A deal that would give the city 156 acres for a public golf course isn't dead yet, but there are enough complications with the proposal that Sandy officials are accepting offers from other developers.
The City Council on Tuesday was unable to give Security Capital Pacific Trust the commitment it wanted before moving forward with plans to build a 450-unit apartment complex on 28 acres near 9500 South and 800 West, and to donate the surrounding property to Sandy for an 18-hole course.Mayor Tom Dolan said because several issues remain unresolved, the city could not guarantee it would build the golf course. But while no agreement was reached Tuesday - the deadline imposed by Security Capital Pacific - he said the city would continue to work with the developer in hopes of salvaging the deal. He said the council would discuss the matter again Jan. 2.
"I still think it's better than 50-50," Dolan said of the chances an agreement can be reached. "It's tenuous, really. It's difficult for both (the city and developer) to make a commitment . . . They're not quite sure, still."
Security Capital Pacific representatives told the council Tuesday they might be willing to give the land to the city without requiring that a golf course be built. The city would agree to build a less expensive park instead. For that to work, however, Dolan said the council would have to amend a city ordinance requiring any development on that site to include a golf course.
Meanwhile, the city is trying to clear up the various complications. Chief among them, according to Dolan and economic development coordinator Dan Simons, is that a developer previously interested in the property has leased an 85-foot Utah Power right of way that cuts through the golf course site.
The city also must resolve a concern that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has with the proposed design of the course.
"I looked over their current plans, and it actually shows some wetland impacts," said Drasa Maciunas, a project manager for the Corps' regulatory branch in Bountiful. "If they came in with a design that didn't impact the wetlands at all, which it seems like they should be able to do, they wouldn't need to get a permit from us at all. It wouldn't be an issue."
If a permit is required, the process would take 60 days, Maciunas said.
Part of the developer's hurry is that options to buy the property, held by Overland Development Co., are due to expire Jan. 10. But Dolan said Overland president Ken Holman has contacted four of the five property owners and is negotiating with them to extend the options.