If they owned Salt Lake City, why did they sell it?Well, they DID buy the street back, to put in the present configuration. It has morphed into a 'fair use' question.
Since the area has been USED as a 'public' area for so long, the 'public' thinks that they can do things that they are allowed to do on REAL public property.
Of course, although some of these things are 'legal', the LDS organization, which does have title, does not want them done on THEIR property!
The church is in a bind because by wanting the church to appear open to the masses, they want those 'masses' to 'behave themselves in our living room'.
They CANNOT have it both ways! Human nature says so!!
"Good fences make good neighbors" someone once said........