SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) — Rio Tinto Kennecott, the mining company originally behind the Daybreak community development, are looking to do it again with 2,200 acres between the western edges of South Jordan and Herriman, according to plans released on their website.

No name has yet been chosen for the potential development, as the project appears to be in the very early stages.

Back in November 2022, Kennecott petitioned the South Jordan Council to annex their property into city limits to begin a multi-year plan to develop it into “a high-level community design that will be developed in phases, taking into account regional growth and best practices in urban design.” The plan also includes the annexation of 25 acres into Herriman City, which mostly includes water tanks owned and maintained by the city. A map of the proposed area can be found on Kennecott’s site.

While the land has been historically used for mining purposes — Kennecott’s main business — the company says it has completed “several environmental and regulatory studies” to “ensure that this site is safe and provides an ecological benefit to the residents and wildlife.”

In a video posted on South Jordan City’s website, city officials said they will begin a “transparent” process on how they and Kennecott will develop the land after the annexation goes through. It will be the same process, they said, that led to the establishment of Daybreak 20 years ago. Both the company and the city government point to a relationship going back over a century.

“While we don’t have all the answers yet, we assure you, our residents, that this process will be transparent,” states the video. “You will have a chance to voice your concerns and opinions, and we will build a better and exciting future for South Jordan together.”

The entire project will last years, if not decades, Kennecott stated on their site.

“This project has the potential to better connect the community with trails, parks, and open spaces in the foothills, as well as Rose, Yellow Fork, and Butterfield canyons,” they stated. “As a mining company with a long history in the Salt Lake Valley, Kennecott is known for its detailed and thoughtful planning, an approach Kennecott will take to create a new community over the coming years and decades that honors the beauty, topography, views, and landscape of the west bench.”

The annexation, if it goes through, is planned to wrap up by mid-2023. Subsequent planning will be a “multi-year” phase. Property owners will be notified and a public hearing will be scheduled, Kennecott claims.

Kennecott no longer owns or manages the undeveloped portions of Daybreak. The community is now part of the Larry H. Miller Group and is expected to keep growing for the next 20 years or so. The Miller Group obtained the property and assets in April 2021.

An FAQ on the project is available at kennecottlands.com. People with questions or comments are being asked to contact info@kennecottlands.com.

ABC4 has reached out to developers and city officials and will continue to post information as it becomes available.