Last Edit: Feb 5 2010 - 11:08pm
SALT LAKE CITY -- An agreement to dissolve the town of Powder Mountain is in the works between the Weber County Commission and the business development group that incorporated the land.
The potential agreement, a memorandum of understanding, could end a two-year legal dispute that has resulted in two lawsuits, both of which landed in the Utah Supreme Court.
"I've been working on this, along with the commission, since August," said Rep. Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville,
Froerer and Greg Curtis, an attorney for the managing partners of the resort development, confirmed Friday the heart of the memorandum is to disincorporate Powder Mountain, which came into existence in 2007.
"Conceptually we have reached an understanding but we are still working on some technical issues," said Curtis, a former speaker of the Utah House.
The overall dispute spawned legislation from Froerer that again is making its way through the halls of the state Capitol.
It all started with a zoning disagreement over development of the Powder Mountain resort area.
The developers then used a former state law to incorporate the land, which has about 100 residents.
But the county function of seating leadership for the town stalled between the incorporators who petitioned for representation and Weber County Commissioners.
"It's been an interesting two years," said Weber County Commissioner Craig Dearden as he started his testimony at the hearing.
Instead of waiting two years as prescribed by law, Froerer's bill would give residents the immediate right to vote on dissolving Powder Mountain.
The legislation failed to make it out of the last session, but passed out of a House committee on Friday.
Shortly after the hearing, both parties met to work on details of the proposed agreement but did not talk about a completion date.
Citizen groups have been active in this overall situation, including filing one of the two lawsuits, but none spoke at the hearing.
"I think we should be listening to their voice, their best interest," said Rep. Neil Hansen, D-Ogden, as he moved to support and then vote on the bill.
When and if it is completed, the agreement could release the Utah Supreme Court from ruling on the cases connected to this dispute, said Curtis.
UPDATE 2-6-10 @ 10:30 pm
Be sure to read today's latest at the Weber County Forum addressing today's article.
The potential agreement, a memorandum of understanding, could end a two-year legal dispute that has resulted in two lawsuits, both of which landed in the Utah Supreme Court.
"I've been working on this, along with the commission, since August," said Rep. Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville,
Froerer and Greg Curtis, an attorney for the managing partners of the resort development, confirmed Friday the heart of the memorandum is to disincorporate Powder Mountain, which came into existence in 2007.
"Conceptually we have reached an understanding but we are still working on some technical issues," said Curtis, a former speaker of the Utah House.
The overall dispute spawned legislation from Froerer that again is making its way through the halls of the state Capitol.
It all started with a zoning disagreement over development of the Powder Mountain resort area.
The developers then used a former state law to incorporate the land, which has about 100 residents.
But the county function of seating leadership for the town stalled between the incorporators who petitioned for representation and Weber County Commissioners.
"It's been an interesting two years," said Weber County Commissioner Craig Dearden as he started his testimony at the hearing.
Instead of waiting two years as prescribed by law, Froerer's bill would give residents the immediate right to vote on dissolving Powder Mountain.
The legislation failed to make it out of the last session, but passed out of a House committee on Friday.
Shortly after the hearing, both parties met to work on details of the proposed agreement but did not talk about a completion date.
Citizen groups have been active in this overall situation, including filing one of the two lawsuits, but none spoke at the hearing.
"I think we should be listening to their voice, their best interest," said Rep. Neil Hansen, D-Ogden, as he moved to support and then vote on the bill.
When and if it is completed, the agreement could release the Utah Supreme Court from ruling on the cases connected to this dispute, said Curtis.
UPDATE 2-6-10 @ 10:30 pm
Be sure to read today's latest at the Weber County Forum addressing today's article.
