The Draper City Council delayed a vote Tuesday on a proposed housing development near the borders of Highland and Alpine. Council members say they want to show residents they’re serious about protecting open space.
The council voted unanimously to hold off on the surplus and sale of 55 acres of land to Blue Bison Development. The company already has 110 acres under contract. The property is right behind the Mercer Hollow Cove neighborhood, where homes are backed up against some 2400 acres of vast mountain views and hiking trails. Some homeowners say they were under the impression that it was protected open space. And they fear this project would open the door to even more development.
Draper City Councilman Jeff Stenquist says the council has planned all along to develop a portion of the property and preserve the rest.
“The citizens were skeptical that we were going to follow through on our word,” Stenquist says. “So really the intention of our action last night was to simply show them that we were serious about preserving that land, that we’re going to hold off on the vote of surplusing land until we can put the rest of that property under a conservation easement.”
Mercer Hollow Cove resident Leigh Brennan says tabling the vote was a good faith effort on behalf of the city. But she’s still hopeful, with the help of other community members, the 165 acres of land under consideration for development can still be protected.
Brennan started an online petition called Save The Hollows! As of Wednesday it had more than 1100 signatures.
