WEST JORDAN — The City Council on Tuesday unanimously sent a message to state lawmakers, asking for another way to pay for new schools.

The council approved a resolution that calls on the Legislature to change state law to allow impact fees to go toward schools. Impact fees are paid by developers and are used for infrastructure that their new developments will require.

Councilwoman Kathy Hilton said that while this resolution doesn't specifically respond to a push by some east-side cities to look into forming their own school districts and breaking away from larger districts, if they were to do so, cities like West Jordan would be left behind with a heavier burden.

In that case, she said, West Jordan may need to consider forming its own district as well.

In Utah, that includes roads and other public facilities but does not include schools, as it does in some other states.

Hilton, who sponsored the resolution, said cities and school districts need to band together to get the change approved.

"It's going to be an uphill battle," she said.

Councilman Rob Bennett said cities are especially likely to face opposition from developers and real-estate agents who don't want to see the increased costs attached to new homes. But he said using impact fees for schools would be the fairest way to cover increasing demand on the public school system.

"It's very important. New growth needs to pay its own way," Bennett said, adding that the bulk of school funding would still come from property taxes, so existing residents would still pay their share.

The resolution was approved 7-0.

In other business Tuesday:

• The council approved, 7-0, a tentative plan for the city's much-anticipated dog park, to be built on New Bingham Highway at about 6000 West. The dog park has been pushed by a group of residents eager to have somewhere to bring their dogs besides the overused Millrace Park in Taylorsville.

That park has become so popular that Taylorsville has begun to charge a fee for nonresident use.

And while the plan for West Jordan's 4-acre park is just a preliminary plan to allow the city to begin taking bids, a handful of dog-park proponents say the plans aren't inclusive enough.

Among their concerns: parking. The plan doesn't envision adding any new parking stalls to the park. Instead, dog-park users would share about 250 parking stalls with the adjacent Ron Wood baseball park and 15 stalls with the city's animal shelter.

Residents also told the council they want to see more benches and more shelter from the weather at the estimated $217,000 park.

City Manager Gary Luebbers said the park's ultimate look and amenities won't be determined until after bids come in. Most of the extras the residents seek are listed as possible additions to the park, and bids will present a base price and an item-by-item cost for the extras. The council will then decide just how much it wants to spend.