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Show Volume IX Issue IV THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Page 3 December 1, 2003 Guest Commentary Something to Think About—Ogden Valley’s future By Roger I. Price Ogden Valley is an area that effectively encompasses the Ogden River Watershed. It is a unique, diverse ecosystem, housing a wide variety of plants, animals, insects, and people. Although dairy herds have been replaced by horses, the Valley supports a myriad of activities—from agriculture to zany-ism—with various employments and recreations in between. Native son David O. McKay once said there would come a time when 100,000 people would reside here. I can’t cite the reference, but my elder brother, a lifelong Valley farmer, told me he heard it said. Considering that even one-half of that population is a possibility, current Valley access, sanitation, and water resources are being stressed and will fail to accommodate development within just a few years. It is nice to view the Valley as rural, but, in truth, the rural lifestyle is a philosophy that fled the Valley when a majority of the houses acquired indoor plumbing, and dairy farmers could not afford the improvements necessary to continue producing Grade A milk. Since that time, the Valley has fallen victim to haphazard development, and the garden that was once Ogden Valley has been neglected. It is not too late to forego avarice and power politics and do some broad, longrange planning for access, sanitation, and adequate water supplies. Politics in Ogden Valley will have to move from the narrow vision that is being utilized in proposing the incorporation of Eden, and the stagnation of Huntsville, to a broad vision with enough wealth and votes to protect the Ogden River Watershed. To properly develop and protect the Valley, incorporation of Ogden Valley, including the entire Ogden River Watershed as a federation of existing townships, is the wisest option. This would effectively remove the area from control by the Weber County Commission; a system of proportional representation from an Ogden Valley Commission, receiving no more than token payment for their time, would ensure all areas of the Valley an equal voice. Planning could be done using satellite imagery to establish open spaces, logical access routes, locations for business and housing, and optimum locations for utilities to augment efficiency and economy, etc. Comprehensive planning would allow maximum development with a maximum benefit for all, while guaranteeing improved living conditions. The three current primary routes into the Valley are inadequate and hazardous. First, Ogden Canyon is a beautiful scenic drive, but with heavy trucks, recreational vehicles, various trailers, and drivers that lack the proper respect for conditions, it is a tragedy waiting to happen. Second, construction of Trapper’s Loop is an example of politics using tax revenues from the many to the advantage of the few. The optimum access route to Snowbasin resort was not constructed; the road’s grades are too steep and some curves are too hard, a hazardous combination on a road where drivers have a difficult time resisting excessive speeds. These conditions have contributed to the loss of too many lives over the road’s short existence! Third, the North Ogden Divide will never be suitable for commuting year round. Since none of the three are suitable for increased growth, a solution is needed. North Ogden has gained freeway access from Washington Boulevard, and Weber High School is in Pleasant View, which suggests that a four-lane tunnel with an isolated pedestrian/bicycle lane through the mountain near the North Ogden Divide is a logical solution. With an actuarially sound toll imposed to pay for construction over ten to twenty years, it would be paid for in less time. The “build it and they will come” philosophy from Field of Dreams is true. Such a tunnel would be a tourist attraction that people would drive out of their way to pass through. With a UDOT restriction on weight and size through the canyon, Trapper’s Loop or the tunnel would be open to heavy or long vehicles; and Ogden Canyon would be left a scenic drive. Water is an equal stumbling block for continued improvement. The lower valley will demand increasing amounts from the Ogden River Watershed; and an adequate, dependable supply of both potable and sec- Subscriptions available for out of area residents at $18.00 annually. Send payment with mailing address to: THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS P O BOX 130 EDEN UT 84310 ondary water within the Valley must be ensured for healthy growth. Private wells are a finite supply, with some already becoming polluted or running dry and requiring deeper drilling. It is reasonable to assume that in the not too distant future, some pollution will be traced to leach fields. Whether that occurs before the aquifer is significantly compromised, or not, outside government will dictate a sewer and water system for the Valley that residents will not control. The jobs and revenues from a Valley wide system for culinary and secondary water, and sewer will not belong to, or benefit Valley residents. The cost of an externally mandated system would be higher than the preferable, self-introduced infrastructure that can be controlled by the residents who financed it from available federal grants—infrastructure that serves the complete watershed area with equal, dependable utilities, and at a uniform expense. Sewage systems require copious amounts of water. The effluent from an adequate, properly designed sewage plant could be pumped upstream to a point where it could be added to the secondary water supply. Filtration through the soil in fields and gardens would eventually send it to the lower valley after we had used it twice. A primary, potable water purification plant, properly placed and utilized—incorporating smaller, established systems, would guarantee adequate water for any future need. By reclaiming it in the sewer system then using it for irrigation, farmers could be guaranteed current allotments from a fully piped and pressurized irrigation system to maintain open spaces, while residences and businesses could be supplied in all areas of the Valley. Infrastructure is a long-term project, and if all systems were constructed simultaneously, with electrical and other utilities (broadband, natural gas, etc.), the Valley would be prepared for any future development. To maintain open space, the entire acreage of the Valley needs to be considered as the determining factor, with housing clustered on lots that require no more than ten percent of the acreage available. One-third acre lots are large enough for single family developments. Business areas, multiple dwelling units, motels, hotels, restaurants, etc. could likewise be controlled because environmental issues would be limited to esthetics and a true concern for nature with developed infrastructure. A snowmobile and/or ATV track, riding stables, and other envisioned investments suitable for the Valley, could be made by speculators. Forest Service campsites could be improved (flushing toilets and showers would make a nice addition), and illegal dumping by boaters could be more closely regulated, etc. because the Valley would be one entity united in the common cause, with one regulatory practice for the good of all who want to enjoy our garden. If Valley residents and business owners can form a federation of townships under one Valley republic, the tax base would be broad, police and fire protection generalized, while outside influence is minimized. Then we could work together to pull the weeds, prune the vines, and plant the trees so our children and grandchildren can pick the fruit! Peddlers’ Country Christmas Art Show & Shopping Extavaganza Friday December 5 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Saturday December 6 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sunday December 7 12:00 - 5:00 p.m Featuring local artisan’s works for unique holiday gifts! (801) 745-2634 1315 N. Hwy 158, Eden, UT A Snowbasin Gift Certificate THE IDEAL CHRISTMAS GIFT A Snowbasin Gift Certificate is the ideal choice for a wonderful holiday gift. Choose from a lunch for two at the top of Needles Gondoloa, a private 2-hour ski lesson, or use the certificate in our Grizzly Center to find that perfect gift for the skiing or snowboarding enthusiast. The Snowbasin discount card makes a great stocking stuffer. Put your holiday shopping worries to rest. Order by phone! 801-620-1000 While Supplies Last! |