Matthew Prince, Utah’s wealthiest individual, has filed a lawsuit against Park City following the city’s decision to block his proposed mansion in the historic Old Town district. Prince’s limited liability company, Pesky Porcupine, owns the property at 220 King Road. The Town Lift, a Park City-based news outlet, reports that the lawsuit, filed in 3rd District Court, challenges the Park City Board of Adjustment’s recent decision to overturn prior approvals for constructing a new single-family home in the HR-1 historic zone.
Prince is the co-founder and CEO of Cloudflare, a web infrastructure and cybersecurity company that provides a suite of services designed to make the Internet faster, more secure, and more reliable. He has an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion, according to Forbes. Prince, who owns roughly 10% of Cloudflare, saw his wealth grow significantly after the company went public in 2019. Cloudflare has been a major player in improving internet infrastructure globally. Prince’s financial success positions him as Utah’s wealthiest resident.
Prince’s proposed property required multiple approvals, including a plat amendment, conditional use permits, and a Historic District Design Review. After the Park City Planning Commission initially approved the plans in February 2024, nearby residents, the Hermanns, appealed the decision, with months of deliberation ensuing. Approval was granted in August 2024 until another appeal by the Hermanns made the Board of Adjustment override the decision in November.
The Board cited three key reasons for its decision:
- The design did not respect the site’s topography and vegetation.
- The facade width was inconsistent with surrounding historic buildings.
- The proposed retaining walls did not align with historic design standards.
The Town Lift reported that Pesky Porcupine argued that the Board’s decision contradicts prior approvals, misinterprets historic district guidelines as strict requirements, and focuses on issues already under court review. The lawsuit aims to overturn the Board’s decision and restore the previously granted Historic District Design Review approval. This legal action demonstrates the ongoing tensions between development interests and historic preservation efforts in Park City’s protected districts.
