One of our gentle readers sent us an email this morning, with a link to an article appearing on the Utah Heritage Foundation blog. It's a well-written article, touching on an issue we've discussed here on Weber County Forum, i.e., The Godfrey administration's proposal for a wholesale zoning change within Ogden City's 25th Street Historic District. We incorporate the opening paragraphs below:
Ogden's 25th Street is the model downtown historic district I am proud to use in my presentations. But sadly that may not be for much longer.The article goes on to discuss the background of our 25th Street Historic District's remarkable revival, within the context of an overall historic preservation ethos, and to make a fine and cogent argument for the denial of a broad change in our unique historic district's zoning, on the basis of the questionable purported "wants" of the single Windsor Hotel developer.
On Tuesday, September 23rd, the Ogden City Council will consider a request to change the 45-foot height restriction in the 25th Street Historic District which has been in place since 1989. If you've walked 25th Street and seen the ongoing revitalization of downtown Ogden, then you have witnessed how historic preservation has played a key role in sparking the comeback of one of the great historic downtowns of Utah. This includes award-winning rehabilitations, new local businesses, and with the relocation of the IRS, thousands of new jobs downtown.
Just like other zoning ordinances, preservation ordinances for historic districts and their design guidelines are in place to create a level playing field for everyone. So is it fair that now a developer comes forward with a proposal to change these ordinances that govern the entire district to make their single project work? It seems not.
Among other things, the article provides Ogden City Council contact links, along with a wealth of other useful information.
It's an interesting and informative read, and we urge all of our readers to check it out here:
Ogden City Council considers major zoning change for historic 25th Street
Sometimes we lumpencitizens of Ogden City feel a mite isolated in our 24/7 fight to to oppose Boss Godfrey's efforts to blithely turn our city over to his friends, cohorts and campaign contributors. Having said that, we're happy to learn this morning that a Utah historic preservation heavyweight, The Utah Heritage Foundation, has joined us in what has heretofore seemed to be a purely local fight.
The Utah Heritage Foundation has adopted a position strongly opposing the new ordinance, and invited its blog readers to contact our council with their opinions on the subject. We accordingly urge our gentle readers to open the above-linked article, take advantage of the embedded contact links, and let the council know exactly what the Ogden lumpencitizens think as well.
As mentioned in the blog article, the council will consider the zoning change during its regular September 23 council meeting. Time is running short, gentle readers. If you intend to take action... we'd suggest you DO IT NOW.
2 comments:
Hopefully cooler heads will prevail w/ this (in the form of the City Council denying the ordinance revision). As much I love to see new projects downtown, I don't want to see our community's assets destroyed in the process. Come on developers of the Windsor, the City is already granting you a grundle of $, play fair.
What the City council needs to do is examine Godfrey's behavior over the past 8-1/2 years, work with the Attorney general, indict the little shit, and then send the little twerp to Draper, to share a cell with his Butt Buddy, Val Southwick.
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