Members of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan have been discussing the potential expansion of the church's parking lot for a while.

They came before the Jordan City Council tonight, asking for the vacation of two sections of roadway -- an alleyway west of the church and a portion of Fifth Street south of the church, as well as a 60-foot-wide strip of land designated as road right-of-way, between two church-owned parcels.

In 2002, St. Paul's asked for the vacation of the right-of-way for West Street.

"Sooner or later there's going to be some sort of project
with that land, besides recreation," said Larry Martin, who spoke on
behalf of the church.

Martin mentioned a school or an assisted-living facility as possibilities, but no formal proposal is forthcoming in the near future, he added.

"Take some burden off the property," Martin urged the council, "so that it doesn't further restrict development at St. Paul's."

Dave Bendzick, Jordan Public Works director, said a 12-inch water main and other utilities run under the section of right-of-way for a future extension of West Street.

Councilmember Jeremy Goebel said he did not see any benefit, only the
potential for detriment, to vacating the right-of-way for West Street.
If the city needed to repair a water main, and blacktop had been built
over it,for example, the city might have to pay for replacing the blacktop after the utility work was done.

"The church is not certain what it's going to use this area for," said Joe Janish, city planner.

The church offered to allow the city an utility easement if the city will give the land to the church, but the council declined the offer, voting 5-1 to vacate only the second strip of land in the church's proposal.

Mayor Ron Jabs, a member of St. Paul's, voted against the move. Councilmember Sally Schultz was absent from the meeting.