Payson annexing south to include new temple site

PAYSON — Neighboring Spring Lake is in the bull's-eye of future annexations from both the city and Santaquin, its neighbor to the south, as Payson moves to include a new LDS temple site in its city limits.

The unincorporated pioneer town is sandwiched between the two cities on state Route 198, just east of I-15.

Payson has already annexed the lake that gives Spring Lake its name and is now going through the process to move its boundary to 12000 South on the west side of I-15 and possibly to 12400 South, on the east side, including the planned site of the new temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The city initiated the annexation as a holding zone to protect its economic interests from Santaquin, Payson City Manager Richard Nelson said.

None of the land uses will change until a developer decides to develop the land, he said.

Like Santaquin, Payson's general plan includes Spring Lake. Payson's plan goes to the Highline Canal, which Santaquin included last year in a 1,500-acre annexation that runs north to 124000 South.

"That will need to be adjusted at some point," Payson city planner Jill Spencer said Monday.

A future interchange is on the drawing board for 12400 South.

The two cities have an amicable working relationship, Nelson said, and city leaders from both meet frequently to discuss common issues.

"It'd be easier if we had a boundary line agreement," he said.

With both towns to the north and south targeting Spring Lake, it could go to either city, usually depending on what landowners initiate, unless the hamlet tries again to incorporate. An attempt last year to do that failed, and residents continue to resist change.

The community itself doesn't have to go to either city, Nelson said, so long as property owners maintain 51 percent of the vote. An annexation requires the approval of 51 percent of the landowners holding 33 percent of the valuation.