WEST VALLEY CITY — From a bird's-eye view, lush green space along the Jordan River looks like a "blank slate" for development.
The river means different things to different people, some of whom worry a new proposal will lead to loving the river to death.
To Utah Power, it means a chance to offer cities recreation easements on up to 64 acres of its high-voltage transmission line corridor that often follows the winding river.
Utah Power executive vice president Bill Landels chose Tuesday — four days before National Trails Day — to announce the offer.
"We wanted to celebrate the ongoing development of the Jordan River Parkway and the trail system," he said.
In recent years an interest has grown in creating a contiguous trail system along the 44-mile Jordan River from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake. In that time, Utah Power has been getting numerous calls to allow trail construction in its power corridor. Some of the land now being offered for easements already has some trails on it.
Now, if a city wants to use some of Utah Power's designated recreation easements, worth about $60,000 an acre, the only requirements are a $1,500 administrative fee and Utah Power's project approval before construction starts. That has river advocate groups like Great Salt Lake Audubon worried.
"Most of the trail for the Jordan River Parkway is complete," said Great Salt Lake Audubon executive director Jeff Salt. "The problem is there are already at least three trail projects that are proposed in the Utah Power corridor that are duplicate trail projects."
Salt called the duplication a "ridiculous" use of open space that will further impact wildlife habitat in the area.
"It's another example of loving the river to death," he said.
Salt was particularly critical of a proposal in Taylorsville to put another trailhead and parking lot at 4800 South along the parkway where two already exist. He urged Utah Power to be "judicious" in its approval process for recreation easement use.
Salt Lake County and Bluffdale also have plans to use space in Utah Power's corridor.
"It is time to take the trail less traveled and increase our public open space in our ever-shrinking county," said Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman.
At her urging, the County Council approved $2.7 million for "protecting, purchasing and enhancing" open spaces in Salt Lake County. The mayor plans to spend an additional $1 million on trail development in the south end of the valley. And Workman has tapped Congress for another $1 million for open space.
In cities like West Valley City, interest in preserving open space takes a back seat only to traffic problems, according to a recent city-generated poll of residents.
"That tells us something about the times we live in," said West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt.
The city's new interest in riverside open space is not without the irony that it is the only city in the Salt Lake Valley along the Jordan River — besides South Salt Lake — that is not a member of the Jordan River Natural Areas Forum. Nordfelt said Tuesday he was not aware of the forum, which has a particular interest in making sure development in the river corridor is kept to a minimum and is done while preserving the natural environment.
Currently, West Valley City is building a cultural recreation center next to the river. Great Salt Lake Audubon has expressed concern about the city building too close to the river's edge.
West Valley City also has plans to build more trails along the river and trails connecting existing paths away from the river to the Jordan River Parkway.
West Jordan and Draper also have submitted proposals to Utah Power for recreation easements. Combined with West Valley City, Taylorsville, Salt Lake County and Bluffdale, about half of the 64 acres being offered will be impacted by the current proposals.
Calling the offer a pilot program, Utah Power also announced plans to make more acreage along the river and around the valley available, depending upon the success of the program.
E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com