Construction of a barrier at the Great Hunt Panel along with a parking area and kiosk at the mouth of Gate Canyon were the main topics of consideration at a Nine Mile advisory council meeting on May 4.
The group was also to discuss the ongoing issues involving potential impacts in Nine Mile Canyon.
Plans are being made for a parking area with interpretive signs at the mouth of Gate Canyon at the road junction to Myton and the Uintah Basin.
Hunt Oil has offered one-half acre of private ground for the facility. The company has also offered to do some construction work.
Advisory councilmembers met with Hunt Oil representative Blair Eastman about the project in March. It is hoped construction of the parking facility can start within the next week.
In another matter, the council addressed the barrier fence at the Great Hunt Panel in Cottonwood Canyon. A rock and pole fence has been under construction at the site since last fall. But questions have arisen about the barrier being too obtrusive.
The council toured the site in March and members made several recommendations. But the issue has not been resolved.
At the most recent meeting, three possible options were discussed. The alternatives included:
•Continuing with the project as originally planned.
•Lowering the fence pillars by about 16 inches and remove every other one to make the fence a little less conspicuous.
•Removing the barrier completely.
The advisory council remains divided on which option might be best.
Members planned to tour the site again before making a final decision about the barrier.
In a related matter, the council was unanimous in deciding not to put picnic tables and shelters in close proximity to the Great Hunt Panel.
The members decided that, without proper restroom facilities, it would be better to relocate the facilities to the existing site at the mouth of Daddy Canyon.
In addition, the ongoing issue of dust associated with the canyon road was discussed.
It was pointed out that Carbon County and the Transportation and Recreation Special Service District is currently working on resolving the problem.
An engineering study of the canyon road, complete with options and recommendations regarding the road, is due to be forwarded to the special service district by mid-month.
The engineer report is expected to be the basis around which road improvements can be planned in the Nine Mile areas.
With the arrival of warm and dry weather, dust in the canyon is becoming a major concern for the advisory group and Carbon County officials.
[dfads params='groups=4969&limit=1&orderby=random']
[dfads params='groups=1745&limit=1&orderby=random']