OCR Text |
Show MOAB, UTAH wvw.moabtimes.com 50t Volume 109 Number 20 WEATHER FORECAST Travel Council upbeat about business upturn in S.E. Utah It's no mvth: me IhUflftOL-Parit- y Cloudy High 80 Low 58 Friday Parity Goody High 80 Low 58 i Saturday ' vjc 2L Parity Goody "L High 79 Low 52 Parity Goody High 78 Low 51 Sidewalk Sale .r Several Moab merchants are putting their wares on the street Saturday as part of the spring sidewalk sale. Whats new under ! permitted by the city a wacauses of the - nt series about club drugs and street drugs. A2 River's story The Colorado River, often referred to as the main artery of the American West will be this spnng through a series of special community events as pari of the Moving Waters project A6, B1 Inside The T imes Busbies Directory: 67 Church Index: B4 Dining & Lodging: BJ Editorials, Letter: AB-- 9 Historic Photo: A2 Notices: 68 Obituaries: A4 Region Review. Sports: May 11 May 12 May 13 May 14 TlP ttPA3 M M -- 78 36 -85 48 -81 43 75 48.11 85 45 -90 55 - - Our phones are ringing continually. And our leads are up," DeLay said. I truly believe our increased radio and television advertising is working." TO SAVE WATER pgam AS . creased demand associated with the extended drought of the past two years as opposed to growth in the city or growth in tourism. Whatever the reason for the increased demand, Moab City Council is taking the problem seriously. We ere drawing on the future of our water," said Council Member Gregg Stucki. There ia a mentality here that people think were just trying to scare them into using less water. They dont believe we really have a problem. The fact is, we do." According to the engineering report, excessive use of water may be due to the water rates charged to users. The citys rates for commercial use are on the order of 22 percent of commercial rates charged in Park City, Utah, according to Tbdd Jarvis with Montgomery Watson Ilarza. The Park City area is a reasonable comparison of commercial water use because com- - Continued on Page A3 This year, the travel - lone hiker enjoys a cool cavern in canyon country near Moab. Merchants have noticed more visitors this year, a fact verified by visitation tallies at Arches National Park. See Page A2 A Through Four Corners Mental by Janet Lowe ataff writer IndtpvfidfRi caH eutwcribemoebmeejceni GTheTrms-fodtopancto- ri Thi$ news- paper ia printed on recycfed paper and la recyclable. Health, the InterAct Club has quested $250,000 to fund property acquisition and rehabilitation for what is being called the Willows re- May has been proclaimed Mental Health Awareness Month in Moab and if all goes well for the InterAct Club, the group will have much to celebrate this month. What does the board do? A look at its history and its responsibilities Project." The Willows is a proposed perma nent supported housing project that will provide housing for approximately 10 homeless adults disabled by severe and persistent mental illness. The facility will also house people with a dual diagnosis of men- - Continued on Page A2 For many area residents, the purpose, perhaps even the existence of a board of adjustments is something of a mystery. These boards, established by virtually all cities and counties to hear appeals of zoning interpretations and requests for variances related to zoning ordinances, meet infrequently, and typically with little fanfare aside from the required posting of a meeting notice. Recently, however, the Grand County Board of Adjustments made headlines because of an appeal filed by local residents protesting the County Councils approval of the Johnson's Up On Tbp preliminary plan. During a hearing last month, the any board, which is appointed by the council, agreed to hear three points of the appeal during an by upcoming meeting on May 22. of adjustment in cities and towns in 1925, and for counties in 194 1. The state statutes for both are essentially identical - the boards have five members, usually appointed by the city or county council or mayor, and those members meet as necessary to hear appeals related to the application of zoning ordinances, special exceptions to the terms of zoning ordinances, and variances from the terms of zoning ordinances. Moab City Manager Donna Metzler said the citys board of adjustments meets an average of one time each year. Prior to last month, the countys board of adjustments last met in 1999 to hear a request for a variance by the developers of the north gateway tram. Responsibilities When an appeal is filed with the board of a4justments, Utah law states: The applicant or any other person adversely affected by a decision administering or interpreting a zoning ordinance may appeal that decision..." The law requires the board to hear the appeal within a reasonable time and places the of proof on the person burden decision or entity making the appeal. administering According to History a state the The first board of adjustregulations, a board Interpreting of austments hoard known a then as may only hear ments, zoning issues of that are adof zoning appeals, was estabappeals may ministrative in nature relatlished in New York City in 1916 when that city was drafting the ing to the application and internations first comprehensive pretation of zoning regulations. Utah law The board may not ordinance. board The zoning hear appieals of issues that was created as a are considered to be legislative in nature -entity that would hear appeals arising from issues such as amendments to zoning ordidifficulties or unnecessary hardships created nances. The board does not have legislative by the strict application of the land use regulations. powers and cannot amend or disregard zonIn the 1920s, the U.S. Dept, of Coming regulations. The board is also charged with considmerce recommended that a board of adjustment be required nationwide wherever comering requests far variances - modifications munities established zoning ordinances. The applicant or ordinance appeal that decision...' Iht Tlmt Continued on Page A2 City gives nod to homeless shelter other person adversely affected a or To subscribe to council made some changes to its marketing strategy while continuing to place Board of adjustments to hear Cloudrock appeal May 22 staff writer Bt WEATHER HISTORY May 10 STORKS: by Lisa Church B1-- 2 May 08 May 09 ap-- parent increase in water use may be related to in- . ' Rel,ted WATERSiAY ARE ter rights, the The they are spending more money while they're here, according to area business representatives and national parks officials. That is welcome news for business owners, following two years of declining or flat visitation numtiera, and fears th.it the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks would deter travel within the U S. Marian Do Lay, director of the Moab Area Travel Council, said her office has seen a huge jump in the number of Internet inquiries for information about the area, and a high volume of telephone calls. season water use has increased significantly since the city adopted the Water Conservation Plan in 1999. While the average production re- th.t scene? part of a staff writer More people are traveling to Moab this spring, and According to a report filed by Montgomery Watson Hana Engineering, its time to get serious about potential water shortages in the City of Moab. The study on water use was conducted at the request of Moab City Manager Donna Metzler as a result of continued drought conditions throughout the state of Utah. Theres a certain mythology in Moab that we don't have a water problem here. That ia simply not true, stated Metzler. The report substantiates her concerns. Peak mains on the drug second by Lisa Church staff writer " - Moab has H20 shortage by Janet Lowe SyodtiL Tr.- Thursday, May 16, 2002 quasi-judici- al Utah established statutes requiring boards POOR COPY I - Continued on Page A 4 Law enforcement officials view the contents of a truck Monday after motorists reported seeing a substance leaking from it. Photo by Darin Hawk Leaking truck causes concern among motorists Monday Motorists called in complaints to local law enforcement as a sem- itrailer truck leaking an unknown substance traveled south on Highway 191 through Moab Monday. The truck was stopped by the Grand County Sheriffs Department just south of town. Moab Valley Fire Chief Corky Brewer and MCPD Chief Mike Navarre also re-- s ponded. Chief Navarre called in the Utah Highway Patrol, which is the only HAZMAT-certifie- d team in the area. Rich Haycock and Ken Colyar responded for the Utah Highway Patrol, Although the solution turned out to lie a water-baselacquer which rosed no immediate danger to the public, officials are required to respond as if the leak is a worst case scenario" in order to ensure safety of law enforcement personnel as well as the general public. The truck was removed from the area, and the drum which was leaking was stabilized. The drum will be loaded into another drum at the expanse of the trucking company before completing its route from New York City to Phoenix. d -- high-traff- 65-gall- ic leak-pro- of |