A survey of Salt Lake County cities found that most communities defined their future annexation plans at one time but have generally left their options open.
State legislation passed in 1979 required cities to establish annexation policy declarations and also set up county boundary commissions to settle disputes.In most cases, however, those declarations have been sitting on a shelf somewhere gathering dust. Some have been updated, and a few apparently have been lost.
More recent legislation has made the declarations optional, but discussions on the concept of wall-to-wall cities in Salt Lake County have prompted several cities to re-evaluate their plans.
Here's a brief rundown:
Salt Lake City: Its policy declaration includes almost the entire east side of the valley south to Little Cottonwood Canyon Road and the area west of Salt Lake City south to and including Magna. That would make Utah's capital city an L-shaped metropolis partially enclosing the rest of the valley's municipalities.
The policy declaration also anticipates annexation of Emigration Canyon, the Millcreek area, Holladay/Cottonwood, Canyon Rim and Cottonwood Heights -- but much of that is unlikely.
Emigration Canyon was on the forefront of the township issue but is notoriously independent.
Holladay/Cottonwood is well on its way to becoming a city in its own right and will hold an incorporation election May 4. And residents of Cottonwood Heights, south of Holladay/Cottonwood, are talking about incorporation.
West Valley City: There are no current annexation plans in the works, said City Manager John Patterson, although West Valley may absorb a small unincorporated area near 5900 South and 5900 West where an aggressive annexation policy has pretty much encircled Kearns to the west.
The city's annexation declaration also projects West Valley boundaries may one day extend west as far as 9200 West.
Sandy: Community Development Director Mike Coulam said if the city pursues annexation, Sandy would likely extend east to Forest Service boundaries, to the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon and north to the Midvale boundary and to Creek Road.
Coulam said the city's top priority is to annex unincorporated islands that dot the city and currently receive some services from Sandy, including fire protection.
In the past, those islands have not been eager to become part of Sandy, "but we're seeing some change now that the city has grown up more," Coulam added.
Residents of White City still have mixed feelings about annexation, however, and many will probably oppose it.
West Jordan: While the city's boundaries are pretty well set for the present, West Jordan is currently dickering with Taylorsville to straighten out its northeast border along 6600 South.
The city's annexation declaration projects eventually extending West Jordan's western boundary all the way to the county line.
In addition, West Jordan officials have been meeting with their counterparts from West Valley City and Taylorsville to discuss possible annexations in Kearns.
Taylorsville: The county's newest city has not yet developed an annexation policy declaration, but city officials have not seemed particularly interested in expanding Taylorsville's boundaries.
There is some discussion whether the city is the logical entity to annex the Kearns area because Taylorsville already raided most of Kearns' traditional tax base when it went leaped over the Bangerter Highway to annex prime commercial areas all the way west to 4100 West.
But there is some strong opposition to annexing Kearns among some City Council members and many residents.
Midvale: The city's annexation plans are very general, said city administrator Lee King, but future annexations could stretch Midvale's boundaries east to the base of the mountains, north to I-215 and south near Creek Road.
The policy declaration is several councils removed from Midvale's current governing body, King said, so most members have little knowledge of its existence and don't rely on it for planning.
Midvale, which annexed the Union community in 1997, is not planning on adding to its boundaries any time soon, he added. "We had hoped to catch our breath for a couple of years."
South Salt Lake: City leaders would like South Salt Lake's southern border to stretch to 4500 South.
The city recently annexed about a 2.5-square-mile area that nearly doubled the city's boundaries and population.
City spokeswoman Cindie indicated city officials would like to annex south to 4500 South.
But that would probably trigger a border skirmish with Murray, where an annexation petition that would have extended the city's northern boundary to 3900 South by annexing the West Millcreek area fell short last year.
South Salt Lake Mayor Randy Fitts said the city could annex east to 900 or 1300 East if needed. Currently, 700 East is South Salt Lake's eastern border.
Murray: The city is updating its annexation feasibility study for the West Millcreek area and city officials who support the northward expansion could put that proposal back on the table if a wall-to-wall cities mandate develops.
In addition, the council is moving to fund two annexation feasibility studies of unincorporated land east of the city limits between 3900 South and I-215.
One study will evaluate the feasibility of annexing the area between the city's current eastern boundary and 1300 East while the second will consider annexing from 1300 East to Highland Drive.
South Jordan: There are no official long-range plans for annexation at this point, although some portions of the area near Herriman are being discussed.
City Administrator Gary Chandler predicts there will be more interest in annexations in the southwest county area, however, when the location of the Legacy Highway is finalized.
Riverton: Riverton, which recently annexed west to 4800 West, would like to annex all the way to the Oquirrh Mountains, said City Administrator Mark Palesh.
But that scenario is increasingly unlikely because Herriman residents are vigorously pursuing incorporation to prevent being absorbed into a neighboring city.
Palesh stressed Riverton does not want to steamroll its neighbors into the city and city respects Herriman residents' wish to maintain their identity.
"We would probably be more aggressive annexing out to 5600 West," he added.
Draper: City Manager Jim Smith said Draper doesn't have an annexation policy declaration.
The community is landlocked by cities to the west and north and Forest Service land to the east but, in theory, could annex a sliver of unincorporated area to the south in Utah County.
But other Utah County communities would likely be more interested in that small section of land, Smith added.
Bluffdale: Bluffdale City Recorder Connie Rice said there has been little talk of annexing beyond the city's current borders.
Alta: "We have no plans to annex at this juncture," said Alta Town Clerk Kate Black.
Any westward expansion would put Alta into Snowbird, "and we have no intention of doing that," she said.
Deseret News staff writers Jason Swensen, Alan Edwards and Don Baker contributed to this report.