A clearly irritated crowd of about 150 booed the decision. Many in the audience had hoped that a park could be developed on the old Gibbons & Reed gravel pit, bounded by 1000 East and 1300 East from 9000 South to about 9400 South.

But budgetary concerns carried the day; this city of 80,000 laid off 11 employees last year and is thirsty for tax revenue.

"If we want to keep our property taxes the way they are, we have to be careful about how much park land we add,'' said Councilman Bryant Anderson.

Both retailers now have stores in Sandy near the I-15 freeway but want new locations for expanded outlets.

The Boyer Co. has proposed a mixed-use development of residential and retail for the gravel pit site, making room for a Wal-Mart superstore and an expanded Lowe's home improvement store.

Sandy officials worried the retailers otherwise could move outside the town, taking with them sales tax revenue on which the city relies.

"We have a Wal-Mart in this city and it could be leaving the city,'' said Anderson. "We have a Lowe's, and it's contemplating leaving.''

In what Anderson called a compromise, he forwarded a mo- tion for the zone change that also would funnel redevelopment agency tax funds from the new development to the struggling Sandy Mall at 9400 S. 700 East.

But Councilman Dennis Tenney warned that a vote in favor of Boyer's proposal would not represent the vast majority of Sandy residents. Many have spoken out against the big-box plan during four lengthy public hearings.

"If we don't listen to the overwhelming majority who have spoken very clearly, then we will disenfranchise them,'' Tenney said.

He asked the council to "keep faith'' with residents by maintaining the zoning established 16 years ago that specifically forbade big box stores.

A park could be financed through the development of a small commercial village of specialty shops on the site, Tenney said. "There is a wonderful opportunity here to create a jewel in the south valley.''

In the past 10 years, Sandy has spent $50 million on parks, city administrator Byron Jorgensen told the council. Several years ago, Sandy purchased 72 acres on its eastern slope that has yet to be developed because the city has no money, he said.

Sandy also purchased 208 acres at the mouth of Bell Canyon that will remain a nature preserve, Jorgensen said. "No city of our size has done as much as we have done,'' he told the council.

One resident disappointed with the vote was LaMont Jeppesen, who fears increased traffic, noise and crime from the development. The council did not listen to its constituents, he said.

"That Wal-Mart will be in my back yard. It's going to drop my property values,'' he said. "The only ones to gain from this are Boyer and the big boxes.''

Sandy resident Gary Forbush, who represents the Save Our Communities group that pushed for a regional park at the gravel pit, said he was surprised the vote was so lopsided.

"I think there's going to be a big citizen backlash,'' he said.

Save Our Communities is considering legal action or a petition drive for a ballot referendum to stop the rezone, Forbush said. "A petition drive is probably the cleanest way to do it.''