Millcreek acquires land parcel for trail improvement
Feb 22, 2022 09:24PM ● By Bridget RaymundoBy Bridget Raymundo | [email protected]
The State of Utah and the city of Millcreek are now in a joint Grant Agreement which funds the acquisition of an undeveloped parcel of land for the continuance, maintenance, and improvement of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
As of Jan. 24, the agreement was approved through a unanimous vote at the Millcreek City Council meeting and was deemed effective immediately. The council approval authorized Mayor Jeff Silvestrini to sign the agreement with the state and purchase the Teton View estate, located above Teton Drive. The mayor and Elyse Sullivan, the city recorder, are also authorized by the council vote to administer necessary minor changes and recommendations in the deliverance of the grant agreement.
The conditions include the requirement for the trail to be kept open for the use and benefit of the general public. The shares of the State of Utah involved in this agreement are the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation.
The contract period is from Sept. 25, 2021 until the completion date of Sept. 24, 2022. Up to $28,000 will be awarded by the state government for the open space acquisition.
The space is currently priced for $31,000, so Millcreek City can expect to match the $28,000 state grant with only $3,000 to pay. Additionally, the in-kind match, a partial land donation or appraisal covered by a third party, comprises $5,000. This means Millcreek City will only need to pay less than 10% of the financial value of the land. In fall 2021, the negotiations for the parcel were conducted. The seller is now slowly approaching the final steps in closing the deal which should be completed by the first quarter of this year. The construction of the trail can commence in 2022 and be finished in 2023.
The Teton View LLC parcel, as it is called, will likely become part of the Grandeur Peak Open Space managed by Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation Open Space for maintenance in cooperation with the USFS Salt Lake Ranger District. The trail between Millcreek and Parleys Canyon will be jointly owned by the county and USFS since it intersects in multiple places. The Teton parcel is 2.79 acres in size and located on the west flank of Grandeur Peak on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail alignment which will then connect to the Parleys Canyon.
In a separate application for grant funding, Millcreek is planning to purchase the Rainclouds/Shaw parcel further along the BST alignment. The Rattlesnake Gulch Trail, western end of the Pipeline Trail, and the Old Quarry Road are included in the area specified. The Quarry Road connects to the north end of Wasatch Boulevard, and Rattlesnake Gulch Trail is adding a parallel trail at less than 10% grade for a multi-use trail as per BST standards.
A five-mile stretch of trail will be set between Millcreek and Parleys Canyon. Following this, the purchased Rainclouds and Teton View parcels will make way for a trail construction project that will connect the already established Pipeline and Old Quarry Trails to the new segment.