Residents urge privatizing Vivian Park roads; commissioners hold hearing but take no final vote

At a public hearing opened by the Board of Utah County Commissioners, residents of the Vivian Park subdivision urged the county to vacate public rights-of-way — Fairfax Drive, Vivian Way and Beverly Way — so the homeowners association can make the roads private and control access.

"We want the road to become private," said Reed Dixon, the HOA spokesperson, describing a year-long outreach and a formal vote of homeowners he reported as 50–11 in favor. Dixon said the neighborhood has a 30-foot right-of-way with 20-foot pavement, operates its own water system, street lights, trash removal and fire suppression, and estimated that raising dues about $110 per affected household would yield roughly $7,000 a year to cover snow removal and basic maintenance.

Diane Huish, a resident on Vivian Way, asked whether a vote to vacate would leave the roads vulnerable to future government acquisition for trails or other public use. County staff answered that, in theory, private property can be acquired for public use but that there was no immediate plan and that the public hearing was an opportunity for comment rather than final action.

Several other residents recounted thefts, trespass and safety incidents. Reed Dixon described multiple break-ins and stolen property, and neighbors said they regularly see unfamiliar vehicles and people on the road. Val Dunn, the HOA treasurer, told commissioners she favors privatization but urged clear liability language and suggested creating a separate entity to accept a road conveyance so owners not directly adjacent would not be exposed to unexpected costs.

Public Works staff and commissioners also addressed whether trail planning or past grant efforts could bring an official trail through the neighborhood. Richard Nelson, the county’s public works director, said prior studies and a UDOT project in Provo Canyon have considered connecting trails, and that acquired land from Provo City could allow a separated trail off South Fork Road, but he cautioned that the Fairfax/Vivian Park corridor has geographic constraints.

After hearing multiple speakers for and against the petition, the commission closed the public hearing (vote 3–0). The board did not adopt a vacation that day. The item tied to the vacation was tabled during agenda setting, later un-tabled, continued to a future meeting, and ultimately removed from the published agenda without a county vote to convey the road.

The meeting record shows commissioners instructed staff to return with more detailed terms (maintenance agreements, indemnification language, and timing of upgrades or conveyance) before taking any final administrative action.