott is annexing was historically used for mining purposes, and some areas are currently used for mining operations with little development on the site.
Yes. The safety and well-being of current and future community members is a top priority for Kennecott. Before deciding to annex this property, several environmental and regulatory studies were completed, indicating this area is safe for future development. Throughout the planning and development process, Kennecott is committed to ensuring the site is safe while providing an ecological benefit to the residents and wildlife.
Kennecott intends to be proactive and deliberate in planning and creating a residential master planned community that anticipates regional growth and addresses the challenges that Utah is experiencing today. Kennecott is in the early phases of identifying and planning for development that helps meet current and future housing needs, reduces resource consumption, respects the foothills environment, encourages outdoor recreation, and connects with neighboring areas via a network of multi-use trails. Development will be phased over time and with the goal of implementing best practices for water conservation, transportation, and recreation. Kennecott will work together with the surrounding communities to ensure this future community is thoughtfully and sustainably developed to create a vibrant place for people to live, work and play.
Kennecott has committed to develop at least 25% of the land as open space, parks, and trails, including maintained wild lands and three active parks to be owned and operated by South Jordan City.
Kennecott and South Jordan City have agreed on a density of five units per acre or up to 11,450 units over the full 2,200-acre property. This density mirrors that of the nearby Daybreak community and is proposed to include single-family detached and attached homes, condos, and apartments. Diverse and integrated housing products with strong design standards can be expected.
Kennecott is in the early phases of identifying and planning for the development, and we are intentionally working to minimize traffic impacts to neighboring communities, much like we did in planning for the Daybreak community with the integration of TRAX and the extension of the Mountain View Corridor. Kennecott plans to work with cities and regional transportation planners to create direct access to and from the area. Kennecott is also working on designs that connect the area’s network of multi-use trails to promote walking, biking, micro-mobility (e.g. shareable e-bikes and e-scooters), and transit opportunities.
Water in this area is provided by South Jordan City, which receives water from Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District. Kennecott intends to develop this project over many years with the goal of implementing best practices for water conservation and drought resiliency. We are working with the District and South Jordan City to meet these goals.
Kennecott is working with regional partners to plan for and develop right-sized infrastructure that is sustainable and creates more connections to the area's natural recreation amenities. As a mining company with a long history in the Salt Lake Valley, Kennecott will take our time to thoughtfully plan this development which would be created over decades and grow with the surrounding community.
On March 21, 2023, the South Jordan City Council held a public hearing and approved the annexation and a preliminary agreement of development guidelines for the master planned community outlined in a memorandum of understanding.
The State of Utah is expected to review and give final approval of the annexation this summer, after which Kennecott will undergo a multi-year planning phase.
Early community design concepts are expected to be ready to present to the public in the Fall of 2023. Kennecott will continue to engage South Jordan City and the surrounding community throughout this process.
Check out the ‘Timeline’ page for more details regarding the process and next steps.
Development of the property will take place in phases over many years or decades, depending on the company’s mining needs and market demand, and subject to permitting. A portion of the property will remain undeveloped until mining operations cease.
Please email questions or comments to info@KennecottLands.com.
Rio Tinto Kennecott is an integrated copper mining operation located just outside of Salt Lake City. Kennecott has been mining and processing minerals from the Bingham Canyon Mine since 1903 and has been an active and collaborative contributor to the economic success and development of the Salt Lake Valley. Nearly 20 years ago, Kennecott created Daybreak, one of the nation’s most successful master planned communities. Daybreak set the standard for master planned communities with its thoughtful design, amenities, and high quality of life.