Residents of the historic Pinecrest community near the top of Emigration Canyon want Salt Lake County to finally end what they say has become a 13-year nightmare.
Tom Johnson, representing the Emigration Canyon Community Council, asked commissioners Monday to resolve what they say are unresolved issues. The controversy began in 1981 when developer John Walsh illegally began to cut a road through the onetime summer resort community to his property beyond Pinecrest.Specifically, Johnson asked commissioners to instruct the county attorney's office to seek an injunction against Walsh and Mickey Meyer for road development. Johnson said that within the past month Meyer has cut down trees under the guise of snow removal.
"Trees and roadside vegetation are poisoned and killed, and then chopped down. Under the guise of snowplowing, the road is then graded and widened. An inch here, a tree there, and after 13 years a road is created in what was formerly people's yards," Johnson said.
Johnson also wants commissioners to make a decision about a proposed road-widening project through the Pinecrest community to the Walsh property.
Commissioner Jim Bradley said that commissioners would meet with Public Works officials this week to discuss issues surrounding the road and other concerns raised by the residents.
Commissioner Randy Horiuchi said that his position is not to provide county services to the Walsh property but said the county has to recognize Walsh's property rights. He said that the county would pursue solutions to the Pinecrest issues but stated there is still the chance that Salt Lake City may consider annexing property in the canyon.