American Fork city engineer Howard Denney told the Pleasant Grove City Council it was breaking a gentlemen's agreement in approving the annexation of 724 acres during Tuesday's City Council meeting.
The area of dispute is a small parcel of land bordering 4650 West and west to I-15. Pleasant Grove included that property in the annexation so land owned by the same family wouldn't be in two different cities."It wasn't in Pleasant Grove's or American Fork's interest to have the border be down the middle of the street," said Pleasant Grove Mayor David Holdaway. "Our feeling was, we needed to identify the city boundaries and protect property owners by possible I-15 areas."
Holdaway referred to the likelihood that the area of dispute would be where a new freeway interchange would be built. For that reason, American Fork also has interest in the property. If located in that area, the proposed interchange would be an access road to the new Mount Timpanogos LDS Temple in American Fork.
Both cities have water and electrical lines already placed nearby. But Pleasant Grove provides residents police, fire and ambulance service.
"I understand the gentlemen's agreement," Holdaway said."But it doesn't obligate five city councils down the road. I don't feel we're violating the gentlemen's agreement, but trying to make sense of it."
American Fork contends that in 1979 the two cities agreed that when either city receives an initial request for annexation within 500 feet of the proposed boundaries, the city receiving the request will inform the other city to provide for proper coordination of planning and development of the area. It says Pleasant Grove failed to inform it completely.
Pleasant Grove held a public hearing on March 3, 1992, setting forth a policy declaration on what is now called the Southwest Annexation. All cities involved with that hearing were notified by registered letter of the hearing within the legal 20-day period prior to the hearing. American Fork received its letter Feb. 7, 1992.
Pleasant Grove City Councilwoman Mary West indicated she contacted residents in the Southwest Annexation area and the majority of them signed a petition showing interest in being part of Pleasant Grove - not American Fork.
For now, Denney said, American Fork will take steps to see if residents have any interest in annexing to American Fork. Then the city will decide what to do.
American Fork has until 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 22, to file concerns with the Utah County Boundary Commission.