UTA drawing fire over South Salt Lake office-park plan

SOUTH SALT LAKE — University of Utah graduate student Sarah Morrow lives on the edge of her industrial suburb, tucked between the county jail and a regional transit station on one side and busy 3900 South on the other.

But Morrow recently explained to one of her classes that she and her neighbors at the River Run Condominiums feel a sense of quiet and seclusion despite the hubbub, all because of a 62-acre vacant field and a lack of immediate access to the main roads.

Now, all that is being threatened by Utah Transit Authority plans to put an office park on the field.

UTA owns the land in question near 3800 South and 700 West but so far has not developed it because South Salt Lake zoning only allows single-family residences there.

UTA wants to change the zoning and have a private developer put up shops, warehouses and light manufacturing, UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter said. The transit authority could also build a road connecting 900 West to 3900 South, thereby turning condo owners' front yards into a busy thoroughfare.

Several condominium owners showed up to a recent South Salt Lake City Council meeting to insist that although UTA has a right to develop, residents shouldn't lose property value because of it.

"You drive through all this scary stuff, and then you get to this nice little oasis that's unseen from the rest of the world," explained Morrow, who has been appointed to the city Planning Commission. "People really like that, so they're concerned about what happens to that field."

Both the condo owners and UTA have cited a willingness to compromise, but their end goals for the land are vastly different.

While the condo owners want either a subdivision or condominiums to be their next-door neighbors, UTA is being pressured by South Salt Lake to build something that would contribute to the city tax rolls.

UTA also wants to retain ownership of the property so it can supplement its operational budget, Carpenter said.

"This is a good way for us to take advantage of our initial investment in the property," he said.

Morrow, armed with recently gained expertise, has proposed a buffer of homes facing the street with commercial and manufacturing uses tucked into the background. But her plan hasn't been well-received by UTA, Morrow said.

"I still can't get a straight answer from UTA on why this plan won't work," she said. "It's still quite a bit in their favor, and at least they have something to build on."

Complicating matters is South Salt Lake's general plan revision process, which calls for the field to eventually become commercial. But that plan has yet to be approved by the City Council.

The whole thing has garnered criticism from Councilman Shane Siwik, who said the city has done just about everything UTA has wanted for years.

"Obviously, it seems like (UTA is) getting into the development business," Siwik said. "When they're indirectly using tax dollars and having a damaging effect on the community, then you begin to call into question their actions a little bit."

Any development or zone change for the field would have to pass through the City Council to achieve the proper licensing and permits.

e-mail: rpalmer@desnews.com