The City Council voted 3-2 to deny a controversial and disputed annexation request by some 39 property owners along Boynton Road, east of Fairfield Road between Layton and Kaysville.
The residents, living in unincorporated Davis County, had submitted an annexation petition last March signed by more than 50 percent of the residents. However, a new state law governing townships required the city to wait at least 120 days before approval.In the meantime, some residents claimed a few of the signatures on the petition were forged. A counter request not to annex the approximate 47 acres of land was also later received by the City Council and claims were also made that some of the signatures on that petition were faked.
City attorney Felshaw King said at least two signatures were in dispute on the petitions.
Councilman Joe Hill acknowledged that some Boynton Road residents didn't want to be annexed, but he said that area will be developed no matter what. He said that like west Kaysville, the area would be smart to annex into a city.
Mayor H. Arthur Johnson predicted the land will someday belong to either Kaysville or Layton, but he was concerned about what the annexation would cost current residents of the city for infrastruc- ture improvements.
Councilman Brian D. Cook agreed and said he didn't want residents to subsidize the cost of any improvements there.
Other councilmen were worried about homes in the Boynton Road area not being up to city standards.
"Do it (annex) now, so the development can be made with what the city wants," Councilman Rob Rhees said.