FARMINGTON -- Nadine Simon saw the impact a fire had in a Herriman neighborhood earlier this year and is worried that any kind of small fire could quickly turn into a major disaster in one of the city's newer developments.
Simon is asking city officials to look more aggressively at the implications of "what if" in Farmington Crossing, which has only two access roads that could be used in an emergency.
"What if we had an emergency? How would we get out?" Simon asked city council members at a recent meeting.
Simon said the only access roads to the subdivision are Shepard Creek Parkway and 1100 West, and both are heavily congested and getting worse with growth.
Garbett Homes, the developer for Farmington Crossing, is not required to construct an access road to the frontage road until the last phase of the development has been completed.
At one point, officials thought plans for a new Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the area would push development of a new road forward, but those plans did not come to fruition.
Councilman Jim Talbot said the church had been the trigger point for the road.
Mayor Scott Harbertson and council members agree with Simon. The mayor promised to meet with Garbett Homes and to look at possible emergency measures in the area.
"Until the road is built, we have a problem," Harbertson said of any possible evacuation plan.
In a memo to the council, Police Chief Wayne Hansen suggested that use of the Farmington Preserve perimeter trail would provide a viable means of moving traffic and people.
"I am sensitive to these concerns and appreciate these residents bringing this to our attention. It has been a great opportunity to review and plan a what-if scenario. I do feel that we are adequately prepared to meet the demands which would be required of us in a worst-case situation," Hansen wrote.
Simon said the winds during the Herriman fire caused a small spark to become a major evacuation concern in the Salt Lake County community.
She noted that the close proximity of buildings in Farmington Crossing means any fire with a bit of wind could become a problem in a hurry.
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