From the Standard Examiner,
“They are looking for investors and partners who have the financial wherewithal and the expertise on how to develop a world-class resort,” Lisa Davis James said.
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Cache County Attorney George Daines for more than a year has pushed to examine the financial stability of the developers. He said he did not want Cache County left high and dry if the project fell through for lack of funds....
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“They told us the amount of money they had was not enough and that they were looking for more investors,” he said.
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Larry Zini, a member of the Valley Citizens for Responsible Development, said Powder Mountain’s continuing search for investors concerns him, especially since the planning commission has yet to vote on the rezone petition.
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“I’m a little surprised that they’ve been able to round up investors with the problems they have with the road to the resort,” he said.
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You may recall, Cache County Attorney Daines' earlier comments "...offended the owners deeply," and litigation has been threatened.
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The OVPC along with Weber County Planning Staff have put in significant time and effort to create conditions for approval, but we at the forum urge them to DENY the request - quite simply, there are too many obstacles and unknowns. Send them back to Cache County for another spin of the roulette wheel. Better yet, send them to Germany via Deutsche Bank.
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Not only is the rezone fraught with problems, but the process for public input is too. Many tried in vein to submit comments to the OVPC via email, only to find their emails had been returned. Alternative addresses were made available after the deadline, but we are not sure that the comments ever made it to the hands of the Commissioners.
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We also read yesterday that Powder Mountain was the only resort in the state that was still not open. How long until they install snow making equipment and what effect will that have on the watershed?
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Be sure to attend the meeting Monday evening at 4:30 PM at the Weber County Commission Chambers.
There are many other important items on the Monday agenda, so don't lose focus. There are several items up for a public hearing and the previously mentioned request for amendments to the Edgewater Beach Resort.
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From Friday's Salt Lake Tribune, we read that a Single Weber County resident shows to rail against tax hike for the Weber County Budget. That resident was Huntsville's D-Bell, founder of Utah Wingmen for Property Tax Reform.
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It appears apathy to the Property tax increase has set in, although we at the forum will take some of the blame for overlooking and failing to publicize the Public Hearing. Please assist us in the future by tipping us off to any important or news worthy events and meetings. Our email address is in the top left column.
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That's all for now - see you Monday Night.
2 comments:
Well, I was unable to read the details but I see that the commission, once again, gave in to the developers and approved the rezone. Hopefully with provisions. Yet another sad day for the simple folks of the valley. We returned here a few years back after a career that kept the family moving a lot with the thoughts to finally settled down and grow roots. We had seen the growth in the Valley but had also carefully studied the limitations on growth set forth in the master plan. What I failed to account for was a commission that would fail time and time again to say no to the developers, a commission that would continously ignore the master plan at the expense of the good residents of the Valley. Now, the writing is on the wall. I do not see us being able to stay here and grow roots after all. Heck, with the tax increases we have already seen, the ones that are now coming for certain, water restrictions, traffic issues, and a certain shift in the cultural values of the valley I know that a lot of good folks are going to be forced out to. Coupled to that is the fact that our children will not be able to afford to live in the valley either and I see a massive exodus of quite a few of the original families out of the valley. I believe the commission has now made it clear that they have no use for the opinions of the good residents of Ogden Valley and seek only to exploit the Valley for all it is worth. Such a shame that the commission repeatedly fails to show that they understand the meaning of public service. I wish I could have been at the meeting but work and college requirements kept me elsewhere. But, as sad as it is I do not believe my presence or that of any other concerned citizen would have made a difference. I wonder though, how many other residents tried to reach the commission with their opinions only to have thier emials returned undelivered like mine??
The rezone was passed *without* increasing the density. The rational provided, and one that I agree with, allow the petitioner flexibility in placing the residential and commercial nodes with no new density and many conditions. Furthermore they did not want to deny the request so that the commissioners make all the decisions, we have seen that the commissioners seem to view the valley as a cash cow to fund other Weber County needs.
The OVPC was in a tough position with no assistance from the county personnel. The process for reviewing these type of projects needs to be reviewed.
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