FARMINGTON — A fence that was due to go up around a 20-acre county-owned parcel near Mutton Hollow and Fairfield Roads in Layton will be delayed.

That’s at least until county commissioners can review options for the area, which is designated as a detention basin. However, about 10 residents, including two children, addressed county commissioners Tuesday morning, saying they don’t want a six-foot fence placed around the pond and “park” land, there.

“We are sensitive to the fact residents and others would like to use that land,” said County Public Works Director Kirk Schmalz. “We’d like it to be as useful to as many people as possible, but can’t abrogate our responsibility” to keep the area as safe as possible, he said.

The area has been designated as a water detention basin. It covers about 20 acres, and between 70 and 80 homes have property adjoining the site.

The county commission recently approved a contract with Custom Fence Company to build a six foot fence surrounding the site for $80,000.

However, some residents are concerned they weren’t given any chance to comment on the proposal.

“We have the funding now,” Schmalz said. “We needed to do it a long time ago. As a result of not having it done previously, now residents have become accustomed to the way things are. One resident described that open area, the access, as a factor in them buying a home there.”

He said no public access is planned by the county unless either it was rezoned by Layton City or other amenities were included.

“If we’re going to have public access, we need trails, boardwalks, handrails, other precautions, to make it better (safety wise) than it is now,” Schmalz said.

“Some (neighbors) are saying there has never been an accident there, when we bring up our concerns about safety,” he said.

Commissioners suggested that residents wishing to pursue the issue should contact the Davis County Planning Department and Public Works, “to try and determine what would be feasible and what isn’t. Ultimately, it will be the commissioners’ decision if we continue with the fence project,” Schmalz said.

As it stands now, the fence project could be delayed or scrapped, but that has yet to be decided.

“It wasn’t our intent to impede anybody, but fencing that area, protecting everybody is the right thing to do. However, making people unhappy is also not a good thing to do,” he said.

“I can appreciate the citizens enjoying that kind of open space in their backyards,” said County Commissioner Bret Millburn. His portfolio of responsibility includes public works, which is overseeing that project.

“One of the challenges we have is that it’s designated as a detention basin. It hasn’t been developed as a park,” Millburn said. “There are liability issues that the county could face.

“There are instances where homeowners or others have discarded yard waste, and other items. For the most part, it’s a pretty nice-looking open space.”

He noted that some of the area has already been fenced by private landowners.

tbusselberg@davisclipper.com