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Council directs removal of 1800 North planter boxes; staff to reallocate UDOT credits toward street lights
Summary
After staff described layout constraints and maintenance costs, the council gave administrative direction to remove low‑level planter boxes along the 1800 North segment tied to the UDOT project and to explore using the irrigation backbone or UDOT credits for alternative beautification and street lights.
Clinton — The City Council gave administrative direction on Feb. 10 to remove proposed low‑level planter boxes from the 1800 North corridor being installed in coordination with UDOT and to explore alternative beautification that would preserve a welcome feature while reducing maintenance obligations and freeing UDOT credit funds for street lights.
Mayor Marie Doherty raised concerns that a long gap in planter coverage, tight right‑of‑way near commercial properties and maintenance burden made the feature a poor fit for parts of 1800 North. Public works staff (Bryce) explained the existing plan: planter boxes are typically 20 feet long, previously spaced as close as 40 feet but later thinned to 160‑foot spacing; each box costs roughly $3,000 plus irrigation and maintenance.
Bryce said UDOT is providing approximately $300,000 in project credits to the city as part of the agreement; removing the planters allows the city to use that credit to install street lights in the corridor instead, saving city funds. Staff agreed to notify UDOT now before installation so the contractor can omit planter infrastructure and apply funds to lighting or other agreed uses. Council asked staff to evaluate whether existing culinary‑system irrigation could support hanging baskets or other lower‑maintenance features and to confirm maintenance regimens for any retained beautification elements.
The council indicated unanimous support in the chamber to proceed administratively and to return to council with options for corridor beautification that are sustainable and coordinate with UDOT timing and bid schedules.
What happens next: Staff will notify UDOT of the change, examine irrigation/irrigation‑backbone options for hanging baskets, and circulate updated plans and a map showing the adjusted planter and lighting scope for council review before construction bidding.
