Guest post by Narlene Allen Story
It all starts tomorrow
We are getting closer... It all happens starting tomorrow....
Everything is in place for the kick off concert tomorrow night at 7 pm at the Hearthside. Tickets are on sale online at www.ogdenvalleyarts.org or at the door! It's going be an amazing evening.
Then, Saturday.. What a line up we have!
Join us for games, food, vendors, and Music... music... music!
Festival opens at 10 am
Music starts at 11 on two stages: The Hearthside and the Montessori are.
Kids games start at 11am.
Vendors will be there as well as artists!
Bring the kids.. the Eden Fire Engine will be there for the kids to climb on.
We also have Horse drawn buggy rides going on all day!
Oh.. and don't forget LUNCH! The Hearthside is catering lunch from 12 noon to 2 pm and it's all HOMEADE! Lunch tickets at $7.00 for an awesome home cooked meal so bring the kids.. grandma and grandpa and enjoy a weekend with the family!
For a complete schedule of events check us out online at www.ogdenvalleyarts.org
We hope to see you there!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Ogden Valley Forum now listed on Utah Top Blogs web site
We are excited to be included in the new site www.utahtopblogs.com.
The UtahTopBlogs.com is a local blogs aggregator that republishes the titles of new posts from selected local blogs and presents them to visitors in a simple and convenient manner.
The Ogden Valley Forum was chosen among many other local blogs, and you can see our posts along with the posts from many other popular blogs and forums at UtahTopBlogs.com.
The UtahTopBlogs.com is a local blogs aggregator that republishes the titles of new posts from selected local blogs and presents them to visitors in a simple and convenient manner.
The Ogden Valley Forum was chosen among many other local blogs, and you can see our posts along with the posts from many other popular blogs and forums at UtahTopBlogs.com.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Tour of Utah Passing through Ogden Valley Wednesday
Be sure to plan your travel as the Tour of Utah Bicycle Race will be passing through Ogden Valley Wednesday, August 10, 2011. Riders will depart Ogden at 11 am, traverse North Ogden Pass and descend into the Valley, passing through Liberty, Eden and Huntsville while continuing down Ogden Canyon. The race is scheduled to end between 3:45 and 4:30 PM.Ogden Valley Arts (OVA) Heritage Festival August 19-20
- While staying off the busy Ogden Valley roads tomorrow, be sure to watch the Noon News on KUTV 2.Tune in to hear all about the Heritage Festival - happening Aug. 19th & 20th in Old town Eden!
You can read more about it online by clicking here.
Tickets on sale now for the Friday night concert!
Friday, August 05, 2011
North Divide Open Now!
Effective immediately, the North Divide
Road is open. Drive Carefully.
Ogden Valley Forum
Tuesday, August 02, 2011
Planning Commission Meeting Tonight
The Ogden Valley Planning Commission will be having an important work session tonight.
Here are the details:
The meeting will be held in the Weber County Commission Chambers, Weber Center (2380 Washington Blvd). The meeting will begin at 4:00 p.m. in the order listed below.Agenda Items
- W1. Discussion:
Adjourn to convene a combined Ogden Valley and Western Weber County Township Planning Commission agricultural tourism field trip to Sand Hill Farms
Download a full copy of the Ogden Valley August 02, 2011 packet, in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF), here. Packets are available only for the current agenda and approximately thirty days after that date.Friday, July 29, 2011
Lakeview Water and Mountain Sewer owner bugs out under investigation pressure.
It was learned recently from Melvin Smith, Ron Catanzaro’s attorney
in the Ogden area, that Catanzaro has left the State of Utah for Nevada.
As reported in this blog, Mountain Sewer Company has been the subject of a Formal Complaint and investigation by the Utah Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding operating problems and billing questions regarding both Mountain Sewer and Lakeview Water Corporations.
Our information is that Catanzaro turned over most or all of his assets to the owner of A-1 pumping pending approval of the Public Service Commission. These assets include both Mountain Sewer and Lakeview Water Corporations. Word on the street is that Mountain Sewer owed A-1 pumping and other vendors substantial unpaid bills for services.
At the pre hearing conference on July 19th the Public Service Commission law judge indicated that a complete audit of Mountain Sewer as requested by the complainants would be one of the first orders of business, and the parties would reconvene in about a month to to discuss the audit results and set the date for the Formal Hearing. It appears that Mr. Catanzaro did not want to face the PSC audit results and examination of his operating procedures detailed in the formal complaint, so he decided to sell out and leave the area.
An initial meeting between the prospective new owner of Mountain Sewer and Lakeview Water corporations and the Ad hoc committee of utility users that filed the formal complaint against Mountain Sewer was held on July 28th. The purpose was to air out some particulars about the sale and transfer of assets and responsibilities and to have some utility customers meet the new owner so they could get to know each other. The new owner committed to working with the users to resolve current outstanding issues and he promised to stay in communication with the utility users on the operations and plans for the future for both corporations. A check with the PSC staff indicated the normal timeframe for approval of an uncontested sale of a PSC regulated company is from 45 to 60 days.
It is not clear as of this writing how this transfer of assets will affect the pending PSC formal complaint or what the reaction of the possible sale is from the Weber County Commissioners who have been the body politic for oversight for Mountain Sewer for many years.
Update on Lakeview Water and Mountain Sewer
A correction to the initial post: The new owner of Mountain Sewer and Lakeview Water is the father of the owner of A-1 Pumping.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
WOLF CREEK CANYON TRAIL SATURDAY
WOLF CREEK CANYON TRAIL SATURDAY JULY 30 8 AM - Noon
Please come and help keep
our Weber Pathways Trails clear of Dyers Woad.
Bonus!!: Daypass to Powder Mountain !!! (1 / person)
Meet at the trailhead on Powder Mountain Road (State Route 158), some early birds are starting at 7:30 am so come earlier if you prefer) The trail is in bad "woad shape" and yes it is late in the year, but if we cut and bag it, it will prevent thousands of seeds from washing down into the forest. Some kind of group has don the first 200 yards, but the woad continues up the trail into the Canyon.
Please come and help beat the Woad. Questions: Miranda Menzies
Cell 513-368-4356 Home (Thurs pm onwards 801-745-2793.)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Pre Hearing Conference - Mountain Sewer Formal Complaint
On Tuesday, July 19, 2011, the Public Service Commission Administrative Law Judge, David Clark, conducted a pre hearing conference to lay out the procedures regarding the Formal PSC Complaint filed by a group of Ogden Valley residents served by Mountain Sewer Corporation.
Judge Clark stated that since there would soon be a request from Mountain Sewer for a rate increase, and a possible sale of Mr. Catanzaro’s water and sewer properties, the complainants request for a complete, independent audit of the utility's accounting books and operating systems by the PSC staff will be one of the first items to be addressed.
When the audit of Mountain Sewer is completed, all parties will again meet to discuss the results of the audit and determine the next step in the complaint process.
The Weber County Commission, who is the designated body politic for Mountain Sewer, chose not to send a representative to the conference today, but sent a letter to the Administrative Law Judge stating their position regarding their responsibilities for oversight of Mountain Sewer.
The Ogden Valley Forum feels the non-participation by Weber County is a disservice to Mountain Sewer customers, especially those in the Lakeside Village Town homes, and is a continuation of Weber County’s inconsistent oversight record regarding Mountain Sewer operational problems. Many of the Lakeside Village town home owners have suffered multiple sewage flooding incidents (the latest March 16, 2011) due to the functional problems of Mountain Sewer’s lift pumps. These town home owners have found a mixture of storm water with raw sewage in their homes during numerous flooding incidents dating back several years.
The Forum urges the Weber County Commissioners to step up and fulfill their responsibilities regarding Mountain Sewer instead of pushing the problems off for future meetings of the Special Service District board.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Dyers Woad Eradication Event Saturday
Representative Gage Froerer is hosting a Dyers Woad Eradication event Saturday, July 16, 2011. We just received this reminder and thought it was important enough to pass on.
The event starts at 8:30 am at Snowcrest Junior High.
Representative Froerer and his office will generously provide lunch afterwards.
Click here for details.
The event starts at 8:30 am at Snowcrest Junior High.
Representative Froerer and his office will generously provide lunch afterwards.
Click here for details.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
The Community is Invited to a Celebration Paying Tribute to Tommy Lee - Outgoing Principal of Valley Elementary
On Sunday, July 10th from 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm, the community is invited to a family celebration being held in honor of Tommy Lee. After eight years as Principal of Valley Elementary, Tommy is heading off to another school.
The celebration will be held on the patio of Harley & Buck’s at 3900 North Wolf Creek Drive. There will be live music by Dizzy DeSoto, playing fun 50’s and 60’s cover music.
Please join faculty, friends and students for this special event. For more information, please call (801) 745-2060.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
OVPC Makes Good Progress on the Issue of Heliports in the Ogden Valley
Guest post by Lee Schussman, Eden
On Tuesday evening, June 28, 2011, in a marathon-length session that lasted the full three and one half hours allotted for such meetings, the Ogden Valley Planning Commission (OVPC) tackled the problems associated with commercial helicopter landing and takeoff sites (“landing zones” or LZs) in the Ogden Valley.
Newly elected Commission Chairman Kevin Parsons and Commissioners Graves, Howell, Montgomery, and Warburton fully upheld their previous commitments to accept public input and to devote time and effort to the heliport issue.
At the meeting, Sean Wilkinson of the Weber County Planning Division reviewed the last 18 months. During that time, commercial helicopters have operated out of the Ogden Valley without the necessary Conditional Use Permit (CUP), there has been much public concern and discussion on the issue, an emergency CUP has been issued, a subsequent heliport CUP application has been denied, an appeal to that denial has been filed, and an application to remove heliport from CV-2 zoning has been filed. (For more detailed history, please see previous postings on the Ogden Valley Forum under “heliport.”) Mr. Wilkinson stated that the use of helicopters in the Ogden Valley is believed to be desirable in appropriate locations. Given that assumption, he went on to recommend that the OVPC needed to define “heliport” and “helistop”, and he outlined four possible options for the OVPC to consider regarding helicopter LZs:
1. Remove heliport as a designation in CV-2 zoned areas (all of which are currently on the valley floor.)
2. Allow heliports only above 6200 feet in elevation.
3. Allow heliports only above 6200 feet in elevation and only in DRR-1 zoned areas (the zoning for some ski resorts).
4. Allow heliports in any ski resorts (regardless of the resorts current zoning) above a certain elevation.
Ogden Valley residents David Holmstrom (who had started the process and financed the applications to change the text of the Weber County CV-2 zoning ordinances), Steve Clarke (who is head of the Ogden Valley Gem Committee), Ron Tymcio, and Lee Schussman had all variously presented at OVPC meetings, met with County Commissioners, obtained input from many dozens of Ogden Valley residents, and met with many business people from the Ogden Valley. At Tuesday’s meeting, their input was repeatedly welcomed by the OVPC, and vigorous discussions ensued.
Among the many issues discussed were:
1. Definitions need to be established. Likely the OVPC definition of “Heliport” would include permanent infrastructure facilities for such things as fueling, maintenance, parking, and other customer services at the site; and “helistop” would simply be a landing pad with no other permanent facilities.
2. The desirability of keeping LZs off the valley floor.
3. The need to continue to address safety and noise considerations.
4. The possibility of placing a limit on the minimum elevation for helicopter LZs—likely 6200 feet.
5. A need to decide on the CV-2 zoning issue: “Heliport” can be continued as a conditional use in CV-2 until other plans for helicopter LZs can be made, since no CUPs would be granted now until the issue is resolved. (If a minimal elevation is established as 6200 feet for LZ’s, it may be a moot point to remove heliport from CV-2, as all current CV-2 sites are on the Valley floor.)
6. The desire to accommodate and promote legitimate business interests in Ogden Valley.
7. The need to include possible future roles of helicopters for uses other than heli-skiing. Activities such as sight seeing, hunting, cross country skiing, and access to back country areas were all discussed.
8. The need to decide in which zoning areas heliports and helistops should be allowed so as to not discriminate in granting CUPs to one business over another.
9. The possibilities of having zoning in some areas for helistops (e.g. F-40, Forest Zones) and in others for heliports (e.g. DRR, resort) zones.
10. The fact that “airports” are already in the F-40 zoning ordinance could make it logical to also include “helistop” there.
11. The potential for any legitimate business to plan and place helipads in F-40 zones should help create a development-friendly accommodation for such future LZ areas.
12. The possibilities (or lack there of) of placing conditions (such as altitudes and flight paths) on helicopters.
13. The desirability of establishing fair, enforceable policies now to avoid repetition of the last 18 months and future problems.
The OVPC concluded the planning session by requesting that the staff:
1. Create formal definitions of heliport and helistop.
2. Report back with a process that would keep heliports and helistops off the Ogden Valley floor by establishing a minimum elevation of 6200 feet for LZs.
3. Report back with a process that could place “heliport” in the DRR zone and place “helistop” in the F-40 zone.
These are HUGE steps in the right direction. Proper siting of heliports is a complex and specialized issue, and the OVPC deserves MUCH appreciation and thanks from all Ogden Valley residents and businesses as it continues with the very difficult tasks necessary to protect the interests of both Valley residents and potential Ogden Valley businesses.
On Tuesday evening, June 28, 2011, in a marathon-length session that lasted the full three and one half hours allotted for such meetings, the Ogden Valley Planning Commission (OVPC) tackled the problems associated with commercial helicopter landing and takeoff sites (“landing zones” or LZs) in the Ogden Valley.
Newly elected Commission Chairman Kevin Parsons and Commissioners Graves, Howell, Montgomery, and Warburton fully upheld their previous commitments to accept public input and to devote time and effort to the heliport issue.
At the meeting, Sean Wilkinson of the Weber County Planning Division reviewed the last 18 months. During that time, commercial helicopters have operated out of the Ogden Valley without the necessary Conditional Use Permit (CUP), there has been much public concern and discussion on the issue, an emergency CUP has been issued, a subsequent heliport CUP application has been denied, an appeal to that denial has been filed, and an application to remove heliport from CV-2 zoning has been filed. (For more detailed history, please see previous postings on the Ogden Valley Forum under “heliport.”) Mr. Wilkinson stated that the use of helicopters in the Ogden Valley is believed to be desirable in appropriate locations. Given that assumption, he went on to recommend that the OVPC needed to define “heliport” and “helistop”, and he outlined four possible options for the OVPC to consider regarding helicopter LZs:
1. Remove heliport as a designation in CV-2 zoned areas (all of which are currently on the valley floor.)
2. Allow heliports only above 6200 feet in elevation.
3. Allow heliports only above 6200 feet in elevation and only in DRR-1 zoned areas (the zoning for some ski resorts).
4. Allow heliports in any ski resorts (regardless of the resorts current zoning) above a certain elevation.
Ogden Valley residents David Holmstrom (who had started the process and financed the applications to change the text of the Weber County CV-2 zoning ordinances), Steve Clarke (who is head of the Ogden Valley Gem Committee), Ron Tymcio, and Lee Schussman had all variously presented at OVPC meetings, met with County Commissioners, obtained input from many dozens of Ogden Valley residents, and met with many business people from the Ogden Valley. At Tuesday’s meeting, their input was repeatedly welcomed by the OVPC, and vigorous discussions ensued.
Among the many issues discussed were:
1. Definitions need to be established. Likely the OVPC definition of “Heliport” would include permanent infrastructure facilities for such things as fueling, maintenance, parking, and other customer services at the site; and “helistop” would simply be a landing pad with no other permanent facilities.
2. The desirability of keeping LZs off the valley floor.
3. The need to continue to address safety and noise considerations.
4. The possibility of placing a limit on the minimum elevation for helicopter LZs—likely 6200 feet.
5. A need to decide on the CV-2 zoning issue: “Heliport” can be continued as a conditional use in CV-2 until other plans for helicopter LZs can be made, since no CUPs would be granted now until the issue is resolved. (If a minimal elevation is established as 6200 feet for LZ’s, it may be a moot point to remove heliport from CV-2, as all current CV-2 sites are on the Valley floor.)
6. The desire to accommodate and promote legitimate business interests in Ogden Valley.
7. The need to include possible future roles of helicopters for uses other than heli-skiing. Activities such as sight seeing, hunting, cross country skiing, and access to back country areas were all discussed.
8. The need to decide in which zoning areas heliports and helistops should be allowed so as to not discriminate in granting CUPs to one business over another.
9. The possibilities of having zoning in some areas for helistops (e.g. F-40, Forest Zones) and in others for heliports (e.g. DRR, resort) zones.
10. The fact that “airports” are already in the F-40 zoning ordinance could make it logical to also include “helistop” there.
11. The potential for any legitimate business to plan and place helipads in F-40 zones should help create a development-friendly accommodation for such future LZ areas.
12. The possibilities (or lack there of) of placing conditions (such as altitudes and flight paths) on helicopters.
13. The desirability of establishing fair, enforceable policies now to avoid repetition of the last 18 months and future problems.
The OVPC concluded the planning session by requesting that the staff:
1. Create formal definitions of heliport and helistop.
2. Report back with a process that would keep heliports and helistops off the Ogden Valley floor by establishing a minimum elevation of 6200 feet for LZs.
3. Report back with a process that could place “heliport” in the DRR zone and place “helistop” in the F-40 zone.
These are HUGE steps in the right direction. Proper siting of heliports is a complex and specialized issue, and the OVPC deserves MUCH appreciation and thanks from all Ogden Valley residents and businesses as it continues with the very difficult tasks necessary to protect the interests of both Valley residents and potential Ogden Valley businesses.
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