One of the most embraced aspects of the Cottonwood Heights identity is its beauty. Over the summer, city staff members decided it was time to formally recognize some of the beauty within in the city by creating the Landscaping/Beautification Award Program. The intent of the award was to recognize well-maintained and beautiful landscapes in the community.”

Earlier this year, on Aug. 8, the Cottonwood Heights Business Association (CHBA) released a call for nominations for the award. All residential homeowners within the city were invited to enter, as long the entry was not anonymous. Nominations were due by Aug. 18. 

The nominated properties that were accepted and judged included the Snell home on Meadow Drive; the Mathot-Buckner home on 6600 South; the Douglas home on Treasure Ridge Circle; the Waldron home, the Sittler home and the Bailey home on Brighton Ridge Drive; the Nenow home and the Lambert home on Parkridge Drive; the Castor home and the Mollerup home on Somerset Drive; the Johnson home and the Knell home on Camino Way; the Scott home on 2200 East; the Conover home on 7645 South; the Backus home on 7120 South; the Hubert home on Fort Union Boulevard.; the Larrabee home on 3050 East; the Barth home on Walnut Way; the Dehaan home on Winesap; the Allred home on Norwood Road; the Geddes home on Honeycomb Road; the Bridges home on Mountain Oaks Drive; the Keryik Home on Elk Horn; the Cooley home on Scandia Way; and the Belnap home and the Wright home on Kings Hill Drive. An interactive map of all the nominees is available on the city’s website.  

After all submissions had been gathered, the city council accepted the task of judging the properties. Each council member visited the nominated properties within their district and judged them based on their visible aesthetic from the street. 

On Sept. 26, the Landscaping/Beautification Award winners were announced during the bi-weekly city council business meeting. The winning properties were the Smart home on Moore Crest Court for District 1, the Christensen home on Grand Vista Way for District 2, the Burns home on Sundown Avenue for District 3, the Orton home on Grand Oak Drive for District 4, and Market Street Grill for the commercial property. 

After the announcement, three of the winners were presented with their awards. Councilman for District 2 Scott Bracken presented Jerry and Alice Christensen with their Beautification Award. “I’ve known them for a very long time. I was glad to see they had been nominated,” Bracken said. 

As part of the award, the winners received a gift card to Home Depot. “We spend a lot of money at Home Depot,” Jerry said laughing. “We support local taxes in Cottonwood Heights — we don’t go to the Sandy one.”

Councilman for District 4 Tee Tyler presented the Beautification Award to the Orton family. “District 4 had the most nominations,” Tyler said. “It took me about three nights to get to all of them.”

“The Orton family home — it’s something. They put in about three hours a day on the yard themselves,” Tyler said

Councilman for District 3 Mike Peterson spoke for the winner of his district, since they were unable to attend the meeting. “We had one less nomination than District 4,” he said. “I’ll deliver the award to the Burnses personally on my way home.”

“The Burns yard is planted with a large variety of plants and flowers and manicured to perfection,” the nomination read. 

Bracken presented the award for the commercial property to the owner of the Market Street Grill. “Market Street Grill has a gorgeous location. The work and the time spent there is tremendous,” Bracken said. 

A few weeks later, councilman for District 1 Mike Shelton presented a Beautification Award to Edie Smart on October 24. “It’s my pleasure to present this award,” Shelton said. “(The Smarts) make a difference in their neighborhood with their landscaping and the way they have kept up their yard. It’s been a service to the community.”

One of Smart’s neighbors nominated them for this award and said, “Edie spends countless hours not only beautifying her yard but also making it water wise. She does this not just for herself and family, but for her neighborhood and community. You must see the backyard!” 

“We’ve taken a lot of pride in it always,” Smart said after accepting the award. She hesitated for a moment before admitting to the audience that she had lost her husband, Paul, two months prior. She continued to tell his story about how he cared for their yard. She has since put up a sign in their front yard reading: “This lawn has been meticulously cut for your viewing pleasure by Paul.”

For more information on the Beautification Awards and the winners, visit http://cottonwoodheights.utah.gov/cms/One.aspx?portalId=109778&pageId=10472468