Group in Millcreek Township seeks annexation to Holladay

HOLLADAY — Some Salt Lake County residents are clamoring to get into Holladay city, but county leaders may not let Millcreek residents leave with their healthy tax base in tow.

Residents in the southern tip of Millcreek Township want their portion of the township absorbed by neighboring Holladay city, which they say is better run and more responsive than county government.

That acreage — between 1300 East and Highland Drive to the west and 4500 South and Murray Holladay Road to the south — would include several county-owned parks and a commercial hot spot that supplies most of the area's sales tax revenues.

"The county is already expressing some major concern that we're taking a major portion of their tax base," Holladay city manager Randy Fitts said. "That makes them nervous."

Residents are also facing an uphill battle toward liberation from the county because portions of townships are not allowed to be carved off into cities without a majority vote from the entire area.

Garnering that majority from the entire 65-acre township is unlikely, Holladay Councilman Lynn Pace said. But residents are hopeful they can persuade the county council to redraw the boundaries of the township to allow the area to annex into Holladay.

If the boundary is re-jiggered, Millcreek residents would then need to gather signatures accounting for 50 percent of the land area requesting annexation.

"The County Council formed a township, drew a circle around this area and said you're locked in and you can't get out without our permission," Pace said. "People feel like they're held hostage against their will."

But Michael Chabries, aide to county councilman Mark Crockett, said the township isn't quite the hostage situation some residents portray. Rather, the township was created to protect residents and their sales tax dollars from being gobbled up by cherry-picking cities.

Crockett said he will respect the democratic process, however, if a majority of the township votes for annexation.

Redrawing the Millcreek boundaries to exclude the biggest piece of commercial property may not even be legal, Chabries said. More importantly, he added, several of the community councils within Millcreek have sent letters to the county asking the annexation request be denied.