Utah County Commissioners vote to protect Bridal Veil Falls from private development
Utah County Commissioners vote to protect Bridal Veil Falls from private development
and last updated 2020-12-10 00:57:51-05
PROVO, Utah â The Utah County Commission unanimously approved a conservation easement for Bridal Veil Falls Wednesday night, which will protect the famous falls from any future commercial or private development.
A developer wanted to build a tram near the falls and small drug treatment center at the top.
The decision came after nearly four hours of public comment from community members and accusations against Commissioner Bill Lee over campaign funding and alleged backdoor meetings with parties who want to develop the falls.
The Utah County Commission unanimously approved a conservation easement for Bridal Veil Falls on Wednesday, putting an end to discussions about private development at the iconic Utah County landmark.
Outgoing Commissioner Nathan Ivie put forward the conservation easement on Nov. 18 in one of his last moves as county commissioner.
The conservation easement is a deed between Utah County and Utah Open Lands, a Salt Lake City-based nonprofit that works with landowners on conservation efforts. The conservation easement still needs to be signed by the Utah Open Lands Board of Directors, which is expected to happen next week.
The vote came after over three hours of discussion about the conservation easement and proposed private development of Bridal Veil Falls.
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PROVO The Utah County Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a plan to transfer ownership of land to a nonprofit land trust conservation association and grant a conservation easement to preserve Bridal Veil Falls from future development.
The vote put an to end to weeks of public discussion about the future of the popular natural landmark as a plan to construct an aerial tram and private business lodge surfaced.
A group of individuals that attended Wednesday s meeting in person erupted in applause after the commissioners passed the measure.
The organization Utah Open Lands will receive the deed to the land as a part of the approved plan and then receive an easement, which bars any future discussion of business or housing development by the waterfall. Wendy Fisher, the organization s executive director, said its board of directors will meet on Tuesday to go over the deal and vote on it before it is finalized and recorded by the county.