DRAPER — Thoughts of fun in the summer sun are far from the minds of most residents here, with snow drifts in some places reaching several feet and Christmas lights still twinkling.

But come July, the blazing heat will surely have Draper residents looking for cold, wet relief.

Utah-based developer Huish Brothers has a solution in mind, one whose name means "awesome" in surfer talk, the developer said. Initial plans for the Cowabunga Bay Water Park are being considered by the Draper Planning Commission.

The 2-acre water playground would be built at 12047 S. Factory Outlet Drive. It would include a 68-foot "Rain Fortress" play structure and a 440-foot-long lazy river and children's pool.

"It looks like a lot of fun," said Draper planner Dennis Workman. "This is something we think could be great for the city and kind of a catalyst for bringing this area into what it will eventually be."

Project developer Shane Huish, who lives in Utah, says that the fortress would be the world's biggest play structure. Designed by Whitewater West, the massive structure would include 10 slides in bright colors and a 1,200-gallon bucket that tips to splash revelers every 10 minutes.

The park would also feature 200 interactive water features, pools and spots for food and lawn chairs, according to a staff report on the project.

With entrance fees between $12 and $15, the park is expected to provide 3-4 hours of fun.

"We're creating a neighborhood water park that is going to have the world's largest splash," Huish said. "It's family based, it's budget based. It's on a much smaller scale and more manageable. But it will have all the elements of a full-size water park."

Huish Brothers owns and operates other parks around the country. The Draper water park would be their first project that experiments with a small site.

The park is expected to share parking with other businesses in the area. This plan elicited a comment from attorney Bruce Baird, who represents the Boondocks Family Fun Center, located nearby. He said Draper City Code requires stalls for disabled people to be located on site.

The commission discussed the issue Thursday but chose to postpone making a recommendation on the site plan until Jan. 22. This will allow city staffers to look into the issue and will allow the Huish Brothers time to respond to the complaint, they said.

Project representatives said the plan meets building and fire codes, so the handicapped parking shouldn't be an issue.

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E-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com