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Show 467 333 SC. cm. ::s ! ASSS. TTZZZ STATS EAST 11 u: 0 A A y 7 --VOLUME 2 8 PAGES FIFTY-TW- O NUMBER TWENTY-SEVE- N Sunset Homeowners Square Off Against Advocates Of Multiple By MARK D. MICKELSEN SUNSET of A noisy group homeowners advocates squared off Thursday night in a verbal battle to determine whether or not several hundred yards of 800 North should be rezoned to permit multiple dwellings. single-famil- and State and county tax administrators have agreed to reduce the assessed valuation of the Freeport Centers land and buildings by nearly $2.5 million. Clearfield officials say theyll fight the reduction. FRIEND OR FOE? y multiple-dwellin- g THE AREA, stretching from approximately 250 West to was rezoned from 3 to l earlier this summer when the city council adopted a new dwelling master plan for the community. Areas zoned R- allow only singlefamily residences. Several residents of the area petitioned the Sunset Planning Commission for a zoning change in August. According to Mayor Norm Sant, most of the lots in question are deep and about one-haacre in size. SR-12- 6, R-- R-- THE CITY would not be By MARK D. M1CKELSEN FARMINGTON State and county tax administrators have agreed to reduce the assessed valuation of land and buildings at Clearfields Freeport Center by more than $2.5 million, according to Davis County Assessor Thayne Corbridge. CLEARFIELD officials, who not only oppose the reduction but believe the property is worth much more, have announced plans to petition the governors office for an independent agency to investigate the evaluation. Mayor Donal Townley said Clearfield will appeal the action before State Tax Commission representatives. He also said the city plans to employ a private appraiser to complete an evaluation of the property. By DONETA GATHERUM Continuing to respond to complaints from Layton citizens and requests for power to act from city department heads, the Layton City Council Thursday evening again took measures to cleanup Layton. THE COUNCIL passed one new ordinance, amended sections of an existing ordinance and authorized the issuance of 17 cleanup letters. Ordinance 609 established responsibilities and procedures for repairing curb, gutter and sidewalks. UNDER THE terms of this new law, no curb, gutter or sidewalk shall be repaired or installed by any person without first having a written permit from the city building department. There will be no charge for this permit unless it is proposed that a change in the grade, location or dimensions of the sidewalk be made. All ow ners or agents of ow with property abutting and fronting upon any plaza, street or alley are required to keep the public sidewalks abutting their property in good order and repair. rs THE CITY may at its discretion through the director of public works notify property THE KAYSVILLE WEEKLY REFLEX 197 IT North Mam St, Layton, Utah 84041 Phono Published Weekly by 376-913- CLIPPER PUBLISHING CO John Stahie. Jr . Publisher Second Dass Postage Paid at Layton. Utah SUBSCRIPTION $4 SO per year Out ol Stale S5 SO Subscription Oversees Subscription IlSQO (Payable m Advance) considering an additional appraisal, the mayor said, if we didn't think the appraisal would be much higher. Freeport Center administrators appealed to the tax com- mission earlier this year, claiming Davis Countys $29,279,100 assessed valuation exceeded the value of the centers land and buildings. DAVIS COUNTY Assessor Thayne Corbridge said as a result of the countys new value factoring system property at the Freeport Center increased 14 and percent in value. The same factoring system has been used to determine assessed value on all county businesses, homes and land. Mr. Corbridge noted that the $29 million evaluation rep-four-tent- resents only the land and buildings at the center. He said there is another $30 million in personal property, plus $2.5 utilid million in ties. state-owne- FREEPORT CENTER rep- resentatives met with the county board of equalization following receipt of the $29 million evaluation. According to Mr. Corbridge their appeal was denied. But, they were invited to take their grievances to the State Tax Commission. They agreed. At an informal hearing, Mr. Corbridge said he invited Clearfield city officials to employ a private appraiser to do another evaluation of the property in question. THEY DID not exercise that suggestion, he said. owners that repairs must be made. If the person fails to make the required repairs, the city may repair the damage and assess the cost to the property owner. ficient amount of bond money to pay for the improvements. Layton city will participate in the cost of maintaining said curb, gutter and sidewalk by taking out. removing and disposing of the portions of the developers to recover the money the city will have to curb, gutter and sidewalk which the property owner sires to replace. de- SEVERAL sections of Ordinance 612 were amended by council action. Subdividers are now by law to enter into a written agreement with the planning commission. Among other requirements, the agreement will provide the time for completion of off-sid- e improvements are not completely inoff-sit- e stalled and the amount of security held to complete said improvements is insufficient to pay for completion of the improvements, the city building official is authorized to w ithhold the issuance of any building or occupancy permits until the improvements are installed or sufficient security to pay for the improvements has been paid to the city. The amendments to Ordinance 612 are intended to correct one or two situations that have recently come about in Lavten city where land developers have failed to complete curb, guttering and sidewalk and have not posted a suf off-sit- spend making the provements. For the third time in consecutive council meetings, the Layton City Council authorized letters of complaints to off-sit- e im- be sent to people owning weedy or unsightly property in the city. Property ow ners have ten days to correct the problem or legal steps will be taken to have the property cleaned up at the expense of the property owner. assessor. Instead, Mr. Corbridge said Clearfield arrived at the formal tax commission hearing and proceeded to tell board members that the Freeport Center did not generate enough tax revenues to pay for utility bills. THE TAX commission denied Clearfield the opportunity to speak further, claiming the issue was not one of revenue, but of assessed value. In a telephone interview Wednesday, Mayor Townley said he was unaware that the city had been asked to produce an appraisal. SINCE of ONE-quart- Clearfield's total tax revenues come from the Freeport Center, there is some concern by the city council that reduced SEVENTEEN letters of complaint were authorized by the city council at Thursday's meeting. Included in the complaints were several uncompleted subdivisions, one with 20 unsightly lots and another with 30 weedy lots. According to Ladd Scof-fielcity building inspector, the response to the letters has been good. Many unkept lots d, have been cleaned up. SEPT. 8 is the deadline date for those who received the first letters of complaint issued by the city. After this first deadline has passed, the city will be able to gauge how successful their efforts to improve the appearance of Layton has been. im- provements and shall set forth the security arrangement between the subdividcr and the city for compliance with the subdivision requirements and for installation of improvements in the subdivision, and shall provide security to the city by way of a first mortgage or a first lien on the real property being developed, corporate surety bond, or cash payment in escrow so as to secure the city against failure of performance on the part of the subdividcr. IF THE LAYTON CITY under the amended Ordinance 612 now has the power to take court action against these subdivision They did not hire an valuations will seriously affect the community. As a result of the formal tax commission hearing, Freeport Center representatives agreed to hire two different appraisers -l to evaluate the property, according to Mr. Corbridge. THE TWO appraisals, at $22 and $24 million, were "slightly lower than ours, he said. Corbridge said the tax commission completed an appraisal of their own, but did not release any details. AFTER SOME investiga- tion, the tax commission recommended that the county readjust its evaluation from $29 million to $26.8 million, a drop of nearly $2.5 million. We have determined we will accept it, Corbridge said. THE DAVIS County Commission recently signed a letter of approval accepting the figure. Responding to that decision, Clearfield Mayor Donal Town-le- y said, We (council) will contest it." HE SAID my main concern is for Clearfield city residents. "I resent the fact that were not all treated equally. HE SAID the assessment figures presented in the formal tax commission hearing were outrageous and said Clearfield will complete their own private appraisal to prove it. Freeport Center officials have the right to appeal the adjusted valuation figure before the district court-i- f they feel it is unfair. IF AN appeal in the district court is denied, the issue can go as high as the Utah Supreme Court, Mr. Corbridge said. He said there have been only a few cases which have made it all the way to the Supreme Court. lf ' Randy Brown, a supporter asked. sensiMayor Sant said, explaining that water pressure of the rezoning proposal, said Were certainly he bought property in the 800 North area because a number of city officials told him he tive, decreases whenever new would be able to develop homes are built. there. WHY MUST it be multiple REFERRING to the citys master plan in which 800 North was downzoned to R-- I Brown said Im a little bit damn mad about this. Up until three years ago, you could have put a multiple dwelling, Mayor Sant asked councilmembers. When a plan comes in, Mayor Sant said, technically, we dont have the right to tell them (developers) what to do as long as they conform to state, city and county nances." ex- plained. the residents had received offers to sell their property. multiple dwelling complex several months ago. Three responded. What are we going to do Councilwith our children, man Clayton Peterson said Another 800 North resident, opposed to rezoning, said "we're getting older and we don't want the little kids running around in front of us. those children who cannot afford proposal according to Councilman Clayton Peterson. Residents for and opposed to the rezoning packed the city council chambers, spelling out the advantages and disadvantages of rezoning. Most live on or nearby 800 North. GEORGE STOKES, one of the first 800 North homeowners to petition for a change, said, the reason for this rezoning is to try and salvage what we have." If 800 North is widened "it will affect our residents to the point where it might not be bearable with the traffic," he said. WE W OULD like to sell or upgrade our property," he told councilmembers. Another resident presented the council with a list of 80 signatures from single-famil- y homeowners opposed to a change. I LIKE the serenity and the peace and quet we have, 800 North is the most peaceful street in the city, he said. single-famil- y dwellings. I'M BETWEEN a rock and a hard spot, Councilman Peterson said, referring to a decision on the matter. I think the time is coming when we're going to have to have some fourplexesand multiple dwellings. that. not voted on the rezoning ordi- CITY COUNCILMAN Scott Mikesell asked how many of BROWN ARGUED he was told he would be able to put in a THE PROBLEM is in the WE DONT especially like deeper lots where there is no the type of people that would for water irrigation. secondary be moving in, she said. While the city does restrict multiple dwellings to a height ; Sometimes, when people of no more than 35 feet, Mayor buy property, Mayor Sant Sant said we cannot dictate said, there are certain rights how theyll be built. There are and privileges that go with certain things we can ask for. THE PLANNING commission recommended Thursdays public hearing, but have Don Kinsey dwellings? MULTIPLES, he added, LETJUST make sure we understand both sides." Another resident said: "The time's coming when you're going to have to have all those multiple dwellings to put kids in. ELANOR KINSEY, also of the 800 North area, said her family has very little water What would happressure. pen if they (developers) built multiple dwellings? she have as much place around here as singles. In a final comment, George Stokes told the council: The way things are I want to sell. I don't care what goes in there. I WOULD like to build a duplex or a fourplex...if I was younger. The city council tabled a decision on the rezoning request pending further discussion. Picture Deadlines For Reflex Journal , Leader-Bulleti- n FRIDAY AT 12:00 NOON upport Davis Development By TOM BUSSELBERG FARMINGTON The Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce "carries a long, proud history" of working with the entire state and has pledged support for Davis County development efforts. FR ED B ALL, the chambers executive director, made that ofTer during the regular monthly county economic development committee meeting last week in the county commission chambers in Farmington. e "We emphasize that we in the Salt Lake Area Chamber have some resources that can be utilized more effectively by communities. Were one of only two states that doesn't have state chamber. We don't think we really need one," he said, emphasizing, "We don't compete as long as it helps the stale." TH AT COOPF.R ATlON will include attendance by Harold Tippetts, county planner and acting economic development director, at Salt Lake chamber meetings and full access to any of the varied resources of the Salt Lake group. They include a business research department that pro- vides information for in- terested businesses, a library, media presentation facilities where slides shows on various areas, including Davis County. are being readied and a staff of volunteer businessmen who make trips around the country "talking up the region, including Das is County, he explained. THE SALT Lake Chamber is one of only eight percent re- ceiving accreditation "That's a sign of excellence with the U.S. Chamber. We're fully staffed and operational." Mr Ball said, noting the Phoenix, Anz., Denser and San Francisco chambers are not accredited, for example. The time is npe for attracting business to the state. "We used to spend a great deal of our time just getting someone to look at us. W e suffered from an image problem. W e had a marvelous product but we didn't do a good job of packaging or merchandising." WHEN MR. Ball went to work for the chamber in early 1971 he had to fight such obstacles as an article by the world's largest industrial site selector firm that listed Utah as the second least preferred spot for industry in the nation. Wyoming was last. I was tembly concerned about why Utah was next to the bottom. he recalls. We have things to offer most other states don't even touch. Last October he (same author) gave a talk to the California Chamber of Commerce, basically the same as that article. At the conclusion he listed states in order of preference. Utah is no now the longer 49th-w- ere number one spot in America for industrial development." BASED PRIMARILY on geography Mr. Ball explained, Utah is the geographical center of the fastest growing part of Amenca-t- he hub of 39 million Amencans-t- he only market that can give second morning delivery service to the four major W esl Coast markets and overnight sen ice to the rest of the burgeoning In rmountam West. It a truism that we are indeed the hub. That change didn't come solely by people waking up to he importance of geography or chance, he said. "Indeed our image has changed. We had what we called then 'Ramptons Raiders. We went to Boston and saw a big poster" outlining the city's massive campaign. IT SAID, "Dont litter our subways." with the subhead adding. "Or we'll send you to anti-litt- Utah." That city's chamber manager said they thought the worst place indeed was Utah. "It seems strange to us because we know whats here but we found that most people thought w e w ere the Great Salt Lake Desert (no mountains). We wore funny big hats, all had two wises, and other than that they didn't know much about it. We looked at the advertiv ing we were putting in. W'e were saying. Come to Utah because we have the greatest snow on earth' or beautiful ca- nyons, ballet, etc. Then we realized that' not the reason industrys going to come. THATS THE frosting. But the main reason they're going to come is to make a buck. W e said come to Utah because we have the most profitable work force-mo- re value added than any other state in America. Its the most highly educatcd-w- e lead the nation in those w ho go to high school, graduate, go to college and also the percent of people who get advanced degrees. "Then we talk about the molto-t- he beehive, industrialism, the work ethic. An honest days work for an honest days pay is still very much alive in Utah. W e changed the story-o- ur marketing approach. When we did, our results chanced. WE HAD all kinds of industries come in during the last few years with good jobs in all places of the state." Mr. Ball emphasized. "Were now working with 42 Fortune 5W companies that are looking at Utah. Never have we had more prospects looking at us. but never have we had fewer announcements to make. But with the economy, people aren't very anxious to announce expansion. But the state's "been discovered" and those announcements will be coming as the economy improves, he said, with potential now for bringing jobs to the state that will allow its generally highly educated workforce to rcmam-su- ch as with regional or corporate headquarters, such as American Fxnress. "SOME OF the successes weve had havent been in the Salt Lake Valley," Mr. Ball noted. We were deeply involved with Mas Factor and when Framm went to the Freeport Center" Blong with steering scores of firms to areas from Cache Valley to Cedar City, "Probably a lot of people would like to come to Davis County but they don't know about your agency. Our job is to satisfy their criteria anywhere in the state" and the media overview of Davis County will help provide pertinent, concise information. |