HERRIMAN, Utah — The controversial Olympia Hills development is back on the radar, a year after the Salt Lake County Council approved the planned community. Wednesday night, the Herriman City Council looked at how it could impact the city, especially when it comes to roads.
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The council also discussed the timeline and process of annexation, should a move be made to make Olympia Hills an official part of the city.
In a large, open area just west of Herriman, the 900-plus acre future community is set to feature different kinds of housing of various densities, as well as schools, businesses, and park space.
With more than 6,000 residential spaces planned, Herriman Community Development Director Blake Thomas said in a presentation Wednesday that the city needs to be a part of going to meetings to figure out when the development is coming.
The city needs to play a proactive role, he said, not a reactive one.
During his presentation to the Herriman City Council, Thomas explained that the cost for mitigation projects in the city because of the Olympia Hills development is a concern.
Maintenance costs are also a concern, because increased traffic through Herriman will accelerate the maintenance needs for the city, he indicated.
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They expect heavy impacts on 118th South, 126th South, and U-111.
Council members decided to reach out to UDOT and write a short letter to discuss potentially turning some of those main routes into state roads and transferring jurisdictional control to UDOT.
Herriman City Attorney Chase Andrizzi then led a discussion on the timeline of any potential annexation of Olympia Hills into Herriman.
Council Member Steve Shields said there are ongoing conversations with the developer over whether it would even make sense to consider an annexation. At this point, the developer of Olympia Hills has not indicated that they plan to file a petition for annexation, council members explained.
The council pointed out that this is a complex situation, and they want to partner as communities rather than be rivals.
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"I think our council has done a good job in recognizing that there are going to be impacts to the community moving forward," said Council Member Clint Smith.
He said their job is to have those difficult discussions and find ways to best help the city deal with those impacts down the road.
"And certainly, working together with the developer through that process, regardless of if they're in the city or out," Smith said. "Having a good working relationship with them is paramount."
