Incumbent Kay Briggs has led a public battle against Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson to allow a few more homes on the bench in order to build a park and a cemetery to help North Salt Lake achieve its open-space goals.

Challenger Juan Arce-Larreta says anything beyond a park on part of that land - which is a geographic marker of the ancient Lake Bonneville - would be a travesty.

Arce-Larreta's biggest challenge may be convincing residents that he and Briggs are not as far apart on many other issues as some might think.

Arce-Larreta once worked as an environmental adviser to Salt Lake City's mayor. But he insists he is not Anderson's messenger on the hillside matter.

"I happen to be very passionate on that issue," he says, "and I'm not alone. Other residents are opposed to this development and our city leaders are not listening."

At a recent public meeting on parks, participants selected preserving the bench on the hill as the top priority, says Arce-Larreta, who serves on North Salt Lake's trails committee. But the city is continuing with previous plans and has even taken Salt Lake City to court over the right to develop the 80 acres it owns in the capital's boundaries.

Arce-Larreta lists improving citizen communication as his primary goal, along with updating the city's general plan, encouraging water conservation and improving the commercial tax base. He plans to organize community councils once in office.

"Leaders should not make important decisions without engaging residents in a meaningful exchange of information and ideas," he says.

Briggs says he is running for a second term because "a lot of groundwork would be lost" if the city were to change mayors now.

North Salt Lake now has homes stretching from the hillside on the east to beyond Redwood Road on the west. Briggs pointed to a new water-facilities plan, a solid bond rating and the recently formed recreation and fire districts as evidence the city is heading in a positive direction.

"Working with some of our neighboring communities on the recreation center and fire district, we have made our city a better place to live," he says. "And even some of our growth that has taken place to the west has allowed for our children to stay in our city. That's a uniting factor."

lorib@sltrib.com

Juan Arce-Larreta

* Age: 38

* Occupation: Stay-at-home father and volunteer

* Political experience: 20 years as a fundraiser and currently serves on North Salt Lake parks, trails and recreation committee

* Fun fact: Once played Santa in a play at Midvale Elementary

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Kay W. Briggs (incumbent)

* Age: 62

* Occupation: Business administrator for LDS Church

* Political experience: Mayor, four years

* Fun fact: Wrote four books and runs marathons

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City Council candidates (two at-large seats)

* Matt Hardy

* Brian Elkins

* Lisa Watts Baskin