5 options offered for development of S.L. shorelands

Wetlands, playas and uplands make up the 81,000 acres, or 125 square miles, of Great Salt Lake shorelands in Utah's most populous county.

But the future of Salt Lake County's shorelands has yet to be planned.

The options range from dense development to environmental conversation. And the team that has undertaken the task of figuring it out wants the public's input.

At an open house Wednesday night, the team — composed of farmers, ranchers, landowners, duck hunters, environmentalists and a land architect company — displayed maps and five possible options for the shorelands: "maximum conservation," "conservation focus," "no action," "limited development" and "community focus."

In all five plans, a flood plain designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency is off limits to developers, the areas for duck clubs basically remain the same and the Great Salt Lake Marina will not be relocated, said Tim Brown, executive director for the Center for Green Space Design.

Salt Lake International Airport also will not decrease in size, although, depending on the plan, its ability to build additional structures on certain land could be limited.

What varies the most among the plans is the vision of an area around I-80 from the International Center to 8000 West. Much of the area is privately owned and has undergone some development. Conservation-friendly plans call for sparse residential, commercial and industrial development, such as a few buildings for ranchers to live in and operate on the land. Community-friendly plans call for higher development, with one population estimate at 10,000 to 25,000.

Marty Banks, an attorney representing several landowners, has helped develop the five plans. His clients vary in which plan they prefer.

"In some instances they want to see some of the agriculture areas and some of the farm culture — it has been there 100 years — preserved," he said. Others would like to see development.

After public opinions are gauged, scientists will perform a technical study of the land and its usability, said Summer Swaner, president of Swaner Design, the land architecture company on the project. Then, the Salt Lake County Council and the Salt Lake City Council will consider the plans and choose zoning ordinances accordingly.

Information can be accessed on the Internet at www.slco.org/pw/plan/zoning/shorland/index.html.

---

E-MAIL: lhancock@desnews.com