OCR Text |
Show W. Bt. 's m aster plan probed By JENNIFER PETERSON Staff Writer WEST BOUNTIFUL-Likening cul-de-sacs to Volkswagens and acre lots to Jaguars did not help much as the city's proposed master plan met with the disapproval of some landowners Thursday. About 25 residents showed up to express their concerns with the city's plan to limit residential construction con-struction to lots 14 acre or larger. "The idea is that West Bountiful will remain a rural town with a rural feel," said Planning Consultant Val J. Halford. "Suburbia is becoming tainted, so the ones who can afford it are looking for acres on which they can build their homes, have gardens and some animals.' "As people get packed in we'll have West Valley City right here. Crime and gangs will come in. ..then the undesirables" G. Flanders W. Bountiful Landowner The city's master plan calls for preservation of open spaces in the developing areas of the city, and enforcement en-forcement of the one-quarter acre minimum on residential lots. Several land owners and developers disagreed with the city's proposed plan to enforce the current zoning regulation which states that residential residen-tial homes may not be built on lots smaller than one-quarter acre. The master plan also promotes larger. Q SEE HEARING ON A-4 are our future so we need to determine deter-mine whether we want them to live here or live somewhere else. The plan also encourages safe, quality housing, maintenance of clean, healthy neighborhoods and promotion of the safety and well-being well-being of city residents. Among the many other items addressed by the 20-year plan are protection and promotion of the heritage and historic areas of West Bountiful, es tablishment of landscape buffers between be-tween residential areas and industrial in-dustrial areas and establishment of designated jogging and bridle paths, recreational areas and streetscape. The plan also covers concerns related to transportation and public utilities, facilities and services. The City Council will consider comments made at the meeting and continue discussion at the March 3 council meeting. Hearing CONTINUED FROM A-l residential lots of one-half acre or more. "We used to refer to the other 4 . side of the tracks' as the undesirable neighborhood, but now the pendulum pen-dulum is swinging,' said City Administrator Ad-ministrator Wendell Wild. "What used to be considered the bad side of the tracks is now becoming more desirable. People want room to throw a rock and not hit anybody. ' Many residents agree that by allowing smaller lots. West Bountiful Boun-tiful would become one giant subdivision sub-division devoid of distinction from surrounding areas. "If we allow all these quarter-acre quarter-acre subdivisions then pretty soon we'll just have those side-by-side clear out to the lake," said Gordon Flanders, a West Bountiful resident and land owner. "As people get packed in here, we'll have West Valley City right here. Crime and gangs will come in, more units will become rentals, people will move out and leave behind the units and the neighborhoods will run down," Flanders said. "Then the undesirables move in." . , Flanders said that, although he '. lives on a one-quarter acre lot, he would like to see more "big, beautiful beau-tiful homes" built in the city. Other land owners believe quarter-acre lots are ideal for today's families both economically and practically as they considered half -acre lots "too big for a lawn mower but too small for a tractor." H "People who own property ought to be able to develop it as they choose," Halver Olsen said. "The most stupid thing ever dreamed of was the half-acre lot it's too big for anything but it's too small to develop." de-velop." Terry Olsen, who is also looking toward developing his West Bountiful Boun-tiful land, said that full acres sell for only about $12,000 per acre, while developed quarter acres sell for about $18,000 to $20,000. "We have spent our lives obtaining obtain-ing property for our retirement and that's our livelihood now. Now we are at the point to develop the land and we are being stopped," he said. H. Olsen said he believed that builders desiring larger lots will not be stopped from purchasing several adjacent lots to create one big lot, but other residents don't believe the city should zone for small lots and expect larger lots to just occur. "People don't buy four lots to build a big home next to a bunch of small homes. They move into neighborhoods with similar situations," situa-tions," Flanders explained. Not all of the opponents intend to sell their land. Jeff Tingey had plans to build homes for his children on his property. prop-erty. But the new master plan could end that dream. "A lot of this ground has been in our families for years and was put there for our future," said Jeff Tingey, a longtime resident and land owner in West Bountiful. "If we restrict the growth of our city, thai we are inviting our children to move elsewhere because there's not enough room for our children. You talk about the future and my children are my future. Our children |