| Show Utah Cemetery Threatened by Institutional Development Carolyn Ware Wares I s Contributing Writer The fate of a historical acre piece of land was discussed recently at a Bonneville Hill Community Council meeting Robin Carbaugh Vice-Chair Vice of Yalecrest Community Council Vice-Chair Vice of the Mayors Mayor's Open Space Committee told twenty five of the Bonneville Hills community members that a section of historic Mt Olivet Cemetery is being threatened by institutional development Mt Olivet Cemetery located at 1342 East and South is currently zoned by Salt Lake City as perpetual open space That zoning is the result of an anSee anSee anSee See Cemetery continued on page 8 Cemetery cont cant from front 1 1874 Act of Congress In 1874 five Protestant denominations in Salt Lake City petitioned the Federal Government for some land for a nondenominational cemetery The petition was answered by the Secretary of War who granted 50 acres of the Fort Douglas military post as a public cemetery The Secretary stipulated that the land was to be used only as a public burial ground Stewards were to be appointed to oversee its use In 1909 Congress granted an additional additional additional addi addi- 60 acres of the Post to the cemetery Carbaugh said that the cemetery is valuable to the community in many respects but indicated that the large Salt Lake City cemetery will be at capacity capaci capaci- ty over the next 20 15 years The Potters Potter's Field Fieldin in Mt Olivet is for families families families lies who dont don't have the means to purchase a plot and expensive funeral said Carbaugh Additionally nally Mt Olivet is an urban wildlife habitat On just about any given night you can find 30 head of deer in the cemetery and andon andon andon on the lot she said referring referring referring refer refer- ring to the naturally vegetated vegetated vegetated vege vege- open space area of r I IC r. r r. r r r the cemetery It is this space open area of the cemetery acres in the southeast quadrant which is appealing to those who want to develop it The large open area is now under a 70 year lease to Salt Lake City School District The District leased the property in 1993 from the Mt Olivet Cemetery Association for Rowland-Hall Rowland St. St Marks School currently has a 5 year right-of-refusal right to craft circumstances to purchase purchase purchase pur pur- chase the property and is trying to get it zoned as institutional Rowland Hall St. St Marks wants to build a new junior high and high school on the land That may not be easy At Atthe Atthe Atthe the onset the Federal Government said if the theland theland theland land wasn't used for cemetery cemetery cemetery tery purposes it would go goback goback goback back to the Federal Government under a reversionary reversionary reversionary rever rever- clause Attempts to develop the theland theland theland land were made in the early when the Mt Olivet Cemetery Association the group appointed as stewards of the cemetery contracted with Johnson Land Company to build a skilled nursing facility and a condominium condominium condominium con con- project on the property Then Salt Lake oJ City Mayor Deedee turned the proposal proposal proposal pro pro- down The group took to court but lost They also lost in further further further fur fur- ther court appeals The Theland Theland Theland land remained open Carbaugh said the process to get the zoning changed starts at the city level level with Mayor Rocky Anderson and city com com- missioners If approved there the mayor Rowland Hall St. St Marks commission commissioners commissioners commis commis- sion rs and an agent on behalf of property owners would petition Senators Bennett and Hatch The Senators would then petition petition petition peti peti- tion the Federal Government Senator Hatch has alluded alluded alluded ed that he is committed to preserving the original grant and to rededicate it as a public burial ground said Carbaugh Carbaugh said that it seems to be a mystery as asto asto asto to whom the Mt Olivet Cemetery Association is but she intends to find out She urged residents to send letters to District 6 Councilman Dave Buhler and to the Mayor to petition petition petition peti peti- tion the city to preserve the Mt Olivet land Open land cant can't be bought anymore anymore anymore any any- more said Carbaugh |
