Salt Lake County

The Destruction at the Mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon

Photo by Howie Garber www.wanderlustimages.com

Click here for a slide show of the BCC Roadway contruction

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Roadway In The Press

View/Save the Utah Court of Appeals decision (PFD File 1.49 MB)

View/save the appellate brief (MS Word 195KB)

View/save a file on the history of the issue (MS Word, 28.5kB)

View/save an update article by Save Our Canyons' Tom Stephens addressing the current state of litigation over Wasatch Pacific variance requests for the Fall 2003 Save Our Canyons quarterly newsletter (MS Word, 40kB)

View/save an article by Save Our Canyons' Tom Stephens addressing the Wasatch Pacific variance requests for the Save Our Canyons Summer 2003 quarterly newsletter (MS Word, 26.5k

Big Cottonwood Roadway Update!  State Supreme Court denies SOC appeal.

We lost!  You lost!  Everyone lost, except the developers.  For the past 2 years the citizens of Salt Lake County, ten community councils, and Save Our Canyons have fought to stop the construction of a road going up a hillside near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The developer has now been given the green light to construct the road.

 While Nancy Workman, herself a road contractor, was Mayor, the Salt Lake County Planning and Zoning Department first recommend denial of this road and then after political maneuvering recommended approval.  In spite of the fact that the road violated the spirit and the intent of the ordinances, the County Board of Adjustment approved the variances overriding ordinances designed to protect the Wasatch from inappropriate development.  

 Of the variances approved, the most outrageous variance set aside the ordinance which bluntly states: Under no circumstances, other than for permitted minor ski resort improvements, shall any street, road, private access road, or other vehicular route cross slopes greater than fifty percent.  385 feet of the approved road crosses slopes greater that fifty percent.   What part of “Under no circumstances” does Salt Lake County not understand?  While Salt Lake County has always been excessively developer friendly this road is one of the worst examples of favoritism.

 Additionally, the ordinances require the County to “Preserve the visual and aesthetic qualities of the foothills and canyon areas…” This road will have two bridges up to thirty feet tall, about twice the height of a freeway overpass.  This road will be a painful blight on a prominent hillside in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

 While this lawsuit was over the road, the larger issue is about the County Planning and Zoning Department and the Board of Adjustment having the ability to override ordinances.  The courts ruled that under the present laws the Board of Adjustment has the authority to do just that.  But note the difference between Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City.  This road could not have been built in the City under any administration, developer friendly or not.  Their Board of Adjustment does not have the authority to grant variances to slope ordinances.

 The implications of this road for you and me are significant.   Not only does our drinking water come from the Wasatch, it provides our families a peaceful refuge from the city to picnic, hike and recreate.  About twenty percent of the Wasatch in the tri-canyons is privately owned and much of it is has not been developed due to slope and access issues.  The precedent established by this road suggests more inappropriate development is likely.

 The only way to stop such development in the Wasatch is to reduce the authority of the County Board of Adjustment, require the Planning and Zoning Department to enforce their ordinances, and strengthen the ordinances that protect the Wasatch.  During his campaign, Mayor Peter Corroon held a press conference opposing this road.

 Over the next twelve months, watch the progress of this road with its thirty foot high bridges and ask yourself: Is this the kind of development you want to continue to happen in the Wasatch?  If not, contact Mayor Peter Corroon and your County Council person and ask them to make sure this never happens again.

 Save Our Canyons would like to express our appreciation to the community for their overwhelming support on this issue.



Roadway In The Press

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