Instead, the Utah Supreme Court opted for simplicity in the ballot box for Sandy voters.

That simplicity: It's a 63-word statement issued by the court Monday that is designed to tell voters what a "no" or "yes" means on Nov. 8 for the zoning of a 107-acre gravel pit.

"We would have loved it if [the court] had put 'big boxes' in there," said Robyn Bagley, a member of Save Our Communities, a resident group trying to block the current development plans on the site. "But, we're not disappointed."

On the other side of the debate, the developer and retailers like the high court's version, too.

"We're very happy with the Supreme Court," said Kelly Casaday, a spokesman for the consortium planning the development.

Save Our Communities asked the court to write another version of the ballot language. The group believed an initial version, penned by Sandy City Attorney Walter Miller, was biased and would confuse voters.

Miller was unavailable Monday, but has previously said his version attempted to explain why the City Council made way for the development with a zoning change.

The one-page order authored by Justice Michael Wilkins gave no reasoning for the court's rewrite - other than to say "pursuant to law."

Instead of going into specifics, Wilkins tells voters that a yes vote would "allow a number of new uses that are prohibited under the current zone."

The simplicity of the court's version means both sides of the development dispute need to educate voters about what a "yes" or "no" means.

"Now, we're going to have a good time telling voters why they should vote yes," Casaday said.

"It definitely does put the onus on us to educate voters on what those prohibited uses are," Bagley said.

The future of the gravel pit has been in play for more than a year. The Boyer Co., a Salt Lake City development firm, wants to bring a Super Wal-Mart, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, a retail village made up of smaller shops and restaurants, plus more than 300 housing units to the out-of-use gravel pit near 1000 East and 9400 South.

The Sandy City Council made way for those plans with a split vote last year to rezone the land. Save Our Communities forced a citywide referendum after collecting signatures of more than 6,400 registered voters.

jsantini@sltrib.com

The referendum

Gravel pit referendum language for the November election in Sandy, authored by the Utah Supreme Court:

"In November 2004, the Sandy City Council voted in favor of Ordinance No. 04-45. If approved by the voters, the ordinance will amend the zoning category applicable to the 'Gravel Pit' (approximately 1000 East and 9400 South), to allow a number of new uses that are prohibited under the current zone. A yes vote will approve those changes.

"Shall Ordinance No. 04-45 be approved?"