Cedar City expects to forge agreement for land donation; citizens share ideas for new park

Mountain bikers on the Lava Flow Trail in Cedar City, Utah, date not specified | Photo by Marc Piscotty, courtesy of Utah’s Patchwork Parkway, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — Citizens shared park ideas with City Council on Wednesday after Cedar City officials considered an agreement to receive a large donation of land.

In this file photo, girls play soccer, Cedar City, Utah, Aug. 9, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, council members considered an agreement with Windmill Plaza LLC and Joe and Beverly Burgess who offered to donate up to 91.5 acres of land near Phase 2 of the Iron West subdivision by state Route 56.

Cedar City Mayor Garth Green said during construction, the donors found that the south end of their property was not primed for development and approached the city to offer the land as a donation.

According to the agreement, seen on page 21 of the meeting packet, the city would receive approximately 32 acres of the property within 30 days of approval. Additionally, the city would gain an access easement to the property at 4500 West.

Green said the group would continue to make land donations as it is convenient.

The donors would also transfer 91.5 acre-feet of underground water to the city. In exchange, the city would transfer water from the donated land to the location of the donors’ development, the document states.

Additionally, the city would agree to build recreation facilities such as soccer fields, playgrounds or walking trails, among others listed, according to the agreement.

The city would request topographical data of the area as mapped out by a drone to determine what amenities would be built, Green said.  He suggested the location would be ideal for sports fields and a walking trail. Additionally, he said there would be “plenty of trees.”

In this file photo, dogs enter a wading pool to retrieve pieces of hot dogs during the Enoch PetSafe Dog Park grand opening, Enoch, Utah, Sept. 21, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Councilmember R. Scott Phillips said he’d read the “extensive” agreement and thought it was a “wonderful opportunity for (the city) to consider.”

“I think this is a great opportunity to move recreation in another part of the city that we’ve been talking about with all the growth that’s happening out to the west,” he said. “I don’t see a reason why we wouldn’t take this.”

During public comment, citizens shared ideas with the council. One person suggested the city build a dog park so the service would be available to those who don’t live close to the PetSafe Dog Park in Enoch.

Another citizen suggested building a playground with water features that cleanses and recycles water.

“It’s a fun, little thing for the kids to go do,” she said.

The proposal was placed on the consent agenda for next Wednesday’s City Council meeting and is reportedly expected to be approved. The entire discussion can be found at this link.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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