Cooler weather continues delays for EM Blvd. restriping

A dip in temperatures has again delayed lane restriping of Eagle Mountain Blvd., which was previously planned to be completed this week.

The restriping of Eagle Mountain Blvd. has been in the works for months, according to Chris Trusty, Eagle Mountain City engineer. A wetter-and-colder-than-average winter has repeatedly delayed completion of the project.

“It just doesn’t hold if it gets below freezing,” says Trusty. “It looked promising two weeks ago, the forecast looked good. But then we just had to kind of pull back.”

The restriping project has been a concern among some residents who have been waiting for the project’s completion since early winter. Some residents have made their concerns known in the Eagle Mountain City Citizens Facebook page.

“Since they widened the road, it’s become a guessing game where your lane is. Especially at night,” said one resident on social media in January.

“A barrier should be put up immediately and the lines need to be repainted as well – a serious accident is going to happen there if something isn’t done soon,” another resident posted.

Trusty says he recognizes that the road was striped in less-than-ideal conditions after a portion of the roadway was widened in summer 2022.

“The road was a little bit dirty when we did it before and it was cold,” he says. “And we don’t want to make that mistake again.”

In addition to colder temperatures, the amount of precipitation Utah has received since December has made it impossible to restripe Eagle Mountain Blvd. 2023 has been the third wettest year to date since 1985.

“We also want to make sure it’s dry,” says Trusty. “We don’t want to paint it and then have it rain.”

Trusty says that the weather will need to be dry and within 40-60° F consistently for three or four days before the conditions will be optimal for restriping.

Prior to restriping, crews will remove existing striping and clean the road to ensure a lasting application, according to Trusty. He says he is hopeful that warmer temperatures next week will allow crews to both prepare the road and repaint the striping.

In the meantime, the City Streets department will continue to mark the road with temporary paint and reflective tabs.

Trusty says that by waiting for optimal conditions, the lane striping on Eagle Mountain Blvd should last for several years, with periodic touch-ups every three or four years.

Restriping for Eagle Mountain Blvd. is tentatively planned for later this month, depending on the weather.

Flooding prompts closure of Belle St, slows SR-73 traffic

One Eagle Mountain road remains closed for repairs after the Oak Springs Channel spilled over Tuesday evening.

Belle St, located off SR-73 in northwest Eagle Mountain, was closed on Tuesday so crews could work to contain floodwater that began spilling over onto the road. After water breached the banks of the Oak Springs Channel where it crosses Belle St, it began flowing toward SR-73.

Stormwater crews received a call about water on SR-73 about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Larry Diamond, Stormwater Supervisor for the City.

According to Diamond, crews built two levees across Belle St to contain the water in the channel and built two dirt berms to divert the water away  from the road.

“We hauled dirt in dump trucks, loads of dirt,” says Diamond. “I think we brought in 6 truckloads of dirt and UDOT brought two dump truck loads of dirt in.”

While crews worked to contain the flooding, deputies from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office – Eagle Mountain Division worked to slow traffic on SR-73 and divert motorists away from the flow of water.

Around 8 p.m., the flood was contained and all lanes of SR-73 were reopened, according to Diamond.

While Belle St remains closed until further notice for repairs, Diamond says he feels confident the water will remain contained in the channels until the spring runoff is finished.

“We’re being watchful of all the washes through the city, …but we feel pretty confident that we’ve got it under control as of now,” he says.

Even though the water is contained, Diamond says this does not mean it is safe for residents to go near the washes, especially the Tickville Wash, which is currently flowing at a high capacity.

“People need to know how much water is actually coming down this wash. If a person gets in there, it will wash them all the way down. There’s no way to get out,” says Diamond. “Even a grown adult, there’s so much flowing water and the water is so cold. It’s dangerous. Stay away from it.”

The Stormwater Department plans to put signs in place warning residents of the dangers of the swiftly-moving washes, according to Diamond.

Diamond says that because most of the floodwater is runoff from the foothills, there is little concern of residential flooding at this time. However, residents who would like to be prepared can pick up sandbags at City Hall (1650 Stagecoach Run) and the Eagle Mountain Community Development Building (3726 E Campus Drive) free of charge. Sand resources can be found at While Hills Park, the Rodeo Grounds parking lot, the North Ranch Park parking lot and the paved parking lot at Silverlake Amphitheater.

Diamond says the sandbags and sand resources will be available until the Stormwater Department feels all risk of flooding has passed.

To report flooding or for questions about sandbag resources, please contact (801) 789-5959 opt. #4.  

Parks department prepares for future skate park graffiti

As the weather warms, Eagle Mountain City’s Parks department is once again planning to combat graffiti at the community’s skate park.  

The skatepark, located at Pony Express Park, is occasionally closed to residents so clean-up crews can remove graffiti and make repairs to other vandalism.

Greg Robinson, Parks and Cemeteries supervisor, is responsible for graffiti clean-up efforts. Though vandalism reports slow during the winter months, Robinson says the Parks department saw several reports of graffiti last year.

“The skate park… [vandalism] was happening on a monthly basis, minimum,” Robinson says. “Sometimes it’d be more often, like multiple times a week.”

For Robinson and the Parks department, removing the graffiti in a timely manner is considered a high priority due to what many would consider inappropriate words and depictions of human body parts drawn on the concrete.

According to Robinson, the method of removal depends on the severity of the damage.

“If we feel like it’s something we can do ourselves, we clean it up within our department,” he says. “If it’s something we feel we cannot get cleaned up, then we would hire an outside source to clean it up.”

Robinson says that the damages can range from $300 to more than $1,500 of taxpayer money to repair. It can also cost City staff valuable time that could be dedicated to other projects throughout the community.  

“It’s a time thing for us, just an inconvenience,” he says. “And then, for the people that use that skate park as it’s intended to be used…they’re inconvenienced because the skate park is closed.”

According to Robinson, the Parks department installed a gate to mitigate vandalism in the skate park. However, the alleged vandals removed the gate entirely, throwing it in the weeds.

Robinson anticipates that the number of vandalism reports will increase as the summer months approach.

A study by Horowitz & Tobaly found that the primary motives for vandalism are anger/frustration, boredom, erosion, aesthetics and catharsis. It also found that vandals are primarily around 12-15 years of age, and are typically students. Robinson says this description fits the alleged perpetrators of graffiti vandalism in Eagle Mountain.

“Most of it is what you would think junior high kids would spray paint,” he says. “Most of it is inappropriate language or images, stuff like that.”

Robinson says that the Parks department has also seen an increase in vandalism lately in the bathrooms and other buildings at Cory Wride Memorial Park and Nolan Park.

Another skate park is planned as part of the City’s Smith Ranch Park effort planned to start construction this summer.

Residents who spot graffiti or other vandalism are encouraged to report it to the Parks department through the resident portal. If residents see any acts of vandalism in progress, they should notify the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Eagle Mountain division.

Eagle Mountain City has considered cameras at the skate park location to combat graffiti and other forms of vandalism. No timeline currently exists for implementing security cameras.

Meta awards community action grants to local organizations

Meta’s Eagle Mountain Data Center first announced the winners of its 2023 Community Action Grant in March, and awarded the recipients at an award ceremony in Eagle Mountain on March 29.

“Eagle Mountain is our home, and we are committed to creating a positive impact in the communities that host us,” says William Marks, Community Development Regional Manager with Meta.

The Community Action Grant is awarded to organizations that utilize technology in their efforts to better the community.

“We are proud to support organizations and projects that meet community needs by putting the power of technology to use for community benefit, connecting people online or off, and improve STEM education through the Data Center Community Action Grants program,” says Marks.

Of the 26 winners, four were local to the Cedar Valley: Cedar Valley Elementary School, the Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance, the Eagle Mountain Performing Arts Coalition and Pony Express Elementary School.

Cedar Valley Elementary School – for collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity through Finch robots and Snap Circuits technology.

Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance – to provide sound and camera equipment and streaming technology to reach out to the Eagle Mountain community.

Eagle Mountain Performing Arts Coalition (Eagle Mountain Symphony Orchestra and Eagle Mountain Community Theatre) – for technology such as laptops, speakers, keyboards and video production equipment to enhance the sharing of local performances.

Pony Express Elementary School – to support a school greenhouse to help students learn about science, nature, plants and the environment.

According to Marks, the Community Action Grant program has provided millions in funding across the United States and Europe since the program first started in 2011. In Eagle Mountain, $630,000 has been awarded through the program in the last three years. More than $2 million in additional STEM, sustainability and small business grants have also been awarded in Eagle Mountain during that time, says Marks.

“As a company focused on community, we are humbled by the work that you do to make our community a better place,” says Marks of the grant recipients.

Below is a complete list of the 2023 Data Center Community Action Grants Recipients.

  • ACE Mentor Program of Utah, Inc.
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County
  • Cedar Valley Elementary
  • Centro Hispano
  • Dan W. Peterson School
  • Eagle Mountain Arts Alliance
  • Eagle Mountain Performing Arts Coalition
  • Equality Utah
  • Forge Forward Project
  • Fox Hollow elementary
  • Just for Kids of Utah County
  • Orem Junior High
  • Parkside Elementary
  • Pony Express Elementary
  • Provo Bicycle Collective
  • Salt Lake Community College Foundation
  • Tech-Moms
  • The Happy Giraffe Company
  • The Leonardo Museum
  • The V School
  • United Way of Utah County
  • Utah 4-H – USU Extension
  • Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind Education Foundation
  • Utah Valley University
  • Valley View Elementary
  • Vista Heights Middle School

UCSO recounts recovery mission following Pole Canyon avalanche

One individual was killed after being buried by an avalanche near Cedar Fort on Monday.

The Utah County Sheriff’s Office received a call just after 6 p.m. reporting that at least one individual had been trapped by an avalanche in Pole Canyon, northwest of Cedar Fort. 

A 38-year-old man, later identified as Brett Howard Warner, of Highland, was snowmobiling with a family member near the top of Pole Canyon when the avalanche started, according to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.  

“The avalanche apparently slid down the ridgeline about 1,500 feet down the mountain – a distance of about a little more than half a mile,” says Sgt. Spencer Cannon, Public Information Officer with the UCSO.  

Warner, who was an experienced snowmobiler, was carrying backcountry avalanche safety equipment and deployed his emergency airbag, meant to prevent the wearer from becoming completely buried by an avalanche, but the Utah County Sheriff’s Office says it was ineffective against the volume of snow.  

Both Warner and the other snowmobiler were also wearing emergency beacons, says Cannon.  

“The way those beacons work is that it’s on ‘transmit mode’ when you’re up engaging in your activity. If something happens and somebody gets buried, as we believe happened in this situation, then you turn your own beacon on to ‘receive mode’ so you receive the signal from the person who is in trouble.” 

Utah County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue arrived on the scene by LifeFlight and DPS helicopters, according to Cannon.  

Though the rescue mission did not pose “unreasonable risk” to team members, Cannon says the area still has “considerable” avalanche danger.  

“Conditions like this area are very difficult… It’s challenging, it’s very steep terrain,” he says. “There are other areas in this bowl-shaped area where avalanche conditions exist, and you have to be cautious of those possibilities.” 

Rescuers used new technology, a long probe that emits noise when contact is made with an avalanche victim’s transmitter, to find the location where Warner was buried. At 8:19 p.m., Warner was discovered deceased under 22 feet of snow by Utah County Search and Rescue.

Rescue crews recovered Warner’s body and removed it from the mountain with the help of the DPS helicopter crew.  

Cannon says the avalanche traveled more than half a mile and it was estimated to be more than 30 feet deep at the bottom of the slide.  

According to FEMA, an average of 28 people die each winter in avalanches in the United States. Learn more about avalanche preparedness. 

The Eagle’s View – March 2023

The March edition of The Eagle’s View is ready for your enjoyment. This month, we hear about civility in politics, Eagle Mountain’s pigeons and prepare for earthquake safety. Read here.

Comcast makes installation progress in Eagle Mountain

Following an announcement in early 2022 they would be locating in the community, Comcast representatives are providing updates on their location in Eagle Mountain.

Presenting at the March 21 Eagle Mountain City Council meeting, Joe Silverzweig, Government Affairs manager with Comcast, briefed Councilmembers on infrastructure installation.   

“We’re excited to be here in Eagle Mountain,” says Silverzweig.

According to Silverzweig, Comcast will be investing a total of about $25M in Eagle Mountain. This investment is not only in the form of internet services, he says.

“We’re talking about high-quality construction jobs, long-term technical operations and sales roles,” says Silverzweig. “These are folks who can live and work in your communities.”

According to Silverzweig, Comcast has been laying the groundwork for internet services for about eight months in Eagle Mountain.

As of March 21, Comcast had established internet service in 484 homes and expects to have over 6,000 serviceable homes by the end of 2023. The company plans to add 800 homes to operable service in April, 800 in May, and 1,400 homes in June.

Eight hundred homes in total will be serviced from July through October, as construction typically slows down during the colder months.

While top upload speeds for Comcast internet in Eagle Mountain right now is 1.2-1.3 GB/s, Silverzweig says substantial upgrades are in the works, comprising upload speeds of up to 5 or 6 GB/s.

“We work really hard not only to increase speed for customers, but also to reduce latency,” says Silverzweig. “What happens when [customers] do it on their machine happens instantly or as close to instantly as possible at the other end of the network.”

Some residents have expressed concern over the installation of Comcast telecommunication pedestals in front yards and above ground.

“I understand it’s within the public utility easement on their plot, but we are fuming about the size, look, and location,” said one group member on the Eagle Mountain City Citizens Facebook page of a neighbor’s utility box.

The City is actively seeking to work with Comcast to resolve the issue and amend the franchise agreement so boxes may be installed underground.

Residents who have a question, comment, or complaint about the installation of Comcast utility boxes are encouraged to submit it to the Resident Portal so Eagle Mountain City can communicate such complaints to Comcast.

Principal appointed, school names narrowed for new Overland elementary

The new elementary school under construction in Eagle Mountain’s Overland community will soon have an official name and mascot.

At the March 14 school board meeting for the Alpine School District, three names were presented to board members for consideration. The names were presented by Aaron Stevenson, who was recently appointed principal over the new school in February of this year.

Prior to his appointment, Stevenson was the principal of Pony Express Elementary in Eagle Mountain.

“Aaron is super familiar with Eagle Mountain and the community here, and we are thrilled to have him placed as the principal for our new school,” says Julie King, Board Member with the Alpine School District.

Selecting the school’s name has been one of Stevenson’s first tasks as principal. A naming committee was formed consisting of parents and PTA members from Mountain Trails Elementary and Hidden Hollow Elementary who will now be located within the new Overland Elementary school’s boundaries.

Ashley Becar, a kindergarten teacher at Pony Express Elementary, was elected as co-chair of the naming committee.

“It is quite the process to be a part of,” said Becar at the meeting. “It was very fun and very interesting.”

According to Becar, the naming committee sent an online survey to parents in the new school’s boundaries on March 3. A separate survey was also given to students who will attend the new school. Out of 393 name suggestions, the naming committee had 229 unique names to consider.

Desert, animals, sky and stars were all common themes among the survey responses. The naming committee split into groups to review and consider every suggestion, according to Becar.

The top three school names and mascots under consideration are:

Desert Peak Elementary, Home of the Wildcats

According to Stevenson, this name was chosen because of the commonality of desert themes among survey responses. The street on which the new school will be located is Wildcat Peak, which inspired the mascot.

Desert Sky Elementary, Home of the Explorers

Stevenson says this name pays homage to the openness of Eagle Mountain and the City’s dark-sky ordinance. He says the “Explorer” mascot is a great representation of the “adventurous spirit” of the people in Eagle Mountain that love the outdoors.

Juniper Hills, Home of the Owls

According to Becar, Juniper trees were also commonly mentioned in survey responses. The Owl was also the most commonly suggested mascot for the new school. Becar says the mascot was also inspired by the “neighborhood owl” that is frequently spotted in the Overland community.

Other names suggested were the “New Cool School Hamsters,” the “Leaf Elementary Cockroaches,” the “Skywalker Elementary Skywalkers,” and “John Cena Elementary.”

“It really was quite an enlightening process,” said Stevenson at the meeting. “It was really powerful to have representatives from both communities working in these small groups… pouring over suggestion after suggestion and insight after insight. That really provided a comprehensive understanding of what the community’s thoughts and feelings were.”

While the public is not able to vote on the new name and mascot, King welcomes resident feedback prior to the next school board meeting.

“[Residents] are welcome to email me. They can also message me or text me if they want to send me their personal opinions,” King says.

The name will be voted on by the ASD board at the March 28 board meeting.

UFA continues construction on two new EM fire stations

The Unified Fire Authority continues work to expand its presence in the community.

Currently, two fire stations, Station 251 and Station 252, are operational within Eagle Mountain city limits.

According to Ryan Love, Public Information Officer with the Unified Fire Authority, properly locating fire stations is a focus for the organization.

“When a fire station is closer to an emergency location, firefighters can respond to the incident more quickly, potentially saving lives and minimizing property damage,” Love says.

Station 252 is located along Pony Express Pkwy near Ridley’s while Station 251 is currently located just south of City Hall in City Center.

According to Love, two new fire stations are actively under construction in Eagle Mountain. The first, Station 253, will be situated on Mid Valley Road near Frontier Middle School in City Center. The second is a relocation of Station 251, which will be located just south of Eagle Mountain Blvd. along Pony Express Pkwy.

Plans for the building where Station 251 is currently located are still under consideration by the Unified Fire Service Area, according to Love. Finalized ideas will be forthcoming.

UFA anticipates an overall reduction in response times once construction of the two fire stations is complete.

“With more fire stations in Eagle Mountain, the existing stations can provide mutual aid to each other, allowing for a faster and more effective response to emergencies across the city,” says Love.

Station 253 is being built to house a fire engine, ladder truck, ambulance and Battalion Chief – comprising a total of 11 firefighters.

As Eagle Mountain continues to grow in population, Love says Station 253 will also have the ability to expand its services to meet any increases in demand for emergency services.

The Unified Fire Authority anticipates that construction on both stations will be complete this summer.

The public will also be welcomed at a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house upon completion of each of the fire stations, says Love.

UFA will also be hosting a community pancake breakfast for all Eagle Mountain residents once Station 253 is complete.

“We look forward to this opportunity as it will allow our firefighters to engage with our residents outside of an emergency setting,” says Love. “Residents who attend will be able to ask questions that will help them better understand who’s protecting their community, what our job involves, what firefighters do, and how, and why we do it.”

Love encourages residents who are interested in attending the pancake breakfast to stay up to date by following the Unified Fire Authority on social media:

Facebook: @unifiedfireauthority

Instagram: @unifiedfire

Twitter: @fireauthority

EM City reassures public, makes water changes following resident outcry

The test results have come back within state guidelines.

On Feb. 27, Eagle Mountain City switched the City’s water source from Well #1 to Well #5, causing some residents to notice a difference in the scent and flavor profiles of their tap water. Eagle Mountain City utilizes several wells throughout the year as maintenance and other needs arise.

According to Mack Straw, Public Utilities manager for Eagle Mountain City, Well #5 was turned on so crews could perform maintenance on Well #1 — the City’s usual water source during the winter months. The difference in tap water smell and taste results from differing levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) between the two wells.

“Okay I knew I wasn’t going crazy,” said resident Kirsten Anderson when the City issued a statement about the water. “I told my roommate about it a week ago. It tastes so NASTY now. I won’t drink the tap water unless I put some kind of flavoring in it. Might go to bottled water at this point. I don’t trust that it’s actually safe. Tastes really off.”

According to Straw, as water runs through the aquifer, it will pull minerals along with it. TDS is determined by measuring the amount of dissolved minerals in the water.

“[The water] is still healthy, still meets the parameters of safe drinking water, there’s no high levels of anything toxic,” says Straw. “[But] it does change the profile of the taste and smell in some situations.”

Eagle Mountain City tested Well #5 again on March 8, following public concerns about the safety of the drinking water.

The tests returned a TDS result of 948 ppm (parts per million).

While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends a primary standard of less than 1,000 ppm for drinking water, primary drinking water standards vary from state to state.

“EPA is not the end all, be all. That’s what they recommend,” says Straw. “The state can set their own and that’s why it’s the ‘primary.’ And they’ve deemed it 2,000.”

The primary standard for the state of Utah is 2,000 ppm with a secondary standard of 500 ppm.

“The primary standard is designed to be protective of public health while the non-enforceable secondary standard is in place as a guideline for levels of TDS that may cause aesthetic effects,” according to the Utah Division of Drinking Water.

Although Well #5 has the capacity to supply the entire community during winter, City Administrator Paul Jerome says the City recently turned on Well #3 to blend with the water from Well #5 and bring down the overall amount of TDS.

The cost to turn on a City well is around $5,000 and, according to Jerome, is not a decision the City takes lightly.

“That’s why we try to do it in the most efficient manner possible by just turning on Well #5 because it could feed the whole city,” says Jerome.

Since Well #5 was turned on, some residents have feared that the level of TDS in the water may make them sick. Straw says that there is “no chance” this is the case.

According to Straw, the City also performs tests for bacterial presence in the water, and the most recent test for Well #5 was negative for harmful bacteria, namely coliform and E coli.

Some residents may have noticed a chlorine-like smell in their tap water. “Yes, what is going on with the water?” asked resident Kaitlyn Brouwer on Facebook. “Someone in my neighborhood tested the tap water TDS and it was at 835 (way higher than normal) and tap was only a hundred or so lower. They also said they found high amounts of chlorine.”

However, Straw says that a chlorine-like smell in the water is a good sign. Free chlorine in the water attacks any dangerous bacteria that may be living in the water.

“If we didn’t have that,” Straw says, “that’s when we would start to be concerned, because that tells us something is consuming that free chlorine.”

According to Straw and Jerome, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District’s sources will be back online on March 20th. Maintenance is anticipated to be completed on Well #1 by mid-April.

Additionally, Straw says that the City will be installing TDS analyzers into each of the City’s wells that will provide real-time readings.

“That’s not required by the state. We’re doing this to make sure residents have real-time data that can be shared on request,” Straw says.

In the summer months when all wells are operating, Straw says he anticipates the TDS level to be around the 600 ppm range.

Eagle Mountain City currently has six operational wells with one under construction and another currently out for bid.