OGDEN — The Ogden City Council is currently parsing a draft ordinance of guidelines for honorary street names, which could revive an initiative to honor slain grocery store owner Satnam Singh.

Jesse Redden, a regular at Super Grocery, petitioned the city to have an honorary designation of Satnam Singh Drive attached to 675 North after the store owner was shot and killed on Feb. 28.

On March 8, Redden received an email from Greg Montgomery, planning manager with the Ogden City Landmarks Commission, informing him of the City Council’s request that no more petitions be considered until they develop better guidelines and ordinances to direct how honorary street names are considered.

Ogden City Administrative Officer Mark Johnson said efforts to rename streets in honor of those killed should have a cooling off period; he recommends one year. “Emotions are high,” he said. “We’ll run out of buildings to rename for the important people we lose.”

There are six honorary street names in Ogden: Martin Luther King Jr. Street, Cesar E. Chavez Street, Tiger Way, Jayhawker Way, Scots Way and Chief Little Soldier Way.

According to Johnson, there was a lot of anxiety with the honorary naming of 2nd Street west of Wall Avenue to Chief Little Soldier Way, the last designation approved under the current guidelines. City council members received pushback on all honorary street names except the high schools, he said.

Photo supplied Satnam Singh is pictured in an undated photo with his youngest daughter, who family asked not be named. Singh was shot and killed on Feb. 28, 2021, while tending to this Ogden convenience store, prompting a strong outpouring of support from the public.

Redden’s petition received widespread community support in the neighborhood where Singh’s store, Super Grocery, is located. However, under the current ordinance, Redden’s petition does not meet qualifications because he does not live on 675 North.

According to an email Redden received from Glenn Symes, senior policy analyst/deputy director with the City of Ogden, the street name policy is expanded upon in the new draft to include any resident within the city, whether they live on the targeted street or not.

After the city’s 180-day deadline for a new ordinance expired on Sept. 1, Redden was informed he could resubmit his petition anytime thereafter and it would be considered under the existing guidelines.

Redden resubmitted his petition Tuesday, this time with a cosponsor who is a lot owner on 675 North.

A City Council work session is scheduled for Oct. 5, to discuss any possible changes to the current ordinance.

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