The city council meeting held on July 26, had an active public comment period to start the meeting off - more than a few citizens were there to voice support for the memorandum of understanding (MOU) being discussed on the agenda regarding the indoor recreation facility. From local sports coaches to representatives of the Kane County Commission, to former mayor Houston, it seems the rec center has quite a bit of support.
As the agreement stood on July 26, the city and county would cooperate on things like hiring and design, and the city would take responsibility for maintenance and utilities, and funding for the project would come from TRT funds. The MOU was voted on and passed by the city council, effectively formalizing intent on both the city and county sides to see the agreement composed and signed and to follow through on its contents. Following that, Mayor Johnson excused himself to attend other responsibilities, and Council member Michael East took over as mayor pro tem for the duration of the meeting.
The next item on the agenda was a petition signed by 122 signatures appealing the council for a traffic light over the intersection of HWY 89A and Kanab Creek Drive. The city council expressed their desire to see such a light erected, especially with an expected increase in traffic due to development like the new school on Kanab Creek Dr. and nearby residences going up. However, there are also difficulties with that particular spot due to the road being a state highway - it’s up to the UDOT just as much as the city, and the UDOT report cited very stiff traffic standards to set up a signal. There is hope for a prospective analysis - a sort of projected test to take into account the expected increases with these new developments.
City Manager Kyler Ludwig stated, “We will work with UDOT, but it’ll take time.” Kanab Creek Drive is also under heavy construction as of the week of July 26, which has been delayed even further by the rain - Councilmember East pled for the public to drive safely through the traffic redirection, which will take them through the nearby subdivision while the road is being worked on.
The meeting concluded with a few issues regarding land development and utility issues - Cotori Canyon is switching developers and the new developer is doing their due diligence. The city worked on how best to integrate city sewage lines with a private citizen’s custom sewer line on a property abutting the edge of the creek. Both issues warranted further discussion, with the attending councilmembers expressing the desire to have the full council and mayor present for the former and the latter calling for further inquiry.
