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Show Page 2 Wednesday, February 1 8, 1 976 NecDspapeR Talk A lot to be considered As was expected, land developers with local interests turned out in full force for last Wednesday's Wed-nesday's zoning meeting. It also came as no surprise when each took his turn in denouncing the "restrictive'? minimum requirements for subdivision lot sizes. Afterall, the more houses that can be crammed onto a piece of land, the greater the profit. And profit is the only apple of a developer's eye, right? For practical purposes, profit is the motivating force for a land developer but, then again, it's the motivating force for all business persons. Without an eventual' excess of revenues over expenditures, businesses don't last (believe me, I know). That the developers want smaller lot sizes could easily be attributed to greed but few things are that black and white. The Master Plan Committee is assigned the uneviable task of providing the framework for a pattern of growth which is m the "best interests" in-terests" of thecity. y ;; Obviously, the greater the amount of land claimed by any one house, the more appealling the house. And if every house is required to have a large lot, the appearance of the city is enhanced. But what if no one can afford to buy the house? Now we've never met a land developer who was adverse to making a buck but developers are subject to constraints Other than zoning: Td be successful, they have to supply what the market demands. They can't make money off something they can't sell. v One of Park City's needs at the present time is a larger permanent population. We need people year-round in numbers sufficient to support the services which comprise a "complete" communityenough com-munityenough people to allow local merchants mer-chants to survive when the snow melts. tew houses attract new pelemt(pniBf they K are) affordable. UGC O ' O & U Given the cost of land in Park City, the developers may have a valid claim for less rigid restrictions. The construction of $100,000 second homes for the well-to-do will not provide any great benefit for the town. We need people who want to make Park City their home. V Now, we are not advocating postage stamp lots consumed by houses so close to each other that the neighbor can be heard flushing his toilet. Who wants that (except, for the Roto Rooter man)?But land prices, construction costs, reasonable profit margins and the average person's pocketbook should be taken into account ac-count when establishing lot requirements. Added together, these factors may dictate a modicum of downward adjustment. Of course, the city's available resources are the overriding consideration when plotting growth. The city must be able to support that which it allows to be built and lot restrictions are certainly a method of regulation. Houses which are empty or which are occupied for only brief periods of time create very little demand but they are assigned resources which could be utilized by full time residents. It's a very delicate situation pitting practically practi-cally against aesthetics and determining what constitutes the "best interests" of the city. It could be that the claims of the developers are out of line with actual circumstances. We lack the expertise to make such a judgement but based on the figures they have .recited, the lot size requirements 'should be reexamined by knowledgeable persons. If economics support the developers, let's bend a little. If a deceiving picture has been painted, let's go with what we've got. - Carolyn Bloom Johif Parry 2fH Merle Huseth HowBbout It? Do you think the no-fare bus system has been a worthwhile investment for Park City? Carolyn Bloom - (Bloom's Main St.) - Yes and no. I think it really helps some businesses in town a lot and doesn't help others a bit. For the restaurants, The Prospector, the Star Hotel and Dale Nelson's place, it's really a help, but for us, not necessarily. Dolly Crooks- (Dolly's Book Store, Main St.)-Y St.)-Y Absolutely. I think it's a necessity and that the city council and the Transportation Committee'" ' have done an excellent job. I feel that the bus company has done a' miserable job but it's "something" that's better than nothing. I'd like , to see it continue and become a city funded bus system. : :. ( John Parry (jd's furniture and craft store Main St.)-Park City definitely needs something like the bus system. They could use more buses, especially at this particular time when there are so many people in town. I wish there was some way people could know the exact schedules of the buses. I didn't mind paying my share for it at all.- Dennis O'Brien (General Manager of Moana Corp.)-We've receive not only a lot of positive comments from the people staying here but also from the travel agents who we deal with from all over the country who think it's great because it helps them to sell Park City over other areas. I think it's been an extremely wise investment. Since 70 percent of the people that stay in Park City don't have their own transportation it makes a big difference when you can tell them not to worry, that when they get to Park City they have a free bus to take them around. It puts us in a league with Vail and Aspen and if we ex- pect to stay there we are going to have to offer it. . . Merle Huseth - (Treasurer, Park City Ski Corp.)-When we first got into it, I said we're ' going to have some problems. You can't go into something that costs this much, that covers the ' whole town and without knowing what your routes are and expect that it will be easy. All' things equal, I'm quite happy with it it's as " good as I expected it would be. I think it's cray ' for some people to say&trir6rlliafwn;: should immediately a: some problems. The private. funding source we now have may not be the way to go but hopefully we can get some federal grants in the future. Don Bergen (Wood 'n'Stuff, Main St.)-I feel we have to look at the transportation system as a future investment and not look at the benefits we're getting this year. jAll the people that have . used the transportation ( system are going to go home and tell their friends and by word of mouth it's going to get around that "Park City has got it together." That's a quote from some people from California who told me, i"You people have really got it together,." I ' Li. I i ( I 1 11 jA----iJ (I Dolly Crooks I tmm' ml ' f " ' " ' "" Dennis O'Brien H Don Bergen n $ut)ltc Motittx THE NEW ZONING PROPOSAL FOR THE 4 CITY, ARE YOU IN FAVOR OF IT? DO YOU : UNDERSTAND IT? ; THE REVISED ZONING ORDINANCE FOR 5 PARK CITY IS DEVELOPED TO A POINT j WHERE THE MASTER PLAN COMMITTEE I NEEDS ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE : WHICH MIGHT IMPROVE ITS CONTENT! : FUTURE MEETINGS CONCERNING THE REVISED ORDINANCE WILL BE AS1 i FOLLOWS: : WEDNESDAY FEB 18th AT 7:30 P.M. IN THE i CITY HALL ; (',.,,;; , ; - , Planning Commission review of the proposed j ordinance (open session) J At this meeting the Commission will formulate a recommendation to be sent to the City Council. : - ' ' " ' THURSDAY FEB 19th AT 8:00 P.M. IN THE CITY HALL . ; City Council's consideration of advertising for Public Hearing. To be held on the proposed or-dinance. or-dinance. (open session) MONDAY MARCH 15th AT 7:00 P.M. IN THE ; MEMORIAL BUILDING Public Hearing on the proposed zoning ordinance or-dinance (open session) AH interested persons are encouraged to attend. - Additional information concerning any of the above meetings can be obtained by calling the Park City Planner at 649-9321. Hoart Fund ' The Heart Fund fashion show will be held on March 26, 1976 in the Park High auditorium. Your child will want to participate in this activity. ac-tivity. The requirements are that at least part of their outfits must be home. sewn. For jnore ln formation pleag call Naa McPolen 4t-976rr Ladios Luncheon Just a reminder to keep May 1 open so you can attend the annual Park City's Ladies Luncheon at the C'estBon. Community Education Registration for community education classes will be held in the Park High library Tuesday, May 24, from 6:30 to 8:30. , Classes being offered are shop, typing, pot- : tery, sewing, Spanish and others. For more in- j formation call Nan McPolen at 649-9417. : FSlS If PoOo !lifllir Guatemala Fund Drive The Park City. Council convened a special meeting Friday night to ponder the status of the city's no-fare transportation system. system on Main Street and 957 in the condominiums. ,, Matthews said the city is MM.nnf lt1ir fl tllA Kite Vim !W i t pOJ'U1D Vlllj iw Ulli uus uvius actually operated not the lllllJMlMM i rr 1 m I Publisher J. Howard Stahle I Editor. Steve Dering I Business Manager Bonnie Stahle Reporter, Photographer urea bcnirt Office Manager. ..... Tammy Colgrove m Published weekly at Park City, Utah. Sub- sorptions $o per year, 3i u out or siate. sena orders or-ders for subscriptions or change of address to TUP MPUfiPADFR P O Rnv 73ft Park ritv I Itnh PI 84060. Pictures, news and advertising may be sub- I mitted prior to Wednesday pubication at our of- flfice, 419 Main St., Park City, by mail, P.O. Box H 738, Park City, or by caling 649-9592 or 359- 2612. Publication matter must be received by I Monday afternoon for Wednesday pubication. i ; More Money - A financial crisis appeared to be looming for system two weeks ago due to the relatively small number of merchants who had paid their transportation assessments. The flow of payments increased in-creased considerably last week, according to City Manager Wayne Matthews, stirring optimism for no-fare's no-fare's fate. Matthews reported that approximately 90 percent of Park City businesses have now paid a total of $32,442. However, some of the city's larger businesses are among the ten percent which have not coughed up as yet. Councilman Jan Wilking said, "I think we can get the $45,000 we need to get through the ski season." a t J Councilman Jack Green nours scneauiea. -roniioH "it's nnt a cuppogc if ,( He noted that the it's not paying for itself." The city manager said enough funds had been collected, to operate the system through March and suggested that a decision to continue or discontinue the service through April should be made on March 10 based on the money received by that time. city received a December bill from Lewis Bros, totaling $14,000 but paid only $8,834. The payment was not con-i con-i tested. j The service is suffering due to irresponsibility on the part of some drivers and equipment equip-ment failures, ' Matthews observed. : Bid' Wilking revealed that Charlie Boyton of Gray Lines has presented a bid to take over the bus system. ' Boyton's service would cost more, Wilkinsaid, but could be incorporated into the budget by employing an. abbreviated schedule "which Wilking, who is chairman" in effect the city, has been of the transportation com- getting anyway." Poor Service Aside from the financial considerations, the city is experiencing problems with the quality of service being provided. Wilking predicted that eventually there would be only "four or five" merchants mer-chants which would not pay. "I would be the first to admit ... changes are needed," Mat thews said, but added, "there are good indications that the mittee, said the city "has not been successful in getting Gene Sain (Lewis Bros., Stages official) to live up to the contract." Dick Frost of Park West remarked that he has conducted con-ducted business with both carriers and said he received eight times as many complaints com-plaints about Lewis Bros than Councilman Steve Derine . he did with Boyton, also expressed extreme Moana general manager displeasure over the per--: Dennis O'Brien said he has formance of Lewis Bros. The ; received numerous corn-transportation corn-transportation company plaints concerning the promisea to provide a fmnsnortation service system is a success." A count specified amount of service - nrovided between Salt Lake generate sufficient money to . . . . L..4 t -11 . . . f ' ..... AU iMMflMAMtAttntl taken last lnursaay snowea iauen iar snort of City and rarx uty oy Lewis jy w u umusiiw 1,500 persons using the their obligation, he said. Bros. system. ' " : ; Although conceding the system is not what it should be, Mayor Leon Uriarte questioned the prudence of switching carriers with only two months remaining in the ski season. It was decided . that the transportation, committee would meet with Joe Lewis and then make a recommendation recom-mendation at Thursday night's City Council meeting. The meeting with Lewis was to be held last Saaurday but was rescheduled for this afternoon. '. Future Alternative means . of financing the no-fare system were also discussed. Mayor Uriarte said legal opinions he has received indicate the city may have difficulty in allowing some businesses to pay a lower percentage of gross revenues than others. He also has been ; informed that the transportation tran-sportation committee does not have the authority to grant rate adjustments and that any such adjustments, if legal, must be made by the council. The mayor posed the possibility of basing business license fees on a percentage of gross revenues so as to The Park City High School students are sponsoring a relief fund drive for the Guatemala earthquake . victims. Cans for receiving donations will be distributed throughout town. When you see one you are asked to remember the people in Guatemala. AA Moots ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS MEETS MONDAY MON-DAY EVE. AT 8 P.M. AT THE MEMORIAL BLDG. FOR INFORMATION CALL 649-9848 Adjustmont Mombor Park City is in need of a Board of Adjustment member. If interested, call the City Planner at '649-9321 or write P.O. Box "P". A law enabling cities to assess a quarter percent sales tax for financing municipal transportation was withdrawn from the last session of the State Legislature but Matthews said it may be introduced during the next session. ' This sales tax option would produce an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 for Park City. Grant Of more immediate importance, im-portance, federal ngrant money for transportation is actively being pursued by the city. . ;lH0, Matthews said he feels Park City has "an 80 percent chance" , of receiving such a grant , He noted that the present transportation system started by the business community , the only no-fare system in Utah, is a big factor in the city's favor. "Good or bad, it's the first," Matthews remarked. ' He said the city would know by July 1 if it is to receive the grant money. Even with the grant, the no-fare no-fare system would still require some additional financing but Matthews said ' conversations with local business persons lead him to believe this would be no problem. Public hearings on the federal grant application will be held on March 4 and March 18 to fulfill legal requirements. |