Members of the Sandy City Council voted Tuesday to hold a special bond election in November regarding whether the city should buy the former Crescent View Middle School, located at 11150 Vista Way, from Canyons School District. The property totals 17 acres.
If voters approve it, the city would issue a general obligation bond for up to $30 million, and that money would come from property tax increases. The bond would have a 20-year maturity.
Heading into the meeting Tuesday, council members had three options to choose from before passing the question to voters, and they went with the most expensive option.
The more pricey option would cost $30 million, and it would include the city developing the property into a, “community-focused destination that could include expanded park space, arts and cultural programming, recreation opportunities, community gathering spaces, trail connections, and facilities to support City services,” the city’s website says.
A concept plan for the $30 million route shows a community center at the old middle school would anchor the site, along with new arts spaces, a stage, a food truck plaza and other amenities to be built on site.
A conceptual map of the former Crescent View Middle School site, which Sandy City could redevelop if voters approve a bond for the purchase. Image via Sandy City
The medium option would cost $21 million, which would allow for part of the site to be developed into single-family homes while keeping the former middle school and turning it into a community center. The lower-cost option would cost up to $17 million. This option would largely keep the site the same, though the middle school would still be turned into a community center.
The options would all raise property taxes for Sandy residents. The high-end option of $30 million would cost the average Sandy home around $58 per year or $1,152 over the 20-year term of the bond. The low end amount of $17 million would cost a little over $34 annually or around $681 for the entirety of the bond.
As part of its public outreach effort, Sandy City tallied nearly 1,000 survey respondents, where 60 percent of participants strongly supported the prospect of buying the former middle school.
Despite the public support outlined in the survey, council members seemed torn over the proposal.
While many supported the idea of buying the land and converting it into a greater public use, they differed over the bond amount to send to voters, which would play into what could be done with the site. Some council members also worried that by buying the property, the city could end up spending more than the $30 million in building and renovating the site over time.
Council Member Marci Houseman said she not only supported the notion of sending the question to voters, but she also supported putting the full $30 million on the ballot this fall. She said the majority of her District 4 constituents preferred the full $30 million as part of the bond.
Council Member Aaron Dekeyzer said he preferred the $21 million option, arguing that option was more fiscally responsible. Council Member Brooke D’Sousa said she felt buying the site was the wrong decision, but though she acknowledged that by Tuesday, which was the deadline for the council to make a decision on the proposal, the train had effectively left the station.
Council Member Alison Stroud said she was weary of the $30 million option for residents. She preferred the $21 million option. Council Member Brooke Christensen said she preferred the $21 million option.
Ultimately, Houseman motioned for a vote to set the bond at $30 million, though the vote failed after a 3-4 vote. The council then voted on the same bond for $21 million, which also failed after a 3-4 vote. After the failed votes, the council took a brief break before coming back onto the record.
Following the break, Christensen moved to reconsider Houseman’s motion to approve the bond at $30 million, and the council voted 6-1 to approve the motion.
With the vote, the question will now move to Sandy City residents. The bond question will be on the Nov. 3 ballot for Sandy residents.
The potential purchase of Crescent View Middle School would be the latest real estate purchase by Sandy City. The city’s elected officials voted to purchase the Arbor Plaza building, which is located next to city hall, for $12 million earlier this year.
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