Weber County presses school district after planned gate to Westfield High walkway remains unbuilt

Commissioners on the Weber County Board of Commissioners’ Feb. 2 work session told staff to press the school district after county planners said a required gate and pedestrian pathway serving Westfield High School have not been installed.

Charlie Evert, a county planning representative, showed commissioners an aerial map and said a developer was supposed to install a pathway to a gate on school property that would ‘‘access the school grounds.’’ He said the development agreement includes a deadline; if the school district does not install the gate within the required period, the developer can vacate the right-of-way in favor of one of the neighboring landowners.

Commissioners said the county should use leverage with the district to get the gate built rather than simply relinquishing the parcel. One commissioner urged stronger action, saying, ‘‘I’d like to force them to put that gate up,’’ and the board directed staff to follow up with the school district.

Staff noted the district previously assured county staff that it would install the gate during the school’s final construction phase, but the gate has not been added since the school opened. Commissioners discussed the timeline for the development agreement, noting it likely contains a multi‑year completion window, and asked staff to issue a final notice to the district that the county will consider turning the acreage over if the gate is not completed.

The decision the commission requested is procedural direction to staff, not a binding remedy; commissioners did not adopt a formal ordinance or take a vote beyond the direction to apply pressure and report back. The county also noted existing agreements with the district for other facilities and said staff will coordinate next steps and report results to the commission.