As a small business owner and former candidate for Salt Lake City Council, I know firsthand the exhausting gauntlet of rules, permits and zoning regulations that everyday citizens must navigate just to build a life or a business in this city. We accept it because the rules are supposed to protect our communities.

Apparently, those rules don’t apply to the Capitol Preservation Board.

The decision to fast-track the $50 million “Grand Liberty Arch” monument (GLAM) — a massive, 60-foot bronze installation slated for the Capitol Hill triangle — is a masterclass in bureaucratic arrogance. Bypassing essential public notice laws, the board effectively handed the neighborhood a done deal behind closed doors. No rigorous public dialogue. We haven’t seen any environmental impact assessments or even a routine infrastructure study from UDOT to evaluate the inevitable traffic bottlenecks it will bring to our streets.

This isn’t a debate about culture wars or artistic taste, though some would love to drag it down into that polarizing mire to distract from the real issue. This is about good governance and the systematic erosion of local green space.

Capitol Hill isn’t just a tourist postcard or a playground for state-level political optics. It is a living, breathing neighborhood. The green space targeted for this monument is a vital piece of respite for local families, pet owners and neighbors. Erasing it to drop a $50 million corporate-style monolith — while entirely dodging the civic transparency required of any ordinary resident — is insulting.

If a public project is genuinely grand, it shouldn’t need to be snuck through the shadows. It should be able to withstand the light of public scrutiny and earnest community feedback.

As Vice Chair of the Capitol Hill Neighborhood Council, I am proud to stand with my neighbors in drawing a line in the sand. We are demanding that the state pause this project immediately until proper infrastructure reviews are conducted and real public hearings are held. Our neighborhood’s voice isn’t a box for state officials to check after the ink is already dry — it is the very foundation of how our community should grow.

Jake Seastrand currently serves as Vice Chair of the Capitol Hill Community Council and is a local small business owner in Salt Lake City and former candidate for city council. Passionate about community engagement and good governance, he advocates for thoughtful local planning and neighborhood vitality. The views expressed in this commentary are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Capitol Hill Community Council.

The Salt Lake Tribune is committed to creating a space where Utahns can share ideas, perspectives and solutions that move our state forward. We rely on your insight to do this. Find out how to share your opinion here, and email us at voices@sltrib.com.