l The County Council voted 7-1 to launch a review process for a landscaping ordinance, designed to upgrade aesthetics and improve water conservation.* The plan, issued by Councilman Jim Bradley, will be vetted by nurseries, developers, water users and landscape architects. It also must go before planning commissions and community councils before it is considered for adoption early next year.

l A 2004 independent audit revealed that the county is violating a state statute that caps allowable fund balances at 20 percent. As of Dec. 21, the unreserved balance in the general fund was 24.2 percent, according to the report. Budget Director Lance Brown noted the high level is common and suggested the interpretation is really semantics. Peter Corroon got a jump-start on the anticipated slugfest over how to divvy the next crop of cash for the popular Zoo, Arts and Parks program.

Salt Lake County's mayor pointed out spending priorities Tuesday for County Council members before they begin wrestling over whose district gets what projects.

On Corroon's wish list: lacrosse fields and dog parks. But he also wants to serve disadvantaged populations, replace dilapidated facilities and balance the projects valleywide.

Most important, the mayor wants enough cash left over to avoid deficits.

"If we're building new facilities, we have to make sure we have money to operate them," he told the council.

County fiscal analyst Darrin Casper said the ZAP distribution process can be tweaked to increase budgets for operations and management without raising taxes. If so, enough money still should be available to fund new facilities.

That pleases Councilman Randy Horiuchi, who said several communities were "shortchanged" during the first ZAP round in the late 1990s, when the tax money helped build a dozen recreation centers throughout the county.

"People expect some bang for their buck," he said.

Council Chairman Michael Jensen agrees, but warns the council must resist politicizing the process.

"This is probably the No. 1 issue on people's minds out in the county," he said. "We need to make sure we do it the right way."

Priorities highlighted by Corroon also made the lists of the community councils, whose members continue to work on ZAP with the county's parks and recreation division.

Recreation upgrades, for instance, are necessary near Rose Park and Copperview, the mayor argues, and county leaders should explore partnerships and land banking.

djensen@sltrib.com