Weber County Forum Reader Submission
By Politico Observor
As the Standard-Examiner's Jeff DeMoss reports in this morning's edition, 15 businesses that have located near the Harrisville WalMart, the land incidentally, owned by the Boyer Company (there are a couple of undeveloped parcels left, according to a newspaper article, 5 acres in the NW corner and 1.5 acres next to Chili's, on the east side). It seems a shame that Ogden is not the recipient of this "gold rush," as Harrisville's retail sales have exploded from $13.2 million to $119.3 million in the last 4 years.
Now comes the point: Why didn't our RDA attempt to locate WalMart in an area that was not filled with businesses and homes? Much time went into trying to assemble that 22 acre parcel, but to no avail. I'm thinking out loud now, was our RDA (actually our City Council) going about this the right way? Does this go to pattern? Does this evidence that our group of would-be developers (the Gang of 6) are in over their heads and going about things the wrong way?
If one adds up all of the failed and stalled projects, the answer is most likely, "Yes." And it corroborates many people's feelings that the City Administration, except for a couple of well reasoned council people (Wicks and Garcia) is operating from a void. Their time is mostly spent mishandling these huge monetary projects while the infrastructure rots. They listen to no-one during the Public Input sessions. They rubber stamp the Mayor, who rubber stamped Stuart Reid (who has now escaped into the twi-light). And they pay these community and economic development personel immense salaries to dream up and administer these projects with their sullied track record.
It comes down to good management, which, I'm afraid our City lacks. Debate if you can or will, but look at the track record. Today, the emphasis in on Godfrey's High Adventure Recreation Center, which, due to delays and mis-management, is struggling to even get a bond vote or a Public Hearing (I believe that is suppossed to occur this Tuesday). A good idea? Perhaps, but I'm not exactly thrilled in the course, or the progress, that pertains to this project.
And more projects are coming on board, i.e. the Riverwalk or Riverfront, with the same tired practices being administered..., trying to take one person's property away and give it to another. Those who resist are not "obstructionists," they're home owners. Maybe if the right offer came from well intentioned people, they might consider selling. But accepting a "take-away" or an insultingly low offer that benefits big business, not a chance.
When will our Council learn? When will they unfold a city map and identify some vacant land, annex some near our boundaries if necessary, and get the project ball rolling there? When, as long as they're in it this deep, will it sink into their heads that you can't put lipstick on a pig, like the old Parking Terrace, or make it appear attractive, regardless of where it rolls in the "mud?" When will they understand that private enterprise, with some "common sense help" from them as per infrastructure, tax benefits, zoning, etc., is the answer and that given to the peoples' devices, our city can again become whole? Once accomplished, we can revel in those successes and partake of the fruits of those enjoyments.
It was done in the past, which our City Administration is so quick these days to dismiss as "old and used-we must be modern and take new approaches," and it can be done in the present. Managed properly, we too could be sitting back and counting our money, just like Harrisville, instead of spending it on these mis-managed schemes and blaming such on legal delays and "obstructionists."
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Editor's Note: There's been some (probably justifiable) "grousing" from the readership trenches this morning, both in blog comments and via email, that I haven't put anything new up on the front page today, into which our WCF readership can firmly sink its teeth. Although I hadn't seen anything in today's news that had seemed particularly inspiring, one of our newest blog members, Politico Observor, did find an interesting "angle" in this morning's Std-Ex Walmart story, and then expanded upon it a bit with a short tome. Inasmuch as I'm still hammering away at an upcoming article on Centerville Citizen's topic, zoning and land-use regulation, I've decided to place Politico Observor's essay on the front page, so the gentle WCF reader-folks will have a little something new to chew on.
Keep in mind, folks, the views herein expressed by Politico are not necessarily those of your Weber County Forum blogger. I've been fishing unmercilessly for thought-provocative reader-submitted articles for quite a long while however, and it seems that Politico Observor has submitted one that fits that bill. I'm thus posting it for your perusal.
I've edited this article slightly, mainly to excise a reference that was perhaps a trifle too "colorful" for the Weber County Forum front page. Otherwise it appears in its original form, as originally submitted.
Give it a read-through and don't hesitate to offer your comments, folks.
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12 comments:
Did anyone notice that the owner is the Boyer Company? Maybe that is why the project was successful... private ownership. People are motivated to make things work when it is their dollar on the line... not someone else's tax dollar.
By the way... does anyone know if WalMart considered BDO? Was it too close to the Harrisville location? That would be a prime location with plenty of room to grow, and the city wouldn't have needed anything to put them in that location... since the Feds turned it over to the city.
American Fork has done extremely well with some of their development as well in vacant land... no emminent domain necessary there. As many as 50 stores are now located in that development. Small business, big box retail, and chain stores are all cohabitating there.
It would seem, Rudi, that indeed the city is just proceeding with a reasonable plan and piss-poor tactics.
Sorry, politico... I should have referenced you instead of Rudi... although, there is always enough praise to spread around.
Thanks Toad, and I believe I mentioned the Boyer Company and completely agree with your premise. Private enterprise, unfettered, is the key, not this bunch of pseudo-developers occupying seats at City Hall.
And thanks for the edit, Rudi, your "lipstick on a pig" is much more eloquent than my description, but damn it man, I thought it so appro-pro (sp?).
And Toad, you do tell it like it is and that is so greatly appreciated. You want to run for City Council?
Too busy with businesses and other stuff, politico... although I would like to attend the Aug. 16th public hearing on the Rec Center...
One needs focus after all. I try not to split my energies too much... success doesn't seem to come otherwise. I wish the city gov. would learn this.
Maybe in the future.
Yeah, it is 16 Aug., not this week. Good, maybe I can squeeze it in, in cognito of course.
Think about it. We just might draft ya....
Wow Rudi, I feel honored that you would consider doing a post on something that I've brought up. I feel a little apprehensive though. I can already tell that I'm going to have people calling me a socialist/communist just for believing in zoning laws. You know, in a perfect world, we could all sing "I am a rock, I am an island," but the truth is that we're not isolated from eachother. What is done with a piece of property usually has at least a minimal effect on other people within close proximity. I think that a city government does have the right to make sure that a city develops appropriately. Can you imagine a world with no zoning laws? If we lived in such a world, your neighbor could use his property in the middle of your low-density residential subdivision for a manufacturing plant, and you'd just be out of luck. In a perfect world we wouldn't have to have zoning, which some consider a government intrusion on their property rights. I guess that you can sum it up by calling zoning a necessary evil (just like government itself).
Interesting thought, Observer!! Thanks for coming up with that.
It made me think of one of those "shopping center" areas, where there is a WalMart, a Home Depot, a Target, maybe a Media Play---sort of like a big box gathering. And they are all linked together with acres and acres of parking lots.
A lot of people do shop there---those lots are always full. But...I really don't think anything local can do well around them. Local business can't compete with them because their volume allows them to charge lower prices. My thought is that these big box communities should be somewhere by themselves where there is room for the kind of expansion they generate, but where they are not infringing on old neighborhoods or the "character" of a city.
I think this might have been one of the reasons people were against this, actually. Being not against the WalMart itself, but against having it where it was planned to go.
Someone, and it might have been you, Observer, mentioned the ski stores we used to have here, and the character, or personality of Ogden. Big box stores and international franchises are by their nature generic, and maybe we just don't want a generic city. I know I don't.
Absolutely Dian. The Gang of 6 (EC's term but I'm going to use it) seems to want change and futuristic stuff. For some reason, they want to dump the "character" (your term) of Ogden and replace it with high tech. Not good. We need our character and yes, a Perkins Ltd. type area, with cable cars or street cars, some real down to earth atmosphere, can be a boon to Ogden. Also, there's room for the big box, in the PROPER location.
Good thoughts, D, as usual. Maybe you should run....you have 1 week to decide.
Many of you just don't seem to get it. In yesterday's world (the 1950's) cities thrived off of their uniqueness. Small retailers could do well. Welcome to the 21st century. People have shown by where they shop that they aren't concerned about "uniqueness". They just want the most STUFF for their money (ie Wal-Mart). It doesn't matter what you try to do to keep Ogden unique, people ain't comin if their ain't a draw.
And as for the ski shops-- people skiing at Snowbasin, Powder and Nordic (or is that Wolf Mountain) don't even have to go through Ogden anymore. Unless we have something to draw them here (Rec Center, Gondola system, etc) they aren't going to even THINK about coming here.
Yeah, right Anonymous. It's a world of high tech WalMarts we want. Nothing unique, everything looking the same. Soylent Green. We can have pictures of how it used to be. Let's have a string of shopping malls, big box stores, and chain restuarants. Aisle after aisle of clothing displayed the same, regardless of what store you go to. It's the 21st Century, welcome to it.
You cast a dim view of individuality, pal....EVERYONE wants WalMart clothes off the rack, huh? But that's just fine, as long as we have a gondola, a gondola that won't even stop at the old big box store, unless its at 23rd and Washington. But it'll sure as hell draw in the tourists, and that's what counts.
We can all buy a house in Washington Place sub-division, one of those cookie-cutters. You get a grey tri-level; I'll take the beige tri-level; Bob, he can get the off-white tri-level. We'll have Round-up weed killing contests on Saturday and see who can grow the greenest, thickest grass with Scotts that we've purchased at Home Depot.
Yes, Anonymous, you got it right. To hell with uniqueness. Who needs it? I want to live in this WalMart type society, play at the rec center with thousands of tourists and ride the gondola to 23rd and Wall.
Where do I sign up?
Anonymous,
Actually, the stores that are doing the best right now are indeed unique. There is a shift in our society right now away from the 'ordinary' to the unique. This is why GM and Ford have been stumbling in the past little while. The growth in the car business has been with hybrids, luxury, and European imports. The growth is in boutique businesses, not in big box retail or Ford Tauruses.
This is a trend that is happening all over the country. People are going out of their way to find quality vs. quantity. It just hasn't hit here yet in a big way. Part of it has to do with the baby-boomers getting older. Their kids are leaving or have left home, and they are getting to play a bit with their money. They are generally buying higher quality items and purchasing better lifestyles for themselves. Check the business trends... and you will see that having a WalMart is not the pinnacle of economic prosperity.
Hey anonymous2, way to take the slippery slope and use it to its maximum potential.
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