Crow Mountain Park committee forms; council urged to plan for $11M–$12M project

A neighborhood committee organized to advise on development of the recently acquired 12-acre Crow Mountain Park parcel introduced itself to the Smithfield City Council on April 8 and urged the council to begin planning and pursue funding.

Marty Robinson said the Crow Mountain Park Neighborhood Committee — a volunteer group of residents — will provide input on park design and help with funding efforts. The committee has begun building a website with a fact section and a survey to collect community input. Robinson said estimated costs are around $11 million and that a Utah State University professor has offered assistance with grant writing.

City Manager Justin Lewis and Councilmembers noted there is approximately $400,000 in park impact fees currently set aside. Mr. Lewis also cited cost benchmarks from other cities indicating that, depending on amenities, park construction commonly runs roughly $1 million per acre, which for a 12-acre site could approach $12 million; he emphasized the need for a design plan and infrastructure work such as grading, parking and restrooms before grant applications would be competitive.

Councilmembers discussed allocating funds in future budgets and suggested involving Utah State University on visioning and grant strategy. No formal funding commitment was made at the April 8 meeting.