By Sandra L. Crosland
Standard-Examiner Guest Commentary
Original publication: Thursday, April 13, 2006
Standard/NET
Like so many American youngsters, I grew up with a soft spot, even a sense of guilt, about American Indians. After all, they had once owned the spacious skies, amber waves of grain and purple mountains' majesty.
Still, they lost almost everything, not because they didn't value it, but because their sense of common ownership rendered them inadequate as protectors of their treasure. If we do not learn from history, we Ogdenites could easily fall prey to this same fate. Our foothills, our park and golf course are our common treasure.
Once we created a General Plan placing the highest value on this asset. Our city has won national accolades because of its convenient public access to our outdoor spaces.
Today public ownership of this treasure is under siege. An aggressive, wealthy developer has joined forces with our mayor in an attempt to convince us that we should sell out our children's most valuable public inheritance.
A spokesman for Lift Ogden has stated that we should help Mr. Chris Peterson develop his land. Mr. Peterson recently bought mountain property in Weber County with trails that had been used for generations. His land is zoned as open space, and he is charged with constructive knowledge that the Ogden community placed great value on the open space designation of its foothills.
Because Utah respects both individual property rights and development rights, Mr. Peterson may follow legally prescribed processes to request a change in zoning that, depending upon the feasibility of his project, might allow him to construct his proposed resort. However, Mr. Peterson has expanded his vision for an exclusive, gated community onto our public property, and this part of his plan stands on different footing. We, the public, are going to be asked to sell the crown jewel of our community -- the open space along our foothills where Ogdenites golf, walk, run, bike, cross-country ski, sled, tube and snowshoe alongside the beauty and solitude of nearby canyons.
Before we acquiesce to such a sale, we should evaluate the benefits and the risks of trusting our park lands and public golfing facility to a developer whose primary goal is private gain rather than public good. If we will sell out ownership and control of this land, 400 homes may fill that space. In your long-range vision for your community, is Mr. Peterson's development the highest and best use for your park land? These are critical issues for all of us to consider. Positive economic development is not simply a "yes" or "no" decision in helping Mr. Peterson.
Worse yet, if we give up ownership and control of our park, what does our city administration propose that Ogdenites get in exchange? The rumor is that we get an urban gondola, which would cost at least $25 million to construct and millions more to operate each year. No one expects that this gondola would function as effective public transportation for our community. At best, the gondola would be a high-risk tourist attraction. At worst, it would be both a community eyesore creating neighborhood voyeurs and a money pit, not only for its construction costs but also its maintenance costs, and incalculable shortfall costs if it does not attract the hundreds of thousands of riders needed to break even.
Would an urban gondola be what you would want in return for the sale of our park? Once again, we, the public, need a voice in crafting our future.
If the sale of the park generates millions of dollars, what is the highest and best use of these funds? After all, much of what has not been done in Ogden has been forgone for lack of funds. Would you prefer to help fund a Latino market, or the Union Station, or pave more of our trails, or provide grants or loans in our historic downtown?
Because this new money would be public, any proposal, including Mr. Peterson's, should undergo a rigid risk-benefit analysis to demonstrate to the public that potential gain outweighs potential losses. Rumors pairing the sale of our foothills and golf course in exchange for an urban gondola sound too much like selling the island of Manhattan for baubles and trinkets of the tourist trade. History tells us who came out on top in that land deal, but the New Yorkers who descended from the purchasers did learn something: At the end of the 19th century, they agreed to set aside a chunk of their city as Central Park. Preserving that park has had to withstand hundreds of challenges. Early on, a small group of wealthy New Yorkers wanted a speedway to race their carriages. Another plan was conversion into an airport. But always the public good has triumphed over the private gain.
Is there a lesson here for Ogden?
Crosland lives in Ogden. This thoughtful article was brought to our attention by an alert reader, and is re-published here with the author's consent.
© 2005 - 2014 Weber County Forum™ -- All Rights Reserved
19 comments:
Sandra Crossland has so eloquently articulated the reason why we must NOT let Peterson and Godfrey steal away 'precious jewels'. Bravo..huzzah, Ms Crossland.
Again,we must demand that Godfrey and his dream team finish the mall. Get those purported and promised businesses in there. After all, we're paying for two dozen years for that earlier vision of 'being the first in the country to'... have such a mall!
I guess flow riding, wind sailing and wall climbing are just too too dull compared to a gondola!
Like a spoiled and over-indulged brat, Matt may come up with yet another dreeeeam of fame and fortune once we worker bees are bonded into serving the 'queen' til we drop dead, The thot gives me hives.
Grow up, Matt. You were waaay too young for this man's job, when people whose common sense was lacking, voted you into office. But, you schemed your way in with promises, and it's time to be a man now. Remember, "when I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child. But when I became a man I put away childish things." I Cor. 13:11. So, Matt, no more lying, sneaking, thinking of yourself and YOUR wants,,,it's time that Mama Ogden sent you to your room on the 9th floor and told you to clean up your mess!
Running this city isn't about you, Matt. You are a SERVANT of the people. You are a STEWARD. You cannot betray the trust of the thousands who have to depend on your leadership.
Bottom line, Matt: grow up. BE a man. Put away childish things.
I know you want a legacy. How about being remembered as the mayor who CARED about all the people? Who was known for humility, not arrogance. Known for integrity, not back room deals and sneaking. Be remembered as a mayor who served ALL the people..not special interests.
Yes, Matt, you are waaay overdue for a spanking. You will be taken to the woodshed when PAPA VOTERS turn you out of office very soon.
In watching what has gone on regarding development and redevelopment in Ogden for the past few years, one spin tactic has really amused me. That is the one of the initial premise that there is something wrong with Ogden and that it has to be fixed, redone, redeveloped, knocked down, changed somehow. Never has this premise been so stretched as in the recent development focus on Mount Ogden Park and the mountain.
Of course, this premise is an old and hackneyed tactic buyers always use to get the price down---devaluing the item or property so that the seller will charge a lower price, and I don't know why this isn't obvious to everyone. But it certainly isn't obvious to the administration, which has expressed its willingness to "grovel" before developers, to buy high and sell low, and to systematically devalue our assets in favor of an imposition of a "brand" on Ogden as a "ski hub," which is definitely not our reality here.
Instead, our reality is that no developer, no matter how wealthy or creative, could create what we have with Mount Ogden park and our trail system right now. The logic in the pro-development stance is almost frighteningly backwards, justifying the development by statements that "this will make us unique--this will make us the only place in the world that...." and on and on.
The fact is that we are the only place in the world that has what we already have right now.
There are resorts with golf courses and cluster housing all over the world. But nowhere else in the world is Waterfall Canyon, or our trails. Or our view to the east at sunset, looking across that expanse of green to the mountain and watching the cliffs turn rose colored. That very brief time at dusk that filmmakers call "magic hour."
Well, they want to change that. This makes it obvious to me that there is a serious difference in their concept of "value" vs mine. And I do not think it possible to communicate my concept of value to those who base that concept solely on the criterion of whether or not something is making money, or "generating revenue," or attracting wealthy tourists.
What we're talking about with this development is changing something that no amount of money could buy. You really couldn't put a price on it. As Ms. Crosland says, "Our foothills, our park and golf course are our common treasure." And it looks like they want to "dumb it down" and make it look like everywhere else, and then sell it on the basis that it is unique. Very curious indeed.
And in my value system, a very bad move.
Sharon
The Little Lord Mayor is as grown up as he is ever going to get!
His problem is not immaturity, it is hubris. He truly believes that he is superior to the rest of us, and that he is "called" to save us from our selves. Only he has the answers and only he knows the secret handshake.
People like this have been the scourge of mankind since the beginning. There is repeated warnings to us in the Bible, BOM, and in great books and lessons down through the ages.
We just have to hang on another 18 months and we will be able to shed this little monkey, with his horrid habits, from our lives.
Dear Tired....
I've thot for some time that we need a about three 'viable' candidates who would be willing to go to the Marshall White Center for a town hall meeting. NOT a debate, per se, but a round table discussion, if you will. Let the folks throw out concerns, questions, issues, Have the 'candidates' speak to those. It would not be a contentious, 'let's outdo each other' debate.
Perhaps this is just nonsensical thinking, but if one of these good people emerges or wants to really represent us as a candidate, this might narrow the search.
Comments?
OzVoy...you are sooo right!!!
Ozboy, do you think we can stall the gondola and selling the golf course for 18 months? If so, share your ideas, please.
I had thought that Peterson's presentations would have garnered him more support for the project. You've got to hand it to the citizens of Ogden -- they are really pretty savy and can see through the BS of Peterson and Godfrey.
Sandra Crossland, you have written a great letter! It's precise and gives excellent arguements against selling Mt. Ogden Golf Course. I hope the powers that be take note. Thanks for a great post!
Now look at this:
The Wasatch Mountains Rise Above Ogden
That picture is on the opening page of the Ogden section of "Go-Utah.Com, Utah's largest travel site," here: It was taken in one of our neighborhoods. It shows green space and the mountain.
If you scroll down the page, there is a link to "Photo Gallery" at the left with more pictures of what we have to offer. These pictures and this site give an overview of what the tourist industry believes people would find attractive about our home here. The one of the summit of Mount Ogden is one of my favorites.
Note the absence of tall orange poles, cluster housing, ticket booths, food stands, etc. In fact, in all these pictures, emphasis has been made on the unspoiled beauty of our natural scenery here. Operative word: unspoiled,
You know, there are many people who have been born and raised in cities who have never seen anything like this. Never really been anywhere off asphalt and concrete. We are so fortunate here to have all this. "Our common treasure," for sure.
I cannot imagine what these people are thinking.
tireofgodfree,
I think your right on track for a replacement of the goofee mayor, I've talked to Rep Neil Hansen and he said since he ran for mayor last time around that he would consider it again, but he has his legislative race this year and he wants to consentrate on his race now. With the mayor putting up a candidate against him shows how vindictive the mayor can be.
Hansen has always looked out for the best intrest of public and his actions speak louder than words. lets help him get re-elected and then lets talk to him after that. he would be the best candidate given his back ground of working for the city for twenty years and having lived his whole life in ogden and not in harrisville. He knows the history of ogden and he would be the one because he is well conected to the citizens.
What do you think?
Does any one know if the rumors are true about Larry Miller backing out on the movie theaters at the Junk-tion?
Remember when, a few months ago, "The Hub" concept was packaged in a 16 page publication with the Ogden City logo on the cover? I found the PDF of it this afternoon and reread it. Very, very interesting, in view of what is going on now.
Here are some snippets:
As the railroad
linked the East to the West,
our commuter rail will link
the Wasatch Front to Ogden
and the world to our mountains.
Add the Gondola from
the Intermodal Hub to Weber
State University and Chris
Peterson’s Gondola from the
base of Mount Ogden to Malan’s
Basin, and you have this
unique opportunity found
nowhere else in the World.
Yes, Ogden is the HUB....
...The plans Chris
has discussed include a
pedestrian village in Malan’s
Basin that will be accessed by
a gondola beginning by Weber
State University. He has
also discussed creating miles
of public trails and integrat-
ing student housing with a
resort village next to Weber
State University and the Mt.
Ogden Golf course....
...The construction of
the High Adventure Recreation
Center is the tangible
expression of our unique
competitive advantage. It is
real. Residents and visitors
can readily use the facility,
and we can heavily advertise
it as an encapsulation of our
uniqueness...
...Ogden City has entered into an
agreement with Jeff allowing
his 80-foot ice tower to be
erected on City property. The
tower should be in operation
by Spring 2006. It will be the
only freestanding ice climbing
structure in the world...
...The Chamber of Commerce
(801) 621-8300 is keeping a
reservation list for those who
want to be among the first to
experience the Via Ferrata...
...A Gondola System
(The Lynchpin!).
There are those who say,
“Great, so long as it is
funded entirely by private
dollars.” And certainly, this
is our goal. However, statements
like this imply that
the only beneficiaries of this
vision are specific businessmen
and land developers.
This is far from the truth.
THE HUB Vision lifts all!
THE HUB vision, however, does not seem to be working out. And furthermore, cluster housing and the proposed sale of Mount Ogden Golf Course have been thrown into the mix. The rec center is moving at a snail's pace, if at all, (and construction was supposed to start on it at the end of December '05 or it would not be eligible for its money,) rumors are rife that Larry Miller (yet another linchpin,) is not even coming in, thereby making the whole Junction project questionable, and the last I heard, Chris Peterson had not applied for any permits at all, not even a special use one for the via ferrata. Have no idea where the ice tower is.
And here's a snippet from the Standard from an article in November, '05:
During Thursday's climb, Peterson talked about the view -- of the waterfall, of Ogden, of the sunset -- and smiled. But that smile quickly morphed into a poker face when he was asked about what comes next on the property he bought in May.
"I wouldn't want to speculate," he said.
Though he called his plans "detailed," he declined to give specifics. When pressed (ski resort, ice climbing park, gondola?), he was equally vague.
"It's going to be a place that people who are on long driving trips through Utah will want to stop at and spend a half a day" is all he would say.
Things seem to have changed a bit, haven't they?
And yet, with all the changes in the plans, the recent and new statements that the sale of the golf course will pay for the gondola and the housing development will pay for the resort, the non-activity at The Junction, , the rumors about Miller, and the multiplicity of lawsuits Ogden City is facing, there is a push for the City to build its part of the gondola first? Sell the golf course? Sell the land above WSU? These things are necessary?
I don't think so.
Has anyone else heard the theory of the real reason Peterson wants the Golf Course? He wants it so he can turn it into a parking lot in case the city isn't able to build it's portion of the GONDOLA.
A minor point perhaps, but in Peterson's power point presentation he had one slide that was titled "Lodge of the Presidents" - or something like that. (and yes it was plurar with the implication that more than one President of the US had visited the Malan Basin lodge).
He then went on to tell the story of how president Teddy Roosevelt came to town and insisted that he be taken up the mountain to stay at the Malan Basin lodge. The place was, and presumably will be, so famous that even sitting Presidents of the United States want to be there.
Hmmmm. I do not believe this story is true!
When I heard this story, it just didn't seem to fit my memory of Ogden historical events. After plowing through several history books, I could find nothing to substantiate this quaint little story.
Ex President Teddy Roosevelt did in fact visit Ogden in 1912 to see his friend "The Bald Eagle of the Wasatch", our mayor William Glasmann. (No, not our current city councilman, but his great grandfather - one of Ogden's finest mayor's).
William Glasmann the 1st was an incredible and very popular leader in Ogden at the turn of the century. He was also a good friend and strong supporter of Ex President Roosevelt and his re-run at the US Presidency under the Bull Moose Party (Progressive Party).
While in Ogden visiting Mr. Glasmann, President Roosevelt did want to go up Ogden Canyon and stay at the Hermitage lodge. This he did. Ogden Canyon and the Hermitage were both actually pretty famous locations through out the US in those days.
Perhaps this is where Peterson got the story from? In any event, it is just one more example of how the Gondolists can't quite get the true story straight on most everything they say and publish.
I have a theory. It is that the Ogden City tax base is less than it was in 1999 when the current administration came into being. Or that, if conditions when the administration came into being had continued, we would have a bigger tax base now. And that furthermore, that this condition is directly atributable to the redevelopment projects we have been undergoing and also the city's involvement in residential housing.
I base this on the fact that I have heard that the city is the biggest real estate owner in Ogden and also on my memories of more businesses being downtown in 1999 than there are currently.
But I have no idea of how to substantiate this for sure--to prove it or disprove it. Lovely Jennifer, how would you go about it? What figures would you need to see if that theory is a valid one?
I am thinking that this really should be pursued in light of these new plans. The justification for the gondola/gondola/ materiel carrying gondola/resort/cluster housing/trails/golf course project is that we need to do something about our faltering tax base. If it is found that our faltering tax base has been caused by projects, projects which involve throwing increasing amounts of money into things which show little or no return, then this would be a very good reason to deem ourselves overextended and call a halt to new endeavors until the old ones start to pay.
This project after project mentality really does remind me of a gambler who keeps throwing money down in a losing streak. The projections I am hearing, such as the cluster housing bringing in $5 million a year to Ogden, are not based in reality. These are wishful statements, based on wishful thinking projections of the future, much like a gambler "knows" he's going to get a hit.
As mother used to say, "There's many a slip, 'twixt the cup and the lip."
And here's another one, along the lines of "If it ain't broke, it don't need fixin':"
"You broke it---you fix it."
If the theory is correct, I see less than no reason at all for the people of Ogden to have to sacrifice, as Mayor Godfrey said the other night we all must do, in order to build up this tax base. If the tax base needs building up because projects have gouged it, is the solution to that to build more projects?
During the past few years, we have seen cuts in public services, cuts in fire department personel, and recently, the threat to get rid of the Marshall White Center. And we are now being asked to "sacrifice" our green space and the land behind WSU, and the reason they are giving is to shore up this tax base.
Like I said before---You broke it, you fix it.
The administration needs a bit of tough love. As in---No more money until you finish what you've started. No more hand-outs until you start bringing in the returns you have been promising. Our money is a tangible asset, and we cannot continue to throw it into dreams and visions that somehow do not seem to manifest.
You think they're going to tell us that we need the gondola in order to get The Junction done?
Ozboy,
There was one poster board that had on it:
"Successor to Historic Resort of the Presidents." Wrote that one down.
While searching briefly to see if TR did indeed stay in Malan's Basin, I found an article from Sunset Mag: "The West's Best Places To Live: What Makes a Great Community?"
We are, Ogden is, mentioned in it as being one of these. Here is what it says about us:
Ogden UTAH
The freedom to roam
When it comes to easy access to the great outdoors, Ogden, Utah, had considerable help from nature. The city backs up against the Wasatch Range, whose peaks rise to 9,000 feet and whose face is carved by spectacularly deep mountain canyons.
But man helped too. Take a closer look at Ogden's mountain backdrop, and you'll see footpaths rambling here and there. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail cruises north-south along the mountains' feet, while the Great Western Trail traces many of the ridgelines. Other routes run up Goldwater Canyon, Taylor Canyon, Strongs Canyon, and Burch Creek, connecting with national forest trails that run deeper into the mountains. All in all there are 28 miles of trails to lure hikers, bikers, horse lovers, snowshoers, and nordic skiers out of the city and into the Wasatch.
Why is Ogden blessed with such a wonderful network of trails? The answer, replies Jay Hudson, an Ernest Hemingway look-alike who volunteers many of his hours to the Ogden Trails Network, is simple. "As a group, we were trying to make sure we had public access to the mountains," he says.
Cyclist Joel Bingham says that the easy trail access draws thousands of riders into the hills throughout the year. "It's unique because it's so accessible. There are good parking lots and trailheads."
Just as the trails stream out of the mountains into the city; so do two rivers--the Ogden and the Weber. Come late spring and into the summer, you can cool your hiking-weary toes in these streams or watch kayakers and canoers lured by a watery playground developed for paddlers in the Weber River.
Yes!
Sunset--Highbeam Research
Dian
The piece out of Sunset magazine (2002) was a pretty good argument against this housing development on the east bench.
Seems like the Lord Mayor wants to build over the very assets that he proclaims as our strengths. Sort of like eating your seed corn.
Have you found anything about Roosevelt's trip to Ogden, and possibly Malan's Basin? All I could find is that he was in Ogden for a couple of days, that he hung out with Bill Glasmann and that he spent the biggest part of his stay at the Hermitage Resort in Ogden canyon. That resort by the way, was quite the place. Maybe you can find out about it in the "Ogden Antedotes" files? If you do, will you pass it along?
Dian, you've given us another great post: "During the past few years, we have seen cuts in public services, cuts in fire department personel, and recently, the threat to get rid of the Marshall White Center. And we are now being asked to "sacrifice" our green space and the land behind WSU, and the reason they are giving is to shore up this tax base.
"Like I said before---You broke it, you fix it.
"The administration needs a bit of tough love. As in---No more money until you finish what you've started. No more hand-outs until you start bringing in the returns you have been promising. Our money is a tangible asset, and we cannot continue to throw it into dreams and visions that somehow do not seem to manifest."
As stated in the paper this morning, the City is short $1.5 million in being able to balance the budget. To quote the Mayor: "Some must sacrifice." And in keeping with what you suggest, Dian, I suggest the City Council give all City employees a flat across-the-board raise instead of a percentage of their salary including Godfrey's "Million Dollar Team" unless, of course, they wanted to make the "Team" earn their flat across-the-board raise first, by producing some results on the rec center and the river project. This alone would save the City $1 million dollars!
A person told me that between the Administration's "my way or no way" attitude and all the stupid rules and regulations the City has, they know of several businesses who went to Riverdale because Ogden was so difficult to work with. It's time that this crap ended and those responsible for it pay the consequences! No raises to the Administration and "Team" until there are some changes in the planning, economic development rules and procedures, and we see businesses building in downtown Ogden and the rec center built!
The Administration should address the items that are going to make an IMMEDIATE impact on the tax base. This year's budget won't wait for a pie-in-the-sky scheme to take place several years from now!
Let's see some "tough love," Council members!
The only reason that the budget is short by 1.5 million is because the budget presented to the council by the little twerp, and it is a very conservative budget,except for the budget for the dream team, the mayor is going to screw the employees again, and again, to further his pet projects. The Junk tion wreck center was supposed to save the city, the DDO was supposed to help with the infrastructure, now lets sell the golf course, and anything else that isnt buttoned down. The little development prick on the ninth floor is just bouncing out of control, and cutting services that are vital to the operation of the city, while pissing away, and committing monies that should be used to help with infrastructure. All of this is putting a crimp on the operations of the general services that should be provided by the City. Can you say recall?
The next thing will be to raise water rates, no new taxes, no property tax increases, just a bunch of hidden fees to pay for shit that our property taxes and all of those great investments that the lordship has created.
We should take our $2.5 or $3 or whatever it is million we are allegedly getting from the Shupe Williams fire and put it in the general fund. Fx some of the water infrastructure. Or beef up services. Or hire some more firemen. Or pay some of the debt down.
Or invest the remainder after the deficit in the general fund is made up in a low risk account. Use the interest from this to help support the Marshall White Center, perhaps provide a few more community services and activities, and perhaps see some growth.
They will say, I know, that this is impossible. That this is really not that much money to do the things we need done, (therefore why not just spend it on another project instead of upon basic necessities.) That these funds must go somewhere other than the above---probably by law.
I will say Nonsense. Having watched the diversion of allocated BDO lease revenues and the other "creative financing" that goes on in City Hall, I am sure it can be arranged. The previous council blithely gouged money allocated for our infrastructure for the rec center project by a simple vote. All things are possible, even sensible ones, even here.
I know this is not as glamorous and absolutely thrilling as using this money to buy Yet More Property for Yet Another Project, And I would really have to see the budget and debt to see where money would be best spent. However, as an inhabitant of this city who spends personal income on home water filters and who has seen dollar after dollar shoveled into projects which give us back little or no return and instead quite a few lawsuits, my feeling is that it is the time to maintain what we have and not take anything else on.
I agree, Dave----cut that budget in the area where the results of all this investment are supposed to be coming from until we see a return. One of the things about tough love is that one does not hand out rewards for unacceptable behavior. We've mentioned before here that all a con man needs is a little more time, and while I would not go so far as to say that these previous investments are based on nothing, I will indeed say that they are not giving the returns we have been promised. If the local government is indeed looking at itself as a business, then we, as its stockholders, really might want to think about getting a new Board.
Because, in spite of this reported deficit in operating expenses, we are now being asked to sell the golf course, sell the property behind WSU, get the gondola going, get the resort going, get the Riverfront going. The sad thing about this is that some of those pushing these things are public officials who would be able to just walk away from a collapsed house of cards, leaving the city with a decades long clean-up job.
If the current administration is responsible for our current state, we also have responsibility in either letting it continue to go on or halting it, which we can do through the City Council which we elected to act in our behalf. We also should take responsibility here in whatever way we can.
But... but... but Dian, if what you say is so, then the Republican elected to executive office in Ogden [feller named Godfrey I believe] has been fiscally irresponsible in office.
An elected fiscally irresponsible Republican in executive office? Surely that could never be.
Oh, I'm so confused.....
[grin]
...SHOULDN'T be but IS!!!!!!
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