Bid may fix open-space fight

North Salt Lake officials are willing to give up a court battle over 80 acres of pristine foothill land — for a price.

Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City leaders hope their $3.5 million bid is high enough.

On Tuesday, the Salt Lake County Council voted to offer North Salt Lake $1.75 million for up to 70 acres of the land. Salt Lake City leaders are expected to match the county's offer to seal the deal. Both the city and county will co-own the land.

"We're working very hard with North Salt Lake to find a solution that benefits both sides of this discussion," Salt Lake City Councilman Eric Jergensen said.

Currently, North Salt Lake owns the disputed land, although it is within Salt Lake City's border. North Salt Lake wants to develop portions of the land, while the capital city wants to keep the foothills free from development.

Last year, the two cities sued each other over control of the land. North Salt Lake's lawsuit, which seeks to disconnect the land into the Davis County city, is scheduled for a hearing next Tuesday. Salt Lake City's lawsuit seeks to condemn the land so it could not be developed.

Now the local leaders are working to avoid a court battle altogether by possibly swapping ownership of the land.

North Salt Lake Councilwoman Lisa Watts Baskin said Tuesday that the city might be willing to sell the property if Salt Lake City offers a reasonable price.

"We are in settlement negotiations, and as each day passes and the trial looms closer, the thing gets a little more heated," she said. "The fact that Salt Lake County has passed a resolution to fund purchase of the land by Salt Lake City, if the price is reasonable, it seems like one more asset to resolving the issue."

North Salt Lake Mayor Shanna Schaefermeyer said the city has received several competitive bids from local developers to purchase the property.

The bid from Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County totals $3.5 million, and North Salt Lake leaders would be able to keep 10 acres of land to do whatever they please with it. However, Salt Lake leaders want that land to be "open-space friendly," with trails, Salt Lake County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson said.

North Salt Lake officials declined to elaborate on what their plans for the remaining 10 acres would be.