Springville opts against altering border with Sp. Fork

The Springville City Council's vote against a resolution to cede 13 acres to Spanish Fork at Tuesday's council meeting left one man with his property split by the cities' common boundary and no way to continue a development of 407 homes.

Cody Roberts, the man developing the land, was shocked at the council's 4-to-1 vote because it was a reversal of last year's decision.

"The biggest frustration is that (the council) approved the boundary adjustment last February so I moved forward with my plans, but somewhere, somehow, something didn't get finalized," Roberts said. "I don't think what they've done is right."

A few weeks before the council meeting Roberts received a call from Springville's attorney, telling him the boundary line agreement of 2007 was never closed between the cities.

Roberts had already invested more than $220,000 on engineering alone to prepare the 80 acres for construction. He reminded the council of his investment in Tuesday night's meeting.

"I just would really encourage the council to consider moving forward with the same decision as last time because it would really dramatically impact how much time and effort I have spent on engineering, surveying, environmental cleanup and everything that I've done," Roberts said. "I'm very close to making this project completed. This is something that just hit me out of the blue."

The mayor and council members felt differently, saying a change in the southern boundary for Roberts might cause others to ask for a border adjustment.

"I don't see any reason why this should happen and, frankly, I get concerned about the domino effect," said Mayor Gene R. Mangum, in Tuesday's meeting. "One piece of property after another and pretty soon the Spanish Fork boundary is going to be right here on our front door. It's 13 acres of Springville's future that you're asking us to give to Spanish Fork."

This is the first request for a boundary adjustment Springville has received in two years that Councilman Mark Packard can remember, but Packard agreed with the mayor.

"I just think there is a point you have to say this is our border — we're going to stick with our border," said Packard.

Currently Springville has no plans for the land Roberts was developing. Roberts is not sure what course he will pursue in the near future.