Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Ogden Valley Friends, 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Ogden Valley Forum!

This holiday season, we are thankful for YOU and your support of responsible development and the sustainable use of natural resources (water, land, wildlife and air) in Ogden Valley.

Ombudsman sides with Liberty Neighbors

In the case of the Liberty neighbors vs. the Elk processing plant, the Property Rights Ombudsman has rendered his opinion in favor of the neighbors.

The Ombudsman was asked tasked with two issues:

1)  Is a custom butchering and meat packing business a prohibited use in the county's AV-3 Zone? and
2)  Does the Weber County code authorize the planning staff to serve as the land use authority in this matter?

Click here to read the document: Office of the Property Rights Ombudsman Opinion

The eleven page document is an interesting read while sipping your cappuccino during commercials of X-Factor, but it boils down to the issue of who is authorized under county ordinances to decide if a use is permitted: planning staff or the planning commission.

We think the planning department should always err on the conservative side by sending any questionable use to the planning commission for review, and the ombudsman apparently agrees.

The Ombudsman concludes:

The County Ordinance language, as it presently stands, prohibits certain agricultural industry or business in the AV-3 Zone.  The business undertaken by the landowners, guided hunting with cutting and processing wild elk off the lot, is inescapably of that type and prohibited in that zone.

It now appears that the ball is in the County's court.

The Future Is Now!

The Future is Now!

If you feel a little tremor once in a while, it is the development engine starting up again in Ogden Valley.

The citizens of Ogden Valley should be aware and prepared to respond

to the development forces that are always at work to use the land

and water in our Valley to further their view of progress.

The Valley Citizens for Responsible Development (VCRD) does not view all growth or development as negative. However, we do believe it should be accomplished within the guidelines set forth by the existing zoning and subdivision ordinance guidelines in place to protect the ambiance and unique qualities of Ogden Valley.

On November 22, 2011 both the Weber County Commission and the Ogden Valley Planning Commission (OVPC) will review several issues that may have serious impacts on how developers operate within Ogden Valley, and how well developers and the two Commissions communicate with the residents about proposed development plans.

It appears the OVPC may be intent on taking some “short cuts” by recommending changes to provisions of the subdivision approval process that may not be in the best interests of the citizens of Ogden Valley.

It is our understanding from the most recent GEM committee minutes that the OVPC is considering a change in the review process that would move the requirement for the OVPC and Weber County Commissioners review/approval from 3 units to 10 units in a subdivision, and also eliminate the notification to nearby landowners of such developments. While this would probably speed up the approval process, it will exclude the impacted neighbors from providing public input, eliminate the critical review process of both commissions and may erode the respect that citizens should have for our elected or appointed representatives.

We suggest to you, the Valley citizens, that the most effective way to engage and influence the decision makers on the OVPC and the Weber County Commission is to have a strong, effective participation by the residents in Ogden Valley. We ask that you contact these decision makers and let them know how you feel about the impact of accelerated growth in the Valley. All contact information for both the OVPC and the County Commissioners is available on the VCRD web site at www.vcrdutah.org

We also ask that you join the VCRD to receive e-mail and blog updates to keep your informed on the development activities of the Weber County Planning department and our elected or appointed officials.

The motto of the VCRD says it all:

“Speak up for what you want, or take what you get”.

Join the VCRD or renew your membership for a $10 yearly individual fee. The VCRD web site has been updated.

Send your membership fees to:

VCRD

PO Box 115

Huntsville, UT 84317

The VCRD is a nonprofit Corporation and your dues and any contributions are tax deductible.

Let’s stay ahead of the development surge and try to maintain our

Valley’s charm and beauty as much as we can.

Your VCRD Staff

Weber County Planning Unveils New Tracking System Called Miradi

Guest Post by Ron Gleason

Wanted to make sure valley residents are aware of a new facility on the Weber County Planning web site.  The planning group has implemented a system called 'Miradi' and the home page for the system describes it this way:

Miradi is a collaborative electronic reviewing and project tracking solution for Weber County which means 'project' in Swahili. Miradi treats everything as a project. An ordinance amendment, building permit, subdivision, board of adjustment appeal, and business license are all examples of different types of land use activities and permits. At an abstract level, each example is a project involving many unique properties, aspects, people, and reviewing agencies.

Interested residents can access the system off the plannings group home page at  http://www.co.weber.ut.us/mediawiki/index.php/Planning or directly at http://miradi.co.weber.ut.us/

.   To get maximum benefit folks should establish a userid.

I believe this is a great facility and will allow Weber County residents to stay abreast of activity within the planning, engineering and compliance groups. 

Bravo to the planning group for getting this done.