The Grantsville City Council discussed an alternative way to rezone properties, which would tie zone changes to a specific development plan during its Nov. 7 meeting.

Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said he spoke with David Church, the legal counsel for the Utah League of Cities and Towns, who suggested a different means of regulating conditional zoning. 

When rezoning, the city could put the zone change in an ordinance that includes stipulations for the developer to accomplish in a certain timeline, Marshall said.

“If the developer does not accomplish what he is supposed to do in the timeline, then you can repeal the ordinance and then we don’t have an issue like we had at the last city council meeting where over a decade ago, the zone change had been made,” he said. 

At the City Council’s Oct. 17 meeting, a split vote approved the concept plan and planned unit development for the Sun Sage Meadows development, which is five single-family lots and 74 townhomes at 619 W. Clark St. 

The zoning on the same property was changed to high-density residential at a Dec. 16, 2009, city council meeting. The development was inactive for nearly 8 years following the approved rezone and a different developer picked up the project. 

Marshall said the zone change to high-density residential on the property of the current Sun Sage Meadows development was approved with a different plan for the property. 

Grantsville City Attorney Brett Coombs said he would need more time to research zoning by ordinance but cautioned the council to be sure it’s specific in its requirements. 

“My only counsel would be … just make sure you’re clear about what you’re requiring the developer to accomplish to keep the zone change,” Coombs said. 

Coombs said he would speak with Church about the conditional zoning and provide more information for the council before it makes a decision. 

Shay Stark, a municipal planner with Aqua Engineering, said the zoning by ordinance would be used in situations where the development is something different or outside the ordinary. It wouldn’t apply to rezones if the zoning change aligned with the city’s future land use map, he said. 

“In that situation, you’re just doing a standard rezone,” Stark said. “You’re rezoning to what your future land use map says that property will be at some point in the future.” 

Stark shared a recent example where a church was looking to come to a city but would need the zoning in place to secure funds to build. The city created a conditional rezone that would remain in place as long as the church started construction within a set timeframe, he said. 

The Stansbury Service Agency board will receive input on a proposed property tax increase during a public hearing Wednesday evening at the Stansbury Park Clubhouse. 

The public hearing will precede the typical service agency board meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. 

Stansbury Service Agency is comprised of the Stansbury Greenbelt Service Area and Stansbury Recreation Service Area, and residents are taxed individually by each entity. The tax revenue is used by the service agency to maintain the community’s lake, park, and other open spaces. 

The Stansbury Recreation Service Area is looking to raise its property tax budgeted revenue by 23.4 percent, and the Stansbury Greenbelt Service Area proposes increasing its property tax budgeted revenue by 22.8 percent. 

During its Oct. 10 meeting, the service agency board approved an intent to raise property taxes a maximum of approximately 23 percent, with a maximum total of $223,578.15 in additional revenue between the property taxes in the two service areas. 

The state Tax Commission allows the 23.4 percent increase as the amount of revenue requested matches the revenue request in the original intent letter, according to spokesman Charlie Roberts. 

For a $250,000 residence, the maximum tax increase would be $32.59 and $31.90 per year for the recreation service area and greenbelt service area, respectively. 

At the Oct. 10 meeting, board chairman Neil Smart said there was a “really big possibility” the service agency would have to take back management of the community’s golf course.

The service agency owns the golf course but leased it to a private operator. In 2018, the service agency set aside $95,000 for golf course improvements in its capital improvements fund budget.

Grantsville City leaders, including the city council, planning commission, and department heads, held a general plan workshop Wednesday evening to discuss the challenges, benefits and future of development. 

Attendees were split into two groups and given maps of Grantsville City, where they could write notes about attractors and detractors to living in the city, problems from recent development, desired retail or commercial needs, and other factors. 

Councilman Neil Critchlow said he felt the look and feel of Main Street in Grantsville was a detractor in the community, which Councilwoman Krista Sparks agreed with. Critchlow also highlighted positives, such as social and community events like the Grantsville Sociable, 4th of July festivities and parades. 

Grantsville City Attorney Brett Coombs also mentioned a detractor was the lack of food and restaurant choices in the city. He also said the city has a lack of consistent zoning policy, with a lot of spot zoning. 

Police Chief Jacob Enslen said buying older homes is the only way to find cheap housing. 

Planning Commission Chair Jaime Topham also said the city lacks a variety of housing types, such as homes with smaller lots. 

“Honestly, I think the lack of types of housing is a detractor,” Topham said. “We don’t have multi-family housing.”

Planning commission member Jacob Linares said there were positives and negatives to the city’s rural character. 

“I’ve only been on planning and zoning for a few months but that’s what we hear every time — people are moving out here because it’s the small town feel,” Linares said. “But that’s also in my mind a detractor because so many people are moving out here that it’s growing faster than I think we’re really ready to adjust for.” 

Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said city leaders planned for more growth on the west end of town in the 1970s, as cities in Salt Lake County were expanding toward the foothills and they expected the same. This informed decisions on where to expand infrastructure capacity. 

“I think that the people that were sitting in the seats that we’re at today felt like, well, that was the way it was going to grow,” Marshall said. “So as the sewer system was developed and purchased, there wasn’t big lines put in at this east end of town.” 

Marshall said the center of city has shifted more eastward as a result of development on the east end of town. Planning commission member Gary Pinkham agreed, and built off Marshall’s statement. 

“We’re developing in areas, from an infrastructure point of view, that we weren’t prepared to develop in,” Pinkham said. “So between sewer, water and roads, we’re behind the eight ball.”

Marshall also added that recent plans to upgrade the city’s water system, including the Main Street water main replacement, is focused on meeting fire flow requirements, not to encourage future development.

A West Valley City man who allegedly assaulted a woman in Middle Canyon in June while under a protective order is scheduled to appear in 3rd District Court later this month. 

Matthew Allan Rushton, 38, is charged with third-degree felony aggravated assault, third-degree felony violation of a pretrial protective order, and misdemeanor counts of unauthorized control of a vehicle for an extended time and damage or interruption of a communication device. 

A Tooele County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Middle Canyon on June 7 after a reporting party said the victim ran up to him and said Rushton, who she was familiar with, was trying to tie her up and kill her, according to a probable cause statement. The responding party had the victim get into his truck and they drove to a location with cell phone service. 

The victim said Rushton had been released from jail on June 1 and found her again, the statement said. She said she agreed to go to Middle Canyon from West Valley City with Rushton. 

While in the canyon, an argument began over the victim’s use of rechargeable batteries, the probable cause statement said. Rushton began to punch the victim and choked her from behind to the point she couldn’t breathe. 

When the victim attempted to call 911 on her cell phone, Rushton took her phone and broke it, the statement said. Rushton had a domestic violence pretrial protective order that was in effect to protect the victim at the time of the assault. 

After the victim left the campsite area with the reporting party, Rushton fled the scene in the truck the victim was driving, the statement said. Rushton did not have permission to drive the vehicle, which was on loan from the victim’s ex-boyfriend, and the vehicle was later found at the victim’s house in West Valley City. 

Charges against Rushton were filed on Oct. 30, the day after misdemeanor charges against him in West Valley City Justice Court were dismissed without prejudice. He is scheduled to make his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Nov. 26 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates.

No property tax increase was approved for residents in the Stansbury Service Agency during the board’s meeting on Wednesday night, with a vote on the increase now set for Dec. 12. 

The Stansbury Recreation Service Area is looking to raise its property tax budgeted revenue by 23.4 percent, and the Stansbury Greenbelt Service Area proposes increasing its property tax budgeted revenue by 22.8 percent. The tax revenue is used by the service agency to maintain the community’s lake, park, and other open spaces. 

For a $250,000 residence, the maximum tax increase would be $32.59 and $31.90 per year for the recreation service area and greenbelt service area, respectively. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, several residents spoke up about the lack of a public hearing on the tax increase on the service agency board’s agenda. The agenda listed “Adopt Tax Increase” as an agenda item, but no public hearing.  

Notices of the proposed tax increase for the Stansbury recreation service area and greenbelt service agency appeared in the Nov. 1 and Nov. 6 editions of the Transcript Bulletin. The notice stated a public hearing would be held on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in the Stansbury Park Clubhouse. 

Resident James Hanzelka cited the notice in the paper during his comments. 

“I think a lot of people came for the tax increase, didn’t they?” Hanzelka said. “Because there was an announcement in the paper.”

Board chairman Neil Smart said the public hearing was held at the board’s first meeting in October, likely referencing the Oct. 10 meeting during which the intent to increase property taxes to generate $223,578 was approved. 

The meeting was noticed as required by state law, which involves a separate agenda item with intent to increase property tax, the dollar amount of the increase, purpose for the increase and the approximate percentage increase. 

Government entities following a calendar year schedule are required to complete several steps prior to raise property taxes. Those requirements include notifying the county legislative body on the date, time and place of the public hearing where the budget is discussed on or before Oct. 1. 

The entity must also hold a public meeting with the intent to increase property tax agenda item at least 14 days prior to the general or municipal election. A week prior to the election, a parcel specific notice is mailed to property owners, including the value of the property, tax on the property in the current year, and the estimated tax on the property with the proposed increase. 

The government entity then must notify the public twice of a public hearing with a newspaper advertisement and post on the state’s public notice website, utah.gov/pmn/index.html. The notices must go out two weeks prior to the meeting and one week prior to the meeting. 

The notices as described appeared in the Transcript Bulletin on Nov. 1 and Nov. 6, but are not on the state’s public notice website under the Stansbury Service Agency’s page. 

State law requires the public hearing must be held on the date, in this case Nov. 14, referenced in the public notices. Once the public hearing is held, the service agency could vote on the property tax increase. 

The agenda for the Nov. 14 meeting did not list an agenda item for the public hearing, simply stating “Adopt Tax Increase.” 

The service agency board declined to vote on the tax increase after it was brought to board members’ attention the required public hearing was not held. Trustee Mike Johnson made a motion to hold the public hearing at the board’s Dec. 12 meeting and vote on the tax increase at the same meeting. 

Board members cited the possibility of the service agency taking over management of the golf course in the next year and additional needs for the lake as justification for the tax increase. 

“Everything that we’re trying to do needs a little more attention than it’s getting,” Smart said.

“If you’ve been over to the golf course, it’s kind of falling apart in some areas,” Johnson said. “So we’re going to have to put some money into the golf course because we’re not about to sell it off.”  

The service agency has not been provided a tentative budget yet, which should be approved by the end of the year.

With no tentative budget yet, the $223,578 in increased revenue has not been specifically allocated. Trustee Brenda Spearman said the board came to the figure looking at the need for more employees, the losses accrued in operating the golf course and the rehabilitation of the lake. 

“So this wasn’t an arbitrary number,” Spearman said. 

The requested increase is less than half the possible amount the service agency could request in a tax increase, according to Johnson. 

“We have some generalities but we will get more specific with it,” Smart said, of how the increase will be allocated. 

The service agency budget for 2018 was $1.1 million, an increase of $44,264 over the 2017 approved budget. The increase was offset by an increase in property tax revenue and fees. 

A wildfire reported Sunday afternoon on the west face of the Cedar Mountains near Delle burned 100 acres, according to the North Tooele Fire District.

Firefighters were dispatched on a report of an outside fire in the remote area of Tooele County, North Tooele Fire District Chief Randy Willden said. When crews arrived on scene, the fire was burning in steep, rocky terrain on the mountainside. 

In addition to the difficulty of the terrain, firefighters had to contend with sandy soil, according to Willden. A truck responding to the fire became stuck and had to be pulled out by a specialty tow truck, Willden said. 

Despite the adverse conditions, the fire was reported out around 9:30 p.m., after it grew to around 100 acres, Willden said. The blaze headed toward communication towers on the mountain tops but crews were able to get behind it and a timely change in wind direction meant they were never threatened, he said. 

Willden and three fire trucks from NTFD responded to the fire, as well as one fire truck from Grantsville Volunteer Fire Department and a federal Bureau of Land Management crew. 

The cause of the fire has not been officially determined, as it was put out after dark, Willden said. The area where the fire started is remote but is a popular spot for target shooting and the investigation will continue today. 

The BLM crew will also review the burned area to search for any hot spots or reignition of the fire today. 

Willden said it was unusual for there to be a wildfire of this size this late in the year, especially after recent precipitation in the county. He said the fire illustrates how dry conditions are in the state with the recent drought conditions.

The Grantsville company that created reflectors to keep birds safe from power lines has now done the same for helicopters. 

FireFly Diverters, LLC, owned by Tim Chervick, created reflective avian diverters that are attached to power lines to prevent collisions. A similar principal went into diverters that protect helicopters landing in difficult conditions.

Chervick, a Pennsylvania native, received a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from the University of Wyoming in 1973. 

On Nov. 7, some of the helicopter diverters were installed on power lines and the landing pad for the University of Utah AirMed helicopter based at 1250 North in Tooele. Rocky Mountain Power installed the diverters on the power lines and all of the diverters, about 20 of them, were donated by Chervick. 

“We want to make things safer for our first responders,” Chervick said. 

Diverters were also placed around the fence on the 1250 North AirMed landing zone, which are free hanging and can spin. Like the FireFly diverters used to deter bird collisions, the helicopter diverters are reflective and glow at night, for enhanced visibility. 

The diverters are reflective from all angles during the day but are also illuminated at night by night vision used by medical helicopters, Chervick said. The traditional orange marker balls on power lines can alert pilots during the day, but are less useful at night. 

When helicopters collide with power lines, the results can be deadly. On Oct. 30, a helicopter in Beekmantown, New York, collided with power lines and caught fire, crashing and killing the pilot and a passenger, according to a National Traffic Safety Board report. 

Chervick said he intends to pitch the diverters to the Army National Guard next, as they can be used at static locations or landing zones on the ground. The ground diverters are removable and can be set up to create remote landing zones.

It’s a time for generosity and being thankful, and Tooele County law enforcement agencies are doing their part to give back. 

An annual tradition, the Tip a Cop fundraisers are set for Dec. 4 at Casa Del Ray in Grantsville and Dec. 6 at Jim’s Restaurant in Tooele, both events running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. 

The Tip a Cop program recruits law enforcement officers to become waiters for an evening, and tips from the night of their service are donated to purchase toys and other gifts for needy children in the area.

Tip a Cop is the primary fundraising event for the Shop With a Cop program, which pairs officers with families in need to buy essentials and presents during the holidays. 

While law enforcement officers from around the county will participate in the fundraiser, the majority of Tooele City officers will be at Jim’s Restaurant and the Grantsville City police will be at Casa Del Ray, according to Grantsville City Police Sgt. Lydon Allred. 

“I think Tip a Cop is a great opportunity for our … officers to participate in a fundraising event,” Allred said. 

It’s also an opportunity for officers to have positive interactions with the community and “earn” a donation by working as servers, Allred said. 

This year, several Grantsville City police officers will join the Park City Police Department to assist with their Shop With a Cop program, Allred said. The event, held on Dec. 1, is similar to the Tooele County edition, but Park City police need additional officers. 

Tooele County’s Shop With a Cop is scheduled for Dec. 15, beginning at the Country Pride restaurant in Lake Point with a visit from Santa, who arrives by University of Utah medical helicopter. From there, a convoy of police vehicles will make its way to Walmart in Tooele where gifts are purchased and wrapped for the holiday.

First, however, come the fundraising efforts and Tooele County’s law enforcement agencies are extending an opportunity for anyone who can contribute. 

“We hope the public comes out to eat good food and to support a good cause,” said Tooele City Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen.

A growing holiday tradition enters its seventh edition, as the Grantsville City Christmas Light Parade returns this Saturday. 

The community event began in 2012 and citizens are encouraged to participate in the parade by adorning their vehicles, trailers or floats with Christmas lights and other festive decorations. Anyone looking to participate in the parade can contact Grantsville City Hall at 435-884-3411. 

Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall said there is no cutoff for entries to the parade, right up until line-up. 

The parade begins at Grantsville City Hall and travels west along Main Street, ending at the Grantsville Fire Station on Center Street. It begins at 6 p.m., with line-up for participants at 5:30 p.m. 

It’s interesting to see the different vehicles and floats that enter the parade, with everything from tractors to carriages participating, Marshall said. 

“This is kind of a fun and unique one,” he said. “…It’s just a fun parade.” 

At the conclusion of the parade at the fire station, Santa will be waiting to visit with the community’s children. 

After its inaugural year in 2012, the Christmas Light Parade was combined with Grantsville’s annual Santa Parade in 2013, in which Santa Claus is ushered into town to meet with the city’s children.

Anyone looking to connect with the meaning of the Christmas season will have an opportunity at a live nativity at the Clark Historic Farm in Grantsville. 

The live nativity, which features luminaries, live animals and the iconic manger scene, will be Saturday, Dec. 8 and Monday, Dec. 10 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The manger scene is portrayed by live actors and there will be sheep, donkeys, goats and a camel. 

Attendance costs $2 for adults and $1 for children, though attendees can take $1 off their admission by bringing a can of food for the local food pantry. All proceeds from the nativity benefit the various projects at the Clark Historic Farm. Attendees will also get free hot chocolate. 

Last year, approximately 5,000 people attended the live nativity, and the Friends of the Clark Historic Farm intend to surpass that number this year, according to advertising coordinator Penny Anderson. Friends of the Clark Historic Farm has been advertising the event outside the county, she said. 

“It gives you time to step back from the hustle and bustle of the holidays and remember the reason for the season,” Anderson said. “It is a very affordable way to bring the Christmas spirit into our homes.”

Anyone traveling along the Wasatch Front over the Thanksgiving holiday can expect delays due to additional traffic, according to the Utah Department of Transportation. 

As many as 54.3 million Americans are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving, the highest travel volume since 2005, according to AAA. For Utahns traveling in Salt Lake and Utah counties, trips could take as much as 20 minutes longer, beginning this afternoon. 

UDOT engineers expect increased southbound traffic along the Wasatch Front between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. today, while peak traffic is expected for northbound travelers between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Heavier than normal traffic is also expected on Monday, Nov. 26 due to returning travelers in the afternoon. 

A release from UDOT also reminded drivers to be alert for drowsy, distracted or aggressive drivers. The rate of fatal crashes is higher over the Thanksgiving holiday than other winter months, despite lower overall crash totals. 

AAA expects the majority of travelers — 48.5 million — will travel by automobile over the Thanksgiving holiday, which is between Wednesday and Sunday. Travelers will likely pay the highest gas prices in the past four years, with the national average at $2.79 per gallon as of Nov. 1. 

A Stansbury Park man teaching in the Granite School District is facing a misdemeanor child abuse charge after he allegedly sent text messages to a student that made her anxious and miss school. 

Brian Gene Fries, 40, is charged with a single count of misdemeanor child abuse involving physical injury. The charge was filed on Nov. 14 in West Jordan’s 3rd District Court. 

An officer with the Granite School District met with the 15-year-old victim and her mother, and learned a teacher, identified as Fries, had been texting the victim between March 28 and Sept. 13, according to a probable cause statement. 

In 168 text messages sent by Fries to the victim, he repeatedly asked her to come meet with at school when no other students would be there and texted “do you want to make out?”, the statement said. The victim said she was “freaked out” by the text and a follow-up text from Fries said the make out text had been sent in error. 

The following day, Fries texted the victim to say the text referencing making out was not sent to the wrong person, according to the probable cause statement. Fries also texted the victim, “In fact you are more my FAVORITE than you know.” 

Fries also sent photos of him with a teddy bear that had been given to him by the victim, the statement said. 

The victim said there was no physical contact but “the situation was physically, mentally and emotionally” tearing her apart, the statement said.

Fries told police he didn’t remember how he got the victim’s phone number, the statement said. He admitted to texting the minor about making out but pointed out he texted them immediately afterward to explain it wasn’t meant for her. 

Fries also admitted to texting the victim to tell her that she was more than his favorite student, the statement said. He consented to a search of his phone by officers. 

A counselor at Taylorsville High School told the reporting officer the victim had come to her about the text messages from Fries, the probable cause statement said. The victim said the situation caused her a lot of anxiety and pain, and she stopped going to school regularly due to the anxiety. 

The victim also said she had a hard time with male teachers because she feared it could happen again, according to the probable cause statement. 

Fries is scheduled to make his initial appearance in court on Dec. 19 at 8:29 a.m. before 3rd District Court Judge William Kendall.

The Wendover man originally charged with three felony drug charges for allegedly providing marijuana cupcakes to a Wendover High School student pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge in 3rd District Court. 

Rojelio Guadalup Cornejo, 35, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor distribution of a controlled substance before 3rd District Court Judge Matthew Bates during a scheduling conference Tuesday morning. 

Charges of third-degree felony possession with intent to distribute a Class C substance, third-degree felony cause or permit a child or vulnerable adult to be exposed to a controlled substance and misdemeanor use or possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed with prejudice. 

Wendover City police were contacted by Wendover High School on Aug. 24 on a report that several students possessed marijuana on school grounds, according to a probable cause statement. A freshman at the school had brought several homemade cupcakes to the school that were allegedly laced or contaminated with pot, the school district told police.

The freshman student was interviewed by police, in the presence of a parent, and told police they had acquired the cupcakes from Cornejo, the statement said. Police reviewed the student’s phone and found several text messages between the student and Cornejo.

Wendover City police requested a urine sample from the student, which tested positive for THC, the ingredient that creates the high from marijuana, the statement said.

Cornejo’s home was searched and police found an ounce of marijuana and several items of drug paraphernalia, according to the probable cause statement.

Wendover City police interviewed Cornejo, who admitted to supplying marijuana to the student on several occasions, who was a minor, the statement said. He also admitted he knew the student had taken several marijuana cupcakes and consumed at least one of them.

A Tooele City home sustained significant damage as a result of a structure fire Monday evening, according to the Tooele City Fire Department. 

The fire, reported around 5:40 p.m., began in the kitchen of the home near the intersection of 470 South and 900 West, according to Tooele City Fire Chief Rick Harrison. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation but is believed to have been caused by an electric pressure cooker or similar device, he said. 

Firefighters were able to knock down the flames within 10 minutes and fire damage was contained to the kitchen, Harrison said. Smoke damage affected other areas of the house, however, and the American Red Cross was called to assist the residents displaced by the fire. 

Harrison said it’s possible the residents in the home have made temporary living arrangements, as they had already contacted their insurance provider while fire crews were still on scene. 

The kitchen is likely a total loss and the total damage is estimated at around $25,000, according to Harrison. Two fire engines and a ladder truck were involved in battling the fire, as well as at least 20 Tooele City firefighters.

Despite the damage to the home, the quick response by the department prevented the fire from being worse, Harrison said.

A Magna man charged with a pair of felonies after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at another motorist in Lake Point will return to court next week. 

Joseph Roy Elegante, 37, is charged with two counts of third-degree felony aggravated assault in 3rd District Court. 

On Sept. 9 a Tooele County Sheriff’s sergeant was dispatched to a call of an individual who pointed a shotgun at two individuals in another vehicle near Lake Point and followed the victims to Tooele City, according to a probable cause statement. A Tooele County Sheriff’s deputy was able to locate the suspect, identified as Elegante, and performed a traffic stop. The vehicle containing the victims was also stopped at the scene. 

The victims told law enforcement the defendant pulled out a camouflage-colored shotgun and pointed it at them somewhere on state Route 36 in northern Tooele County, the statement said. A shotgun matching the victim’s description was discovered in Elegante’s vehicle, outside of the case and within his reach. 

During an interview with deputies, Elegante admitted to having another vehicle occupant pull the gun out of its case and hand it to him, the probable cause statement said. He admitted he held the gun so the victims could see it, but denied pointing it at them. 

Elegante is scheduled to make his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. He had previously been scheduled to make his first court appearance on Oct. 29.

Construction on Grantsville’s Main Street is on hold until next spring due to the weather, according to Grantsville City Mayor Brent Marshall. 

During the construction work this fall, more than 1,000 feet of new pipe have been installed, as well as a couple fire hydrants, Marshall said. Now, the project will be put on ice until the weather improves, with work expected to resume in March or April. 

Once work on the $8 million project begins again, the initial focus will be on the sewer system on the east side of the city, especially on Durfee Street and side streets, Marshall said. The work in the spring is expected to be out to bid soon, with final approval on the amount after a contractor is selected from the list of qualified candidates. 

There will be four construction crews on the project in the spring, with two working on digging up and replacing the city’s aging sewer and water lines, while the remaining crews work on connections with other lines and hydrants. 

While work is halted on the project, the construction barrels on Main Street have been removed and asphalt has been replaced, according to Marshall. A separate project to replace a gas line on Race Street is still finishing up. 

The sewer and water is scheduled for completion prior to a Utah Department of Transportation project to resurface the roadway in summer 2019.

The Grantsville City Council approved a contract for $774,505 with Jones & DeMille Engineering to provide engineering services on the city’s Main Street sewer and water project in March. 

Whitaker Construction of Brigham City was selected for the first phase of the project, at a cost of $1.2 million. Whitaker Construction’s combined bid for construction on both phases of the project came in at $7.7 million.

A man from Pocatello, Idaho, charged with the rape of his wife in Tooele City limits, is scheduled to make his initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Monday. 

Clayton Facer, 33, is charged with first-degree felony rape. 

A Tooele County Sheriff’s deputy met with the victim in the case on July 22, according to a probable cause statement. She told investigators she had recently moved from Idaho to a family member’s home in Tooele to get away from Facer, who was abusive. 

The victim told the deputy that on June 16, Facer had come to visit her and their minor child at the relative’s home and stay the night, the probable cause statement said. During the visit, the victim alleged Facer raped her. 

The case was filed on Oct. 19 and the initial appearance in 3rd District Court was originally scheduled for Nov. 27. On Oct. 22, the court date for the initial appearance was changed to Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates. 

A Tooele man will spend up to 15 years in prison after he violated probation in an unlawful sexual conduct with a minor case.

Michael Keystin Martin, 22, was sentenced to no less than one year, and no more than 15 years in the Utah State Prison for second-degree felony exploitation of a minor, and up to five years in prison for two counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual activity with a minor in 3rd District Court on Tuesday. He will serve the three prison sentences concurrently. 

Charges against Martin stem from an Oct. 25, 2017, court filing. In the case, Martin was originally charged with second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor, four counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual activity with a minor, and one count of third-degree felony endangerment of a child or elder adult.

Grantsville City police were notified of a sexual relationship between the 15-year-old victim and Martin on Oct. 17, 2017, including information Martin may have photos of the victim, according to a probable cause statement.

During initial contact, Grantsville City police learned the victim had sex with Martin and there were at least two nude photos of the victim on his phone, the statement said.

In an interview with police, Martin admitted to having sex with the victim but said he believed the victim was 17 years old, according to the probable cause statement. Martin showed the officer the nude photos on his phone but said the victim sent them to him and he thought he had deleted them.

When investigators spoke with the victim, they told police Martin had sex with them at least twice and Martin had touched them sexually at least two more times, the statement said. The victim also told police Martin gave them crack cocaine before one of the incidents.

Investigators met with Martin again on Oct. 23 and clarified there were at least four sexual interactions with the victim and he admitted to giving the victim crack cocaine and heroin, according to the probable cause statement. Police also clarified Martin believed the victim to be 16 years old and learned prior to police involvement the victim was younger.

Martin pleaded guilty to second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of third-degree felony unlawful sexual exploitation of a minor on Nov. 28, 2017. He was sentenced to probation for 60 months on Jan. 16 and his prison sentence was suspended. 

On Aug. 31, Martin allegedly violated his probation in connection with a domestic violence incident in Grantsville in which he was intoxicated, according to court documents. Martin’s probation required he not consume alcohol or violate any laws.

A traffic stop by Utah Highway Patrol troopers netted a considerable amount of marijuana and charges against four out-of-state men. 

Christopher James Harris, 39, of Kentucky; Christopher Scott Eichenlaub, 29, of Florida; Dennis Richard Pullen, 41, of Kentucky; and Justin Israel Perez, 40, also of Kentucky, are each charged with second-degree felony use or possession of a controlled substance and misdemeanor use or possession of drug paraphernalia. 

A UHP trooper stopped a tan Nissan Infiniti for following too closely and failure to signal for two seconds prior to changing lanes around 5 p.m. on Nov. 15, according to a probable cause statement. At this time, the trooper observed a Chevrolet Avalanche and a silver SUV with a temporary permit out of Oregon, which appeared to be traveling with the Infiniti. 

When the trooper made contact with the driver in the Infiniti, they began to smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, the statement said. Pullen was identified as the driver of the vehicle and he told the trooper they were traveling from Oregon to Kentucky. 

After the trooper had Pullen step out of the vehicle and into the back of his patrol car, he questioned Pullen about the odor of marijuana, the statement said. Pullen admitted to there being a half ounce of marijuana in the vehicle. 

During a search of the vehicle, the trooper discovered a handheld radio and a green plastic container and two white plastic bags containing marijuana, according to the probable cause statement. The trooper questioned Pullen and a passenger in the vehicle about the involvement with the two other vehicles after seeing the radio and they said there was additional marijuana inside the vehicles. 

UHP troopers caught up with the two SUVs at the Delle gas station and the occupants of both vehicles were detained, the statement said. Perez and Eichenlaub were in the SUV and Harris was driving the Avalanche. 

In the silver SUV, troopers found three bottles of hash, one jar of marijuana and a medicine bottle with Eichenlaub’s name on it, the statement said. In the truck, troopers found two bags of edibles and three duffle bags filled with vacuum-sealed marijuana inside. Troopers also found matching hand-held radios to the one found in the Infiniti. 

In all, the truck contained 111 vacuum-sealed marijuana packages, 16 pounds of edibles and 500 vape cartridges, the probable cause statement said. 

Harris, Eichenlaub, Pullen and Perez are scheduled to make their initial appearance in 3rd District Court on Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Matthew Bates.

The Grantsville City Council discussed the concept for a Tooele County Housing Authority project on East Clark Street during its meeting last week. 

The project would create seven single-family lots in the area of 445 E. Clark Street, on which homes would be built by the county housing authority and rented to applications that meet certain criteria, such as credit scores and family size, according to DeAnn Christiansen, Tooele County Housing Authority executive director. 

“They’ll be rent-to-own homes just like the ones on 316 E. Clark (Street) that we construct,” Christiansen said. “Then the renters will live there for 15 years and then whoever lives there in the end of the 15-year rental period gets first option to buy.”

Since the homes are constructed with tax credits, there is instant equity in the properties, which keep payments low, Christiansen said. Part of the rent payment each month goes to escrow, so a renter for the full 15-year term would have a substantial down payment, she said. 

“There’s just so many people that can’t afford housing,” Christiansen said. “So it’s just a good concept.” 

Each of the lots would be just under a quarter acre, according to the concept. The housing could be constructed without changing the zone, as the property is zoned for medium-density residential. 

The renter would be responsible for mowing the lawn, watering the grass and other tasks, but the housing authority would own the property and be the landlord, Christiansen said. 

With no significant issues raised by the city council, the concept will next be brought before the Grantsville City Planning Commission.