Transmittal - 3/18/2022Page 1 of 4 SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84104
ERIN MENDENHALL
MAYOR
DEPARTMENT of PUBLIC LANDS
OFFICE of the DIRECTOR
CITY COUNCIL TRANSMITTAL
Date Received:
Lisa Shaffer, Chief Administrator Officer Date sent to Council:
TO: Salt Lake City Council DATE: March 10, 2022
Dan Dugan, Chair
FROM: Kristin Riker, Director, Public Lands Department
SUBJECT: Foothill System Trails Plan Status Update
STAFF CONTACT:
Tyler Murdock, Deputy Director Planning & Ecological Services, Public Lands,
tyler.murdock@slcgov.com; Tyler Fonarow, Recreational Trails Manager, Public Lands,
tyler.fonarow@slcgov.com
COUNCIL SPONSOR: Not Applicable
DOCUMENT TYPE: Information Item
RECOMMENDATION: 1. Approve planning, design, and community engagement of the five
Foothill Trailheads, with a “no construction clause” placed on funding approval until FY22
Budget, conditional appropriation requirements are met. 2. Approve request to continue pause
on trail construction until Spring 2023. 3. Approve maintenance work to rehabilitate Trench
above Terrace Hills. 4. Approve Maintenance of constructed trail network starting in Spring
2022.
BUDGET IMPACT: $1,300,000 State of Utah, Governor’s office of Economic
Opportunity, Bonneville Shoreline Trail Grant
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
In FY 21 the City Council allocated $193,336 for design of five trailheads identified in the Foothills
Trail System Plan. These locations included:
1. Bonneville Boulevard near City Creek Canyon and Utah State Capitol,
2. Emigration Canyon near This Is The Place Heritage Park,
3. Popperton Park near the University of Utah,
4. 18th Avenue in the upper Avenues neighborhood, and
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LANDS
1965 WEST 500 SOUTH
WWW.SLCGOV.COM
TEL:801-972-7800
Lisa Shaffer (Mar 18, 2022 13:55 MDT)03/18/2022
03/18/2022
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5. Victory Road northwest of the Utah State Capitol.
Conceptual Design work commenced in 2021 and draft concepts were completed later that year.
Following completion of the initial concept designs, Salt Lake City Public Lands requested full
design and construction funding during the FY 22 CIP process. The City Council allocated partial
funding of $1.3 million for design and construction of two trailheads located at Emigration
Canyon and Bonneville Blvd. Public Lands then used these City dollars to request matching funds
from the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity in the amount of $1.3 million to
complete all five proposed trailhead improvements. Combined, these funding sources provide
funding for completion of public engagement, construction design and construction at all five
proposed trailhead locations. Design is would occur in 2022 with anticipated construction
occurring in late 2023.
While trailheads and access points are mentioned in the Foothills Trail System Plan, they also
benefit the urban interface and public safety and do not involve construction, modification, or
decommissioning of trails. Public Lands would like to seek approval from Council that planning,
design, and community engagement of the five Foothill Trailheads proceed. Trailhead
construction will be on hold until the formal pause is lifted on implementation of the Foothills
Trail System Plan.
Budget Amendment Approval Language
During the Budget Amendment Approval Process Council has requested clarification on whether
funding for the Foothills Trailhead Improvements is included in the “conditional appropriation
about future dollars spent on foothill trails.”
The conditional appropriation about future funding spent on foothill trails was primarily related
to the “construction, modification and decommissioning of trails built under the Foothills Trail
System Master Plan.” The grant funding requested would fund public engagement and design
work of five trailhead projects, in the urban zone, in the first twelve months, with construction
planned no earlier than spring of 2023. Council could place a restriction on this funding to
impose a no construction clause until the FY2022 budget contingency requirements are met.
If constructed, the new trailheads would provide full-service amenities that include parking;
comfort stations/restrooms at Bonneville Blvd and Popperton and; wayfinding, kiosks, and
interpretive signage to promote safe recreation and conservation of natural lands; and minor trail
work to connect the trailheads to the BST.
UPDATE ON CONDITIONAL APPROPRIATION REQUIREMENTS:
Timeline
2016 – 2019 Foothills Trails Master Plan planning and community
engagement
March 2020 – May 2021 Phase I Trail Construction
June 2021 Pause began with Twin Peaks Trail 75% completed and Dry
Creek Trail alignment still not determined.
September 2021 - June 2022 Pause extended in at Mayor’s press conference.
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Phase 1 Trails Plan Implementation
• Trails Fully Completed: Popperton Trails, Lower City Creek Loop, Avenues Ridge
Trail, 19th Ave Trail, BST Valleyview (partial re-alignment), BST East City Creek
• Trails Partially Completed and on pause: Twin Peaks Trail 75% complete.
• Trails in Phase 1 not started and on pause: Dry Creek Trail 0% Complete
Phase I Trails Plan Implementation Funding on Hold per Budget Contingency
Total Appropriation:
- Grant Funding: $250,000
- City Funding: $ 901,027
Funds Expended:
- Grant Funding $250,000
- City Funding: $347,088
- Funds Reallocated for Phase 1 Review: $225,383
Funds on Pause: $ 328,556
Independent Audit/Professional Review
• Environmental Analysis: Scope of Work was finalized and contracted with SWCA
Environmental Consultants in November 2021. Work for the Environmental Analysis
commenced in January 2022 and is anticipated to be complete in August 2022.
• Trails Plan & Construction Evaluation: Request For Proposals (RFP) submissions
were due in January 2022, but there was consensus from the selection committee that the
RFP and the proposals received did not adequately represent the evolving needs based on
unforeseen factors and an expanded scope of work. Salt Lake City Public Lands has
canceled this first RFP and has rewritten a new RFP to update the desired specifications
and scope of work to include a deeper evaluation of the Trails Plan itself and add the
creation of an addendum to the Trails Plan that will include a land conservation and trail
maintenance plan and updated alignment recommendations for Phase II and III. This
will provide us with the evaluation, recommendations, and documentation that will be
pertinent for the responsible and sustainable management of the Foothills Natural Area.
We expect to issue a new RFP by April 2022 and anticipate this work to continue through
2022 and be completed in spring of 2023.
• Communications Consultant: Selection and timeline is yet to be decided, based on
preceding consultants’ timelines.
• Pause Extension: With the required environmental review and Phase I evaluation not
complete and likely to continue throughout 2022, Public Lands would like to formally
propose to extend the pause on trail construction until the Spring of 2023, when we have
completed our preliminary environmental review and the phase I evaluation.
PUBLIC PROCESS: See above Communications Consultant.
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NEXT STEPS:
2022 Goal: Building Trust not Trails
Given the continued pause on trail construction of the Foothills Trail System Plan, Salt Lake City
Public Lands will focus our Foothills work on building trust within the community by supporting
the conservation of the natural lands and promoting responsible and sustainable trail use. These
plans include:
Rehabilitate Trench above Terrace Hills: Announce our plans to actively rehabilitate the
damage and get input on an updated plan for this specific segment.
• Repair damage by the cut trenches in 2021 by filling with the removed soil and
rehabilitating ridgeline.
• Work with local natural lands managers and botanists to design a plan for re-seeding and
revegetation of the rehabbed trenches and the areas of legacy trail with excessive
deterioration.
• Work with our trail design consultant on an identified legacy trail alignment that is in line
with industry standards with significant input from the Parks, Natural Lands, Urban
Forest and Trails Advisory Board.
• Review proposal with key community stakeholders (Save our Foothills, SLC Trails
Alliance, others) for input.
• Present proposal to Mayor; submit briefing to City Council.
• Ensure proposal is communicated effectively with appropriate signage and fencing at the
route access points and through various communication channels including community
councils and social media.
Maintenance of Trail Network: Utilizing internal staff and volunteers, use hand tools to
maintain the City-built section of Foothills trails that experience erosion due to water flow,
sediment and vegetation failure. Without seasonal care, public safety for trail users is
compromised and further deterioration of the natural environment may occur.
• Current Needs: BST East City Creek and Lower City Creek Loop trails need
revegetation and stabilization efforts and on back slopes (to be completed by staff); Lower
City Creek Loop needs trail surface repair from two separate Public Utilities pipe leaks (to
be completed by external professionals in conjunction with pipe and road repairs); 19th
Ave needs seasonal bike feature maintenance, and all trails need seasonal loose debris
clearance on trails for public safety (volunteers and staff).
Promotion of Sustainable Trail Culture: Salt Lake City Public Lands will work with our
internal communications team and communications consultant to positively promote sustainable
trail culture with guidelines regarding e-mountain bikes, dogs in natural areas, and trail use
etiquette to help protect our environment using trail signage, social media and online updates,
and trailhead events hosted by staff and our Trail Ambassadors.
cc: Kristin Riker
Tyler Murdock
Tyler Fonarow