The Salt Lake City Planning Commission has recently taken a significant step towards transforming private land located on Salt Lake City’s east bench into dedicated trails and open space, particularly near H-Rock.
A planned development and preliminary subdivision proposal received unanimous approval from the Commission on Wednesday, allowing for the acquisition of a substantial portion of privately held land by Salt Lake City Public Lands in the near future.
The approved plan aims to preserve approximately 32 acres for trails and open space while also designating around six acres for five single-family home lots, with individual lot sizes ranging from .67 to 1.6 acres.
Purchasing this land is pivotal for the city, as it will facilitate the preservation of a segment of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
Moreover, the agreement includes provisions for the city to acquire land adjacent to a potentially private road to construct a trailhead and parking lot.
Adam Turville, who is the applicant for the project, informed the commission that his family has owned the land since the 1990s.
He expressed that the development represents a compromise that balances public needs with private interests: “We’ve signed a term sheet,” said Turville. “We’re really close to finalizing a contract, and that would be for $1.75 million — $1.3 million of that would come from a grant from the state, which I’ve coordinated with Salt Lake’s public lands on getting that grant.”
Eric Daems, a senior planner for Salt Lake City, emphasized the comprehensive nature of the planned development.
He pointed out that the housing plots are contingent upon the establishment of public open space, indicating, “They couldn’t start building residential or doing anything if this isn’t also public open space.”
In her remarks, Commissioner Aimee Burrows succinctly summarized the situation, stating, “Nothing’s going to happen until it all happens.”
While planning commission members largely supported the proposal, they raised several questions regarding public access to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and the future design of the trail easement.
According to Daems, the specifics of public access would need to be determined later by the city’s public lands department.
Following their discussion, the commission unanimously endorsed both the planned development and preliminary subdivision plans, marking a significant milestone in the project’s trajectory.
The proposal has undergone various changes over the years, experiencing a setback in June 2024 before being revised earlier this year.
Previously, developers had sought an exception to a regulation limiting the maximum slope for homes to 30%, but much of the land intended for housing exceeded this incline.
City planning staff had recommended against approving this waiver, a stance that resonated with the Planning Commission, which ultimately decided to move forward without it.
This decision left the future of the overall proposal uncertain until recent updates, which added two additional home plots on the upslope side.
These modifications revitalized the project, leading to its approval in the Wednesday meeting.
The revised plans include the construction of a private road and a cul-de-sac, both of which will be maintained by a homeowners association.
Additionally, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail will run alongside the north side of the road before diverging to the north.
As the construction process unfolds, certain sections of the trail will need to be reconfigured.
Nevertheless, plans indicate that part of the land earmarked for sale to Salt Lake City will eventually accommodate a trailhead parking lot.
With the Commission’s approval, the applicant must now complete the necessary steps outlined by city staff to finalize the deal.
Once the applicant submits a final plat application, which will be reviewed internally and does not require a public hearing, the project can officially advance with land sales.
Though the timeline for when the land will be sold to Salt Lake City’s public lands department remains unclear, both Turville and Daems conveyed optimism that the sale could be finalized soon.
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