BLM seeks public comment on Long Valley Road extension for incoming development in Washington City

ST. GEORGE — The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment for an extension of the Long Valley Road in Washington City that would accommodate incoming development along the Southern Parkway.

Aerial overview of the Long Valley area, over 1,500 acres of which is the subject of an annexation into Washington City, Utah in 2018. | Map image courtesy of Google, St. George News

The BLM released a notice Wednesday that is seeking the public’s opinion on a proposed right-of-way for the extension of the Long Valley Road applied for by Washington City. The new road, which is slated to be 110 feet wide, 4,877 feet long and cross over 12.3 acres, would serve as an asset to the incoming Trails at Long Valley development.

The extension would continue the road from the existing interchange with the Southern Parkway just south of its connection to Washington Dam Road and continue southwest toward the future Southern Parkway-3050 South interchange.

Public utilities – such as culinary water, sewer, natural gas, television and telephone lines – would also be installed underneath the proposed roadway.

The road is a part of Washington City’s master transportation plan and would provide secondary access to the 605-acre Trails at Long Valley development, which is projected to sport 2,000 residential units and a multi-million dollar clubhouse.

The future 3050 South interchange will also provide access off the Southern Parkway to the nearby Red Cliffs Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being built in St. George.

Proposed Long Valley exchange parcel | Image courtesy Washington County Geographical Information Systems, St. George News

The 600-plus acres the incoming development is slated for was part of an overall 1,500 acres annexed into Washington City two years ago. The general area is 1.5 miles from the St. George Regional Airport and 6 miles east of St. George between Washington Dome and Warner Ridge.

Brennan Holdings, the company behind the Trails at Long Valley development, acquired the 605 acres in January 2017 in a land exchange with the BLM for property he held within the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

A large chunk of the 1,500 acres that went into Washington City has been overseen by the BLM and remains so, which is why the agency has launched a public comment period for a draft environmental assessment concerning the proposed roadway extension per the city’s right-of-way application.

“This is a part of our effort to work with local communities in balancing our multiple-use mission, which includes helping to provide local governments with the resources they need,” BLM-St. George Field Manager Keith Rigtrup said in a statement. “Our draft environmental assessment shows how we could balance conservation efforts and other uses for our public lands if the proposal was approved.”

The public comment period began Sept. 29 and ends Oct. 28.

Comments must be submitted on, or postmarked by, Oct. 28 to be considered. Additional information about the planning effort is located at the BLM’s National NEPA register online.

Comments can be submitted through the same location, emailed to [email protected], or mailed to the Bureau of Land Management, Attn: Long Valley Road Project, 345 E. Riverside Drive, St. George, Utah 84790.

Please include your name and street address. Your entire comment – including your personally identifiable information – may be made publicly available at any time. You can request your personally identifiable information be withheld from public review, but the BLM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.

For further information concerning the public comment period or the draft EA, please contact Callie Goff, planning and environmental specialist, at 435-688-3268. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours.

The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to leave a message or question with the above individual. You will receive a reply during normal business hours.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2020, all rights reserved.

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