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Show The Ogden Valley news Your Community Newspaper July 15, 2010 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Project To Improve North Ogden Divide Out To Bid Cooper Johnson, Levi Johnson, and Kent Voss display flags in the patriotic program held on Saturday, July 3 in Huntsville Park. For more photos of Fourth of July events in Ogden Valley see page 12. Photo taken by Steve Johnson of Huntsville. Snowbasin Open House and Public Hearing—Opportunity to study proposal The Weber County Planning Commission will hear public comment on Snowbasin resort’s master plan on Wednesday August 4 at 6 p.m. in the Commission chambers. This rezone request is the first application of the new Destination Resort Zone Ordinance, which benefits the resort by allowing a single zoning approval to support their entire master plan. This is contingent on assuring the Planning Commission the plan is well-conceived and brings a fair benefit to the Valley as a whole. This application is of particular importance because its impact on Ogden Valley sets the example and the tone for future developments. The magnitude of the resort size, its coverage of the Valley from the reservoir to the top of Mt. Ogden, its use of SR167 (Trappers Loop), and inclusion of commercial properties designed to serve Valley residents make it a landmark application. Every Valley resident will benefit from being informed. In the opinion of the GEM Committee Snowbasin management has done an extraordinary job of understanding Valley issues and needs and has made a real effort to support our General Plan and to provide tangible benefit to the Valley. On Thursday July 15 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Snowbasin is hosting a public open house at Earl’s Lodge to show the plan and field questions. This will be a great opportunity to understand what is proposed. Contributed by Steve Clarke, GEM Committee Chairman. For more information, contact him at <sdclarke@oValley.net> Tragedy Strikes Killing Five in Huntsville By Karen Bastow For the second time in less than a month a horrific accident claimed young lives as vehicles attempted to pass in a no-passing zone. On Saturday, June 26, five young people were tragically killed in a head-on collision near the Ogden Eagles Trailer Park in South Fork. The sound of the crash reverberated throughout the area sending campers running to the scene. A Honda and a Volkswagen were driving west as the group of youth headed home to shower before returning to their camping site. All five occupants of the Honda were killed: Timothy Arguello, age 19, driving; Karlee Jack, age 18, front seat passenger; Fealina Espinoza, age 16, rear right seat; Vanessa Reyes, age 19, middle rear seat; and Todd Salazar, age 22, left rear seat. The Honda tried to pass the other vehicle and was hit head-on by a Ford F-350 pickup truck, which crushed the car. Seatbelts were not worn. A makeshift roadside memorial marks the place where these lives were unnecessarily lost. The driver of the truck was Richard Krig, 22, with his wife, Alexandra Krig, 20, and an infant as passengers. Richard Krig suffered a shoulder injury. The infant was in a car seat and husband and wife were wearing seatbelts and the trio was not seriously injured. Krig was cleared of all wrong doing, although the driver of the other westbound car may still face reckless driving charges. Two Ogden women have set up a fund at Zions Bank to collect donations to aid the families who lost children. Though set up in the name of the driver, Timothy Arguello, the money will be distributed to all the families. Donations may be made at any Zions Bank. This crash was chillingly similar to another accident in Ogden Canyon on May 27 that cut short the life of 16-year-old Mayra Serrano and injured three others. Again, cars were speeding westbound and attempting to pass where prohibited. Hot summer weather often sends people to the cooler canyon areas for fun and recreation. The sheriff’s office is reminding residents, especially young people, to obey laws while driving through canyons. Mountain roads are more dangerous than average roads and passing zones, speed limits, and traffic laws exist for a reason—to protect life. Weber County announces that the project to construct safety improvements on the North Ogden Canyon Road, also known as the North Ogden Divide from North Ogden to Liberty is out to bid. Bids are scheduled to be received July 13. Contracts will be awarded as quickly as possible if bids are within the federal funding and UDOT limits. Weber County Engineer Curtis Christensen says the project will not begin until August at the earliest. The county is planning to replace the existing concrete barrier with a guardrail, and to widen the roadway over a 700-foot section on the east side of the Divide. New signs and striping are also planned for this section, as well as rock scaling to remove any loose rock with the potential to fall onto the roadway. The planned closure is necessary to speed construction as much as possible to minimize long-term impacts to the public. “Weber County recognizes the burden this closure will place on area residents, especially those in the northern portion of the Ogden Valley,” he said. “Once everything is cleared, we will get this project going and completed as quickly and safely as we can, so that our residents can have the use of this important route again. Once the project begins, Christensen said access to traditional hiking points on the roadway will be maintained from the North Ogden side to the summit. However, motorists are reminded that turnaround points are limited and that no vehicles will be allowed to pass through the construction zone for any reason once work begins. Northern Ogden Valley residents in Liberty, Eden, Wolf Creek, and Powder Mountain are encouraged to use state Road 39 through Ogden Canyon as a detour route into the Ogden area, US-89, and the Interstate 15/Interstate 84 corridor. Two Appointed to Ogden Valley Planning Commission The Ogden Valley Planning Commission appointed John (Jack) Howell of Eden and Laura Warburton of Huntsville as the two new planning commissioners. The county commissioners made the appointment after interviewing four applicants for the positions. Tryge Simpson of Huntsville was appointed on Tuesday, June 29, but he declined. The other applicant was Sharon Holmstrom of Eden. The other members of the OVPC are: Greg Graves, Jim Banks, Bill Siegel, Kevin Parsons, and Gary Allen. The Ogden Valley Planning Commission meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month in the Weber County Commission Chambers located at 2380 Washington Blvd., in Ogden at 5:00 p.m. The public is welcome to attend. Comments may be emailed to Sherri Sillitoe at ssillito@co.weber.ut.us or (801) 399-8791. The mission of the Planning Division is to fully support Planning Commission activities in implementing the General Plan in a manner that will preserve Weber County’s unique characteristics and enhance the quality of life for the County’s present and future residents. The staff is guided by a desire to serve the public with the highest professional and ethical standards through superior customer service. Ogden Valley Farmers and Artists Market Opens in New Location The popular Ogden Valley Farmers and Artists Market returns on Saturdays until fall in a new location. It will now be held at Powder Mountain’s shuttle parking lot across from Iverson Dental, just west of Valley Market in Eden each Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. weather permitting. In addition to freshly-grown produce and flowers straight from the gardens of Ogden Valley, this small town market offers a little bit of everything. Local musicians and bands perform while shoppers peruse locally made arts and crafts, jams and jellies, quilts, antiques and collectibles, as well as other surprises. The kids will enjoy their own booth area with interactive crafts and activities. There’s even a masseuse with a massage chair for those just wanting to destress. The Farmers and Artists Market is rapidly becoming a favorite tradition in the Ogden Valley with something for all ages. Vendors may pick up applications at the service desk at Valley Market or online at ovba.org/FAM. For more information contact Linda Knudtson at 801-745-6663. Plans to Erect Veteran’s Monument in Huntsville Cemetery Huntsville Town wants to erect a monument is intended to pay tribute to all past soldiers to honor those who have served that have fought and died to preour country in the military. This serve our freedoms whether on monument would be placed in the the battlefield or after returning Huntsville cemetery. home from service and living The monument design in conout the rest of their lives. sideration is a bronze casting atop A monument like this may a large block of stone, such as seem expensive but the cost will granite or marble. The bronze be minor compared to the price statue will be a cavalryman’s paid by all those brave souls who rider less horse, with head lowhave served the United States of ered, his body obviously tired, America by giving their lives. in a pose of having given his all The exact amount of money to the conflict, and still bearing that it will take to put this projfull battle gear. The total height ect together is not yet known. of the monument is expected to Some sculptors and foundries Sketch of proposed monube approximately seven feet tall. have been explored and the The height of the bronze sculpture ment by Steve Johnson, amount looks hefty. Along with would be approximately three feet of the total the information so far gathered, some funding height represented. ideas have evolved that if pursued could easily The rider less horse in this setting power- cover the cost of the monument. fully represents a fallen soldier. The monument MONUMENT cont. on page 8 Huntsville Now Has One Toll Booth Pictured above Capt. John Meek and his 2-year-old child are led into the Huntsville Fire Dept after walking away from a plane crash on June 30 in the mountains east of Huntsville. Capt. John Meek and three of his children -- ages 2, 7, and 10--were on a flight from Utah to Wyoming to visit his sick father when they crash landed their plane in Weber County -- and walked away with only a few scratches and bruises. Shortly before Memorial Day weekend, Huntsville implemented a toll booth on First Street at the entrance to Cemetery Point to help collect money to maintain the road from the heavy use during the summer months. The Huntsville Town Council had tried to negotiate a deal with American Land & Leisure for the past few years and have them collect $2 for Huntsville roads, but to no avail. AL&L declined to collect the $2 city fee at its b ooth, so Huntsville created its own b ooth and charged $3, $1 of which went to pay the b ooth attendant. Huntsville receives about $38,000 per year from B&C road funds to maintain the 9.5 miles of roadways throughout the town. Out of this fund Huntsville pays for salt, sand, vehicle maintenance, equipment, snow plowing, and salaries. Any funds leftover money is then applied to the roads. Just a few weeks after a second t oll b ooth went up in Huntsville, it has come down. Huntsville and American Land & Leisure have negotiated a compromise which leaves both groups happier. On Monday, June 28, American Land & Leisure began collecting a $1 fee on behalf of the town. That amount is capped at $25,000 per year. After the $25,000 has been collected anything over that amount A L & L keeps as a collection fee. The contract extends through December 2013 unless one of the parties terminates it. Mayor Truett stated, “This agreement was the right thing for Huntsville. The Town Council stood up for what we unanimously thought was right, and in the end, this was a good compromise.” Huntsville Town also sold about twenty $30 season passes to go through the toll, all of which were refunded. |