In this time of such turmoil and stress from COVID 19, it is appalling that someone would take advantage of our city, our community and its residents.

During the last week of March someone used earthmoving equipment to carve an illegal road into hillsides across the trail system above Indian Road Trail, crossing the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and going across Provo-owned land. A hiker in the area alerted Provo city, which quickly responded by putting up a barbed-wire fence and a “Provo City Property” sign. The question now is what is going to be done to repair the extensive damage to the area, to restore the vegetation and hillside, to remove the illegal road and what penalty will be given to the offender?

The Provo Municipal Council and employees have been working for the past six months on a protection ordinance called the Critical Hillside Overlay Zone (CHOZ) for the foothills of Provo, from south Provo to the mouth of Provo Canyon. Mayor Michelle Kaufusi and Provo Municipal Council members have said they want to help protect the remaining foothills of Provo. The committee to create the CHOZ has worked tirelessly to put guidelines into effect that will protect and preserve the crowning gem of Provo — our beautiful mountains, foothills and canyons, available to EVERYONE for recreation and beauty.

We cannot tolerate these acts of aggression and vandalism. Imagine deciding you wanted a road through any of Provo’s current parks, hiring a bulldozer and carving out just such a road. The area this illegal road crosses is in an area where many people hike, snowshoe, jog and ride horses. The road is a huge eyesore and disrupts the beauty of that natural area.

Provo city acted swiftly and aggressively in the wake of this illegal road and we commend them for that. We should all be working toward making sure this type of action does not happen again. We can all have a say in protecting our natural trails, hillsides and foothills. This illegal behavior must not become another gravel pit story like that on the north end of Canyon Road and University Avenue where damage was done and now no one is accountable. Legal action should be taken to correct the damage done and to prevent this type of behavior again.

If this is a concern to you, please write to Provo Municipal Council members — having your voice heard is one of the most important things we can do.

Signed by concerned citizens: Tamela Blake Duane and Sharon Hiatt, Riley and Kaye Nelson, Kent Harrison, Peter and Angela Mourik Denise McGuire, Craig and Susan Christensen, Mary Bingham Lee, Sean and Annette Warnick, Sharon Memmott, Kisi Watkins, Denita Mortensen, Julie Thompson, Todd Franks, Raphael Devonas, Julie Hollingworth, John Bennion, Cynthia Gaufin, Mindy Sowers, Carl and BetteJo McLelland, Allen and JoAnne Swindler