Now, elected officials are torn.
Sinclair Oil wants to expand its current operations in the south Davis County community. A divided Planning Commission says no - but just barely. It voted 3-2 in mid-February to recommend denial of Sinclair's request.
On Tuesday, the City Council will have to decide.
"This has been a tough decision. We don't have a consensus on it," said Councilman Don Moore.
Sinclair Oil owns 7.5 acres in Woods Cross. The land is adjacent to the Pioneer Pipeline Terminal in neighboring North Salt Lake. That terminal, jointly owned by Sinclair and Conoco, receives and disperses fuel from Wyoming refineries.
Sinclair hopes to build, on the Woods Cross property it already owns, a small jet-fuel distribution facility with two 50,000-barrel storage tanks and two loading bays.
Sinclair spokesman Clint Ensign said a dozen trucks, on average, would load up at the new facility each day to carry jet fuel to two sites: Hill Air Force Base and Salt Lake City International Airport.
To avoid adding to the congestion at the 2600 South interchange for Interstate 15, Sinclair already diverts its trucks west to Interstate 215 - which Ensign said adds about $7 in per-trip costs.
"Right now we're doing it as a courtesy. There are about 180 trucks per day that come to Pioneer Pipeline, and we [currently] have about 20 of those."
To sweeten its chances for council approval, the Salt Lake City-based oil firm - it markets fuel in 21 states - promised to give Woods Cross $50,000 toward beautification projects.
But the council's reluctance was shown two weeks ago when, in a 3-2 vote, it narrowly approved drafting a resolution to amend the city's general plan that specifically would accommodate Sinclair's expansion.
That resolution, on Tuesday, is scheduled to come before the council for an up-or-down vote.
If the council supports Sinclair's plans, the company must get a conditional-use permit and file site-plan approvals - a process that could take up to four months.
Sinclair's aim: Begin construction this fall and have the loading facility operational by year's end.
cmckitrick@sltrib.com
What's next
On Tuesday, at 6:30 p.m., Woods Cross City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to amend the city's general plan to allow Sinclair Oil to expand its facility.
