The council was considering building residences on the city course's current 15th hole and building a replacement hole - along with additional homes - on a nearby hilltop peppered with junipers.

The move would have meant demolishing numerous, decades-old trees.

But Councilman Gary Maxwell has helped on a new plan that some of his colleagues say would develop fewer homes, uproot fewer trees and still eliminate $6.25 million in debt, which has burdened the city's taxpayers.

His plan comes after more than 1,000 residents - both in Cedar Hills and neighboring Highland City - signed a petition asking the Cedar Hills council to spare hundreds of junipers that were on the chopping block.

But the petition driver, Highland resident Tyler Sheffield, said too many trees are still at risk.

"At a minimum, it greatly changes the feeling of the grove," Sheffield said. "It's no longer a wilderness-conservation area. It becomes a golf hole on the north half and a tiny bit of juniper grove with homes on the south side.

"We're very disappointed if that goes through."

Councilman Eric Richardson said the new plan would save the city the cost of building new infrastructure.

The new homes would be built along an existing road using current infrastructure rather than creating an entirely new cul-de-sac.

In addition, Maxwell said only about 20 trees, at most, would be uprooted.

"That's far from meaningless, but considering it's the most prevalent tree in Utah, it isn't much at all," Richardson said. "I'm really encouraged."

He added that the plan would maintain existing homeÂowners' sight lines by leaving an open-space buffer zone between current units and the new development.

"That will mitigate some of the impact that they'll have to shoulder," Richardson said. "It probably won't be perfect in anyone's eyes, but I think it's the most perfect solution we'll come up with."

Maxwell, a developer, said he would use his know-how to help eliminate the city's debt.

"I would be willing to put in substantial time and effort, with my background, to help the city maximize profit with no additional compensation to me," he said.

Councilman Joel Wright was cautiously optimistic, saying the new plan, at worst, would eliminate the debt.

At best, he said, it might even provide an extra $1 million toward a golf-course club house.

"This plan is much less offensive or bothersome to folks," Wright said. "This will give us a second chance to see how a golf course can do at generating revenue."

sgehrke@sltrib.com