Vernal City Council has approved vacating one block of 400 West next the Temple owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The process started several months ago when Vernal City began researching the idea because the Church purchased six properties on that block to develop an off-street parking lot east of the Temple. “The public street costs the city each year to maintain the pavement and concrete and to provide snow removal,” explains Vernal City Manager Quinn Bennion. The City hosted an open house in July and received several dozen resident surveys in response. Views from both sides were shared and considered, says Bennion, and City Council approved the vacating of 400 West from 100 South to 200 South during their August 15th meeting. This action reverts ownership back to the neighboring property owners.
