LDS plaza deal done (protest rights in downtown SLC) | Salt Lake Tribune

[Ediacara]

LDS plaza deal done



By Heather May
The Salt Lake Tribune

The LDS Church regained control over behavior on the Main Street Plaza on Monday afternoon but said it would wait until today before reining in protesters and others on the site who disturb the peace.

Mayor Rocky Anderson and LDS Presiding Bishop H. David Burton took only two minutes Monday to finalize a deal that has been in the works for seven months -- but only after a half-hour of speeches marked by religious overtones and expressions of gratitude.

Meeting before TV cameras and news reporters for the historic swap, the mayor signed away the city's easement that guaranteed public access and free speech on the plaza, trading it for 2 acres of church land on which to build a community center in Glendale, a west-side neighborhood.

In October, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the church could not restrict behavior on the public easement through the property. Monday's trade gives control of the property to the church by eliminating the easement.

More at the Salt Lake Tribune

[Redleg]

1. There's nothing like a Theocracy...

I should know, I lived in Utah for almost 20 years.