Draper residents decry vote to rezone school land

DRAPER — About 100 impassioned residents here attended a Tuesday meeting to implore the City Council to vote against a proposed rezoning of three school district properties in the city.

Despite more than an hour of testimony and appeals by a Jordan School Board member, a school board staffer and a member of the school district split transition team, the council voted 4-1 voted for the rezone. Council member Jeff Stenquist dissented.

The Draper Planning Commission recommended that the council vote against the rezone which, oddly, was initiated by the City Council. Generally, land owners petition cities for rezoning ordinances.

A member of the Utah House of Representatives attended the meeting in support of the rezone. Greg Hughes, R-Draper, was the only proponent of the rezone who addressed the council.

"I support it to save the land," Hughes said. "That's all we're trying to make sure of. There are no draconian motives here."

The successful vote to rezone the properties, which total about 80 acres and $40 million, took effect immediately. The action was hailed by the council as an attempt to save the properties for future schools, but many who attended the meeting believe it will decrease the properties' value and could cause bad blood between the city and a new school board, to be elected in June.

The rezoning could also affect deliberations between east- and west-side transition teams looking to fairly divide Jordan School District property in preparation for the district split. The two teams have been in discussions for months and were looking at the possibility of arbitration even before the Draper move.

The zoning category to which the properties was switched was newly created for the occasion. Tuesday night's vote amends the city's general plan and zoning map. The new zone allows for public and charter schools, outdoor entertainment and recreation, minor utilities and municipal uses. The land had previously been zoned for residential uses, including farm land.

"I hope that it won't have a negative effect but it's really hard to tell," resident Marcia Day said of the rezone. "The whole issue was rushed, but I do think the city council has the best interest of the citizens at heart."

---

E-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com