Heads Up! Changes Proposed to Ogden City & Community Plans

Council Notes 10.24.06

By Dian Woodhouse

The Ogden City Council convened a few minutes late tonight after returning from a Field Trip. One noticed a distinct look of aliveness about them as they entered the Chambers, indicating perhaps that they might want to get out a bit more. This Field Trip was taken for the purpose of inspecting several locations in Ogden City at which, later in the meeting, the zoning requirements were proposed to be changed.

There was one correction of previous minutes, by Councilman Safsten. The minutes he reviewed were of a Work Session on September 7th and a Special Meeting of September 20th. In one of these, reference was made to the 21st Street pond, and Councilman Safsten took exception to the use of the words, "square feet," stating that the words used should refer to "the long term level of the pond." The square footage figure was 4,268. I confess myself baffled by this distinction, and interested persons should probably get copies of these minutes to further understand this change.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee was up for Sunset Review this evening, and the report included a veritable laundry list of all the things this committee is involved in. Some were: clean-up plans, working with schools, identifying potential park facilities, giving input on playground equipment, trail systems, lending help to kayak park, Lindquist field, etc., very active in passing RAMP tax, development and review of appropriations, involvement with Pioneer Days Rodeo, Christmas Village, and economic development insofar as drawing companies to Ogden. The wish of the committee chair was that the committee be "used more effectively" by the city, that it be involved in even preliminary discussions involving land use and business relocation to Ogden, for example. "I want to offer us up as a resource," the Chair stated.

Councilwoman Jeske requested that the committee put forward a list as to what its skills and resources are, and the Chair agreed to do this

Councilman Stephens asked the Chair to outline the Committee's goals and objectives. The Chair listed three: completion of the trail system, continuing the process concerning a shared athletic complex, and getting more people involved in programs. "Athletics are a great way to bring a community together," he said.

Councilman Safsten asked about a part of the Committee's written report that referred to "more study in consolidating parks," and wanted to know what that meant. The response was that our parks made us below the national average in open space. They are small, not huge tracts like Salt Lake, for instance, has. The Chair went on to say that this consolidation of parks idea was difficult in that the people who lived around these small parks were quite attached to them. (This made one wonder what is in store here, but the discussion went no further.)

Councilman Stephens asked what the Committee was doing with Youth Programs, and the answer was that they were starting by working with the schools. Councilwoman Jeske thanked the Chair for the work the Committee does, and mentioned the editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune regarding the need for open space, stating that Ogden's open space was one of its finest assets.

The motion to approve the extension of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee passed unanimously.

The next order of business was a group of Common Consent Items that all had to do with changing the zoning in certain areas and setting a public input hearing to address that. This motion to set the public hearing for all of these on November 7th was approved unanimously, and the areas being considered for this rezoning are:

578 East, 24th Street. Reclassify from Central Business District Zone (CBD) to Multiple Family Residential Zone East Central (R-3EC)

475 East 30th Street. Amend the T.O. Smith Community Plan to zone these properties Multiple Family Residential (R-3)

451 to 475 East 30th Street. Amend the zoning map of Ogden City to change this property, currently classified as Regional Commercial Zone (CP-3) and Single Family Residential Zone (R-1-6,) to Multiple Family Residential Zone (CP-3)

750 North Washing Boulevard. Is currently P-I, proposed change is C-3.

Southeast Corner of 34th Street and Ogden Avenue. Provision of zoning options of Regional Commercial Zone/Conditional Overlay Zone (C-3/C-O). Property is now classified as Single Family Residential Zone (R-1.) In order to accomplish this, both the Zoning Map of Ogden City and the Ogden City General Plan will need to be amended.

(If after reading the above, you have become extremely fascinated with zoning and can't get enough of it, the Ogden City Website has a good page on it, especially the FAQ part, which lists all the letters and numbers and what they mean.)

Next were Administrative Reports, of which there was one, presented by John Arrington. This was a proposed amendment to Ordinance 2006-67, which is the 2007-2011 Capital Improvement Plan, to add two more projects. These projects were approved in the budget session but were not assigned budget numbers, and so this amendment is necessary to add them to the project list, Mr. Arrington said. The two new projects are: the Kayak Park, and the establishment of Glasmann Park.

The motion to approve this ordinance passed unanimously.

At this point in the meeting, a Troop of Boy Scouts filed in. Chair Garcia promptly moved the agenda, or backed up the agenda, recognized them, and asked them to come up to the podium one by one and state their name, address, and badge they were working on. "Thirty years from now, you will have this in the minutes of this meeting," Chairman Garcia said.

The scouts did as he requested. There were ten of them from Troop 18. Most were working on the citizenship badge. After they had all introduced themselves, Council woman Jeske addressed them.

"I'm going to challenge you to get that Eagle Award," she said, adding that the award was a real plus in getting ahead in life as well as in scouting. "I hope I'll see you all at that Eagle Dinner," she told them. "Congratulations, and keep up the good work."

There were no Administrative Comments, and the only Council Comments were from Councilman Safsten, who addressed the recent editorial in the Standard Examiner regarding the fact that Ogden City has the "dubious distinction" of a very high tax rate. Councilman Safsten went on to say that there were two ways to approach this problem--lower the taxes, and increase the tax base. Since he had been on the Council, it had consistently tried to do both.

Lowering the taxes is easy, the Councilman said, because "all that takes is a vote." Increasing the tax base is more difficult because, "You are dependent on third parties--outside investors to come in and invest in the city."

There was then a motion to adjourn to Closed Executive Session to discuss pending litigation, and for the purpose of discussing the purchase, sale, exchange, or lease of real property, etc.

The Council would then reconvene as the RDA in a Work Session to discuss the mall parking structure and plaza, and board business.

After this RDA Work Session, the Council would then reconvene to hold a City Council Work Session to discuss Council Business.

Long night for them, for sure.

Editorial comments: I have two more suggestions for increasing the tax base in Ogden City, in addition to the much touted one of having to attract outside investors. Perhaps the city could be a bit more supportive of local businesses and local investors, giving them the same consideration, perks, and "special deals" commonly heretofore reserved for those outside the community who appear to have large financial resources. Secondly, consider cutting the fat in the local governmental structure, which, along with the tax rate, is one of the largest in the State of Utah.

The Public Safety Advisory Committee, I recall, also requested at its review to be more involved with the City, making one wonder if these Advisory Committees are indeed an untapped resource.

Anyone who knows what's in store for the proposed rezoning areas should chime in and tell us more, I think.

And where is Glasmann park to be? Anyone know?