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City presents 10‑year "Emerald Ribbon" action plan to restore 772 acres along Jordan River; Phase 1 funding set at $11.5 million
Summary
Public Lands staff and consultants briefed council on a 10‑year Emerald Ribbon Action Plan to naturalize and program roughly 772 acres along the Jordan River, proposing $11.5 million in phase‑one projects and estimating $60–65 million for full implementation plus added annual operations costs.
Salt Lake City public lands staff and consultants briefed the City Council on the Emerald Ribbon Action Plan, a 10‑year program to restore and re‑program roughly 772 acres of public land along the Jordan River corridor within city limits.
Mikaela Mpanga, public lands planner, and consultant representatives described a plan that prioritizes ecological restoration, improved trail connections and increased stewardship. The plan recommends increasing the corridor’s managed natural lands from about 14% today to roughly 30% over time and estimates capital costs for five transformational sites at about $65 million in total. Phase 1 — projects intended to begin this year and complete by 2028 — is funded at approximately $11.5 million from a 2022 parks general obligation bond and CIP and impact‑fee sources, staff said.
Consultants outlined 13 priority projects for Phase 1, three transformational project priorities (Cottonwood Park, Bend in the River/Modesto Park and Glendale Oxbow) and several pilot restoration and trail safety/connectivity projects. The plan also calls for operations and maintenance capacity to grow: staff estimated two additional rangers within two years and eight more FTEs within three years to manage expanded natural areas, plus funding for specialized equipment and vehicles.
Why it matters: Staff said the plan relies on partnership funding and governance agreements with state agencies, non‑profits and other local entities to reduce city fiscal impact, and that much of the long‑term operations costs (staffing and programming) would be met through a diversified funding approach that could include philanthropy and partner contributions. The administration plans to transmit a final version to council later this year for possible adoption.
Council members asked about governance models and timelines for drafting interagency agreements. Public Lands staff said they plan multiple, site‑specific governance partnerships rather than a single city‑only agreement, and pointed to recent projects (Cornell Wetlands in Rose Park) as examples of multi‑partner funding and operations.
Ending: Council received the update; staff said Phase 1 projects will begin this year using existing bond and CIP funds and that a final plan will be transmitted to the council for potential adoption later in the year. No formal vote was taken.
