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Show By J,u:k VVdlhs V A new problem has popped up between bet-ween Uintah County and Vernal City involving issuing building permits. In the last Utah Legislature a new law was passed requiring an entity within one-half mile of a municipalities growth policy declaration area to first get approval of the municipality before any building is permitted. A 12 month waiting period is required by the developer if he cannot get the approval of the municipality. This new law has been used by Vernal City on two large developments along West Highway 40. A large hotel complex com-plex has already started construction ;ind a 120,000 square feet floor space office building is ready to start construction. con-struction. Both of these projects are located in the county unincorporated areas within one-half mile of Vernal City. The county has approved the projects, but the city, using the new law, also wants to control the growth around its borders. The city wants to require the peripheral developers to sign an annexation an-nexation agreement to come into Vernal City. This agreement would probably result in a law suit against the city from Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District who has protested any additional annexations into Vernal City. If the two developers on West Highway High-way 40 continue without Vernal City's approval, the city may bring a suit against Uintah County for approving the projects. The only other alternative is for the developers to wait out a 12-month 12-month cooling-off period, but this is expensive for the developer and would delay the needed facilities. Uintah County Commissioners said Monday that they would like to see the projects continue and thought the new law was unfair and unreasonable. It only the two entities had met together beforehand and worked out the problem. But we don't think either one knew a" problem existed until an attorney, who was aware of the new regulation on fringe area develop ments, drew it to their attention. Another area of thin ice concerning the three Ashley Valley entities is what to do about a new water treatment plant. If Vernal City, Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District and Maeser Water Improvement Im-provement District do not come up with a unified plan to treat their culinary water source, the Utah Department of Health will probably exercise its sanctions and place all three water entities on the unapproved list. This would result in a moratorium of all government financing and would stop most construction work in the area. A water treatment plant is needed for Ashley Valley. This plant should be located in an area where water sources from Ashley Springs, Red Fleet and Steinaker reservoirs can be treated for municipal use. An offer to build the plant has been made by the Central Utah Project Water Conservancy District. Unless definite plans are forthcoming for the treatment plant, the Department of Health is considering con-sidering placing the area on the non-approved non-approved water list. This would be the worst thing that could happen to an area where the population is expected to double in less than ten years. The price of individual squabbles and power moves among our governmental entities is too high to pay when it comes to the overall development of the entire valley. Orderly growth must be allowed and the guidelines must be drawn out clearly. Developers cannot afford to wait for disputes to be settled by litigation between political entities. No amount of professional planning and guidance from those who have experienced growth problems in other communities will help solve our present problems until a better rapport is established among the local governmental govern-mental agencies. We again stress the need for unity and cooperation among our political leaders. Get your heads together and work out the areas problems for the best good of the entire community. |