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Posted: 7:15 PM- DRAPER - This city plans to make geologic hazards through Traverse Mountain more public.
Amid intense disagreements over road issues with the hilltop SunCrest development, the City Council agreed to install a monument atop Traverse Mountain that maps out and describes the area's geologic hazards: landslides, debris flow, rolling rocks, and faults.
Not exactly an advertisement for prospective homebuyers.
"We're not only harming developers, but residents at SunCrest who want to sell," said Councilman Jeff Stenquist. "Their property values will be harmed . . . This is way too inflammatory."
Some council members, during a meeting Tuesday, said the monument was simply informational. But others feared the display would aggravate SunCrest and worsen ongoing struggles that already could lead to lawsuits.
"It's disingenuous to say this is informational only," said Stenquist, who wanted to hold off on installing the marker until the city "smooths things out with SunCrest."
SunCrest's attorney Bruce Baird said he's glad Draper now knows where all the landslides are on the mountain and whether they're active or inactive.
"I presume I can get approval to build immediately on everything that's not on their map," Baird said in a tongue-in-cheek comment.
While new Councilman Troy Walker was against the marker, his colleague, Allen Summerhays, switched positions twice and finally decided the information was OK to display. He was reassured when the city attorney told the council no legal issues were at stake.
The monument idea is not a new one.
Former council member Paul Edwards, along with current members Bill Colbert and Stephanie Davis, asked the city staff last year to put it together.
Colbert, who lives in SunCrest, said it would appear more political to withhold the display now. He threatened to publish the document in the Draper Paper if the council voted it down.
Davis said she wanted to erect the monument as soon as possible. She worried what people would think if the council refused to display a public document.
"The public has a right to know [the monument's] content," she said Wednesday, adding that the project is an effort to help residents make informed decisions.
Mayor Darrell Smith recommended the city wait until spring to install the marker.
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