At a Wednesday night meeting, Planning Commissioner Babs De Lay said the commission needs to offer more time for public comment before making a recommendation to the City Council on amending city code. The LDS Church and its mall-development partner Taubman Centers Inc. have asked to be exempt from a city rule that bans structures that block Main Street views of Ensign Peak so a skywalk can connect shopping areas in the 20-acre project.
"We need to involve the community," De Lay said, adding that she would like to see advertisements that would let people know when and where to comment. She worried that only a handful of Salt Lake City residents have made it to public hearings on the project, including the one held Wednesday.
Bob Bliss, former dean of the University of Utah's College of Architecture, recently told The Salt Lake Tribune he is concerned the church is moving too quickly, asking for variations and amendments of long-time planning documents without presenting the public and Planning Commission adequate information. For example, no architectural renderings will be available for another year, though the city is being asked to OK the sky bridge across Main Street now.
"The project is premature. They're way ahead of themselves. There has been no significant city and public reaction to the proposal. This is a billion-dollar project, and it's been presented on 8 1/2 -by-11 sheets. There's much to be done really before the city considers whether or not the [sky] bridge works or other exceptions the church is asking should even be considered," Bliss said.
Kirk Huffaker, interim director of the Utah Heritage Foundation, asked the commission to extend its public comment period, citing concerns about historic buildings involved such as the First Security Building.
"We've only had a few weeks to think about ideas and solutions for our issues. We believe other members of the public think this project seems rushed as well," Huffaker said. "We need more time."
In its presentation to the Planning Commission, representatives from Taubman insisted the project needs a sky bridge, or "pedestrian connector," to be successful, saying impacts on views will be minimal. They also said the structure would aid rather than hinder foot traffic on Main Street.
Commissioner Prescott Muir and a few residents questioned why the bridge needs to be covered. Leaving it uncovered, would be less adverse to views of Ensign Peak.
Bruce Heckman, Taubman's vice president of development, said the project is designed so that shoppers can be insulated from the weather, 365 days of the year.
rwinters@sltrib.com
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* HEATHER MAY contributed to this report.
