Draper City Corner Canyon Regional Park Master Plan Chapter One: Introduction Statement of Purpose for Corner Canyon Regional Park Corner Canyon is held in trust for present and future citizens of the City of Draper, Salt Lake and Utah Counties, and the State of Utah, to be managed as a regional park, restoring and continuing the natural and cultural resources of the land and offering recreational opportunities that pass our heritage on unimpaired. Background: The junction of the Wasatch Mountain Range with the Traverse Ridge at Corner Canyon is more than a scenic backdrop to Draper City. Generations of citizens of southern Salt Lake County have depended on its bordering wild lands for watershed, livestock grazing, mining, and timber. While the village of Draper was growing in recent decades to become a large suburban city, Corner Canyon was also its backyard and its playground. Development of residential areas slowly encroached on the edges of the canyon, changing the rural carefree relationship of the people to the land. Uncontrolled use of the private watershed lands brought erosion and damage. Subdivision and development closed traditional access and consumed adjoining natural area. By 2004, the culture of wild lands was disappearing from Draper with every acre developed. Even the existence of an agreement for public use between the City and landowners in Corner Canyon was failing to prevent damage to the land. A residential development plan proposed for the canyon signaled the end of an era. With the leadership of the Mayor, the City Council, and the coalition of water interests represented by Draper Irrigation Company, Corner Canyon Water, Little Willow Water and Riverton Water, an effort to preserve Corner Canyon was begun in 2004. A City bond issue was passed in November of that year, providing the bulk of funds needed to purchase the property for a regional park. A year of negotiations facilitated by The Trust for Public Lands and assisted by contributions from additional funding sources, including the Salt Lake County Open Space Fund and the Utah Quality Growth Commission, led to City acquisition of 1021 acres framing the major undeveloped resources of Corner Canyon. While the property is encumbered by road and utility easements that existed prior to the purchase, the vast majority of the land can be retained in a natural state and used by the public through carefully planned recreational facilities. Conservation Easement: In addition to the fee title purchase of the 1021 acres, a conservation easement was overlaid on the property to ensure long-term preservation and prevent unilateral actions that might damage the park resources. Salt Lake County became holder of the easement, in recognition of the County s contribution to the acquisition funding. This master plan and future recreational development and management of Corner Canyon Regional Park are subject to approval of the 1
County. Decisions that will impact the land and the character of Corner Canyon will be made by mutual agreement of the County, the City, and others with retained interest in the property. The Corner Canyon Conservation Easement and related documentation are incorporated in the Corner Canyon Regional Park Master Plan by reference. Recreational use, recreational facilities, public access, and use of encumbering easements are proposed in this master plan within parameters established in the Corner Canyon Purchase Agreement and the Corner Canyon Conservation Easement. A baseline report of existing conditions was completed for the Corner Canyon Conservation Easement to allow management to measure, monitor, and gage changes brought about by land use and facility development. Guiding Principals of the Corner Canyon Conservation Easement Draper City grants Salt Lake County the right to preserve and protect the conservation values of Corner Canyon in perpetuity. The property will be retained predominantly in its natural, open space condition. Draper and Salt Lake County will prevent any use of the property that will impair or interfere with its conservation values. Use of the property is confined to activities that are consistent with the conservation easement and inconsistent uses are prohibited. Prohibited uses include residential activities, communications towers and devices, septic systems, mineral development, changes in the general topography of the landscape, waste disposal, industrial and commercial activities, game farming, feed lots, large signs and billboards, alteration of watercourses, conversion to non-native vegetation, disturbance of ecological features, off-road vehicles, trapping of animals, storage of property, or leases of the property. Draper may develop low intensity recreation facilities including trails, trailheads, trail bridges over creeks, gathering places, public restrooms with utility connections, and a visitor interpretive center to explain the conservation values of the property. Draper may maintain, replace, and repair existing facilities, such as roads and fences, so long as they are retained in their original size and location. Fences may not interfere with wildlife. Additional roads and fences to serve the purposes of the conservation easement require the approval of Salt lake County. Facilities constructed or maintained may require a defensible space for fire protection. Use of agricultural chemicals is restricted. 2
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Relation to Other City Planning: The Corner Canyon Regional Park Master Plan is intended to be adopted as part of the Draper City Comprehensive Plan. Land use, roads, trails, public access, and recreation proposals contained within the Corner Canyon Regional Park Master Plan are subject to coordination with and modification of other City planning documents. Facility development and operational impacts of Corner Canyon Regional Park proposed in the master plan are subject to City Council approval and appropriation. Development of the Corner Canyon Regional Park Master Plan: The Draper City Council appointed a Corner Canyon Planning Committee made up of citizens with knowledge of Corner Canyon and interest in guiding its use and development. Committee members included Pete Larkin (Draper City Council), Ann Parr (Planning and Zoning Commission), Ken Murdock (Draper Parks and Trails Committee), Clark Naylor (Draper Parks and Trails Committee), Bob Patterson (Draper Equestrian Committee), Doug Vawdry (Draper Citizen), and Todd Anderson (Draper Citizen). In addition, Angelo Calacino was appointed by Salt Lake County Parks and recreation to represent the County on the planning committee. Brad Jensen and Grant Crowell of Draper City staff supported the committee s efforts. Draper City applied for and received a technical assistance grant from the National Park Service. Under that grant, Bill Farrand of the National Park Service, Rivers, Trails and Conservation Program, facilitated the planning process. On Mach 13, 2006, the public and key agencies were invited to participate in design charette to propose public use and land management concepts for Corner Canyon. More than 70 persons attended the six-hour meeting and joined one of six design groups that considered the future of the park. The charette produced maps, plan concepts, and issues list for consideration by the Corner Canyon Planning Committee. Over the course of several weeks, the committee weighed the charette concepts, met with agencies and adjacent landowners, made site visits to Corner Canyon, and prepared a draft Corner Canyon Regional Park Master Plan. Review of the draft plan includes presentation to the Draper City Planning Commission in a public review session, revision in accordance with Planning Commission comments, and presentation to the Draper City Council for review and adoption. 4
Corner Canyon Resources Chapter Two: Planning Considerations The 1021 acres acquired for Corner Canyon Regional Park is defined by the artificial boundaries of land ownership. It is important to view the park as part of drainages and natural systems that overlap these boundaries, rather than to make decisions solely on the resources contained within property lines. The park is not an island. Moreover, it does not contain the entire drainage of Corner Canyon Creek watershed; adjoins National Forest; adjoins dedicated open space lands that are part of residential subdivisions; wraps around private lands with existing and proposed development; and is encumbered with easements and inholdings. The boundaries of the park are largely unfenced and open to seasonally migrating wildlife. The landscape contains a wide variety of native and introduced plants in continuous communities overlapping the property. Three major plant communities are present in Corner Canyon. While these communities can be further subdivided by elevation, by the direction of slope face, or by other characteristics, management of the park hinges on the three major types. First, on the west facing slopes below Upper Corner Canyon Road, the open grasslands are winter habitat. They are frequently free of snow in the winter and harbor animals migrating down from the high elevations of the Wasatch. The soils are highly erodible remnants of the glacial Lake Bonneville shoreline. Second, the North facing slopes and saddle area on the Traverse Ridge have a mosaic of sage, grasses, and dense oak and maple brush. The soils are generally deeper and hold moisture. These slopes are summer wildlife habitat. The third community is the lush riparian zone along Corner Canyon Creek and its major tributaries. The vegetation in this community is more diverse, more dependent on water, and populated with tall trees and shade-loving plants. Erosion from a host of primarily man-made sources, like mining, vehicle damage, pipelines, foot traffic, and livestock impacts on sensitive soils, scar the canyon. Much of the damage is contained within the property purchase line, but some problems begin offsite and create gullies into the parkland. Natural Resource Conservation Service is surveying the Corner Canyon Regional Park property and will prepare a Conservation Plan to address erosion and the health of the plant communities. This plan will assist the City in preparing projects to repair erosion and improve the plant communities. It will be the vehicle for application for grant funds offered by NRCS and other sources. However, Planned use of the parkland and management of human impacts will be critical to reversing the long trend of erosion and abuse of the property. Existing and introduced species found in Corner Canyon will be listed in other documents and plans in an effort to establish baseline information about the park. Adjacent Development Influences With the exception of the majority of the east boundary of the Corner Canyon Regional Park property, which borders on National Forest and private watershed lands on the slopes of Lone Peak, residential subdivision development will eventually adjoin the park. These developments will mostly touch the park at the back lines of individual housing lots, but will also impact the park with roads, drainage, utility systems, and dedicated open spaces. Planning, development, and management of the park must view the park as more than an island of public property. Key 5
factors resulting from the development of adjacent lands are incorporated as basic assumptions into planning for Corner Canyon Regional Park. A road corridor is retained through the park property to connect Phase 7 of the Suncrest development east of the park to Suncrest Drive. This road will be developed through the Hidden Canyon Estates subdivision on the saddle between Lone Peak and the Traverse Ridge. Where the road enters the south boundary of the park, it will connect to Upper Corner Canyon Road and provide access to a major park trailhead and recreation facility. Relocation of the new road is highly desirable, to prevent very evident road cut and fills on the side of a visible ridge at the top of Corner Canyon Regional Park. Cooperation of the Suncrest and Hidden Canyon Estates developers would be required to accommodate relocation of the road. A culdesac and dedicated open space at the end of a street in the Eidelweiss subdivision can provide a trailhead access on the south boundary of the park. A culdesac at the end of Carolina Hills Circle in the Steeple Chase subdivision on the north boundary will provide access to the lower portion of the canyon. A trail developed within open space associated with a detention basin in Steeple Chase will provide foot and bicycle access to the west facing slopes of the park below the Aqueduct Trail. A culdesac on Coyote Hollow Circle presently serves as a trailhead for the park and lands owned by Metro Water. A parking area adjacent to Traverse Ridge Road could provide access to Potato Hill and the far western part of the park. The southeast corner of the park adjoins the Suncrest wildlife corridor at Hog Hollow providing continuity for wildlife habitat. Several dedicated open space parcels from neighboring residential subdivisions adjoin the boundaries of the park, providing habitat continuity and trail connections. Utility connections to serve low intensity recreation development like trailheads, picnic areas, and public restrooms should be stubbed at the boundary between the park and adjacent subdivisions. This includes connections from Hidden Canyon Estates, Steeple Chase, Eidelweiss, Suncrest, and Corner Canyon Estates. Drainage from adjacent development, particular on lands above the park, have a profound potential to adversely impact the park. Drainage in the west fork of Corner Canyon currently exhibits erosion and siltation damage from undefined sources. The City and agencies with jurisdiction over drainage issues will need to exercise careful oversight of drainage issues arising from adjacent development. Most of the park land is downstream of development areas. Recovery of eroded lands within the park is necessary to prevent further loss of resources, improve habitat, improve aesthetics, control invasive vegetation, and stabilize areas for trail and recreation facility development. 6
Backyard fencing or uniform subdivision fencing should be carefully controlled in the planning of subdivisions and in subdivision Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions and Design and Development Requirements. Unrestricted access to the park boundary from adjacent lots will result in multiple paths, erosion, encroachment, and litter. Fill of adjacent lots should have a setback and must not be allowed to cross the private property line onto park property. Encumbrances Purchase of Corner Canyon came with reserved rights of use, existing rights-of-way, and existing easements. Planning for conservation and recreation use within the park is profoundly effected by these pre-existing rights, and must accommodate them. The Suncrest Access Road in the upper part of the park is discussed briefly under Adjacent Development. Relocation of the fee title corridor through land trade or cooperation with Suncrest and Hidden Canyon Estates is highly desirable. The current location will create road cuts and fills on steep slopes that are visible from the Salt Lake Valley and will require a footprint wider than the fee corridor to accommodate the cuts and fills. The Questar gas pipeline is a permanent scar bisecting the park. Questar is willing to cooperate with revegetation. The pipeline may require maintenance, repair, or replacement in the future. Recreational use of the pipeline route will need to be discouraged or prohibited in steep areas. Metro Water is willing to accommodate a trail on its aqueduct, including a paved trail, but cannot accommodate heavy vehicles on the line. Intermittent shallow sections of the pipe will not support vehicle weights. Trail development and revegetation of the pipeline corridor, which will soon be transferred from the federal Bureau of Reclamation to Metro Water, will improve aesthetics and address erosion. A sewer easement is held by Suncrest for a new line down north facing slopes in the western part of the park. If development of this line cannot be avoided, relocation to a less erodible and less visible location is highly desirable. Draper Irrigation holds two hundred foot wide easements centered on the major creek courses within the park. Public use and habitat improvements in these areas will need to be negotiated and is dependent on minimizing erosion of banks and pollution of the streams. Draper Irrigation retains water rights and watershed interest in the park property. Draper Irrigation has the right to access, construct, and maintain a water intake on the main branch of Corner Canyon Creek upstream of the silica pit area. They also retain access to their current water diversion structure in the lower canyon. They will require vehicular access to these locations. 7
Draper Irrigation retained a parcel in fee ownership in the lower part of the canyon for construction of an underground water storage tank. The trail system in the lower canyon will need to cross this property. Public use of the property after the completion of the water tank should be negotiated. Metro Water holds lands in the silica pit area that are surrounded by Corner Canyon Park and dedicated City open space. The company requires vehicular access to their pipeline and tunnel for maintenance. They also require the use of their lands for construction staging and emergency incident response. Additional Land Issues The United States Forest Service is in negotiation to acquire private watershed lands that adjoin the park on the northeast. Draper City has written a letter of support for Congressional appropriations for this acquisition. It will greatly expand public lands contiguous with the Corner Canyon Regional Park. The United States Forest Service has identified a 22-acre federal parcel adjoining the park below the Bonneville Bench on the north boundary for auction sale. Draper City has written a letter to the United States Forest Services opposing the sale of this parcel. The City should attempt to have this parcel removed from the national sale list. If this is not possible, the City should express its interest in having the land transferred to City ownership as surplus. Lastly, if the sale cannot be prevented, the City should consider acquiring the land. The open space property contains junctions of City trails, the aqueduct, Upper Corner Canyon Road, and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Metropolitan Water property in the silica pit area is an inholding within City-owned land. While Metro Water may not be interested in selling the property, its location and relatively flat topography is essential to public use of Corner Canyon. The City should enter into a public use agreement with Metro Water for recreational use of the land. Metro Water needs to retain rights of access for maintenance of its structures, and the right to use the property for construction and response to catastrophic damage to its pipeline and tunnel. These rights could disrupt public use of the land, on rare occasions, for extended periods of time and require significant reconstruction of recreation facilities. City dedicated open space parcels that adjoin Corner Canyon Regional Park should be retained and managed under the high standards set by the Corner Canyon Conservation Easement. Corner Canyon LLC owns a large parcel in the highest reaches of the Corner Canyon watershed. It is outside, but adjoining, Draper City limits. When the United States Forest Service acquisition of private watershed lands is complete, Corner Canyon LLC will be the only significant private parcel of Corner Canyon watershed left in a forested and undeveloped condition. Draper City and Salt Lake County should consider acquiring this parcel to preclude its development and protect the contiguous watershed and viewshed. 8
Public Use The conservation easement for Corner Canyon Regional Park dictates low intensity public use for recreation purposes. Public use of the property is intended to be subordinate to preservation of the natural character of the landscape. This Master Plan recommends that low intensity recreation be defined as equestrian, hiking, mountain biking, geo-caching, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, picnicking, nature study, and wildlife viewing. Facilities that will support these uses include natural surface trails, paved trails designed for ADA compliance, trailhead parking facilities, non-obtrusive signs for orientation and interpretation, minor road connections, trail bridges, gates, fencing, public restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, and picnic pavilions. The conservation easement envisions and allows for a visitors center building with exhibits and programs that explain the conservation values of Corner Canyon. Prohibited public uses include, but are not limited to, off-road motorized vehicles; paint ball games; camping; disturbance or removal of plants, animals, or geologic features; swimming, wading, or other contact with waters of the Corner Canyon watershed; livestock or pets out of the physical control of their owners; sports that require creation of game fields or courses; travel off established trails and roadways; hunting; trapping; and commercial activities. The nature of recreation changes over time. Two decades past, mountain biking was a fledgling and obscure recreational activity. Popular recreation activities two decades hence cannot be predicted. It will be necessary for the City to review and rule on recreational uses from time to time. The conservation easement and the concurrence of Salt Lake County will guide future decisions on recreation use. Recreation Carrying Capacity The land base and natural resources of Corner Canyon can sustain a finite level of recreational activity. The rugged topography of the 1021 acres of the park has the capability of dispersing the impact of large numbers of people, but the opportunity for solitude and avoidance of conflicts between recreation uses is limited. Development of recreation facilities and access to the park should consider the impact of people on an environment that is based on relatively fragile soils. Planning should also consider the recreational experience that users of a natural area park expect. While the concept of a carrying capacity for the landscape cannot be accurately determined, a conservative approach to peak visitation levels can be set and adjusted as needed. The planning committee recommended access points for Corner Canyon Regional Park can reasonably accommodate a target of 200 total parking places at scattered trailheads located primarily on the periphery of the park. This parking volume can be expected to deliver 600 to 800 recreation users on peak hours on peak days, based on an average of 3 to 4 persons per car. In addition to visitors arriving by car, the surrounding neighborhoods and connecting City trail system can be expected to deliver a large number of people to the park at peak use times. If the walk-in number is half the number of visitors arriving at parking areas, it is conceivable that Corner Canyon Regional Park can expect to have 900 to 1200 people recreating in the park on a midday summer Saturday. This level of visitation may challenge the low intensity recreation 9
principal cited in the Conservation Easement. This level of use may create undesirable impacts on the resources and conflicts between users, if not properly managed. Study and development of a carrying capacity for the park should be initiated 2007 and continued through the years when trailheads and other facilities are being added. The study is an attractive project for a university graduate student. Existing conditions for park resources can be established from the Conservation Easement Baseline Report, a Natural Resource Conservation Service conservation plan currently under development, and additional study as part of a graduate student project. This baseline can be used to monitor resource impacts over time. A Level of Acceptable Change can be established that would trigger management actions to set recreational limits or protect and restore natural resources. It is important that this process begin as early as possible in the ownership and management of the park. It will be important to develop the park in a way that prevents motor vehicles from leaving established roadways and designated parking lots. Parking along roadways should be prohibited for safety and resource protection reasons. It may be necessary to use staff and gates to regulate full parking lots at busy times, allowing one car to enter for each car that leaves. Trails will require design and construction that is sustainable under the impacts of heavy traffic by hikers, horses, and bicycles. Design of facilities and enforcement of park rules should discourage any kind of travel off established trails and outside developed recreation areas. Areas that are primarily wildlife habitat will require monitoring, since a number of existing erosion areas began with deer trails on fragile sandy soils. If people are allowed to leave recreation trails to follow deer paths, erosion will quickly accelerate. Land Use Chapter lll: Public Use Facilities The purpose of Corner Canyon Regional Park and its overlying conservation easement is to retain the land in a natural condition. Facilities will be developed to accommodate low intensity recreation uses of the parkland. The developed facilities of the park will control access and contain use on a relatively small part of the landscape. Developed access will largely be on the periphery of the park. Most facility development will be in the form of linear trails which take the park visitor into the interior of the park. The visitor experience will include contact with nature, grand vistas, relative solitude, passive recreational activity, natural and cultural resource education, and healthy exercise. Most of the land within the park has value for wildlife. Habitat areas will be defined, protected, and in some cases, improved. Damaged areas of the landscape will be repaired, and care will be taken to design sustainable facilities with little disturbance to the landscape. Roads Upper Corner Canyon Road - The National Guard completed Upper Corner Canyon Road in 1964 and 1965. The Draper City Transportation Plan originally called for Upper Corner Canyon Road (UCCR) to be a minor collector street. The plan also included other collector roads in Corner Canyon that did not reflect topography or design feasibility. For a time, Suncrest Development used and maintained UCCR as a secondary, emergency access, but 10
abandoned use and maintenance when a paved connection to Utah County was completed. UCCR was badly damaged in places by wet weather in the spring of 2005, and the damage continues to be aggravated by poor road design and drainage. The latest Draper City Transportation Plan removed other roads in Corner Canyon, but retained UCCR. The road is cited as a mountain collector, but is placed in the as needed as development occurs category, which is beyond any date for project scheduling. Likely, a developer would have to pay for improvements required to bring the road up to design standards for a minor collector street. No specific budget exists for the City of Draper to improve or maintain UCCR. UCCR would require major reconstruction to repair drainage issues and meet minor collector street design standards for curves, speed, drainage, and pavement. Such reconstruction would create large hillside cuts. The Corner Canyon Conservation Easement overlays the road and restricts improvements to the current size and location of the road. This would appear to preclude redevelopment of the narrow unpaved road into a three land paved minor collector street. Early in 2006, UCCR was closed by the temporary Corner Canyon Ordinance, and can be opened to street legal vehicle traffic only on dates set by the City Council. Non-motorized recreation access to UCCR is possible from the future site of the Orson Smith Trailhead on Highland Drive. Access to UCCR at the top of the canyon crosses undeveloped private property. Uncontrolled access through these private lands continues to create extensive damage to public and private property. Retention of UCCR was proposed in some part or form by all six groups in the March 11, 2006 design charette. The Corner Canyon Committee proposed various alternatives, all of which called for partial closure to public use, and all of which precluded UCCR being retained as a public through street. Repair of drainage, City maintenance, access to trailheads, and inclusion of non-motorized trail use were identified as necessary elements of a plan for UCCR. UCCR should be retained as a maintained, graded dirt/gravel road. Street legal motor vehicle access would be allowed to two points on UCCR: Vehicles would be able to drive from Orson Smith Trailhead at Highland Drive to a new trailhead parking area at the intersection of UCCR and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. A gate at this point would close the road to all vehicles, except emergency, fire, and service vehicles. The gate at Orson Smith Trailhead would also be retained for seasonal and temporal closures. Vehicles would be able to use the upper portion of UCCR from the Hidden Canyon Estates boundary to the Jacob s Ladder Trailhead. A gate below Jacob s Ladder Trailhead would close the road to all vehicles except emergency, fire, and service vehicles. A gate would be installed on the road at the park boundary for seasonal closures. The Corner Canyon Master Plan will be completed before the upper end of UCCR is connected to a public street outside of the park boundary. An interim strategy for management and public use of the road will be needed until master plan projects can be completed and UCCR can be linked to Suncrest Drive. Suncrest Road Easement - The Corner Canyon Planning Committee recommends the encumbering easement for development of a connecting street by Suncrest be moved southward. 11
This would place the road behind the ridgeline, reduce the amount of scarring from cut and fill, shorten the road, and reduce the cost of development. In order to perform this relocation, Hidden Canyon Estates may have to alter their development plan slightly. The possibility of a land trade with Hidden Canyon Estates should be considered, if necessary, to accommodate the road relocation, and to consolidate parkland on the Corner Canyon saddle. In the event relocation is not possible or realized, the committee recommends that the City take extraordinary steps to ensure the environmental, physical, and visual impacts of the Suncrest road construction are minimized to the greatest extent possible. The City should carefully review pre-existing legal rights as they relate to the Corner Canyon Conservation Easement, and seek exceptional design of cuts, fills, drainage, and revegetation plans. Care should be taken to restore the natural condition of the land in as short a time as possible. Road Access to Park Development in the Silica Pit Area A 20-foot paved road will be extended from the culdesac at Coyote Hollow Circle eastward to the silica pit area to access trailhead parking and a passive recreation area. A gate will be established where this new road leaves Coyote Hollow Circle to allow for night closures. The small parking area on Coyote Hollow Circle will be retained. Lower Corner Canyon Road - A portion of Lower Corner Canyon Road will be retained for maintenance and emergency access to the silica pit area from the Steeple Chase Trailhead, to allow access to watershed structures and the aqueduct tunnel for maintenance and operations. Trails All trails should be designed for non-motorized multi-use. Primary design uses would be hiking, running, mountain biking and horseback riding. The International Mountain Bike Association multi-use trail standards will guide design. Depending on safety, location, and characteristics of the trail, some trails may need to be limited to specific uses, or some uses of a specific trail may be limited to alternating days to prevent conflicts between uses. A complete inventory of existing paths and trails in Corner Canyon is needed to determine which routes are viable to retain. The inventory can determine paths to be improved or removed to create a functional and sustainable trail system in the park. It can also identify connections to trails outside the park boundaries and set priorities for trail construction, repair, and maintenance. Several trails can be identified as existing or new trails in a system of trails for the park. The existing trails in this system should be addressed in the inventory process, since many have maintenance, repair, and rerouting issues. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) will be completed within the park before this master plan is adopted. Much of it will be new construction completed within the last calendar year. It should all be evaluated in the inventory for compliance with trail development and maintenance standards. The BST requires directional signs and use of the BST logo. It will accommodate equestrians, hikers, and mountain bikes. The Aqueduct Trail on the Metropolitan Water aqueduct service road is currently in use as an unofficial trail. Construction of a 10 to 12 foot wide paved surface on the trail, 12
with grade and access improvements, may accommodate use by persons with disabilities and mobility impairments. Improvements to the aqueduct road require the cooperation and approval of Metro Water, and the route would have to be open to Metro Water for its pipeline inspection and maintenance activities. Paving could take the form of asphalt or compacted crushed limestone. Clark s Trail is a new trail completed from the proposed Peak View Trailhead location near Hidden Canyon Estates to the BST and the existing Coyote Hollow Trailhead. Creek View Trail is partially developed on the hillside west of Corner Canyon Creek in City open space that adjoins Corner Canyon Regional Park on the north and west. The trail has access connection to South Mountain Subdivision. Once fully developed, it will connect the Ballard Equestrian Center with the proposed Canyon Hollow Trailhead. Canyon Hollow Trail will utilize the majority of the former Lower Corner Canyon Road south and east of the proposed Canyon Hollow Trailhead. The trail will need restructuring and rehabilitation to create a narrower, unpaved, non-motorized trail connecting the silica pit area to the proposed Peak View Trailhead at the top of the canyon. Extensive effort will be required to redirect drainage, recover severely eroded sections, and restructure the profile of the road corridor. Lower Corner Canyon Trail is an existing trail that utilizes portions of the existing Lower Corner Canyon Road and connects the Ballard Equestrian Center and Porter Rockwell Trail to the proposed Canyon Hollow Trailhead. Some segments of this trail will require rerouting and repair in the Corner Canyon Creek corridor. A paved trail in this corridor is recommended to better accommodate ADA users and open the lower area of the canyon to use by a wider segment of the City population. Connections to a trail along Highland Drive, the tunnel under Highland Drive, and the Porter Rockwell Trail need to be developed. Portions of the existing Lower Corner Canyon Road will be improved and incorporated into the paved trail. An ADA accessible paved loop trail in the area of the Canyon Hollow Trailhead will be connected to the Lower Corner Canyon Trail. Canyon View Trail is proposed following contours along the south boundary of Corner Canyon Regional Park, with connections to trailheads at Potato Hill, Eidelweiss, and Suncrest. It would tie to Clark s Trail near the Peak View Trailhead. Potato Hill Trail will be developed on the east side of Potato Hill from the Potato Hill Trailhead to the BST. A short trail climbing to an over look on the top of Potato Hill is also needed. Peak View Trail will begin at the Peak View Trailhead and continue east across the highlands in the Traverse Ridge saddle to climb to crate an alternate route to Jacob s Ladder. Hog Hollow Trail will utilize the existing Questar Gas pipeline road in Hog Hollow within the southernmost part of the park, and provide connections to the Suncrest and highland City trail systems. 13
Ghost Falls Trail will continue to be served by a trailhead on Upper Corner Canyon Road. The trail requires extensive rerouting in the stretch above the falls, and extensive maintenance and improvement below the falls. Bridges will be required to cross the creek. This work should be designed to also accommodate equestrian and mountain bike use. Upper Corner Canyon Trail will utilize portions of Upper Corner Canyon Road from Orson Smith Trailhead to the south boundary of Corner Canyon Regional Park near Peak View Trailhead. This trail would be tied into the city-wide trails and bicycle network. An equestrian trail would be maintained for the entire length of Upper Corner Canyon Road. In order to frequently grade and maintain the unpaved road surface, the trail will need to be improved and will be located on the inside of the existing roadway. Some parts of the trail may need separate treadways for equestrian and bicycle users. National Forest trail connections must be maintained with a trailhead on Upper Corner Canyon Road that provides access to Jacobs Ladder Trail. Several old roads and trails on the USFS lands need to be closed and reclaimed before new trail routes, such as a trail on the ridge of Burnham Canyon, can be developed. Connections to existing and planned trails a City / Regional Trails System will be established. Trailheads Trailheads developed specifically for access to Corner Canyon Regional Park will include Coyote Hollow Circle (existing), Carolina Hills Circle (proposed at Steeple Chase), Eidelweiss (future at the end of Stoneliegh Heights Drive), East Bench (new on Upper Corner Canyon Road), Ghost Falls (expanded and improved on Upper Corner Canyon Road), Peak View (new on Upper Corner Canyon Road), and Potato Hill (new on Traverse Ridge Road). In addition, Orson Smith Trailhead and the Ballard Equestrian Center will provide parking and access to the park. The trailheads will have kiosks for information and orientation. All parking areas will be paved with defined parking stalls. Parking for horse trailers will be provided at the Orson Smith Trailhead, Ballard Equestrian Center, and Peak View Trailhead parking areas. Restrooms will be considered for each trailhead. Availability of utilities would dictate the type of restroom development and the availability of drinking water. If water and sewer are not available at the trailhead, vault toilets, similar to the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service design, or composting toilets will be considered. Coyote Hollow Trailhead is an existing trailhead at the culdesac at the south end of Coyote Hollow Circle. Access to the site is from Mike Weir Drive through Corner Canyon Estates. Access to Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Clark s Trail, and the proposed Canyon Hollow Trailhead in the silica pit area are provided by this trailhead. Canyon Hollow Trailhead will be developed in the area known as the Silica Pit at the point of confluence of the Corner Canyon Creek with its intermittent west fork. The site is the largest flat area in Corner Canyon and is located below the old silica mining site. The majority of the property is owned by Metropolitan Water, but is surrounded by the Corner Canyon Regional Park property and dedicated City open space. Negotiation of a public use agreement with Metro Water is the first step in securing this property for 14
public use as part of a continuous development concept for Corner Canyon Regional Park. This area would include trailhead parking, picnic sites, and connections to the park trail system. A small pond is also proposed in the area. An improved access road will need to be developed to this trailhead site from the Coyote Hollow Trailhead. The access road will be gated at Coyote Hollow Circle to control hours and seasons of access to Canyon Hollow Trailhead. One of two areas developed specifically with ADA concerns in mind, the area would be a primary access to paved trails. A paved loop trail with interpretive exhibits about the silica pit, aqueduct, and natural features will be developed in the area of the trailhead. Potato Hill Trailhead will be developed off Traverse Ridge Road at Potato Hill. This will serve as the westernmost trailhead and picnic area for the park. Sight distances on Traverse Ridge Road should accommodate an access road to the parking area. A trail to the top of Potato hill, using adjoining City dedicated open space, would provide outstanding vistas. Trails leading east from this trailhead will access Corner Canyon, while trails leading south and west from this trailhead will connect to trails in the Suncrest and South Mountain developments. Eidleweiss Trailhead will be developed on a culdesac at the end of Stoneleigh Heights Drive, within proposed open space just south of the park boundary in the Eidelweiss Subdivision. It will provide access to the proposed Canyon View Trail along the southern park boundary. This trailhead is to be developed with the subdivision improvements. Carolina Hills Trailhead will be developed on a culdesac at the end of Carolina Hills Circle just beyond the boundary of the Steeple Chase Subdivsion within the park. The trailhead will be created during the subdivision development and include stubbed utilities. Gated access to the old Lower Corner Canyon at this point will allow for entrance of City, DIC, and Metropolitan Water maintenance vehicles and emergency vehicles for travel to the Canyon Hollow Trailhead. A restroom will be provided at this location. Visitors will be able to access the Lower Corner Canyon Trail from the trailhead. Peak View Trailhead will be located in a relatively flat area on the Traverse Ridge saddle near the south boundary of the park, where Upper Corner Canyon Road will connect with the new Suncrest road leading through Hidden Canyon Estates to Suncrest Drive. The area will be a trailhead, picnic area, scenic overlook, and the site of a visitors center. The site will include a paved ADA accessible trail that provides outstanding views of the mountains and the Salt Lake Valley. Parking for cars and for vehicles pulling horse trailers will be provided in separated lots. Access to Canyon View trail, Peak View Trail, Clark s Trail, Canyon Hollow Trail, and the trail on Upper Corner Canyon Road will be provided at this activity hub. East Bench Trailhead parking area and amenities will be developed where the Bonneville Shoreline Trail intersects Upper Corner Canyon Road. Upper Corner Canyon Road would be improved from Orson Smith Trailhead on Highland Drive to this trailhead. A gate would prevent public motorized traffic on the unimproved section of the Upper Corner Canyon Road above this trailhead. In addition to the Bonneville 15
Shoreline Trail access, the roadway will include a trail for hikers, mountain bikes, and horses. Ghost Falls Trailhead will be improved at the location of the current Ghost Falls and Jacob s Ladder Trailhead on Upper Corner Canyon Road. Upper Corner Canyon Road would be improved to access this trailhead from the south boundary of the park at the Peak View Trailhead. A gate would prevent public motorized traffic on Upper Corner Canyon Road below this trailhead. New and existing Neighborhood Accesses should be welcome amenities to the subdivisions and the park, but they must connect to an established trail. If they do not, a spider web of paths and associated erosion will result. ADA Accessibility ADA accessibility that removes barriers and provides gentle grades is the basic design principal to be used for parking areas, picnic facilities, buildings, restrooms and walkways that connect facilities. Where a number of facilities are aggregated at park trailheads and recreation areas, development of parking and facilities should allow for ADA accessible connectivity between activities. While not every facility must be accessible in a recreation area, a person with mobility impairment should be able to park; leave their car; travel to a picnic site or picnic pavilion; travel to and read interpretive exhibits; travel to and experience a scenic overlook; and travel to and use an accessible restroom. ADA accessibility in a recreation area should attempt to provide a complete experience for every visitor. ADA accessibility to the natural surface trails system should adopt the principals of the Uniform Trail Assessment Process (UTAP). This process correctly assumes that not everyone with a mobility impairment has the same abilities. It evaluates the length, width, grades, surfaces, and obstacles of a trail and produces a profile that can be posted at trailheads. This allows each person to determine if the trail is suitable for their ability. In addition, ADA accessible paved trails are included in the plan for park development. 16
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Chapter IV: Projects and Priorities Priority Setting Determining priorities for completion of design and management studies and development of facilities is a function of opportunity and necessity. In general, projects that provide for public health and safety or secure the protection of the park property would receive a high priority for funding and scheduling. In actual practice, the availability of a specific funding source, the opportunity to form a beneficial partnership, the availability of resources for the project, the interdependency of projects, or other factors may have the greatest influence on the order in which projects are accomplished. Because funding will come from a variety of sources, it is possible that several projects could be under way simultaneously. The following discussion of projects attempts to address priority for funding and scheduling. Development and Management Projects Upper Corner Canyon Road and Trailheads: The Corner Canyon Conservation Easement limits the alteration and improvement of Upper Corner Canyon Road to its current location and size. The Draper City Transportation Plan should be revised to reflect that this limitation will not allow redevelopment of Upper Corner Canyon Road as a three lane paved mountain collector street. Park projects that incorporate Upper Corner Canyon Road reflect the easement restrictions. The Upper Corner Canyon Road project will likely be accomplished in phases, but it has immediate safety and natural resource implications that make the first phase a high priority. The first phase of the project will be to secure access to the road by installing gates at strategic locations to control vehicular traffic. Assistance is needed from adjacent landowners at the top of the canyon to reduce trespass across their lands to Upper Corner Canyon Road. Installation of gates above and below the Ghost Falls/Jacob s Ladder Trailhead will allow access control on the upper portion of the road. Installation of a gate above the Bonneville Shoreline Trail crossing will control access on the upper part of the road. The first phase would include road grading, drainage improvements, erosion repair above and below the road, and construction of parking at the Ghost Falls Trailhead (20 cars) and East Bench Trailhead (20 cars). Amenities will be constructed at the trailheads including signs, kiosks, picnic sites, and vault or composting toilets. This work should follow closely the completion of the Orson Smith Trailhead on Highland Drive. A later phase for Upper Corner Canyon Road is paving the section between Orson Smith Trailhead and East Bench Trailhead and paving the section between the south boundary of the park and the Ghost Falls Trailhead. This project should include firebreak clearing on the upper section of the road. A paved trail and an equestrian trail will be built adjacent to the road in this phase, from Orson Smith Trailhead to the south boundary of the park. Erosion Restoration: Several erosion restoration projects will be identified in a Conservation Plan currently under preparation by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The projects identified by the NRCS plan should be prioritized for construction. The projects addressing the highest potential for increased erosion damage to the park property will be of great importance to accomplish. Funding of the projects will likely drive the pace of restoration 23
of the park lands. NRCS provides grant funds for projects that will be identified in the conservation plan. Peak View Trailhead: A major trailhead and low intensity recreation area will be constructed at the south boundary of the park where the Upper Corner Canyon Road intersects with the Suncrest road easement. Construction should be in one phase and include parking for 60 cars, equestrian parking for 15 vehicles and trailers, a paved ADA accessible overlook trail, information kiosk, and scattered picnic sites. The facility cannot be developed until the road connection from the park south boundary to Suncrest Drive is complete, and public access can be attained. Visitor Center: The Peak View Trailhead area will include a visitor orientation, education, and interpretation building. The building would include an interior space for a classroom, small office, public restrooms, and a small storage area. Attached to the building will be a covered open air space for shade, outdoor interpretive exhibits, and a tabletop relief map. The structure should be situated to take advantage of the outstanding views from the Peak View Trailhead area. Carolina Hills Trailhead: A culdesac at the end of Carolina Hills Circle in Steeple Chase Subdivision will serve as a trailhead for Corner Canyon Regional Park. Parking will serve 10 cars. Utilities will be located at the site for development of a waterborne restroom building. The culdesac will have a gated service road connection to water facilities operated by Draper Irrigation Company and Metropolitan Water. Coyote Hollow Trailhead: The small 10 car parking area in the culdesac on Coyote Hollow Circle will be retained. A gate will be constructed where a road extension connects to the culdesac as part of the Canyon Hollow Trailhead area development. The existing detention pond next to the culdesac will have to be relocated to allow the new road extension. Canyon Hollow Trailhead: This area may be developed in phases. The first phase would be development of a 20- foot wide road from Coyote Hollow Circle culdesac to the a parking area below the silica pit. A 40 car parking area, erosion repair, and revegation of the silica pit area would be part of this project. Scattered picnic sites would be established, along with connections to established trails. The second phase of the project will be development of 10- foot wide paved ADA accessible trail connecting to the Ballard Equestrian Center, and a paved accessible loop trail in the silica pit area. Included in this phase will be development of a pond in the area east of the silica pit. Potato Hill Trailhead: A driveway connected to Travers Ridge Road at the west edge of Corner Canyon Regional Park will provide access to a 20-car parking lot, picnic sites, and a vault or compositing toilet. In a future development project, a separated grade crossing of Traverse Ridge Road at this location could access trails south of the park to Suncrest, Maple Hollow, and Oak Hollow Trail Projects: With completion of Clark s Trail and the Bonneville Shoreline Trail in the summer of 2006, no new trail development should occur until an inventory of existing trails and paths in Corner Canyon is completed. This inventory will identify existing trails and paths, determine a logical and sustainable system, and make recommendations about existing and new trails. Some existing trails will be retained and improved. Some existing paths that do not 24