Open Space Bonding for Midway City?

Public Hearing Wednesday Night

by Robin Johnson

Over the last twenty five years many Midway residents have consistently expressed a desire to preserve open space. For some open space means pastures with grazing cows or horses, hay fields or other crops, and keeping a rural, agricultural look and feel. For others it means public parks as gathering areas for community or family events and recreation, public trails, public gardens, wetlands and sensitive lands protection, and wildlife preserves.   

Midway City will hold a public hearing about bonding for open space Wednesday, June 28 at 6:00 pm at the Midway Community Center. Brad Wilson, city recorder, will present information on open space bonding before the public hearing. Following the public hearing the city council will discuss possibilities for the city to bond for open space.

Photograph taken from the top of Memorial Hill in the early 1980's
by Lynn W Johnson

In 2016 Midway City did a survey on pertinent issues regarding the five year general plan revision required by state code. Survey results regarding open space showed 88 percent of 483 responders feel it is very important to preserve open space. Just over ten percent of Midway’s population participated in the survey. This leaves quite a large silent majority. Midway City is interested in all opinions regarding the issue of bonding for open space. There will be time constraints for the hearing, but all are welcome to submit emails and letters to the city which will be forwarded to all city council members.

Within the last year Pure Midway, a 501c3 non-profit group dedicated to smart growth and preserving open space, formed. They have had an active presence in public hearings and toward land use issues in Midway City. Their goal is to get an open space bond on the ballot so voters can decide if they want to pay for the bond through increased taxes.

Midway’s northern neighbor, Park City, is one of Utah’s leaders in preserving open space. Park City has bonded four times in the last 25 years preserving a total of about 8,000 acres. The most recent vote was last year when voters passed a $25 million bond toward the $38 million needed to save Bonanza Flats, the largest open meadow left in the Wasatch Range. This spring Midway City voted to donate $10,000 toward the purchase price of Bonanza Flats; located above Pine Canyon between Midway and Park City the area effects Midway’s watershed.

Photograph taken from Memorial Hill looking toward Deer Creek Reservoir
and Provo Canyon in the early 2000's by Robin M Johnson

Land use laws differ from state to state which impacts how open space preservation is managed. Some states govern land use on a state level, while others govern on a local level. Utah’s land use laws are governed locally. Utah’s methods for preserving open space are conservation easements and municipal bonding which are decided by the local legislative body, in Midway's case the city council.

In the last 20 years Midway has bonded twice. First for the reconstruction of Burgi Lane in 2000 for $1.4 million, the bond was paid in full in 2011. The second bond was for land acquisition to increase the size of Midway City cemetery in 2002 for $600,000, the bond will mature in 2023. 

Since these bonds were taken out and the impact of paying them back was felt while other infrastructure needed attention, city leaders decided a better approach would be pay as you go rather than to keep bonding and perpetuating debt. In 2006 Midway City included as part of its mission statement to be a fiscally responsible community.  The city’s goal is to budget for city infrastructure costs rather than bond.

If a government entity decides to bond, reasons for bonding include it raises a significant amount of money, present and future users and taxpayers repay the debt, with lower or no interest rates it is a cheaper form of debt, and it is tax exempt when purchased in state or from other states that are also tax exempt.  

Wilson’s bonding presentation will cover sources for bonds, types of bonds and what each is typically used for, which type is best for open space, the process for putting a bond referdum on the ballot, limitations to bonds, and how the debt limit allowed is determined. Other things to consider are cost to the city, interest rate which is currently +/-3.5 percent, and the other potential tax burdens facing Midway citizens which are Wasatch County bonding for the North Fields, loss of the Resort Communities Tax in 2020, and property tax increases related to the proposed C-4 zone.

Regarding open space Wilson’s presentation will address things to consider: What property will be preserved? What criteria will be used to decide? Who will make the decision? What will be purchased, the property, the development rights, or the density? What will the open space be used for, parks, wildlife habitat, agriculture or something else? Who will maintain the property?

Now is the time to become informed on open space bonding and make your voice heard.