Meeting tonight

North Salt Lake's City Council plans to vote tonight on the disconnect resolution. The 7 p.m. meeting is at City Hall, 20 S. U.S. 89.

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NORTH SALT LAKE - Looks like a divorce is in the works.

North Salt Lake officials are expected to pass a resolution tonight urging Salt Lake City to disconnect 80 acres of hilltop property that the Davis County municipality owns within the boundaries of Utah's capital.

"This is a request we made over two years ago," North Salt Lake Mayor Kay Briggs said Monday. "Maybe people were hoping we'd forget about it, but we haven't."

Salt Lake City has 30 days to respond - by holding yet another public hearing and voting on the matter - or North Salt Lake probably will go to court for the right to do develop its property.

The nonprofit conservation group Trust for Public Lands has been trying to raise money to buy the property and keep it as open space.

Briggs doubts that is going to happen, as does North Salt Lake's City Council, which rejected the trust's proposal to wait an additional 18 months in exchange for $100.

Salt Lake City officials dislike North Salt Lake's plan to build trails on the barren parcel by developing 10 acres as a housing subdivision along with a cemetery acting as a buffer to the open space above Salt Lake City. They point out that it is one of the last untainted remnants of ancient Lake Bonneville.

"We still see this as an important property to preserve as natural open space for future generations," said Lisa Romney, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson's environmental adviser.

But not all the opposition is coming from the south.

North Salt Lake resident Juan Arce-Larreta has reserved time on tonight's council agenda to speak out against the proposed development. He has gathered about 50 signatures - and hopes to get more - for a petition.

"Most people will tell you they are tired of seeing houses creep up and up on the hillside," Arce-Larreta said. "We hear [city leaders] talk about the value of the land, but the worth of urban open space is priceless."

Briggs said the city's plan to add infrastructure leading to the hillside would ensure more people experience the open space. In the meantime, he is also responsible for policing and providing services for a growing community.

"We don't have to end up in court," he said. "We could always sell it to a developer and let them fight it out with Salt Lake City."

lorib@sltrib.com