27 Mar Utility Exemption Installations
This proposed ordinance makes a lot of amendments, which seem innocuous at first read. However, many projects can be proposed related to water, which were made much better when the public involvement was included. Here are a few examples:
Here are the projects related to water where public involvement made a difference in the outcome. One involved Parks, as indicated. The others were Salt Lake City Public Utilities or County Flood Control.
1 Pump Building at 4Th Ave.
2 Reservoir Park following the collapse of the concrete decking, public engagement changed the outcome. Like the islands in City Creek Park, Public Utilities owns Reservoir Park.
3 Storm Water Detention Basin in the northwest corner of Liberty Park the Mayor indicated that she would not invest in the park unless the community agreed to the removal of trees and the excavation for a detention basin. SLCPU brought the issue to the Central City Neighborhood Council meeting where an attendee proposed an alternative solution. The project never moved forward.
4 Boathouse for a pump at the edge of Liberty Lake This project from the Parks Dept. was about an irrigation system in Liberty Park. The issue came to the Landmarks Commission for a briefing. Thankfully, one of the Commissioners knew the park like the back of his hand. There wasn’t a hearing that night, but I used the public comment section at the beginning of the meeting to object…stridently.
5 Storm Water Diversion Structure This was a County project which received a positive recommendation from Planning and approval from the Landmarks Commission. It was unnecessary. Jeff Niermeyer intervened after I told him about the decision.
The last 3 items were never constructed as initially proposed. Neither were the first two for that matter. Numbers 3 and 5 never happened at all because they were unnecessary. Numbers 3-5 are part of a longer list of bad ideas in Liberty Park which never happened as a result of public involvement.
Here is the Planning Commission staff report:
