Bountiful City Council accepts South Davis Greenway study, holds support letter

The Bountiful City Council voted Oct. 27 to accept the South Davis Greenway feasibility study, but only after a long discussion and with a condition: no letter of support will go to the Utah Trail Network until the council passes a resolution laying out its concerns. The council's next meeting is Nov. 10, its only one scheduled in November. ^[1][2][3]

The agenda item asked the council to consider accepting the study, presented by Planning Director Francisco Astorga. The city staff report describes the greenway as a 10.8-mile regional walking and biking path, with about 4 miles in Bountiful, planned with Centerville, North Salt Lake and Farmington. The council's discussion covered parking, snow removal, liability and who would pay for maintenance. ^[1][2][3]

The staff report said acceptance commits no city funding, and a memo from the city attorney, read aloud by Council Member Dan Bell, described it as accepting a completed planning document that may inform future consideration of the greenway. Mayor Kate Bradshaw said the city's primary funding target is the Utah Trail Network. The other three cities each accepted the study unanimously, and their mayors signed brief letters documenting that acceptance, which City Manager Gary Hill described as "pretty general letters of support." ^[1][2]

Council Member Millie Segura Bahr said her main concern was the long-term cost to residents, saying she would hate to see maintenance lead to budget changes or tax increases, though she said she didn't know that it would be a big burden. Council Member Richard Higginson said he needed to know what the letter would say before making a motion. Bradshaw, who does not vote, said there is still a long way to go on the segments in Bountiful and with the other three cities, but urged the council to keep the process moving. ^[2]

After several motions were made and withdrawn, Council Member Beth Child moved to accept the final report and direct staff to prepare a resolution outlining the council's concerns, including a letter to the Utah Trail Network. Higginson seconded. Higginson added the clarification that no letter would go out until the council passes the resolution, which would then authorize the mayor to sign and send it, and Child agreed that was her intent. The motion passed on a voice vote; no one voiced opposition. ^[2]

One Bountiful resident and runner spoke during public comment in support of the greenway as a safer place to run and a way to connect the community. ^[2][3]

The council also approved about $1.96 million in expenditures over $1,000 paid Oct. 7 and 14, including a quarterly South Davis Metro Fire and EMS assessment of about $750,000. It adopted Resolution 2026-17 amending the city's storm water management program, and approved a 25-year license agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation for the Davis Boulevard Bridge. ^[1][3]