This morning's Standard-Examiner headline, "WSU waiting for gondola plan," suggests the question that many of us in our Emerald City community have been asking with increasing urgency:
"Where the hell is Chris Peterson, and his "plan?"
And the other real estate stake-holder, the Emerald City council likewise remains entirely and completely in the dark, according to this morning's Scott Schwebke headline story.
Mr. Peterson and his Gondola Cult Zombie-henchmen have spent over a year splitting our community down the middle, and subjected us to a relentless military-style "shock and awe"public relations barrage. We've witnessed with painful embarrassment the ludicrous spectacle of our city's #1 elected executive officer behaving as a common huckster, scheduling incessant public and private propaganda sessions, wasting public assets, hanging with a very devious and dubious crowd, and turning the tactic of political arm-twisting into a lower art-form all its own. We've watched as our city council has bent over backwards to demonstrate its "good faith," without even a hint of reciprocity on Mr. Peterson's part. And in the ultimate demonstration of dumb blind faith, our Emerald City planning commission is reportedly on the brink of expediting the process of dis-assembling our existing planning and zoning scheme, just in case Mr. Peterson ever does come through with anything tangible. "We have to get it done before the end of the year, " says, Boss Godfrey's Uncle (Greg) Montgomery. "Time is of the essence," he says.
How embarrassing... for us.
"The ball is in Mr. Peterson's court," we say. "It's put up or shut up time. " It's time either to (do something entirely unprintable on our nice family blog...) "or get off the pot," as the old country folk-saying goes.
Of course, Mr. Peterson "cannot be reached for comment," even by the very tenacious Ace Reporter Schwebke. The closest thing reporter Schwebke can find approaching an actual public Peterson statement for today's article is something said way back in August by by Mr. Peterson's hired Salt Lake City mouthpiece: "A development agreement could come sometime this fall," is what Mr. Ellison said. (We assumed at the time that he was talking about the fall of 2006.)
So what say our gentle readers? Isn't it time for Mr. Peterson the "Show us the Beef?"
And we'll add one more tidbit. This is all rumor; so take it for what it's worth::
We are receiving persistent reports that Mr. Peterson may have already and quietly "pulled the plug" on his ambitious but un-sellable gondola/landgrab scheme. According to one anonymous but heretofor trustworthy source, Peterson has already "called off" his investors. If this is the case, we urge Mr. Peterson to behave in a gentlemanly way, let the citizens of Emerald City off the hook, and publicly inform us that the "plan" is DOA. That way we can get back to the business of reveling in the real economic revitaliztion that seems to be happening all around us now.
So please speak up, gentle readers. Does there really remain any reason to take this Peterson guy seriously? Hasn't he wasted enough of our time and energy already? Is Mr. Peterson's demonstrated performance (or lack thereof) the kind of performance we would expect of the developer-linchpin in any important public-private partnership? Isn't it time that the citizens of Emerald City just cut this sad-sack loose? Isn't it time for Boss Godfrey to cut his losses, and remove this ridiculous albatross from his political neck? Wouldn't Boss Godfrey be entitled to at least a little bit of praise... if he admitted he was wrong just this once?
So many questions... so few answers.
The floor is open.
Happy Monday morning, everyone!
Update 10/30/06 3:01 p.m. MT: There is a Smart Growth Ogden letter circulating via snail-mail regarding the upcoming November 1, 2005 Planning Commission meeting, during which that body has MAJOR CHANGES slated for Emerald City's zoning ordinances.
Although we have Curmudgeon posting here, and other Smart Growth members reading...
We wonder why NOBODY IN THAT ORGANIZATION has published info about Wednesday's critical planning commision meeting here.
Here's the letter we received (indirectly) today from somebody on the Smart Growth list who's a little "pissed" about this oversight:
RE: Wednesday 11/1/06 Planning Commission meeting
Turf battle brewiug here in the Emerald City underground perhaps?
We would think Smart Growth would be wanting to get the message out.
Oh well...
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19 comments:
What great news if your 'informant' has it straight: DOA is right!
And WSU and the Board of Regents need to pound in the last nail in the coffin by just 'saying NO!'
A huckster, a shill and a pimp. That's what we've been subjected to for way too long.
Let's get real shop owners into the Junction...name 'em, eh?
Let's develop around the FrontRunner stop....let's make stores and businesses look inviting with paint and an awning...SOMEthing that says..'hey, we care!' Grondahl had a great cartoon sometime ago of the folks getting off the FrontRunner...and a kid selling lemonade was the only business to greet them!
Let's not celebrate just yet, folks.
Recall that the diluting of Ogden's zoning laws Mr. Peterson wanted in preparation for his gated community development on the Mt. Ogden parklands property is coming up before the Planning Commission this Wednesday, or so the agenda suggests. Mr. Peterson's attorney recently attended the PC work session at which the two changes in zoning law Mr. Peterson wants to pave the way for his project were discussed with the few [three] PC members who showed up.
The changes Peterson wants, by the way, are these: (a) eliminating the current ban on building on land with a slope in excess of 30% in "sensitive overlay" zones [much of he land Peterson wants to build on is in this category] and (b) a new Multiple Use zoning category which would enable the Planning Commission and Council to create, in effect, "no zoning zones" to accommodate real estate developers in the city.
I see no evidence that Mr. Peterson or his crony, Mayor Godfrey, have dropped their real estate speculation scheme as part of the gondola/gondola scheme. The speed with which the administration is trying to rush the zoning changes through suggests, in fact, the reverse.
Once again, I invoke the Wisdom of Yoggi Berra: "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." And I'm not hearing any music yet.
I also would like to know about the Riverfront Project. What do you think of this statement:
Ogden ran out of money for the Riverfront Project and therefore private investors stepped in. One property owner was offered much, much more for his property than the city had previously offered him, and elected to take the money and run, being heartily fed up with the intrusion of Ogden into his life and property over the past few years.
That statement was repeated to me and I have no idea if it is true. Does anyone know anymore about this?
Regarding the upcoming Planning Commission vote, perhaps we should "let our voices be heard" on this issue. My understanding of the proposed changes is that they are not only zoning changes, but that the entire intent of the ordinance to be amended has changed. It now has statements protecting public access to the trails, protection of wildlife habitat, and protection of the natural environment. The changes to it make it an ordinance entirely concerned with the identification of hazards for potential development. All those other protections, I believe, will be gone.
We always have interesting results when Schwepke shuffles through one of his old Journalism 101 text books!
I think this is the first time I have ever read where Schwepke actually defines Peterson as he really is: A "would-be developer".
Is this PR hack finally feeling a few old journalistic stirrings? Only time and a few researched articles will tell.
Regarding Dian's comments on the upcoming Planning Commission vote, does anyone have email addresses for the members of the Planning Commission, besides John Mayer's (johnmayer@ci.ogden.ut.us) which is given on the city website?
When is the next planning commission meeting and where is it being held at what time?
There is nothing listed on the city web page.
Page shows no agenda or even when the next meeting is. Aren't they supposed to update that info?
The Planning Commission meeting will be Wednesday, November 1, starting at 5:00 pm, in the City Council chambers on the 3rd floor of the Municipal Building (SW corner of 25th and Washington).
There is a Smart Growth Ogden letter circulating via snail-mail regarding the upcoming November 1, 2005 Planning Commission meeting, during which that body has MAJOR CHANGES slated for Emerald City's zoning ordinances.
Although we have Curmudgeon posting here, and other Smart Growth members reading...
We wonder why NOBODY IN THAT ORGANIZATION has published info about Wednesday's critical meeting here.
Here's the letter we received (indirectly) today from somebody on the Smart Growth list who is pissed:
RE Wednesday 11/1/06 Planning Commission meeting
Turf battle brewiug perhaps...?
We would think Smart Growth would be wanting to get the message out in every possible forum... especially the most travelled political commentary blog in th ewhole Utah Blogosphere.
Oh well...
Ogdenlover,
I have hunted several times for a list of those on the Planning Commission, and have found nothing. In view of the fact that land use is a hot issue lately, we might want to familiarize ourselves a bit more with this body, in that it is about to play a key role in the Mount Ogden Golf Course land use decision this Wednesday. Here's how:
Ordinance 4-3A-5, Conveyance of City Real Property, which states that city owned real property shall be sold by the mayor, states that property used by the public, (and it lists these uses,) cannot be sold by the Mayor without "Planning Commission Review." This involves:
Planning Commission Review: The sale of any public use property owned by the city shall not be sold if such conveyance would not conform with the Ogden City general plan, and any proposed conveyance of such property shall be reviewed by the planning commission for its determination as to such compliance. The planning commission may adopt guidelines authorizing staff review of such conveyances for compliance with the plan.
Overlooking the unusual phrasing of "the sale...shall not be sold," one of the amendments being voted upon this week is the establishment of a MU Zone, or "Multi-use Zone." And this zoning, the proposed amendments state, would rely heavily on developers' plans instead of Ogden City zoning ordinances.
Getting to the point, (finally,) the land Chris Peterson is interested in purchasing is currently zoned Open Space. The Ogden City General Plan has as one of its tenets, "Preservation of Open Space."
So you don't just sell Open Space to a developer. That would be against the General Plan, and a violation of the part of 4-3A-5 quoted above. You don't do that.
Instead, what you do in order to make this sale able to be legally made by the Mayor, is Change the Zoning. You change it from Open Space to Mixed Use.
There is no prohibition in the Ogden City General Plan against selling a Mixed Use piece of property, after all.
Should the zoning of the property Peterson is interested in purchasing be changed, there would be no prohibition against the Mayor selling it to him.
Clever, isn't it.
Now, this meeting Wednesday is not to change the zoning of that property to Mixed Use, but just to establish the category of Mixed Use as a zone here. In addition to doing away with the ordinance prohibiting building on steep slopes, and a few other things.
But one can see where this may be leading. If this property is designated Mixed Use, it can be sold to Peterson by the Mayor. Then, approval for development is contingent on Peterson's plan (because that's what these Mixed Use Zones do, per the proposed amendments,) instead of current zoning ordinances, which will be gone if these proposed amendments are voted in.
We've been joking about Peterson's attorney requesting that the property be designated a No-Zone zone. Well, in one sense, that's what this is. A MU Zone has the development sort of made up as it goes along, with heavy input from the Planning Commission.
Which is why it might be just a tad important that we know who its members are.
"Getting to the point, (finally,) the land Chris Peterson is interested in purchasing is currently zoned Open Space."
Is this true. It is my understanding that the land behind Weber State is zoned R 1.
And also, is there a diference between "open space" and "Golf course"?
It is my understanding that the land behind Weber State is zoned R 1.
Could be. I apologize for not getting into that more specifically.
I imagine there are quite a few differences between open space and golf course, especially in the instance of Mount Ogden Park. It has been disputed whether or not Mount Ogden Golf Course is contained within the broader heading of Mount Ogden Park, or is separate from it.
Actually, I was approaching this from the standpoint of open space currently deemed for public use. I was thinking along the lines that changing the zoning in this area would neatly remove obstacles to the Peterson development. Which it would. Those obstacles are: the sensitive overlay zone near that property, the slope ordinance, and the public access to open space areas. These are all being considered at Wednesday's meeting.
If you'd like to be sure of this zoning, there's a link to the Ogden City Zoning map on the planning and zoning page of the Ogden City Website, but you have to download it.
Sounds like a whole bunch of us should show up at the PC meeting on Wed nite, eh?
Curmudgeon,
Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over until it's over"
A San Antonio sportswrite/broadcaster named Dan Cook said, "It ain't over until the fat lady sings". The Fat Lady Sings
Bob Dylan said,
Half of the people can be part right all of the time,
Some of the people can be all right part of the time,
But all of the people can't be all right all of the time.
Regarding gondola scams:
I don't know who said, "Money talks and bullsh*t walks"
Well, Rudi...you were soooo sure DiCaria was going to be forthcoming with the 'investigative probe' results, like, THIS week!!
Hope you weren't laying any big wagers?
VanGate Report Delayed Again
I see by the papers, front page story by Mr. Schwebke, that the Decaria report about his investigation of Vangate was not released, as promised, yesterday. It has been "delayed" again, without explanation and with no new issue date offered.
Well, I think that answers some questions about Mr. DeCaria. First off, it seems that his word is not worth a whole lot. He did go on record saying the report would be released Monday. Wasn't and no explanation, and no new promised release date. And the suspicion that the report is being delayed until the election is over now looks a lot more credible than it did a few days ago. He's still got time, but not much and the window of opportunity is shrinking.
Perhaps all those cynics who announced their certainty that Mr. DeCaria was a charter member of the Godfrey/Greiner Protective Association were right after all.
Just Sayin
Thanks. I'd been attributing that to Yoggi Berra for years. Glad you straightened me out on it. Though as a born and bred Brooklyn Dodger fan, I should have known that no player for the Vile and Disgustings [aka NY Yankees] could possibly have come up with something that clever.
Thanks again.
Hmmmm.... Greiner in violation of the Hatch Act says George Bush's Justice Dept, but he keeps running anyway. And now this [ excerpts below] from today's SL Trib. Gee, is there any law Republican officials in Utah think they have to obey during elections?
Official state letterhead used on endorsement, but Shurtleff avoids penalty
By Matt Canham
The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff broke the law on Oct. 10 by sending an endorsement letter to Beaver County residents on official state letterhead.
The charge: misuse of the state seal.
His plea: guilty.
The penalty: nothing.
Use of the state seal in a campaign is against the law and violators could face a felony, but Shurtleff even avoided a warning, according to state election director Michael Cragun, who is charged to look into any allegations of misuse.
Cragun, who works for Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert, called the letter a "mistake...."
For his part, Shurtleff admits his error saying: "It was a mistake. It was my bad...."
More than a decade ago, Democratic Attorney General Jan Graham used the seal on fund-raising invitations, which sparked a controversy that helped lead to a detailed rule on what constitutes misuse....
Official rule says the seal can't be used "in a political campaign, or in ways that may legitimize or assist to defeat another candidate...."
One upset Beaver County resident complained to the county clerk's office, who in turn passed on the complaint to Cragun and the Democratic Party.
Democratic spokesman Jeff Bell called the letter and Cragun's response "unfortunate."
"It is very convenient that the attorney general can do something tasteless like that, which happens to be against the law and get away with it," he said.
Caril here,
I'm catching up on the weekend. We can thank Robin Macnofsky (as Downtown Ogden, Inc.) for the Farmers Market. As an observer, I didn't see Godfrey's hand anywhere - which is probably why it is a success.
The only year she wasn't 100% involved, the folks who tried to take it over offended the farmers, the artists and the business folks. Luckily, she returned to pull it back into shape.
About today's issue: at a past City Council meeting I urged the council members to sellect someone OUTSIDE Weber County to investigate Griener/Godfrey-Gate. Today in the SE, the reporter notes that it will be difficult for DeCaria either way he decides, since he has to work with Griener in the future. Now even the SE admits that DeCaria is between the old rock and even older hard place. If only they had selected an investigator more removed from the people involved!
Finally - Regardless of why Smart Growth Ogden has only gotten the message out at this late date, we now know about it. I hope to see you at the Planning Commission meeting Wednesday at 5:00 pm
DiCaria is between a rock and a hard place because he put himself there!
Caril, I made the same plea from that podium too...and here, many times.
The rabble only THINK, deluded souls, that we have a voice.
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