Layton

LAYTON — A traffic accident that has created a hazardous materials incident has closed two lanes of southbound Interstate 15 near Layton Parkway.

Susan Thomas, public information officer for the Department of Public Safety, said the accident occurred about 4 p.m. near mile marker 330.

Utah Transit Authority spokesman Steve Allmat said FrontRunner has been stopped between Layton and Farmington because of the accident. A bus is transporting passengers between the two locations.

SALT LAKE CITY — Layton organizers who blocked a village concept development on the city’s west side through two land referendums claim a bill being run in the Legislature is payback from city officials and would thwart future attempts from anyone to take on City Hall throughout the Beehive State.

The legislation in question, SB 66, passed the Senate last week and is due for discussion in the House. It establishes new guidelines for referendums and shortens the time frame in which people can legally challenge a local government’s decision.

The measure also includes a required percentage of signatures to be met in order to get on the ballot.

Brian Pead, one of the major organizers of Citizens for Responsible Growth in West Layton, said the bill effectively denies the right of citizen redress and claims the bill is unconstitutional. He also said the legislation has the fingerprints of Layton City Attorney Gary Crane all over it.

LAYTON -- City officials have granted final plat approval to phase 3 of a small commercial project at approximately 150 West and 2675.

In action taken recently, the council voted unanimously to approve the Windsor Square commercial phase 3 final plat. The plat contains two lots and a remainder parcel for a storm detention pond. The applicant, Gary Wright, has proposed a charter school on one of the lots. The plat is approximately 9.7 acres in size.

City Planner Peter Matson said the plat approval includes the relocation of two water line easements.

LAYTON — City officials have finalized two separate cooperative agreements with the Utah Department of Transportation for transportation-related projects within the city.

The agreements deal with replacement barriers at Main Street and Layton Parkway and finalize an agreement with UDOT over details for a traffic study at the interchanges for Hill Field Road and Antelope Drive off Interstate 15.

LAYTON -- Three longtime city employees were honored at a recent city council meeting.

Denise Woods, Allen Swanson and Larry Ansley were honored for 20 years of service to the city. Woods works with the city’s legal department and Ansley is part of the public works department, while Swanson is currently the assistant police chief for the Layton Police Department.

City Manager Alex Jensen said the city recognizes service benchmarks for all of its employees, but does so in-house, until they have reached two decades of service.

“It’s a small thing the city does to recognize employees. We have great employees in the city and they are the key to its success,” Jensen said.

Public meetings to be held today:

LAYTON — The question from Boy Scout Spencer Larsen at a recent city council meeting was simple enough.

“Why doesn’t the city have a recreation center?” Larsen asked at the end of a meeting.

The answer from City Manager Alex Jensen is far less simple and details one of the key budget issues city officials deal with every year.