BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah -- Nearly 100 trees that were chopped down illegally will be replaced as part of a new settlement announced Friday.
The trees were felled in Big Cottonwood Canyon near Solitude last July, and the company responsible said it was a mistake and they didn’t intentionally violate the rules.
Friday, they've agreed to replace the trees and pay $20,000 to the county.
“But the good thing here is, and I think, in all fairness to everyone, that everybody has recognized that this is of concern, they came to the table, everybody owned their responsibility,” said Sim Gill, the Salt Lake County District Attorney. “And, at the end of the day, it’s the citizens of Salt Lake County who are going to benefit from it.”
The companies will plant 88 trees as mandated by county ordinance, and they will plant an additional 42 to make the total 130. They will also post a $100,000 bond to ensure the completion of the project.
A representative for Silver Hills, the developer that hired the contractor in question, told FOX 13 News last year the incident was the result of “a serious miscommunication.”
