NORTH SALT LAKE -- Salt Lake County's vote for open space Tuesday was seen as a outright betrayal by North Salt Lake officials. In a 6-2 vote, Salt Lake County sent the message that it would prevent its northern neighbor from developing a disputed 80 acres even if North Salt Lake received court sanction to disconnect the site from Salt Lake City.

Initially, the Salt Lake County Council had agreed not to take a position. However, an open space resolution was proposed by Council Chairman Cort Ashton in September after an affidavit by City Manager Collin Wood contended that Salt Lake County supported his side.

The resolution was tabled, and the affidavit was amended. But the resolution returned to the agenda after council members visited the site, situated on the city's benches.

North Salt Lake officials, however, felt they had been cheated because their views were not even discussed by Salt Lake County.

"We heard about the situation less than 24 hours before the meeting from the press, not from the council," said Wood. "We were kept out of the loop."

Wood said that instead of addressing legal matters, most of the discussion at the meeting was over open space. "The law talks about property rights," said Wood. "The council needs to look at who can provide the services in the best way. In this case all the services have been provided by North Salt Lake."

North Salt Lake officials still intend to move forward with their plans to disconnect.

"We are going to pursue the disconnection through the courts and pursue annexation when that time comes and do whatever we can," said Wood.

sclarke@davisclipper.com