Powder Mountain Rezone letter from Kimbal Wheatley (continued)

No request to increase overall Valley density has been approved for many years. Until the legal, precedent-setting implications of approving the PM request are well understood, no action should be taken. It is quite likely that awarding additional density to Powder Mountain will open the floodgates for similar requests that will be difficult to deny (because of precedent) and turn an 18,800+ unit problem into a 30,000 unit problem.

Below are basic questions as well as detail for the conclusions I reached:

Discrepancies in the fundamentals – until various inconsistencies are understood and resolved, no one can really decipher the true density impact of the PM proposal.
1. There are huge discrepancies between the “existing zoning” acreage in the Powder Mountain (PM) “density tables” and the analysis in the Recreation Element of the General Plan (RE). Either BioWest or PM (or both) are wrong in computing base density by zone.
2. The zoning maps in the planning office show no FV-3 zones in the PM project area, but the PM “existing zoning” table shows 582 acres.
3. There are also huge discrepancies between the build-able acreage computations in the PM proposal and RE.
4. Existing zoning density claimed in the FR-3 zone doesn’t match up with the requirements in the FR-3 ordinance. PM claims existing density in FR-3 of 20 units per build-able acre. However, FR-3 requires 6,000 square feet for single family and 7,500+ for multi-family (plus 2,000 ft per unit in excess of two). This means the maximum density in this zone is 7.26 units/acre for single family, 11.62/acre for two-family, 15.15/acre for 4-plex, and 17.87/acre for 8-plex. Even 16-plex buildings don’t reach the 20 units/acre.
Missing critical information – rationale and assumptions underlying the PM request must be complete to properly consider the proposal.
5. The PM proposal provides no justification for the bonus densities indicated in their density tables. Their “existing zoning” density is based on bonuses of 20% in F40, 30% in FR-3, and 30% in FV-3. In their “proposed zoning” table, the F40 bonus is computed at 20% and FV-3 at 25%. The RE tables for PM indicate 0% bonus in FV3 zones. Justification must be provided for any bonus assumptions.
6. Only about half of the PM property in the RE analysis is included in the PM proposal. This leaves 4,259 acres in an unknown. Perhaps PM intends to propose another 2800 units on this property…or maybe they will place it into open space. In any case, an honest master plan must include the other half of their holdings.
7. The PM proposal only shows a few units in Cache county, but there is reason to believe the Cache county portion is much larger. Since 100% of the traffic will end up traversing Ogden Valley, the impact of the proposal cannot be understood until the whole project is understood, regardless of the county it is located in.
8. The PM proposal requests their CVR-1 acreage be increased from 24.8 to 125 acres, increasing units in this zone from 350 to 1940 units plus commercial space. The square footage of commercial space proposed must be included.

Thank you for considering my views.

Kimbal L. Wheatley, East Huntsville

Powder Mountain Rezone Request

(continued)

It should be noted that the Powder Mountain developer had significant input into the content of the draft Recreation Resort Zone Ordinance. Powder Mountain has stated that any delay in the Weber County Planning process involving approval of the new ordinance should not delay their request for the rezone any longer.

The VCRD disagrees, we believe the worst scenario for our Valley is for the Ogden Valley Planning Commission or Weber County Commission to approve a precedent setting rezone that could undo much of the ongoing density planning efforts, and negatively impact the future look and character of Ogden Valley. Any increase in density (dwellings) will negatively impact the road traffic, air quality and water usage in Ogden Valley. This rezone petition should not be approved without extensive and thorough examination of the long term ramifications of such a zone change.

If Powder Mountain’s request for a rezoning is approved, that action could open the flood gates for other resorts like Wolf Creek, Snow Basin, and all other resort developers to petition the Commission for similar rezoning. This could be a disaster for the overall density plan in Ogden Valley.

We urge all Ogden Valley residents to write or call the Ogden Valley Planning Commissioners before the August 1st hearing asking them to deny this rezone request for Powder Mountain.
E-mail, call or write your OVPC commissioners so that your opinion reaches the commissioners before August 1.

Their addresses are:Ogden Valley Planning Commission (OVPC)

E-mail:You must write your e-mails to the planning clerk e-mail address and instruct her to give each Commission member a copy.

Her e-mail address is: ssillito@co.weber.ut.us

Regular Mail or Hand Delivery:Your comments may also be mailed or hand delivered to:

Ogden Valley Township Planning Commission Office
Attention: Sherri Sillito, Planning department
2380 Washington Blvd.
Ogden, UT 84401.

Include instructions to distribute your letter to all Ogden Valley Planning Commission members before the August 1st hearing.

Telephone:

Sherri Sillito 801-399-8791

Remember to include your Name, and Address so they know who you are and to eliminate the possibility that your e-mail or letter would be discarded.

Valley Citizens For Reasonable Development(VCRD)

Ogden Valley Township Planning Commission Meeting Agenda July 25, 2007

Consent Agenda items

A. Conditional Use permit CUP #15-07 Site plan approval for Ogden Pineview Yacht Club addition located at approximately 990 N Highway 158

B. Final approval - Carter Brothers subdivision located approximately 5700 E 2500 N, 1 lot

C. Final Approval - Watts Estates Subdivision at approximately 5750 N 2995 E., Liberty, 1 lot

Regular Agenda Items

1. Conditional use permit CUP #16-07 Site plan approval for Wolf Creek Reception Center/ Athletic Center Parking Lot located at approximately 3923 N Wolf Creek Drive

2. Final approval - Sundance Ridge subdivision located at approximately 5515 E. Snow Basin Road, 4 lots

3. Preliminary approval - Sage Glen Cluster Subdivision, 85 lots, in Five Phases located at approximately 3100 E 5500 N, Liberty
*Note: Public comment has been taken on this item and discussion/and or action will only be made by the planning commission members at this point

4. Preliminary approval - Aspen Ranch Clustered Subdivision located at approximately 8800 E & 1300 S, 3 lots

5. Preliminary approval - Moose Mountain Estates Cluster Subdivision Phase 1 located at approximately 2400 N & 4500 E, 47 lots

6. Preliminary approval - Eden Valley ranch subdivision located at approximately 5100 E. 2800 N, 25 lots

7. Preliminary approval of Elk Shadow Subdivision located at approximately 5700 E & 2500 N, 5 lots

8. Adjourn


There will be a pre meeting conference at 4:00 PM in the commission chambers conference room