Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Access Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Willard council approves canyon access agreement after years of negotiation; one abstention
Summary
After three years of negotiation among private, county and city parties, the Willard City Council approved an agreement recognizing public access to Willard Canyon and setting conditions for future relocations of the trail. A resident urged stronger protections before the vote; one council member abstained because of a family connection.
The Willard City Council voted to approve an agreement recognizing and providing access to the Willard Canyon trail after extended negotiations among the Wells property owners, Box Elder County and the city.
The agreement formalizes public access to the canyon trail and includes provisions addressing relocations tied to future mining operations. During the public-comment period, resident Lynn Murphy urged the council to strengthen the agreement before signing, listing five specific concerns including preservation of the easement, public input on relocations, a definite timeline for opening, uninterrupted access during any relocations, and limiting control by the private property owner.
Murphy told the council: "Moving the trail to facilitate mining operations is acceptable as long as the easement remains intact." She asked the city to require public input and a firm commitment to maintain access and the trail's historic character.
Council discussion recapped years of negotiations. City leaders said the Wells family's concession that the canyon contains a public right of way averted litigation. Officials acknowledged the county holds most authority over vacating and rededicating the path, and that any formal vacate-and-rededicate process would include county public hearings.
The mayor and staff pushed back on the coalition's suggestion that the council could secure a broader guarantee without the county's cooperation, saying the signed agreement was the strongest near-term protection the city could obtain without a court case. The mayor said he did not expect frequent relocations, adding, "I don't think it'll move from the current location for probably 10 years." Staff and council members also said the agreement requires continual and "uninterrupted" public access in its language.
The council took a formal vote after discussion. Council member Jake moved to approve the agreement; Rod seconded. The motion passed with the council voting in favor and Council member Jordan recorded as abstaining because the issue involved family. The council said the Wells family planned to remove a fence and install agreed signage soon after signing, and staff expected the trail to reopen within a couple of weeks once those steps occur.
Council members and staff encouraged members of the public who have additional concerns about specific relocations or rededications to raise those questions at the Box Elder County commission public hearings that would be required for any formal vacating and rededication process.
The council recorded no additional formal conditions on the city's approval; staff said they will monitor implementation and publicize timelines and signs when they are in place.
