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Show IPlirairaninigj snrDuiriiDSSDn) m(Qi to gjirw&lh) pDoims The Vernal City and Uintah County Planning Commission play an important impor-tant role in controlling Ashley Valley's future growth by saying "no" to some developments and setting stipulations for others. Although both planning commissions only advise the Uintah County Commissioners Commis-sioners or Vernal City Council on planning plann-ing matters, their input is generally adhered to by the governing bodies. In the past year the Vernal City Council Coun-cil has overturned only two decisions of their planning commission. The function of the planning commissions commis-sions is to approve all city plans for commercial building and any residential residen-tial building larger than a four-plex. Last June the Vernal City Council delegated final approval of industrial and commercial sites to their planning commission, giving the commission more authority. The city's seven-member planning commission meets every second and fourth Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. The planning commission takes "a lot of time off council meetings," said Dr. Jack A. Seitz, chairman of the planning commission. Seitz is the only member of the city planning commission who is also on the Vernal City Council. Other members are appointed by the mayor. They are Bert Angus, Howard Carroll, DeArmon R.it'y .Inann Gilbert, Doyle Landon, J. Lewis Wright, Robert Foley, Carolyn Ellis, and Nelle Heeney. On the Uintah County Planning Commission Com-mission are Orion Cook, Wallace Anderson, chairman; Norman Haslem, Ray Nash, Vard Openshaw, Merril Mecham, commissioner; and Gawain Snow. "I've worked with various planning commissioners, but the Vernal City commission is the best I've been affiliated af-filiated with," said City-County planner Bob Nicholson. "They have taken a lot of heat in situations where they said 'no' where they should have," Nicholson said. "They are a key element in preventing preven-ting developers from walking over everybody," Nicholson added. "They are a tremendous tool to control growth." he said. As stipulated by Utah Code, one of the functions of the planning commission is to adopt a master plan for the physical development of the municipality. "The master plan, with the accompanying accompa-nying maps, plats, charts and descriptive descrip-tive and explanatory matter, shall show the planning commission's recommendations recommen-dations for the said physical development, develop-ment, and may include, among other things, the general location and extent of streets," stipulates Utah Code. After several public hearings, the two commissions have developed a Proposed Propos-ed Ashley Valley Master Plan. Public comment concerning the proposed master plan can be made at a public hearing April 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. in the main courtroom of the Uintah County Courthouse. The master plan contends that with an increase in population expected in Ashley Valley, there will come a need for more housing units. "Housing contractors con-tractors and developers should be able to meet the demand for housing if major ma-jor energy companies will assist them in financing or occupancy guarantees," recommend the Master Plan. One of the main concerns from citizen input to the Master Plan, from surveys, public hearings, and committees, is that local government bodies "take charge" of the development process, and that "helter-skelter" boom-town type development patterns do not oc-' oc-' cur. In' transportation the proposed Master Plan suggests the widening of U.S. 40, and 1500 East Street from the U.S. 40 junction to 5000 South, additional addi-tional traffic light on Main Street, and the construction of a truck by-pass approximately ap-proximately 5 miles south of Vernal. The Master Plan also gives recommendations recom-mendations for dealing with growth and development. The proposed Master Plan, including major street plans, is available for review in the City-County Planning office, of-fice, room 103 Uintah County Courthouse. |
