Reminder: Summit Town Hall Meeting Tonight... Bonus Summit Coverage

As we mentioned on Saturday, the Summit folks will be hosting another Town Hall meeting tonight.  No matter your opinion of the Summit Team's plans, one thing is for certain: In the history of Ogden Valley, there has not been a developer who has made a better effort to reach out to the community to keep the rank and file in the loop.

We urge you to attend the meeting tonight and report what you hear in the comments section below after the meeting.

Here are the details:

What: Town Hall hosted by Summit
When: Wednesday, July 31, 7pm
Where: Pineview Lodge
3923 N. Wolf Creek Dr.
Eden, Utah 84310

As an added bonus, we will include some recent press on Summit.

Powder Mountain’s new owners detail plans for development from Fox 13

Entrepreneurs gather in Eden for the first Summit Outside from The Next Web

   

It's Official: 4 Young Founders Just Bought A $40 Million Mountain To Party On from Business Insider

8 Things I Learned At 8500 Feet From 850 Incredible People from Forbes.com 

Dance by the light of the moon from Park Record

Summit turns animal trapping into networking at Powder Mountain, next stop — road building from Silicon Slopes

Summit Series from KSL

That should keep our Ogden Valley Faithful busy.  We will post more similar articles later.  For now, read them and be sure to opine.

The forum will not be at tonight's meeting, so please return tonight and post your comments from tonight's big event.

Summit Town Hall Meeting

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Please join us for a town hall meeting on Wednesday, July 31 at 7pm at the Pineview lodge where will be soliciting feedback on our first Summit Series leadership conference atop Powder Mountain.  Additionally, we will be expanding the discussion from Summit's Phase 1 plans on Powder Mountain to lay out our longer term vision for the future of Powder Mountain generally and the Summit Eden development specifically. We hope to see you there!

What: Town Hall hosted by Summit
When: Wednesday, July 31, 7pm
Where: Pineview Lodge
3923 N. Wolf Creek Dr.
Eden, Utah 84310

--Summit Team

Ogden Canyon Update

Ogden Canyon Waterline Closure Schedule Update:

I apologize in advance for the length of this update, but there is a lot of information regarding the upcoming schedule and what will happen in this, the last month of construction. 

After months of hard work in challenging conditions, the Contractor for Ogden City, Whitaker Construction, has successfully completed replacing the 100-year old 24-inch water line main in Ogden Canyon, which mostly lies beneath SR-39, the Ogden Canyon State Road.  Even though the new water line is now in service, there is still some work to be done in resurfacing the asphalt on SR-39.  Whitaker Construction has obtained a permit from the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to complete the installation of eight inches of permanent asphalt to replace the temporary asphalt which was placed in the second phase of construction (from The Cobbles to the Alaskan Inn).  In addition to the permanent asphalt, the Contractor will also perform a 2-inch deep rotomill (surface removal) and asphalt overlay on the lane that was impacted by the waterline trench construction, as well as the other lane, which was much less impacted by the construction.  By resurfacing the entire road, Ogden City and UDOT will be able to restore the road's regular maintenance schedule, which will also provide the smoothest ride and the least impact to the traveling public.   The extents of the roadway resurfacing will run from the mouth of the canyon to the filter plant at the top of the canyon.

In order to complete this asphalt resurfacing project, it will be necessary to have some scheduled night and day closures, based upon the following schedule:

·         Sunday, July 28 – Thursday, August 1: 9pm-5am closure

·         Friday, August 2 – Saturday August 3: no nightly closure

·         Sunday, August 4 – Thursday August 8: 9pm-5am closure

·         Friday, August 9: 9pm-7am closure for rotomilling

·         Saturday, August 10: 9pm-7am closure for rotomilling

·         Sunday, August 11: closed from 5pm until 5am on Tuesday, August 13 for paving (road closed all day Monday)

·         Tuesday, August 13 – Thursday, August 15: 9pm-5am closure

·         Friday, August 16: 9pm-7am closure for rotomilling

·         Saturday, August 17: 9pm-7am closure for rotomilling

·         Sunday, August 18: closed from 5pm until 5am on Tuesday, August 19 for paving (road closed all day Monday)

·         Tuesday, August 20: no nightly closure

·         Wednesday, August 21 – Thursday, August 22: 9pm-4:30am closure

·         Friday, August 23 – Saturday, August 24: no nightly closure

·         Sunday, August 25 – Thursday, August 29: 9pm-4:30am closure

·         Friday, 4:30am, August 30: scheduled work completion

Thank you all for your help and your patience during this project.  If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Best regards,

Jason M. Allen, P.E. Public Involvement
HORROCKS ENGINEERS

3544 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 11 | Ogden, Utah 84401
Office 801 621 1025 | Fax 801 621 2794

Email jasona@horrocks.com   www.horrocks.com

GEM Workshop July 29 – 5 pm at the Library

Are you worried about the direction our Valley seems to be taking?  Do you wonder what voice you can have in influencing the direction?  Was 1998 the last time you participated in the conversation?

Monday evening July 29 from 5 pm to 9 pm the Ogden Valley GEM Committee invites you to our Workshop for new and prospective GEM members (everyone).  We have also invited members of the Ogden Valley Planning Commission and consultants interested in bidding on upcoming contracts.  We hope you will come.  No decisions will be made in the meeting, but the issues will be presented.  Bring your own sandwich.

Vehicle Burglaries on the Rise - Especially Around Ogden Valley

From a Facebook post by the Weber County Sheriff's Office

Vehicle burglaries are a serious problem in Weber County. To put matters into prospective, there were 2,896 cases of larceny from a motor vehicle reported last calendar year in all Weber County Jurisdictions. Unincorporated Weber County (not cities) accounted for 59 of these. This year, we have had 47 cases to date and we’re barely past the ½ way point. The same time period last year saw 39 cases, which adds up to a 20% increase.

Vehicle burglary comes in two main flavors. Most vehicle burglaries are night time residential thefts where no force is employed. These are referred to as “car hopping” by the juveniles who are the primary offenders. The victims mistakenly believe their possessions are safe in their unlocked car while it’s parked in front of their home. The thieves often work in groups, walking down both sides of a residential street and checking for unlocked car doors. If they find one, they look for money, small electronics, CDs, and financial documents like checks and credit cards. The thieves can drive to a neighborhood, or simply walk around the one they live in. This Spring, the western part of Weber County suffered a large number of vehicle burglaries by what appeared to be two rings of young adults. They would identify a likely target and one of them would run up and check the doors while the others remained in the getaway vehicle. Detectives eventually identified the suspects involved and some have been charged.

The second type of vehicle burglary has been a problem at Weber County recreation areas for years, including the Pineview beaches and mountain trailheads. There have been 25 vehicle break-ins in Ogden Canyon and the Ogden Valley that have been reported since June first, all in areas with free parking. In this scenario, the thieves arrive by vehicle. After cruising a parking area to make sure there are no witnesses, a thief will get out, look in the vehicle for purses or electronics, and break a window to get them. There have been a number of cases over the years where the thieves were in such a hurry windows were broken on unlocked vehicles. These thieves often target financial cards and immediately proceed to gas stations or stores where they can use them before the theft is discovered. A single theft involving a computer, phone, and wallet or purse can result in well over a thousand dollars in losses and property damage. The time on scene for this type of theft can be less than one minute if only one vehicle is targeted.

Vehicle burglary continues to be a problem because it’s an easy crime to commit and hard to solve. While serial vehicle burglars usually get caught in the long run, they may get away with dozens of thefts before that happens. When they’re prosecuted it’s rarely for felony charges, unless they’re caught using stolen checks or credit cards. Regardless, they are only charged for what the police can prove they did. This amounts to the tip of the ice burg for professional thieves. The Weber County Sheriff’s Office, US Forest Service, and Ogden City Police are actively pursuing new ways of identifying and catching vehicle burglars and we’ve had some success, however people can take a few simple steps to significantly reduce the chance they will become a victim.

• NEVER leave valuable items in your car where they can be seen. Over the years law enforcement has taken reports for things like high end jewelry, large sums of cash, firearms, and laptop computers left in vehicles for no particularly good reason. When parking overnight, remove valuable items that don’t need to be left in your car. Items that you may normally use in your car, like GPS units and iPods, should be locked in your console or trunk if you’re not going remove them. Just remember, if it’s there it can be stolen.

• Don’t take valuable property you don’t need with you to the lake or hiking trail. If you aren’t going to be using it that day, it doesn’t need to leave your house. Get an appropriate backpack or carry bag for your phone and wallet and don’t leave them in your car. If you forget and bring something you’re going to leave in your car, lock it in your trunk and disable the remote trunk access. Even an empty purse could get your window smashed.

• Go through your glove box and remove old mail, checks, your vehicle Title (it should be stored someplace safe), and other items that don’t need to be in your car.

• Lock your doors. I’ve talked to people that have old cars who routinely leave them unlocked on the grounds that they don’t leave anything valuable, and they’d rather not have a broken window. If the only thing in your car is lint this may work but otherwise you’re better off helping people stay honest.

• When you’re walking away from your car turn around and look at it from the point of view of the thief. You want your car to scream, “There is nothing valuable here to steal!” The passenger compartment should look like a rental car waiting to be sent out.

• Watch for and report suspicious individuals. Juveniles who appear to be wandering from driveway to driveway late at night should be reported to the police. Most jurisdictions have nighttime curfews for juveniles. If you’re at a trailhead and you observe an older vehicle with two or more occupants, who drive in and then leave without parking, write down the license plate and pass it along to your local police department. If you see an individual breaking into a car call 911 and try to get the license plate of the vehicle they arrived/departed in. Remember, the police need good information to work with to solve crimes. What you shouldn’t do is turn yourself from a witness in a property crime into a victim of a person crime. If you force a bad guy to go through you to get away there’s a good chance he’ll try.

• Last, but not least, take advantage of all those programs out there that let you do a home inventory on your phone, computer, or iPad. Get the serial numbers and model numbers recorded so that if you do get ripped off there is some hope of getting your stuff back. Without that, there is virtually no chance you’ll see your stolen property again.

More on Summit Outside from an Eyewitness

Guest post by Brad

Note: This was originally posted as a comment to our post: Summit Series Descends On Ogden Valley  We thought it was important enough for the front page.  Thanks to our humble reader, Brad, for sharing his insight.

I’m not quite sure where to begin with my thoughts on “Summit Outside”. The folks from Summit Series obviously own Powder Mountain, and they can now do pretty much whatever they wish with the land. But I hope and pray that their actions will match their list of supposedly altruistic objectives – particularly when it comes to environmental awareness.

I hiked up to Mary’s Bowl just before the event began. From what I saw, it seems this group is much more interested in throwing epic parties than being stewards of the land. I realize it is impossible to hold such an event without leaving at least some mark on the mountain, but the magnitude of the operation and its impact on the ecosystem was simply unnecessary. They could have easily accommodated and impressed the Summit Outside attendees with a much more minimalistic approach. The number of paths (both vehicular and pedestrian) crisscrossing the event site, the number of people trampling virgin meadows located nowhere near the site (far away from the many new paths Summit had already created), the sickening number and size of cars, trucks, RVs, 4X4s, trailers, golf carts shaped like Alice-in-Wonderland ladybugs with speakers blaring music, the ridiculous quantity of materials used to build tent platforms, lounge areas, bars, and outdoor “DJ/dance” stages, and the absurd number of cheap camping-related “souvenirs” for each and every attendee (most of which will probably land in the dumpster). Not to mention the dozens of portable structures dragged onto the site for kitchens, dining halls, bathrooms, showers, and the main performance stage.

It was surreal to see this level of activity in a beautiful area that I (and my family) have hiked and enjoyed for decades. Probably the most ridiculous and unnecessary features were the strings of light bulbs and fluorescent tubes (powered by multiple gasoline-powered generators) hanging from the branches of a beautiful grove of young aspen trees, and a wading pool dug into a slope next to the main stage (landscaped with sod, flowers and a large foot bridge). The list goes on and on and on.

You can see much of what I've described in the aerial photos posted on the Standard-Examiner website. One of the Summit Outside promotional brochures (which can be found at http://www.estherperel.com/wp-... invites attendees to “return to nature”. The brochure includes pictures of the interior of the tents used for their “glamping” (luxury camping on a grand scale). It is absolutely AMAZING to me that a group like this cannot figure out a way to connect with nature without destroying it, or without at least making a reasonable effort to minimize their impact on the land. I’m even more amazed by the way the local media has reported on this event. Check out the July 21st Standard-Examiner article written by Jesus Lopez, Jr. (Powder Mountain’s Summit Outside pampers those seeking positive change). The article quotes Renee Loux, co-founder of skin care company Andalou Naturals, as stating: “I’m utterly impressed with the infrastructure they have and how light a footprint it is. The respect of the landscape and the detail is really commendable.” Seriously?? Did Mr. Lopez even walk the site so he could make his own observations? Or did he simply quote the words of a person who is likely one of the major investors in the Summit Series development?

Again, I realize that Summit now owns the mountain, and valley residents will have virtually no say in what they will do with that beautiful land. But we also need to recognize that this is a very wealthy and influential group of young people with ZERO experience developing a pristine and complex ecosystem. They will likely do some things right, but they will also make their share of mistakes.

The residents of this valley need to politely but persistently remind the folks from Summit that the manner in which they manage and develop Powder Mountain will have a DIRECT impact on the quality of our lives – particularly when it comes to the amount of traffic making its way through the valley, and the impact of their development on our local watershed. I truly hope someone from Summit will read this post and perhaps even respond. If the Summit Outside event is a sign of things
 to come, we all have plenty of reasons to be concerned.

Summit Series Descends On Ogden Valley

Partygoers to stay high on Powder Mountain


What started as a Utah ski trip for 19 young entrepreneurs in 2008 has returned full circle and morphed into a four day event at Summit's new home at Powder Mountain

Each year Summit organizes a large event for some of the world's heavy hitters.  In 2010 they hosted "DC10" in our nations capital.  The next year they embarked on a cruise ship for "Summit at Sea, while in 2012 they hosted "Summit Basecamp" at Squaw Valley.  Past attendees have included Bill Clinton, Ted Turner, Richard Branson and many others.

Over the last couple of years, Summit discovered Powder Mountain and ultimately completed the purchase of the Ogden Valley resort in April 2013.  The rumored purchase price: $40 million.  Now they have their own Basecamp and are hosting "Summit Outside" this weekend.

The group is very tight lipped and requires employees to sign a confidentiality agreement, but there have been some leaks regarding this weekends big event.  Celebrities such as Usher and Beyonce have already been sighted in Eden.

A tent city has been constructed in the area known to backcountry skiers as "Mary's," and the 850 attendees are said to be "Glamping" - Glamorous Camping in a 200 - 400 sq. ft. wood floor suite with a queen size bed and canvas wall.  The purported price tag for these digs?  $5,000 for the cheap seats and $12,000 for the deluxe.

From their invitation only website http://outside.summit.co/

Experience:  Tucked into a 10,000-acre wilderness, Summit Outside will take 850 thought leaders on an unprecedented physical and intellectual safari. Built around a vibrant Bedouin-inspired tent village, the discourse is as fresh as the mountain air. It's singularity and s'mores. Robots and rope swings. New media platforms and old-school conversation. Every experience is designed to foster stimulating conversations, personal connections, and new partnerships and possibilities.

Vision:  Return to the wilderness. Rediscover adventure. Reignite inspiration. This summer, the Summit community will gather for the first flagship Summit event in 18 months, and the first-ever on Summit's new home, Powder Mountain. It's an opportunity for attendees to connect with the natural world and one another. On a mountaintop where the views touch four states, Summit Outside sets a foundation for the Summit community for decades to come.

Story:  Summit is a community rooted in the idea that collaboration drives innovation. Over the past five years, Summit has created events that foster partnerships and drive positive growth. After seeing the impact of these four-day experiences, we set out to create a permanent place dedicated to convening and inspiring thought leaders. In April 2013, Summit purchased Powder Mountain, the largest ski mountain in the United States, with the intention of building an epicenter of innovation, culture, and thought leadership.

Has this big event impacted you this weekend?  Have you spied your favorite celebrity at Valley Market?  Has your business been positively influenced by the Summit attendees?

The floor is yours Ogden Valley faithful.  Tell us what you've seen.

UPDATE:  7/22/13 @ 10:00 am

Sunday's Standard had this article along with some aerial photos of the tent city:

Powder Mountain’s Summit Outside pampers those seeking positive change

Click here to view the aerial images.

Weber County advances Powder Mountain Summit project

An interesting piece recently in the Salt Lake Tribune:

Weber County advances Powder Mountain Summit project 

More interesting is the lack of reporting from our local Standard Examiner.
From the Salt Lake Tribune, we read:

Weber County commissioners approved contracts Tuesday that pave the way for construction of Summit’s mixed-use development on Powder Mountain.

The most significant agreement Tuesday, between Weber County and Geneva Rock Products for almost $7.7 million, allows for expansion and paving of a private dirt road that heads eastward at the top of the mountain. 

 County Engineer Jared Anderson said the contract covers roadway construction, utilities, infrastructure and three bridges.The private road, accessed off Powder Mountain road that winds its way from Eden upward to the ski resort, will become public when the seven-mile stretch is complete.

"The road really is the first step to allow the development to move forward," said Commissioner Jan Zogmaister.

The planned 60- to 66-foot wide right of way will feed into future subdivisions that are part of the project’s first 154-unit phase that includes single-family homes and clustered condominiums. 

 In total, Summit plans to build eight phases on about 1,700 acres over 15 to 20 years, said Weber County Economic Development Director Douglas Larsen.Subsequent phases are slated to include more housing, hotels, small event centers, restaurants, and potential science centers and laboratories that tie directly to Summit Series events that attract change-makers from throughout the world, Larsen said.

Powder Mountain Road is currently the sole access to the ski resort at about 9,000 feet elevation, and during harsh winter conditions can be treacherous. The development agreement promises installation of a second access road as the various phases progress, Larsen said.County commissioners recently OK’d a multi-million special assessment bond — to be paid by future residents in the Summit development area — that will fund the road, water, sewer and other essential groundwork.

Summit appears to be the new darling of Weber County now that former darlings Ron Catanzero of Lakeside has skipped town and Wolf Creek has liquidated.

Ogden Canyon Update During July 24th Holiday Week

Thanks to our humble reader, Lane Hoyt, who queried the engineering firm working on the Ogden Canyon project, we have this tip hot off the press:

The contractor will be removing the traffic control at 5:00am on July 19^th. Traffic will be open to the public in both directions in Ogden Canyon with no nightly closures or lane restrictions until 9:00pm on July 28^th, at which time the lane restrictions and nightly closures will resume so that the contractor can finish installing the permanent asphalt and the mill and overlay project.

 Travel safe this week.

Ogden Canyon Updates

Dear Ogden Canyon Waterline Stakeholders,

This is a reminder about the scheduled closures of SR-39 through Ogden Canyon over the next few days while the contractor completes paving activities in the first phase of construction. 

SR-39 will be closed to all through traffic according to the following schedule to complete the permanent asphalt paving in Phase 1:

·         Friday, July 12 from 10pm to 6am

·         Sunday, July 14 from 9pm to 5am

·         Monday, July 15 from 9pm to 5am

During the closures listed above, Canyon residents living east of the Phase 1 limits (everyone east of Fairmount Bridge including Fairmount residents) will need to access their homes from the east (the top of the canyon).  We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause.

Best regards,

Jason M. Allen, P.E. Public Involvement
HORROCKS ENGINEERS

3544 Lincoln Avenue, Suite 11 | Ogden, Utah 84401
Office 801 621 1025 | Fax 801 621 2794

Email jasona@horrocks.com   www.horrocks.com

Summit Raises More Than $70K For Local Non-Profits

Education, open space, and Huntsville infrastructure among causes supported

Eden, Utah (July 1, 2013)—Summit announced today that a fundraising campaign tied to its annual leadership event, Summit Outside, has raised more than $70,000 for Weber County nonprofits. The funds are a combination of contributions made by individual members of the Summit community and the organization itself, which is donating a portion of profits from its next event to local causes.

“Summit events have traditionally had a significant philanthropic component,” says Megan Boswell, Summit’s director of community relations. Over the past five years Summit events have helped raise tens of millions of dollars for business and nonprofit ventures. In 2011, Summit partnered with The Nature Conservancy to raise nearly $1 million dollars to establish a 71-square-mile marine reserve in the Bahamas. “Now that we can call Powder Mountain home, we’re looking forward—for years to come—to focusing those efforts on local and statewide causes and initiatives.” said Boswell. 

The nonprofits benefited represent a variety of causes and include the Ogden Valley Land Trust, Weber Pathways, Community Foundation of Ogden Valley, Weber School Foundation, Weber County Fire Officer’s Association, The Huntsville Marathon, and The Nature Conservancy.

“In a short period of time, Summit has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to use its resources and seek out needs to benefit the Ogden Valley in a most thoughtful manner,” said Huntsville Mayor Jim Truett. “We’re thrilled to call Summit our new neighbor and excited for the organization's vision for the future.”

While money raised through ticket sales to Summit Outside, held at Powder Mountain July 19-22, will go toward local causes, the gathering will also tackle national and international issues. Summit is partnering with UNICEF to focus on major education challenges including: improving access to quality education for disabled students; encouraging more girls to study STEM curriculum; and teaching kids skills like entrepreneurship and technological literacy, which will help them succeed in a modern work place.

"We know that the problems faced by the world's most vulnerable children are too big for any one agency to tackle alone,” says Christopher Fabian of UNICEF. “It takes collaboration. What Summit has is a community of incredibly talented people who have the skills, networks, and desire to solve hard problems. By working together, we hope to find answers to challenges that affect us all."

Ogden Canyon Waterline Project Alert: Independence Day Holiday Schedule

SR-39 in Ogden Canyon will be closed to all through traffic on Wednesday, July 3^rd, beginning at 9:00pm until 5:00am Thursday morning, in order to complete installation of permanent asphalt in the fourth (and final) phase of construction.  During the hours listed above, all Canyon residents living west of Phase 4 (approximate address: 600 Ogden Canyon) can access their homes from the west (bottom of the canyon).  All canyon residents living in the fourth phase of construction will be able to access their homes during the closure, but there may be longer than usual delays because of the location of the large equipment.  Please keep this in mind as you plan your evening travels.

Both lanes of travel will be open for the Independence Day weekend.  Beginning at 5:00am on July 4^th, the traffic control lights and barricades will be removed from the roadway to accommodate the heavy travel for the holiday.  Both lanes of traffic will remain open until 9:00pm on Sunday, July 7^th, at which time the traffic lights and barricades will be moved and one-lane travel will resume in Phase 1 (mouth of the canyon up to the Smokey The Bear sign, approximately) so the contractor can begin removing and replacing the temporary asphalt in the first phase.

Thank you again for your patience, and we hope that you have a happy and safe holiday weekend.

Best regards,

Jason M. Allen, P.E. Public Involvement
HORROCKS ENGINEERS