SALT LAKE CITY Planning Director Wilf Sommerkorn has been a longtime resident of Kaysville. Courtesy photo
SALT LAKE CITY — As the ads for at least one Bountiful area automobile dealer used to say, “It’s a short 10 minute drive from Salt Lake City.”
That short drive underlines the many “connections” which exist between the state’s capital city and Davis County, says Salt Lake City Planning Director Wilf Sommerkorn.
A longtime Kaysville resident, Sommerkorn was the chief Davis County Planner for many years, and took the top Salt Lake City position about three years ago.
He cites a streetcar connection as one tie that could develop, although admits things are “not moving very fast” on what would be a line snaking up Beck Street’s east side, passing through Bountiful into Centerville.
Davis County opposition to that plan has been strong, with some residents of both Bountiful and Centerville saying it would create too narrow of a traffic way for other vehicles while also questioning the need for a streetcar.
In Salt Lake City’s Sugar House area, hopes are high for a streetcar that would go from the South Salt Lake TRAX Station to just before 11th East, Sommerkorn said.
“Salt Lake City received $26 million in a federal grant,” but $11 million more will need to be found to complete the line, Sommerkorn estimated.
About 40 people, including developers, attended a recent meeting about the project. Stuart Adams, a Layton-based developer and state senator, was among those at that meeting.
“We’re working with South Salt Lake City on a redevelopment project...that has all the elements needed,” Adams said. It’s close to the I-80 and I-15 “spaghetti bowl,” TRAX line and light rail from West Valley City, he said.
“It’s an area that in the past was very valid, has had a lot of activity,” Adams said. “This is an attempt to revitalize, bring great life into that project.”
“If Davis County can get that kind of streetcar, it seems developers are much more interested” in adjacent areas when there is such a prospect, Sommerkorn said.
“In Portland (Ore.), they spent between $300 million and $400 million” developing a streetcar line, and the return on new investment in that area has been about 10 times that, Sommerkorn said, citing similar success in Seattle.
The Jordan River Trail is another connection between Salt Lake and Davis Counties, with the Davis County portion finished months ago.
Although Salt Lake received funding first, its trail portion has been stymied by lawsuits dealing with the proposed soccer park that would border Davis County.
Development of Salt Lake’s huge Northwest Quadrant is also being eyed, with a draft plan being developed. It would border Davis County, as well, stretching as far west as Magna to Rose Park.
Sommerkorn has continued his membership on the Friends of Antelope Island board that has covered many years.
“There are a number of projects we’ve done that I don’t think there’d be any way to do, otherwise.”
The group generates private funding through fund-raisers, grants, etc., to augment facilities and projects at the state park that the state can’t finance.
“It is a good example of a friends group, where you can get private money (that works) when people don’t want to donate to the government directly,” Sommerkorn said.
tbusselberg@davisclipper.com
