The Park City Planning Commission delayed casting a vote on Wednesday that is needed before Deer Valley Resort is allowed to build what the resort sees as an important lift that would serve as a connection to beginner terrain.

The panel instead opted to delay a decision until at least May 8. It was not clear whether the panelists will be prepared to cast the vote at the May meeting. The Planning Commission earlier in April also pushed back a potential vote, to the meeting that was held on Wednesday.

There was concern by the Planning Commission about issues like any anticipated impact on wildlife and whether the lift Deer Valley is seeking to build, known as Lift 7, would become an impediment to the broader concept of a gondola link.

Planning Commissioner Laura Suesser noted a wildlife study dates to 2001 and had not been updated. Deer Valley representatives countered that an update is not required.

Documentation that had been drafted by the municipal government in anticipation of a “Yea” vote on Wednesday addressed wildlife-related issues, such as prohibiting fencing and stating “users of the project area must be directed away from the wildlife movement corridors during the spring and fall migration periods.”

It seemed likely at the end of the meeting on Wednesday that wildlife-related issues would be a key topic when the panel returns to the discussion on May 8.

The Planning Commission received a range of testimony during a hearing on Wednesday. There was concern expressed about possible dangers to skiers with the convergence of runs of various ratings while there was also a comment about the potential improvement in safety by dispersing skiers across the resort.

Winter Olympic champion skier Ted Ligety told the Planning Commission he has skied much of a large expansion of ski terrain planned at Deer Valley as he offered his support for Lift 7. He described that it would be easier to move to higher elevations.

“Having … a 6 year old and 3-year-old twins, I see a lot of greens with my kids. And part of the experience of sharing skiing with my kids is being in the mountains. And getting the kids out of the base area is such an amazing experience,” he said.

Ligety added: “There is a great need to get more beginners and kids out of the base areas, out of these … zones of high traffic up into the mountain experience. I’m really excited about the opportunity to take the kids out into this upper terrain that is easier to ski and have them experience a true mountain experience. And enjoy the views up there and enjoy getting out of the base area, where it is so much more congested for those beginner skiers.”

Lift 7 would be the resort’s first six-passenger lift and would run for 0.56 of a mile on Park Peak. The proposal also includes 4.6 miles of ski runs, a terminal and lift-storage building and an operator house. Deer Valley says the lift would not increase the skier capacity of the resort or create more demand for parking.