Neighbors ask council to lease city wetland parcel after years of volunteer maintenance

Residents abutting a city-owned wetland behind Fox Chase urged the South Ogden City Council to grant a long-term lease so neighbors can continue maintaining trails and amenities they say they installed and used for years. A neighborhood representative said the HOA dissolved, neighbors stepped in to remove hazard trees and create a grassed area and "a pickleball court," and asked for a symbolic lease: "We would pay you a dollar and you would lease it to us for 100 years." (presenter, Fox Chase neighborhood).

Councilors and staff told residents that the parcel remains city property, that portions are delineated wetlands and that permanent improvements in the public right or wetland areas typically require review, permits or removal. City staff urged caution about precedent and access: public-works staff noted heavy equipment must be able to reach the storm-drain inlet and that some permanent items could impede emergency or maintenance access. Former council member Brian Venard recounted decades of missed maintenance and urged the council to find a practical solution that preserves the neighborhood improvements without bypassing permitting. The council directed staff (city legal/public works) to review lease options or alternatives and report back.