HIGHLAND — To win the race for road access in north Utah County, Highland city is willing to condemn five pieces of property and spend $800,000 for the right of way.
The City Council voted unanimously last week to acquire the five properties through use of eminent domain that will allow for a controversial north west-side road from Alpine's Westfield Road through to U-92. The road will open opportunities for development on Highland's west side as well as provide a south-side access to the Draper city SunCrest residences on the top of Traverse Ridge.
If Highland doesn't move forward, the city will probably lose the chance to determine where Highland has access onto the state highway.
Property owners involved have refused to sign on to a number of proposed alignments
Because of that, several weeks ago, the city decided to adopt the default alignment along the eastern border of the Micron property for the preferred more easterly alignment that involves the Dan Burgess, Don Siggurd, Mark Taylor/Ivory Homes, BullRiver Land Association and Sunset Mountain/Patterson Construction properties.
"We need to make a decision. This could go on forever," said Boyd Wilson, city engineer, in a recent council meeting. Wilson said at this point, the city has looked at more than a dozen alignment options and each time the road is discussed, there are new objections and proposals.
Micron has three approved accesses onto the highway and has used two. Officials for Micron have said they're willing to share the third access but would prefer the road not butt up against its property line.
Sunset Mountain officials say they are waiting to decide whether to annex to Lehi or Highland depending on what happens with the road alignment.
"We can vote to condemn and still adjust the alignment and negotiate," said Mayor Jess Adamson.
Utah Department of Transportation officials have made it clear that only one more access in the Micron/BullRiver area will be approved.
"We've already sat down with Lehi, Highland and Micron and told them we want everybody to play nice together and work this out," said Doug Bassett, Region Three Traffic Engineer.
Bassett said UDOT would prefer the road go in opposite the 6800 West access on the south so the future intersection will be square and not offset.
SunCrest officials need to have a decision because homeowners in their development are now living on the Utah County side of the mountain with no way down into Utah County. Schoolchildren in the area are being bused to Salt Lake County schools because there is no bus access from Alpine School District.
Meanwhile, landowners are saying they aren't getting what was promised when the road was first proposed.
"Why give up 90 feet of ground for a road that doesn't benefit us one bit?" asked Don Siggurd. Siggurd said he was told that sewer lines for his property would be installed by SunCrest, which is building the new road, and that the right of way needed was 75 feet, not 90 feet.
Adamson said without the road the property north of U-92 would probably never have an opportunity to develop.
"We can't allow Micron to steal Highland's access," said City Councilman Brian Brunson.
E-MAIL: haddoc@desnews.com