Parents and residents urge city to address school crossings and home‑business impacts on neighborhood roads

Two public commenters described safety and quality‑of‑life concerns at the start of the May 15 Farr West City Council meeting, asking the city to include schools in road planning and to consider neighborhood compatibility when approving home businesses.

Amber Lucero told council members that her daughter narrowly avoided being struck at a Walquist Junior High crosswalk on 2700 North after a distracted driver “zoomed through the crosswalk” despite flashing school‑zone lights and the crosswalk attendant stopping traffic. Lucero said the incident and an earlier episode in which several motorists failed to stop for a group of junior‑high students pushing a wheelchair led her to conclude the city should consider that some roads currently treated as neighborhood streets have become de facto thoroughfares.

“I will share one more,” Lucero said on the record. “When she approached the busy school crossing on 2700 North, she was the only student there. She waited until the crosswalk attendant…motioned for her to cross, but my daughter hesitated. That hesitation likely saved her life.” Lucero asked the council to include schools and school crossings explicitly when it evaluates road changes and to consider that existing school‑zone measures may not be sufficient.

Another resident, Peggy Andres, asked the council to be mindful when approving home‑business licenses in residential areas. Andres described metal‑recycling and vehicle‑storage activities near her North Higley Road home that she said had introduced dumpsters, box trucks and increased customer and delivery traffic in what were one‑acre residential lots. She told councilmembers she no longer sat on her front porch because of the visual and traffic impacts and asked the council to consider location and neighborhood context when approving business licenses.

Why it matters: At the meeting councilmembers and staff discussed the tension between preserving neighborhood character and accommodating growth. Staff and councilmembers noted growth on Farr West roads and signaled they would continue coordinating with UDOT and schools about pedestrian safety and crossings: Amber Lucero urged the council to treat 2700 North as a corridor that may need different safety infrastructure than a residential street.

Staff and next steps

- Lucero and others asked the council to include schools in any road‑design discussions; staff said UDOT would need to be involved for portions of 2700 North that are state‑controlled, and councilmembers noted a planned UDOT conversation and future traffic studies.

- On home business concerns, staff said business license reviews already include questioning about signage, congestion and vehicle impacts and that council consideration remains available for location‑sensitive applications.

Ending note

Speakers asked for more proactive attention to crosswalk safety on 2700 North and for the city to weigh neighborhood impacts when approving home businesses. Councilmembers noted the matter and said the planning, public works and traffic safety committees would monitor related requests and coordinate with UDOT and local schools.