Holladay road dispute going to court

HOLLADAY — Holladay Boulevard could become the road to ruin for either developer Richard Beckstrand or the city of Holladay.

Use of the southernmost section of the road, south of 6200 South, is a critical issue for both parties — an issue now to be decided by a 3rd District judge.

Beckstrand needs access to the road as a condition of approval for his planned six-story office building on nearby Salt Lake County land. If he cannot use the road, Beckstrand says he will incur losses in the range of $5 million to $8 million and would seek those damages from the city.

Many Holladay folks, meanwhile, want to keep that office traffic off Holladay Boulevard for fear it will jeopardize the safety of local residents, particularly schoolchildren.

The Holladay City Council attempted to gain the upper hand in the Holladay Boulevard wrestling match Thursday when it voted 5-0 to close the road at the city boundary, beneath the I-215 overpass.

That closure, however, won't take place right away. And it will not happen at all, the council agreed, unless a district judge rules Beckstrand does in fact have legal access to his proposed project via 3000 East.

Salt Lake County already has granted Beckstrand approval for the project, contingent upon his ability to use a back exit — onto the disputed section of Holladay Boulevard — for up to 400 office workers. Beckstrand has said those workers will make about 1,200 trips in and out of the parking lot each day.

The county's concern is that if those workers used only 3000 East, they would clog that artery and potentially cause traffic and safety problems there. Beckstrand agrees with the county's assessment that a second access is needed and does not plan to challenge it. But Holladay is not ready to give in.

"It would have been nice to have it closed immediately and not wait for the judicial process to take place," said Steve Kohlert, a resident who was nonetheless pleased with the council's action after he led an effort to obtain 400 signatures on a petition calling for the road closure. "I think it's a step forward."

Beckstrand maintains his use of 3000 East is dependent upon access to Holladay Boulevard, and he said Friday he is confident the judge will rule in his favor. He's also pleased the matter has landed in court for what he hopes will be a final settlement of the debate.

"We have a dispute and we can't resolve it, and what do you do? You go to the court. It's kind of the American way, and we're willing to live by what the court says, and we hope the