City eases up on assessment for North Temple

SALT LAKE CITY (Deseret News) — The cost of transforming North Temple into a grand entrance to the capital city will have to fall, in part, on property owners on that street.

But after hearing complaints that a proposed taxing district might break the bank for businesses along the strip, city officials are easing up a bit.

Mayor Ralph Becker's administration is looking to reduce the burden that will be placed on property owners, as city officials try to pay for the lights, trees and art installations that will run along the future TRAX line to the airport.

A proposed one-time fee of $185 for lighting has been reduced to $140. Meanwhile, an annual maintenance fee of $17.50 per foot of frontage over the next 30 years has been reduced to about $3 per foot.

"It's a slightly scaled-back approach," said John Naser, the project manager for the city's engineering division. "We've been able to design the street-lighting system so the cost has come down."

To cut maintenance costs, snow removal and sidewalk repair have been removed from the services the city would provide, according to city documents.

That's fine with Pete Funaro, who owns Diamond Lil's Steakhouse at 1528 W. North Temple.

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