SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - A state judge has ruled the public has a right to access a 1-mile stretch of the Weber River in Summit County that flows through private property.
Third District Judge Keith Kelly, in his decision handed down Friday, says property owners will be required to remove no-trespassing signs barring access to it.
His ruling followed a five-day trial in March over a lawsuit filed by the Utah Stream Access Coalition, which called the decision a “win for all Utahans.”
State Rep. Dixon Pitcher told Ogden’s Standard Examiner that the ruling gives the Weber River above Rockport Reservoir back to the public, including outdoor recreation enthusiasts.
Attorney Anthony Schofield, who represents one of the landowners, told The Salt Lake Tribune his client hasn’t decided whether to appeal.
Schofield says the ruling sets a precedent that may affect over 1,000 landowners along the Weber River.
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