Wood River Valley Residents:
There have been several recent discussions and articles pertaining to our development of an 850-acre property, Independence, extending from the town of Triumph to Independence Creek Road. The project will include a limited number of exclusive home sites with unmatched views of Sun Valley and the surrounding mountain peaks. In our continued interest to engage and inform the community, we would like to more fully introduce the entirety of this unique project:
- Our highly experienced remediation team will, with the full support, authorization and approval of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, completely remediate with our own capital the roughly 50 acres where current contamination and hazards exist. This will ensure the entire property can be safely enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts and homeowners for generations. Work will commence in the coming days and, for your safety, please be aware of the private property "restricted access" areas off Independence Creek Road, Triumph Gulch Road and Karst Drive until expected completion this November.
- We have plans for the permanent preservation of 720 acres — 85% of the property — as dedicated open space along with the creation of a formalized, safe and public trail system on what today is private property. We are also proposing to fully relinquish all mining rights on the property to ensure its natural beauty is protected in perpetuity.
- We have engaged leading experts in land-use planning, fire safety and natural resource sustainability to address the needs and concerns of the community. Our mission is not to simply mitigate, but to actually provide a safer and healthier environment for everyone to enjoy.
- Independence will provide 130 local construction jobs generating over $7.5 million in annual compensation. In addition, the development is expected to permanently add over $1.1 million annually in property tax revenue and $300,000 in building permit fees.
We are working hard to address and respond to the community’s concerns and desires. We look forward to collaborating further with the City of Sun Valley to provide a low-density development coupled with permanently protected, public open space that retains and enhances the renowned natural splendor while ensuring the safety of both our prospective homeowners and the broader community. We truly appreciate your engagement and patience as we work through the early stages of our project. We are proud to be a part of this community and pleased to put private capital to work in creating the unique community benefits that have become an integral part of our project.
Warmest regards,
Brian Pitkin & Jonathon Markoff