Tim Pack is not an elected official in Park City. Nor is he a member of one of the municipal government’s boards or commissions. But Pack in recent weeks was a central figure in a long-running dispute about lift improvements at Park City Mountain. Pack is the hearing officer for developm ent-related matters for Park City, and the lift improvements were put before him through an appeal of a Park City Planning Commission decision in the spring approving the upgrades. He ruled in favor of the improvements this week, affirming the decision by the Planning Commission after officiating the appeal itself two weeks earlier. Although the decision about the lift improvements was a high-profile one, Pack, as the hearing officer, is tasked with any other appeals of Planning Commission decisions as part of his duties with the municipal government. Pack was not known to have been widely involved in the public discourse of Park City prior to the appeal of the lift improvements. He has declined interview requests about his role as the hearing officer and his background, saying making public comments would be inappropriate given his position. Pack grew up in the Park City area and is a 2000 graduate of Park City High School. He is an attorney with Clyde Snow Sessions in Salt Lake City and lives in the Salt Lake Valley. Pack’s three-page proposal for the post, submitted to the municipal government in July of 2025, provides at least some details about his background and what he saw as the skills he would bring to the position. The municipal government provided a copy of the proposal in response to Park Record request under state open-records laws. His work as an attorney includes land use and he had experience as the officer for appeals and variances in Draper. “My litigation practice focuses on commercial litigation, land use, construction and water rights. I have represented clients in land use applications and appeals before local governments and district courts throughout the state,” he said in the proposal, adding that he has deep knowledge of an important state land use act. He also said he is familiar with the procedures of administrative hearings and the role of an appeals or hearing officer. Pack mentioned he has experience reviewing the municipal government’s detailed development rules and would study those rules. Some of the other points Pack mentioned: • “I have litigated land use issues at every stage of the process, from planning commission hearings, administrative appeals, district court appeals, and appeals to Utah’s appellate courts.” • “I am experienced with conducting hearings, taking evidence, and listening to the parties’ arguments in an impartial and professional manner. I am an experienced trial lawyer, I’ve participated in over 45 bench and jury trials, and understand the proper and professional way to communicate with parties and their counsel.” • “I am very proficient at analyzing the arguments of the parties, applying the facts to the applicable law and standards of review, and issuing clear and well-reasoned written decisions. I usually complete a written decision within three-five days after a hearing.” Deputy City Manager Jodi Emery said in a statement: “When the city transitioned to a more typical land use appeals process by appointing an independent hearing officer, it conducted a competitive public procurement process. “To avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, the Park City Attorney’s Office did not participate in the evaluation or selection. Instead, the Summit County Attorney’s Office participated on the selection committee. “Tim Pack was selected through that competitive process based on the qualifications and evaluation criteria established in the city’s request for proposals. His extensive land use litigation experience, service as a municipal land use appeals officer and demonstrated ability to conduct quasi-judicial hearings and issue decisions aligned directly with the qualifications the city sought for this independent role.” The post Hearing officer who made lift-upgrade ruling is a land-use attorney, Park City High School alum appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less