NORTH LOGAN — The City Council unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday to change a common boundary between Logan city and North Logan. The council will hold a public hearing to discuss the proposal on June 5.

Kirk Jensen, director of Logan’s economic development, presented financial estimates as a result of the trade at Logan Municipal Council meeting on Feb. 19. Jensen said that North Logan would have a net increase of 146 total acres, which represents $2.5 million in real property value. As a result of the 20 businesses that would be involved in the trade, Logan would gain in net tax revenues roughly $13,000 per year.

“As far as developable land goes, it has been suggested that North Logan gains 141 acres in this exchange,” Mayor Lloyd Berentzen said. “A lot of it is not actually, but I think a fair amount is.”

Berentzen also said Logan City Council approved a resolution with the exact same wording in their last meeting, and Jeff Jorgensen, city administrator and engineer, informed the council that Logan has scheduled a public hearing on the issue at the end of May.

Councilwoman Nancy Potter and Councilman Damon Cann expressed concern over the businesses involved in the exchange and how the cities would handle utilities, specifically water rights.

“What we do need to do is make sure that whoever, if anybody, develops that property that we keep access to it and also that things are done there so that it doesn’t violate our source protection requirements,” Jorgensen said. “Those requirements are in place so unless someone wants to put a new well in for us some place that one is there and should be there to stay.”

Jorgensen said that North Logan has a well that could potentially be contaminated if Logan allowed a new gas station to be built in the traded parcel near Jack’s Tire and Oil. He also said that the source protection requirements are very strict and would maybe only allow a parking lot or an office building there.

“I would like to have a handout in the newsletter to really get the word out,” Jorgensen said. “We’re not required to send out notices to affected properties, but I think it would be good to make sure at least the entities that will switch from North Logan to Logan know so that they have a fair chance to come in here and speak their piece.”

Councilwoman Kristen Anderson and Councilman John Bailey both strongly advocated sending out an announcement with the newsletter that shows the current map and also has an overlay so that people will be able to see exactly what the proposed changes will be.

Published in cooperation with the Hard News Cafe. Original story is here.