No decision was made by the Weber County Commissioners at last night's meeting in Ogden. Powder Mountain presented their new proposals which included an increase of 1800 acres to add to the original rezone request. In addition, they demanded an increase in units (dwellings) from 2800 to 3950 (not including the 900+ units slated for the Cache County side of the resort). It should be noted that Powder Mountain has never resolved the issue of the second permanent access road and said last night they would "address that issue when they felt it was necessary." It appears that Powder Mountain will be calling the shots on public safety and traffic regarding Hwy, 158.
The purpose of this is clear, Powder Mountain is playing a shell game with the density numbers by adding more acreage and at the same time demanding an increase to 3950 units (a 41% increase in dwellings)! The additional acreage dilutes the technical density calculation, but does NOTHING to address the serious road safety issues or real time density (dwelling) numbers that will increase for Ogden Valley.
You have to admire the chutzpah of the Powder Mountain people. They are trying to hold a gun to the head of the Weber County Commission and Weber County citizens by threatening to go forward with the incorporation petition if they don't get everything they want, including the additional units beyond what they asked for originally.
We in the Valley have news for Powder Mountain and Weber County. Bring on the Incorporation! It is very likely that a Federal Court will see things differently on the incorporation and the denial of the civil rights of Weber County citizens due to the ill advised HB466. A Federal Court case could tie up the process for years and during that time, Powder Mountain can sit on its assets.
It will also be pertinent to bring into any lawsuit the conflict of interest issue involving a still sitting member of the Ogden Valley Planning Commission. Such action will expose the failure of both the Ogden Valley Planning Commission leadership and the Weber County Commission to take definitive punitive action regarding the conflict of interest facts after an obvious betrayal of public trust by an appointed commission member.
Larry and Sharon Zini
