Homeowners ask Logan City to prove right-of-way as project encroaches on property

LOGAN — Some homeowners along Canyon Road worry that the city may be flexing its right-of-way beyond what's been established as part of an ongoing project along the road to upgrade a pipeline and improve and expand a city trail.

Previously, people in the neighborhood had lost their battle with the city to preserve more than a dozen 100-plus year-old ash trees to make way for the pipeline improvements. Now, the city's trail upgrades could cut through the yards of a few homeowners. Megan Carollo stands to lose the largest chunk, including about seven trees.

"The property ... has been in my family for five generations," Carollo said, pointing out the decades-old towering trees. "And this is all really important because it gives shade. It is privacy. It's a sound barrier. And all of these trees are established. Their roots go like deep into the water table"

Carollo delivered a petition signed by her and about 50 homeowners, asking the city to prove their right-of-way claim before proceeding.

"It's not a big ask," Carollo said. "And if they have it, they can do whatever they want, and none of us can stop them."

Carollo says she and some of her surrounding neighbors dug up their own property records to show right-of-way of around 60 feet. George Woodward, the city's public information officer, says in part, because Canyon Road is a collector, they have up to 99 feet, though they intend to use much less.

"We intend to use 66 feet of right-of-way," Woodward said.

Woodward explained that an independent contractor is currently researching documents for city plans and land plats to prove their right-of-way, but the process has taken longer than expected.

"We are just as eager for that report as the property owner is, because based on that, we can go ahead and resolve the dispute and move on with construction," Woodward said.

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