Dozens Voice Opposition To Inland Port At Public Meeting
Aug 21, 2019, 12:11 AM
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Dozens of people turned out to a meeting to voice their displeasure over a proposed $28 million property tax increment reimbursement for development of the Inland Port.
The meeting was held Tuesday night, one week before the Salt Lake City Council, acting as the city’s Redevelopment Agency, was expected to take action on the resolution.
“I’m here to let you know that I do not want any of my tax dollars to be spent toward this project,” said Marina Grossman, one of nearly 60 people who took part in the public comment period.
While some of the criticism centered around the uncertainty posed by the property tax increment reimbursement, commenters raised more frequent concerns about the Inland Port itself and its potential impacts on air and environmental quality, wildlife and public health.
“The contract specifies a very fixed plan that consists of building 10 warehouses in a row, with parking for at least 2,000 trucks and 3,300 cars, and that’s just Phase 1,” said Deeda Seed of the Center for Biological Diversity. “Meanwhile, we don’t have any answers or information about what this mega-warehouse development will do to our environment.”
Some people who engaged in prior Inland Port protests who attended Tuesday’s meeting, including Adair Kovac, noted that the council could wield its power, “not only voting against any tax increment for them, but also whatever other means” the council had to “slow the project down.”
The public comment lasted for more than 2 hours.
At the end of it, the RDA board did not vote.
Action was expected at the board’s next meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, August 27.
“What will the air quality impact be, what will the impact be to land which is now wildlife habitat?” questioned Seed. “We hope you’ll consider delaying this until we have answers to these questions.”