Commission accepts final draft of Utah Lake plan

Commission accepts final draft of Utah Lake plan
By Donald W. Meyers
The Salt Lake Tribune

Salt Lake Tribune
Posted:02/26/2009 02:11:01 PM MST
Provo » The final draft of the Utah Lake Master Plan might be done. But the work is just beginning.
That's Larry Ellertson's perspective. The vice chairman of the Utah Lake Commission says that before work to restore Utah's largest natural fresh-water lake and expand recreational opportunities, the planning document has to go through a 45-day review at the state level.
"This is something that needs to sit on the desk of every planner and anyone who has something to do with the lake," Ellertson said Thursday after the commission's vote to accept the document, in the works for the last 12 months.
The plan does not give the commission authority to enforce it. Rather, the commission serves as an advisory board and encourages its member communities and state agencies to follow the plan.
Greg Beckstrom, a member of the commission's Technical Committee, said the document represents significant progress at restoring the lake.
"Some of us had visions that we would accomplish more than what we have done," Beckstrom said, "but when we look at this document, we are further down the road than we were 12 months ago."
The commission approved changes based on recommendations from the technical committee and public comments. One was to clearly state that the commission did not take any stance on building a causeway across the lake to tie together the east shore with the rapidly growing west side.
The document said it would consider studies for the feasibility and need for such a project.
Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson also suggested that changing public perception of the lake -- one of the plan's goals -- be accomplished through education.
dmeyers@sltrib.com
What's next
The Utah Lake Commission will conduct a public hearing on the Utah Lake Master Plan at 8:30 a.m. March 26 in the Historic Utah County Courthouse, 50 S. University Ave. The state will accept public comments for 45 days, after which the plan will be formally adopted in May or June.
The plan
» Develop access and use the lake for boating, fishing, windsurfing and canoeing.
» Restore beaches.
» Establish a bicycle and hiking trail along the shoreline.
» Restore the native June sucker fishery, along with other native species, and continue to eliminate invasive carp.
» Create a model ordinance for cities to adopt that would govern land use around the lake.
The final plan will be available at http://utahlakecommission.org