Councilperson Wicks Requests Canyon Closure Time Be Bumped To 10 PM

Guest Post from Amy Wicks

I made the request to bump the canyon closure times to 10 pm and the attached document is the response I received from the Ogden City utility manager who is one of the staff members assigned to oversee the project.

On a related note, I am making contact with Horrocks on Monday to discuss delays and travel times. I was stuck in Ogden Canyon for over an hour and a half headed home to Ogden from Snowbasin on Friday...as were many many others. I understand the snowy weather creates challenges, but cars were moving eastbound so I'm curious why there was no westbound movement. For almost an hour, It seemed as if the only westbound movement was from vehicles inching forward as others were giving up and turning around.

That type of delay is completely unacceptable and I will let you know what I am able to find out. I am also interested in hearing from others who have encountered problems traveling through Ogden Canyon so I can try to work through the issues with the construction company and make sure UDOT is aware of the problems as well, since they are the entity granting permission for closures and delays.

You are welcome to post this on your blog as an effort to help keep the public aware of what is going on.

Amy Wicks
Ogden City Council
At Large Seat C

Click here to read the response for the Ogden City Utility Manager

Breaking News: It Appears That The Infamous Snowbasin Ski Patrolman Has Been Reassigned

This breaking news just in.  Enjoy and Have a Happy New Year from the Ogden Valley Forum.

Via Adv365 from the Standard comments section:

Ski patrolman, Tim Taylor, has since been reassigned to another Earl Holding property and is now a lifeguard at the jacuzzi at the Grand America in SLC.

Snowbasin Video Goes Viral

Not the PR they would hope for.

We hope your Christmas was Merry and we at the Ogden Valley Forum wish you and yours a Happy and prosperous 2012.  We have been taking a well deserved literary break for the holidays, but could not pass up on a video that has been making the rounds in the backrooms of Facebook and beyond.

Harassment at Snowbasin from Garden Stories. on Vimeo.

To set up the video, a local Snowboarder from Layton is stopped by a Snowbasin Instructor and Pro Patroller on what appears to be the speed trap known as Bear Hollow.  Without so much as a warning, the patroller pulls the season pass of a teen who, to us, didn't seem to be going all that fast or out of control.  In fact, he was able to stop abeam the Instructor with ease.

The teens politely queries the patroller, who at one points tells the second teen to "Shut the F--- Up."  He then threatened the second teen would lose his pass too if he didn't shut up.  

Of course, Barney Fife didn't know that the local kids were wearing a Go Pro and that they had captured the entire exchange on video.

We are guessing Barney should be walking the unemployment line.  What is your take? 

UPDATE: 12/28/11 @ 9:44 PM 
Fox !3 is running the story tonight. 
And from KSL.com 

And The Standard Examiner has this story.

Snowbasin Rezone Unanimously Approved

The Weber County Commission Unanimously approved Snowbasin's extensive rezone request.  Freshman Commissioner Kerry Gibson approved his first big project during the Tuesday meeting.  Read the entire story from the Standard Examiner here: 

Snowbasin rezone unanimously approved

We will include the article in its entirety below:

OGDEN -- Weber County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a rezoning request initiated by Snowbasin Resort Company.
The resort asked to rezone approximately 3,808 acres in Weber County at Snowbasin from forest valley land to the Ogden Valley Destination and Recreation Resort zone, which would allow the land to be developed for homes, condos, hotels and golf courses.
The unanimous decision by commissioners to approve the rezone request came several months after the initial request was presented in a public hearing in October 2010.
At the end of that meeting, commissioners asked the planning staff to prepare an ordinance and zoning development agreement, which passed during Tuesday's regular commission meeting.
In the request, Snowbasin Resort Company said it will limit resort developments to about 20 percent (755 acres) of the overall project area and avoid construction in sensitive lands.
It also will help protect wildlife by designing the resort in cluster development and compact areas, leaving just more than 3,000 acres of the overall project area as open space.
Weber County Planner Scott Mendoza said during the meeting that a reinvestment fee covenant will also be put into effect. That means Snowbasin will add a 1 percent fee to all initial sales of residential properties -- including lots, homes and condos -- that will be put into an account used to fund recreational amenities in the development.
"It will commit or obligate each person to reserve 1 percent of the purchase price," he said. "Then those funds are directed to benefit the community as a whole, like to use funds to possibly construct a park."
Commissioners asked few questions and expressed few concerns during Tuesday's meeting, and all three commissioners voted to grant the request.
"I think what we have come up with is good for everyone and should work," Commissioner Craig Dearden said after the request was approved.
The development plan also covers 8,000 acres in Morgan County, making the entire project nearly 12,000 acres.
It is estimated it could take at least 50 years to develop the project, and building will depend on market demand.

Snowbasin has become the darling of the commission, which wasn't all that big of a feat following the Powder Mountain Town fiasco.  While Snowbasin is the big player in town wielding the big guns and will ultimately get any concessions they ask for,  Snowbasin chose to at least make an honest attempt to work with the County officials and residents within the framework of the ordinances.   That's kind of how government is supposed to work.

What say our Ogden Valley Faithful?

Snowbasin Public Hearing Tonight - UPDATED

Don't forget to attend the public hearing regarding Snowbasin's development plans

Tonight (8-4-10) at 5 pm

Weber County commission chambers

2380 Washington Blvd.

Ogden, UT

UPDATE - August 5, 2010 @ 8 am

The meeting was essentially a non event with only about 25 people in the chamber (8 or so were Snowbasin folks).   All commissioners were present with the exception of Laura Warburton, who was excused.

Snowbasin made their presentation, then Kim Wheatley made some comments and recommendations on behalf of the GEM committee and their concerns of "area G," the commercial area proposed at the intersection of Trappers loop road and Highway 39.

Next, Huntsville Mayor Jim Truett voiced the town's concerns about the same intersection and the proposed commercial property.  His main concern was with Huntsville's future plans for annexation and the fact that the Snowbasin property would prevent Huntsville from Annexing West of the intersection.  He was also concerned with current and future Huntsville businesses and their ability (or inability) to compete with Snowbasin businesses.

A gentleman representing the Division of Wildlife Resources stated some concerns and Mrs. Stringham voiced concerns about rising property values and the resulting increased taxes. 

In the end, the OVPC tabled the issue until the planning staff could research a few more items, but it was apparent that the majority of the commissioners would be in favor of Snowbasin's request.

Snowbasin Resort Open House‏

Snowbasin Resort Holds Open House to Display Master Plan in Weber County

Snowbasin Resort is holding an Open House on July 15, 2010 from 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Earls Lodge to allow the public the opportunity to view the proposed master plan for the 3,800 acres located in Weber County.

Members of the design team and Snowbasin Resort owner and manager representatives will be on hand to answer questions and explain the elements of the master plan.

In May, 2010, Snowbasin Resort, located 35 miles north of Salt Lake City, applied to rezone approximately 3,800 acres located in Weber County, including the ski area base, under the newly adopted Ogden Valley Destination and Recreation Resort Ordinance. The master plan represents a three-year effort to create a new master plan for the 12,000-acre property located in Weber and Morgan Counties.

We are proud of the proposed master plan and look forward to sharing it with the public,states Wallace Huffman, Snowbasin's Director of Resorts and Resort Development. We have taken great care to work cooperatively with the stakeholders in the Valley to ensure that future plans for Snowbasin align with and compliment the vision and plans for the future of Ogden Valley.

Snowbasin Development Update

Our friends at the Weber County Forum provide us with an update of Snow Basin's development plans

From the June 12 post at the Weber County Forum, we read:

As a followup to our June 4, 2010 article, wherein we reported the Snow Basin has now gone public with plans to follow Powder Mountain's lead, and to commence its own massive new development on the southern edge of Ogden Valley, one of our alert readers has transmitted to us some supplementary data which will no doubt be of great interest to those readers who are concerned about overdevelopment in and around Ogden Valley.

Take a look at the Snow Basin proposal online here (caution, gentle readers; this is a 140 MB file, and thus takes a while to load):

• May 6, 2010 Snow Basin Plan

And for a quick overview, check out this graphic, which characterizes what they want to do where Trappers Loop ends in Ogden Valley:

As usual, Rudi has outdone himself once again.

Snowbasin Unveils Development Plans

2400 more units in Ogden Valley!

The Weber County Forum is on the ball with the late breaking story.  Read it before it hits the Standard Examiner's news stands Saturday morning.

Read the latest here:

Standard-Examiner: Snowbasin Suddenly Gets Back Into the Resort Development Game 

Rudi offers his expert analysis along with some savvy and cranky advice for the Ogden Valley-ites.

"Fifty years"? My ass. This new development will be in the forefront immediately.

If Ogden Valley residents thought they had a tough time with Western America Holding (WAH), wait until they get a load of the heavyweight Sinclair Oil, while it jockeys for position to overdevelop its mountain to the hilt.

For those Ogden Valley residents who still desire a rural mountainesque atmosphere, we'll suggest they might consider buying land in Montana... or maybe Alaska. Even Siberia, maybe.

Sadly, with the cowardly buckling of the Weber County Commission, it's likely that the die is cast; and that the bucololic Ogden Valley of our recent memories may soon be no more.

While we are at it, we will put in a gentle plug for one of our favorite Ogden Valley Books entitled "Bargaining For Eden" by Stephen Trimble.  The book is Mr. Trimble's rendition of how Earl Holding was able to acquire the SnowBasin land in the first place with a little help from his friends.   Amazon is practically giving the book away and it is displayed in our left sidebar.

Be sure to weigh in on this riveting late breaking development news from Earl's Lodge.

Deadly avalanche in Hell's Canyon / South Weber man dies and five others rescued in out-of-bounds terrain near Snowbasin

HUNTSVILLE -- A South Weber man died in a Sunday afternoon avalanche outside Snowbasin ski resort boundaries, officials say.

Later, a group needed helicopter assistance to get off the mountain because they had gone out of bounds and realized the snow was unstable.

Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Brandon Toll, director of operations for search and rescue, said Todd Bell, 42, of South Weber, had planned to go down a different out-of-bounds run, No Name Canyon, with a friend.

But the two became separated and Bell went down Hell's Canyon alone.

Click here to read the rest of the story

Avalanche danger remains high according to the Utah Avalanche Center.

XTERRA Utah, USA Championship Sept. 26

The Xterra USA Championships are slated for September 26, 2009 with events in and around Ogden and Ogden Valley, with the crown being awarded at our very own Snowbasin.

For more details, click here

The Deepening Recession and Ogden Valley

The recession is hitting everyone, even the independently wealthy readership of the highly affluent Ogden Valley Forum. We know of three entire subdivisions that are in various stages of foreclosure or at least in the stage of a last ditch note transfer to avoid foreclosure. There are surely more.

The latest is the infamous Rivers Cluster subdivision, aka the Rivers Ghetto Wetland project. Word has it that an investor group from Sun Valley (not related to SnowBasin) is proposing fewer residences and more high end commercial, including an upscale chain hotel. They have been speaking with the Huntsville Town Planning Commission in hopes of annexing into the town.

We at the forum will be offering our own stimulus package over the coming weeks and months. For several weeks we have been shaving our personal Grocery budget with the help of three powerful web sites. In fact, recently we stocked up on enough meat to satiate a family of carnivores for months and purchased $382 worth of groceries for $180.

Ultimately, we will post permanent links on our sidebars, but for now we will link these powerful sites below:

Pinching Your Pennies

Grocery Smarts

Deals To Meals

Happy shopping (and saving).

The Standard Takes Two Steps Forward and Twenty Steps Back and An Update on the Horse Theft

Just when the local rag, aka The Standard Examiner, had made such strides on the Powderville saga, we read this morning's piece of literary trash entitled "Proposed To Lead Powder Mountain Town."

One of our humble Powderville residents offered this heads up by email:

Has everyone seen the front page of the Standard Examiner today? There is a completely pro-Powder Mountain article. It seems as if it was written by the Exoro group themselves (PM's PR firm.) John (name changed to protect the innocent) is so angry he called up and cancelled our subscription to the paper. He says we should post a call for everyone to cancel their SE subscriptions for siding with the blatant violation of our rights. We are the ones getting screwed, not PM.

We agree with our humble reader. After the Standard Editorial board had made such great strides with two fabulous editorials, they allow staff writer Di Lewis to publish this. We guess they are taking a page out of Fox News' 'fair and balanced' book?

There are some humorous quotes that must be highlighted.

“I live right on Powder Mountain Road. I’m going to be one of the ones most affected by traffic and development, and I want to be in control of that,” said Lavar Lowther, a town council nominee. “I think the development is going to go ahead whether it’s through a town or a county, and I think the best way is to have the local people control what’s going on rather than people that don’t live in the valley and have no real concern for what’s going on up here.”

Local people who are in Powderville's hip pocket? Or members of one family? Can you say nepotism?

Jamie Lythgoe, another potential council member, believes her experience and background with Powder Mountain would be an asset to the town, although it has also raised questions about a conflict of interest.

Much of the controversy surrounding Lythgoe stems from her family ties to Powder Mountain and her former position on the Ogden Valley Planning Commission.

She does not foresee any problems with a conflict of interest. “I don’t think anyone has a hidden agenda.”

Hasn't her agenda already been executed? She got on the Planning commission during the rezone petition and as that avenue played out, she acted as a mole for the Powdervillians through their rezone petition. AGENDA COMPLETE!

[Alvin] Cobabe, the proposed mayor, said he wants to do what is best for the community, and the Powder Mountain resort has provided a good place for recreation. He said the resort cannot survive on only ticket sales, especially if old ski lifts are to be replaced. “I’ve liked Powder Mountain. I still like it. I like the community,” he said. “And as far as I’m concerned, I’d do what’s fair and best for all concerned. That’s the only reason I’d take the job.”

If he likes the community, why be a part of an unconstitutional process and taking of his neighbor's rights?

Although some are afraid the council will ignore viewpoints that do not support development, Lowther said he would listen to everyone. “I do have concerns about what’s going on up there,” he said. “It’s not like I’m 100 percent in their pocket. I think I can look very objectively at the issues and take into consideration the feelings of the people that are not for, or are ambivalent about, the development.”

If you are not 100 percent in their pocket, just how much are you in their pocket, Mr. Lowther?

Season tickets are now on sale and we say put your money where your mouth is. Snow Basin and Wolf Mountain both have easy access and would love to sell your family a season pass.


Regarding the Horse theft last week, be sure to read the update from Lori. If you are unable to open the link, simply scroll down to the Horse Theft post and click on the Click to Comment link.

Local Author Stephen Trimble is Guest Blogger At Our Favorite Bookstore This Week

Your humble blogmeister does not have time to be a regular at the neighborhood bookstore, but does spend time in the local Barnes and Noble on occasion. However, the most incredible bookstore in the Western U.S. is certainly Powell Books, of Portland, Ore. In fact, it is almost worth a trip to Portland just to visit this incredible city block filled store. You could spend a day inside this massive store and still return for more the next day, but be sure to hit happy hour at the original McCormick and Schmick's restaurant, Jakes Famous Crawfish. Jakes was established in 1892, and a fabulous Cheeseburger (not a Starburger, but great for the price) will set you back a cool $1.95. The Sashimi is not much more.

Sorry for the mouth watering diversion, but when an author is given the opportunity to be a Powell Books Guest Blogger, then all should take note. We are honored to publish a link this week to the Powell Books Guest Blogger with local ties - Salt Lake City's own Writer, Photographer and Naturalist, Stephen Trimble.

Trimble's latest book, Bargaining For Eden is based on Snowbasin's own Earl Holding, and details Earl's political clout that resulted in an extremely controversial land swap.

Trimble's timing of this release could not be better as our friends at Powderville are trying to force local politicians to roll over and succumb to their ridiculous demands. While Earl is well connected, Powderville's Mark Arnold is certainly no Earl.

Be sure to purchase a copy of Trimble's book and check the Powell Books blog site each day this week for Trimble's Powell Books Blog. While you are there, buy an extra copy and forward to your humble blogmeister.

Happy Memorial Day weekend, OVBA sponsored road trip "Promotion" and the best shakes in the state

We wish you all a Happy Memorial Day, but urge you to remember the reason for the day - to honor those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. A brief history of Memorial day reminds us that Decoration Day was originally started in 1868 to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. Nearly 100 years later, it was changed to Memorial Day to honor those who lost their lives in all of Americas wars.

While many will take to the road this long, first weekend of summer, be sure to remember and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Speaking of taking it to the road, the Salt Lake Tribune recently rated the best Ice Cream shakes in the state, and one of our neighbors to the South made the final cut. Chris', of Huntsville, rated highly for their fresh raspberry shakes, but we can vouch for many of their other flavors as well. Be sure to try one out while staying close to home this weekend.

We will conclude with an email that was recently forwarded to us touting an ad that ran in last weeks Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret News. The Ad "promotes" Ogden Valley as a vacation destination.

The email is fairly short, so we will include it in its entirety below:

----- Original Message -----
From: Carolyn Daniels
To: OVBA members
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 3:22 PM
Subject: Ad Promoting Ogden Valley Will Appear in Sunday's Section on the JAZZ
This Sunday, OVBA will be running an ad in the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret Morning News expended sports section about the JAZZ. The combined Sunday circulation for the papers is over 223, 000. They are anticipating readership for this section of 582,000.

The ad highlights summertime events and uses a new tagline and logo positioning Ogden Valley as a travel destination. Readers will be directed to
http://www.ogden-valley.travel/ for visitor information on Pineview, Huntsville, Eden and Liberty. The content on the website will be the same as ovba.org, but the effectiveness of the ad can be tracked by using a different landing page.

Since we are advertising to drive traffic to the OVBA website, you might want to make sure all of your information is current as well as take full advantage of the website. If you have changes, they need to be to [email address removed] no later than Monday morning.
Do you have a hot deal on the OVBA website? This would be a great time for lodging and restaurants to promote an early summer special.
Have you placed all of your upcoming events on the calendar?
Is the page describing your business up-to-date?

The marketing committee decided to target the Salt Lake metro area since research indicates that trips this summer will be closer to home. Ogden Valley is a perfect weekend escape from the city. Our plan is to make this the first of many ads to run in the Tribune and the Deseret Morning News. In future ads, members will have an opportunity to coop with OVBA so that we can pass the savings on to you and so that we can create a larger presence for OVBA.

The tagline 360 Degrees of Natural Adventure was selected to describe our high mountain valley with Pineview in the center surrounded by mountain peaks, national forests and three ski resorts. Pam Mitchell of Website by Design created the logo and the look of the new website. Thanks, Pam.

Carolyn Daniels

The exploitation of our valley continues!

Have we forgotten that people actually live here and are trying to live peacefully whilst raising a family?

And what about traffic?

Does anyone remember Snow Basin's motto from decades gone by? We will give you a gentle hint - "Utah's best kept secret!"

Why let the secret out of the bag? And to OVBA members, is this a reasonable expenditure of funds from your leaders who are desperately trying to sell their real estate projects?

A prominent local resident recently replied to the email with this, "Are you sure your marketing efforts aren't going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg?????"

We could not agree more.

Oh, and did we mention that Carolyn works for our world famous "Powderville?"

Humble readers, is this promotion of Ogden Valley or Exploitation?

An Open Letter to the County Commission, Planning Staff and Planning Commission

April 19, 2008

As a concerned citizen and past planning commissioner, I am aware that each year county legal staff gives a serious overview in a public meeting of the obligation of planning commissioners to be open about declaring their conflicts of interest, particularly as it involves “a financial interest, direct or indirect” and the importance of recusing themselves where such a conflict may exist. Jamie Lythgoe, real estate broker, is perceived by many to have a serious conflict of interest. She is one of the signers of the petition to incorporate Powder Mountain. By signing the incorporation petition, she effectively takes the following positions:

1. She has shown that despite her claims of no conflict of interest, that she has a clear interest in and association with Powder Mountain.

2. She supports the move to bypass the zoning regulations of Weber County, regulations which as a commissioner she should be upholding.

3. She has shown loyalty to the family business at Powder Mountain over loyalty to the common good. The incorporation petition deprives citizens of their constitutional rights to vote on their own jurisdiction. It deprives them of the right to vote on the people who will supposedly “represent” them and who will have the power to tax them. The petitioners have taken advantage of an unconstitutional loophole created by the state legislature.

4. She has refused to recuse herself when there was an obvious family involvement in the Powder Mountain issue. Though legal counsel may not have been aware at the time, the community was very aware of this involvement. At the last minute she abstained from the vote when she should have recused herself from the issue entirely, from the beginning.

While planning commission procedures suggest not excluding whole categories of business or professional people, it is clear that when the county does appoint a realtor/real estate developer/broker to the planning commission it naturally sets up conflicts of interest, both real and perceived. If this appointee denies, approves, or places certain conditions on a project, it ultimately affects whether their brokerage firm may get the listings on those projects. It puts that commissioner in a potential position of handing out favors to others or helping to create zoning laws which are favorable to themselves and their colleagues. In addition, allowing such a commissioner to vote on projects that are in direct competition with their own developments, is in my mind, an even more flagrant conflict of interest. At the moment, we have only one such realtor/broker/real estate developer on the commission but it would be wise to consider that these same conflicting conditions will apply not only to present commissioners but to future appointees.

It is unconscionable for Mrs. Lythgoe, or any other commissioner, to vote on issues that directly affect their own family’s business or real estate interests, including any future proposed developments by other signers of the incorporation petition. But even more importantly, Mrs. Lythgoe should not vote on issues that affect Powder Mountain’s direct competitors i.e. Wolf Mountain, Wolf Creek, Snow Basin or any new resorts which could come before the commission.

I am aware of one county board whose members are required to sign a statement disclosing their affiliations, both in business and in the community, as well as an ethics agreement. These signed statements are notarized and on file. I would ask the you to institute such a policy with planning commissioners and that it be updated yearly, including any ownership in holding companies and LLCs.

A wise legal counsel once said, “The integrity of the process is as important as the decision that is rendered.”

Sincerely,
Sharon Holmstrom
3128 North River Drive, Eden, Utah 84310
745-6638

Weber County Commission Agenda April 1st

The Weber County Commission meeting agenda for tomorrow, April 1 will include the following:

Request for approval of a Resolution of the Board of Commissioners of Weber County appointing members to the Liberty Park Service Area Board.

And, continued from March 25: A public hearing regarding a request to amend the approved site plan and increase residential and commercial area for a parcel located in CVR-1 Zone on the southwest corner at intersection of HWY. 39 and Old Snowbasin Road and approve a new Zoning Development Agreement.

10:00 am
Weber County Commission Chamber
2380 Washington Blvd.
Ogden, UT

Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge, County Commission Agenda and Legislative updates

Updates below:

It has been a busy week at the forum as the attack on Ogden Valley residents took many paths. We hope to get a reprieve over the weekend and will encourage your support of what we feel is one of the most important charity events of the year.

Cory & Kathy Thompson of Huntsville are hosting the second annual Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge in honor of their daughter who lost her life one year ago to Bacterial Meningitis.

Last year, the event raised several thousand dollars and the Thompson's generously donated the funds to help vaccinate every interested Ogden Valley resident. This years event will surely expand their valiant efforts:

Date:
Feb. 23

Event:
Second Annual Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge

Description:
Are you up to the challenge? Test your stamina in the Brandi Thompson Vertical Challenge. Brandi Thompson was a lift operator at Needles Express and Strawberry Express Gondolas at Snowbasin Resort, who lost her life to Bacterial Meningitis on February 21, 2007. Snowbasin is hosting a “Vertical Challenge” to promote Bacterial Meningitis Awareness in her memory. Help bring awareness to this disease by contacting a local business or individual sponsor to pledge for your vertical feet. Ski on Needles Express Gondola and chalk up the miles! Bring your Pledge Sheet the morning of the event and turn it in when you pick up your Vertical Challenge pass. For more information, please view the flyer in PDF Format.

Time:
9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Race; 4:00 p.m. Awards Ceremony

Where:
Needles Express Gondola and The Main Plaza

Price:
$30 Race Registration Fee (Includes Lift Ticket); $10 Raffle Tickets for Prizes.

Reservations:
Not required. Please call (801) 620-1038 for more information.

Donations may also be sent to the Thompson's.

We will also include articles from today's Standard Examiner and Salt Lake Tribune detailing the efforts of Ogden Valley residents who testified Thursday before the Utah House Political Subdivision Committee. Valley Patriots such as Darla VanZeben, Steve Clarke and Jim Halay did a masterful job of representing "Powderville" residents, although their pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears.

The Weber County Commission Agenda for February 26th has been posted, and while there are some important items, the Powderville incorporation request is curiously missing.

Could it be the County is still reviewing Wolf Creek's request to opt out? Precedents have been set in Wasatch County and we feel Weber County has the latitude to allow the opt out. More recently, Aspen Utah developer Dean Seller's was turned away from the Utah Supreme court.

We are hopelessly optimistic that the developer friendly County Commissioners will have the backbone to stand up to our foes up the steep road at Powder Mountain.

The BOYCOTT of Powder Mountain continues. Be sure to attend the Brandi Thompson Vertical challenge tomorrow at Snowbasin where a lift ticket will cost just $30, including the race registration fee.

UPDATE: 10:00 PM

The Weber County Forum is on a roll this evening with another great post.

Powder Mountain Update

As expected, our conflicted and weak-kneed legislators did little to retroactively help future "Powderville" residents in what we believe is a constitutional issue. A legal expert tells us "the consitutional issue is that you cannot change a citizen's jurisdiction and then appoint officials who can tax those citizens because you have taken away their right to vote on leadership and taxes."

The Weber County Forum has posted two excellent articles today, complete with a list of the legislators that need to be replaced - it is time to clean the house, and the list will grow. Interestingly, Melvin Brown was the sponsor of the severely flawed HB 466, and is now the sponsor of HB 164.

Links to the audio of today's legislative hearing are included in the first posting as well as an article from the Salt Lake Tribune. The second posting includes a follow up article from the Salt Lake Tribune.

Minor Machman has also offered his interpretation of today's committee meeting.

From today's Salt Lake Tribune, we read that Developer Dean Sellers and his proposed Aspen, Utah town saw a major setback when he took his case to the Utah Supreme Court. This seems to set a huge precedence for Weber County and the Powder Mountain Incorporation. What say our trusted Weber County Commissioners?

We have added two important links to the "OGDEN VALLEY ISSUES THAT NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION" area of the Forum (top, right hand side of Forum).

1. Kimball Wheatley "Manifesto" regarding "Powderville"
2. Powder Mountain BOYCOTT

We conclude with this morning's Marshall Thompson article from the Standard Examiner. Thompson writes of conversation(s) Powder Mountain CEO Gregg Greer had with employees regarding their comments on the petition to the legislature.

Big Bully Powder Mountain continues to show their true colors time and time again.

We are still in round one of a 15 round bout with the devil, a.k.a. Powder Mountain Developers. Rest assured Valley residents will come out swingin' in round 2.

BOYCOTT Powder Mountain/ Ski Snowbasin For Less!

Powder Mountain Protest leads to BOYCOTT of Powder Mountain Ski and Winter Resort

IMPORTANT UPDATES BELOW - Last Updated @ 12:45 PM


"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

Our hats go off to the dedicated residents of Powderville who once again pounded the pavement on Presidents day with protest signs in hand.

We invite you to listen to KVNU's For the People [2nd hour - fast forward to 32 minutes] as Protest organizer Deja Mitchell did a masterful job of overviewing the Presidents Day event.

Powder Mountain spinmeister and publicity spokeswoman, Lisa Davis, was later interviewed. When asked about the protesters she said, "They may not know their neighbors very well, because the people we have talked to definitely have very strong ideas of what they want done in their back yards..." She went on to say, "They are not 'pawns' of a corporation."

To the contrary, they are nothing but pawns, and the corporation will soon appoint six puppets to govern the people.

Davis seemed to imply that there was a long list of Petitioners for the incorporation, and many not associated with the corporation. That is pure and simple spin - better yet, rubbish, as there were less petitioners for the incorporation than we have fingers and toes.

At last count, over 500 have signed the petition to change HB 466, the tainted law that allowed this takeover from a greedy, fascist corporation.

In fact, the short list of Powder Mountain Incorporation Petitioners included:

Mark E. Arnold - Owner of Powder Mountain

Lee A. Daniels - Owner and Money man behind Powder Mountain

Steve H. Nielsen II

Edward F. Bates

Rickey T. and Theresa A. Stearman - residents - Mr. Stearman is an employee of Powder Mountain

LaVar R. Lowther

Eric Smith

Dr. Alvin and June H. Cobabe - Founder of Powder Mountain

Aleta Cobabe - Daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Cobabe

Clair and Shawna Van Meeteren - Shawna is also a daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Cobabe

Doug and Jamie Lythgoe - Daughter of Clair and Shawna / Granddaughter of Alvin Cobabe, founder of Powder Mountain. Also a realtor and member of the Weber County Planning commission, the body that conditionally approved Powder Mountain's rezone request in December.

Robert MacCulloch

Wayne C. and Gayla Folkman

Rulon and Kathy Jones - Large land owner of property adjacent to Powder Mountain

David Barlow

Colby Sanders

Powder Mountain, with their polished PR firm and high priced legal team overlooked one large piece of the puzzle - the resolve of Ogden Valley residents and their ability to "come together" for the common good. Valley residents will not sit back idly and watch the puppet show - the last time we did that was during the 2nd grade puppet shows at Valley Elementary.

With that in mind, we will heed the suggestions of many residents and officially kick off a Boycott Powder Mountain campaign. While the results may be hard to quantify, Powder Mountain can rest assured they will be losing business. To add teeth to our Boycott, we will include details of how to Ski World Class Snowbasin for less than the cost of a Powder Mountain lift ticket.

Costco sells Snowbasin tickets for about $47 each, when purchased in a three-pack for a total price of about $139. As the Boycott continues, we may even have Snowbasin tickets available for sale at the protest locations, with the motto:

Turn around and enjoy some 'World class' skiing for just $47.

From Salt Lake, there is a Costco located on the way to Snowbasin in Bountiful. There is also one located in Downtown Salt Lake and Ogden.

To see how effective our campaigns may be, we invite Powder Mountain officials to conduct a simple test. Go to Google and search for "Powder Mountain Protest" or "Powder Mountain Boycott." The results may surprise even their arrogance.

The protest spurred much interest in the media, as KSL Eyewitness News and Fox 13 reported from the site.

KUTV 2 news has said they will attend a meeting Thursday that Powder Mountain has claimed they will hold with citizens. To date, we have no information on this supposed meeting and can only assume it will include more of their rhetoric filled attempts to divide and conquer.

The Weber County Forum posted another winner with their run down of the Kimball Wheatley "Manifesto." The Voice of Deseret Blog also chimed in.

We have saved the most incredulously stupid comments for the end, and they were published in Marshal Thompson's Standard Examiner coverage of the Protest. Sadly, by a future Powderville resident and realtor in Gage Froerer's office named Erin Stokes. We will give her the benefit of the doubt as she has obviously been drinking the Powder Mountain kool aid and could use a serious dose of reality. Her comments provide for a laughable and astonishing read:

Erin Stokes, a real estate agent in Eden, said she can’t understand why some of her neighbors are against the in- corporation plan. After looking at both sides,she said, she feels a new town is clearly the best choice. “I listened to all the things my neighbors had to say. I talked to the marketing people for the developers, and they were very helpful,” she said.
“I’m just really excited about it. I don’t see any negatives to it at all, and I’ve studied it a lot.”

She must be using a different text book for those studies than the rest of us. And of course marketing people are helpful - they are trying to sale you something that you do not need!

Currently, Stokes said, she has to drive her kids seven miles to a park in Huntsville, so she is looking forward to having more recreational opportunities closer to home.

Let's see, seven miles down a gradual hill to Huntsville or 5-8 miles up a steep grade to Powder Mountain. She lives next to Wolf Creek, so what other recreational opportunities are the 'white knights' of Powder Mountain promising her?

But Stokes said the protesters have been staging their demonstrations on that very road, and it appears to be safe enough to her.

A flat and wide portion of the road at the base of the mountain was the location of the protest. Does she not know that the road, by Powder Mountain's own admission, has a 13% grade, although reliable sources inside Powder Mountain have said the road is actually as steep as 22%.

To simplify for Powder Mountain's followers, that is 22 feet vertical rise (vertical means upright or up, in even simpler terms) for every 100 feet horizontally (run).

Powder Mountain has certainly found some ardent supporters.

The BOYCOTT begins now!

UPDATE: 8:30 AM

Wolf Creek resort has asked to "Opt Out" of Powder Mountain Town, as reported in today's Standard Examiner.

Also, be sure to attend the State Capital Tomorrow morning:

HB 164 and SB 25 to be heard 2-21-08

8AM

Room C450.

These are the 2 bills dealing with Powder Mt and other incorporation petitions.

Anyone is welcome to attend and voice concerns or support for these bills.

UPDATE @ 12:45 pm

We have our own "ardent supporters" at the Weber County Forum. Rudi and Co. has diligently helped to expose the plight of our future "Powderville" residents. Don't miss today's classic missive. Thanks Rudi!

Ogden Valley Planning Commission Meeting tonight!

The OVPC meeting will be held this evening, and once again several important items are on the agenda.

A rock crusher is being proposed for the Trapper's Crossing Subdivision in Huntsville, and a zoning petition has been filed for property on the Old Snowbasin Road near Ski Lake Village.

Also, a Chair and Vice Chair will be elected.

Click here to see the agenda in its entirety, but be sure to attend this 4:30 PM meeting.

At a minimum, this meeting should prove entertaining as it is the first meeting since Planning Commissioner Jamie Lythgoe signed the petition of incorporation for Powder Mountain Town.

From the Standard Examiner, "Lythgoe, whose family founded Powder Mountain and sold most of their land to the current developers, stirred up a controversy when she refused to recuse herself while the OVPC considered the resort’s expansion plans. Even though about 200 acres of her family’s land was included in the resort proposal, she denied any conflict of interest. Eventually, she abstained from voting and her family’s property was removed from the plans.

Louis Cooper, chairman of the planning commission, said he was surprised by Lythgoe’s involvement. “It’s kind of interesting that she would be one of the petitioners,” he said. “But things change, and situations change, and maybe she decided things are different now.”

Lythgoe said she signed the petition to see how the plans would develop. She said it is too early to tell if she would run for mayor or town council. “I have a feeling of curiosity about what it all means,” she said.

Now let's see, she is a planning commissioner who denied any conflict of interest, but eventually recused herself from a vote, only after all other commissioners had voted affirmatively.

Now she signs a petition for incorporation, but doesn't know "what it all means?"

You cannot buy this kind of entertainment folks!