A causal relationship between the Bangerter Highway and increased tax revenue has been suggested, but city officials throughout southern Salt Lake County aren't sure what to expect when the six-lane road is extended through their cities' boundaries.
While South Jordan and Riverton position themselves to take advantage of the highway, Draper officials have resisted, preferring that the road be built outside of their city.But this week, the City Council was given at least one reason to favor the Utah Department of Transportation's plan to extend the Bangerter Highway through Draper at about 13500 South, probably by the year 2000.
If that plan becomes final, developer Mike Dahle told the council, he would like to put in a 37-acre auto mall with four large dealerships - possibly including such automakers as Toyota, Honda, Mazda and Nissan.
The auto mall would be part of a 110-acre commercial development on the west side of I-15, between roughly 13200 and 13400 South, Dahle said. The property sits just to the north of the proposedBangerter route.
If UDOT changes its mind and reroutes the Bangerter into or closer to Bluffdale, which Draper officials have suggested, Dahle joked that he'd be happy with that - as long as his property was moved along with it. Even if the Bangerter is repositioned, though, Dahle said the auto complex still might be viable.
Four large dealerships could translate into big sales-tax money and commercial-property-tax revenue for the city.
After Dahle's presentation, made to the council during a work session Tuesday, Mayor Elaine Redd told him it "sounds like everyone likes the concept, pretty much."
The council's informal approval was perhaps Dahle's biggest hurdle, but others must be cleared before the auto mall and adjacent business-industrial park become a reality. Dahle said two years could pass before any cars are sold.
The land is currently zoned for agricultural uses. The city's land-use master plan does call for commercial uses on the eastern portion of Dahle's property, where the auto mall would be located, but the western half is slated for housing.
Dahle and council members agreed there could be opposition from owners of 38 acres to the north, which is in a residential zone. Councilman Jeff Rasmussen suggested a 10-acre wheat field as a buffer between the commercial development and residential area.
Debby Wilson, Draper's economic development coordinator, said there likely would be interest in Dahle's business/industrial park, especially from small medical, software and publishing companies.