Friday, September 04, 2009

Standard-Examiner Editorial; The Powder Mountain Road is a (Big) Problem

As a major opinion leader in Weber County, the Standard-Examiner said something this morning that needed to be said
It may have been a big success for Powder Mountain, but it was a nightmare for commuters and residents on the Powder Mountain road. The congested road was dangerous both for drivers and nearby residents. It simply is not big enough to handle thousands of vehicles over a short period of time, particularly very large vehicles, which were in abundance last weekend.

Standard-Examiner
OUR VIEW: Road to resort a problem
September 4, 2009

Good strong editorial in this morning's Standard-Examiner, referencing Sunday evening's rollover fatality on the Powder Mountain road, and urging the greedhead Powder Mountain developers to exercise basic decency and common sense:
OUR VIEW: Road to resort a problem
The residents of Ogden Valley have long been acutely aware of the inconvenience and outright danger the the Powder Mountain road presents. Sunday's rollover fatality is only the most recent deadly accident on that steep, narrow and winding road. The most recent previous rollover fatality occurred only in 2006; and that deadly accident still remains painfully fresh in the minds of local residents too.

Yes, the residents are well aware of the problem, as was the Ogden Valley Planning Commission in 2007, when that governmental body recommended a pared down Powder Mountain development plan, upon the conditional requirement that they construct a second, permanent all season road.

Of course conditional rezoning wasn't good enough for the Powder Mountain greedheads; and in the name of "private property rights," these developers thumbed their noses at Ogden Valley citizens and Weber County government regulators, and filed their ill-conceived petition for town incorporation.

At present, Powder Mountain is still pursuing its effort to perfect its township petition, to form a lackey company town government, and to ensure that government regulation will not impede its effort to add 10,000 new residential units to its planned mega-resort. This plan, of course, if brought to fruition, would increase the usage of the Powder Mountain road at least ten-fold.

Will the SE's appeal for an exercise in decency and common sense sway the Powder Mountain developers? Based on their track record, we have our serious doubts. But kudos to the Standard-Examiner for chiming in on this issue anyway. As a major opinion leader in Weber County, the Standard-Examiner said something this morning that needed to be said.

In our view, by the way, we believe the SE's sound argument against the staging of large off-season events also applies equally to Powder Mountain's planned year-round mega-development.

And what say our gentle readers about this?

8 comments:

history tells all said...

I'm surprised that the standard ex. didn't compare the road to the eco dev. here in Ogden city. that is to say they both are crashing and burning. If Lowell Peterson was still our county commissioner he would have had it paved in no time. Oh I forgot he did have it paved when he owned it back in the early 90's. so what has happened to it today. the commissioner did not get enough b and c road money from the legislature and let it go. or they didn't raise taxes enough on the residents in the valley. gee whiz, I guess that when government fails you, we usually change the government. any one agree with that?

Find an Answer said...

It is time for common sense to prevail on the use of this road. On Pineview Reservoir, they limit the number of boats allowed for safety reasons on busy holiday weekends, why not limit the amount of vehicles allowed up the Powder Mountain road during large events? Any reasonable solution that could provide for the success for Powder Mountain events, and improve safety, would be in everyone's interest.

Biker Babe said...

LOL

Limit the number vehicles allowed up Powder Mtn Road during large events?

Would that include massive amounts of people living there, if PM has its way? If too many people have already gone home for the day, everyone else has to park at the bottom and wait until morning when someone leaves before they can go home.

LOL

just sayin

BB

G'narg the Inscrutable said...

Ogden Valley is the home to one of the last stands of Truffula Trees.

Don't let Onceler get his way. Save the valley.

Milt said...

There are other unresolved health & safety problems, Rudy. How will the Powder Mountain developers dispose of the sewage from an additional 10,000 residential units (?), for instance.

JoJo said...

Milt

They will just pipe it down the hill to Huntsville so the valley residents can use it for drinking water. What do they care, they will be in their chalets on the hill far above it all.

Cantugi said...

Each blog comment hits home about the many reasons not to have this massive increase in units (dwellings) on top of that mountain. If any have attended any of the many commission hearings, they will remember all of these same concerns have been brought forward many times. They have had zero impact on the would be developers to rethink the size and scope of the project or to build a second access road for safety reasons.

OgdenLover said...

Three real estate developers went on a hunting trip to Alaska. As the pilot dropped them off, he said "This plane can carry only one moose in addition to the four of us,so that's all you can bring back with you."

When the pilot returned a week later, there were the three developers with three moose. They overcame the pilot's protests, strapping one moose to each wing and one over the top of the plane. The plane barely took off, hovered over the lake and crashed into the water.

One developer said to another "well, that's 50' further than we got last year!"

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