TWICE UPDATED - SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW
More to come later, but we just wanted our humble readers to know that the County Commission reversed the Planning Commission's DENIAL of The Rivers Cluster Subdivision. It is a done deal and the developers have officially received Preliminary approval despite the recommendations of the Appointed Planning Commission.
Check back for more details.
UPDATE 5-2-07
Comments promoted to front page for readability:
During it's meeting yesterday the Weber County Commissioners appointed two new OVPC members to replace two incumbents who's terms have expired. Effective today Jamie Lythgoe and William Siegel replace Sharon Holstrom and Verl Creager.
There were 12 candidates for the positions plus the two incumbents who had also submitted their names for consideration. Seven of the candidates were real estate agents (Big Surprise!). As some of you may know Ms. Lythgoe is a real estate agent herself and her grandfather is the developer of Powder Mountain.
As was explained earlier in this blog, the Rivers Cluster Subdivision was given preliminary approval for their development. The WCC said that since the developer had met all current ordinances for the preliminary approval process and they had to approve his appeal request. However, they emphasized this is only preliminary approval and in no way guarantees final approval. So our work is cut out for us!
Public comments were allowed at the conclusion of the WCC meeting and public hearing section of their agenda. During this time several OV residents voiced their concern about the Rivers approval by the Weber County commissioners without any further public input. The commissioners said the time for public input was during the OVPC hearing meetings, not at an appeal hearing, and that the Weber County Commissioners had reviewed the records from those earlier meetings. The OVPC had the option of asking the developer to come back with a "cookie cutter" approach to the Rivers VS. the cluster subdivision and they didn't. The Rivers had met the current ordinances necessary for preliminary approval of a cluster development.
The commissioners were asked when OV residents could expect to have public hearings on the three pending ordinances affecting our valley. As you may remember, these hearings were originally scheduled for April 24. The commissioners actually seemed surprised that there had been any hearings scheduled in April on the drafts! The WC Planning department was asked to explain what was going on and their representative stated they had postponed the hearings as the draft ordinance were returned to Bio West for corrections. No future date was given for the hearings, the commissioners saying it would be sooner, rather than later....whatever that means.
Once the revised drafts are available for public review and input it is important for all of us to review them carefully and provide our input to the Weber County Commissioners on our thoughts and concerns.
Sharon and Larry Zini
UPDATE 5-3-07 12:50 MT
As usual the Weber County Commissioners rubber stamped the request without ANY input from the audience pro or con. Only the developer and planning staff were allowed to speak.
When questioned later as to how they could make a decision without any input they stated that they had read the minutes of the Planning Commission meeting.
So their decision to allow the 40 some houses adjacent to Huntsville are based solely on having read minutes from a meeting that have not been voted on or approved by that Planning Committee.
And unless I'm mistaken they are not valid or something until that has happened. Seems that some laws or procedures may have been broken or skipped in this process by the County Commissioners. Nothing new there.
Anyone a lawyer?
Regards
W Armstrong
Huntsville
During it's meeting yesterday the Weber County Commissioners appointed two new OVPC members to replace two incumbents who's terms have expired. Effective today Jamie Lethgal and William Siegal replace Sharon Holstrom and one other member who's name we did not get.
ReplyDeleteThere were 12 candidates for the positions plus the two incumbents who had also submitted their names for consideration. Seven of the candidates were real estate agents (Big Surprise!). As some of you may know Ms. Lethgal is a real estate agent herself and her father is the developer of Powder Mountain.
As was explained earlier in this blog, the Rivers Cluster Subdivision was given preliminary approval for their development. The WCC said that since the developer had met all current ordinances for the preliminary approval process and they had to approve his appeal request. However, they emphasized this is only preliminary approval and in no way guarantees final approval. So our work is cut out for us!
Public comments were allowed at the conclusion of the WCC meeting and public hearing section of their agenda. During this time several OV residents voiced their concern about the Rivers approval by the Weber County commissioners without any further public input. The commissioners said the time for public input was during the OVPC hearing meetings, not at an appeal hearing, and that the Weber County Commissioners had reviewed the records from those earlier meetings. The OVPC had the option of asking the developer to come back with a "cookie cutter" approach to the Rivers VS. the cluster subdivision and they didn't. The Rivers had met the current ordinances necessary for preliminary approval of a cluster development.
The commissioners were asked when OV residents could expect to have public hearings on the three pending ordinances affecting our valley. As you may remember, these hearings were originally scheduled for April 24. The commissioners actually seemed surprised that there had been any hearings scheduled in April on the drafts! The WC Planning department was asked to explain what was going on and their representative stated they had postponed the hearings as the draft ordinance were returned to Bio West for corrections. No future date was given for the hearings, the commissioners saying it would be sooner, rather than later....whatever that means.
Once the revised drafts are available for public review and input it is important for all of us to review them carefully and provide our input to the Weber County Commissioners on our thoughts and concerns.
Sharon and Larry Zini
As usual the Weber County Commissioners rubber stamped the request without ANY input from the audience pro or con. Only the developer and planning staff were allowed to speak.
ReplyDeleteWhen questioned later as to how they could make a decision without any input they stated that they had read the minutes of the Planning Commission meeting.
So their decision to allow the 40 some houses adjacent to Huntsville are based solely on having read minutes from a meeting that have not been voted on or approved by that Planning Committee.
And unless I'm mistaken they are not valid or something until that has happened. Seems that some laws or procedures may have been broken or skipped in this process by the County Commissioners. Nothing new there.
Anyone a lawyer?
Regards
W Armstrong
Huntsville