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Show ‘TheSalt Lake Tribune UTAH $ C7 Tuesday, November18, 2003 Openspace zonesnags property sale “We just want out”: want it reclassified to allow a citywide rezoning effort and the Retired couple threaten new owner to build up to three to sue SLC for disrupting property was tagged as open space a move the Knowltons the creek and the city’s Wasatch Hollow Park. Residents fear added noise and air pollution that could come with new homes. Mostof all, though, they want to preserve the undeveloped land as open space. “This is mature riparian habitat,” said Dan Duggleby, whose their ability to close a deal By HearHer May The Salt Lake Tribune The Knowltons just want to sell their Salt Lake City home. Joseph and Kathleen Knowlton bought the sprawling east- more homes on land that abuts insist took place without their knowledge. The Knowltons believe the rezone was a mistake. It wasn’t discovered until their prospective buyer, Allison Leishman, was researching what she could do on the property, according to the Knowltons. Leishman didn’t return a home overlooks the Knowltons’ gully. “It [open space]is a value phone call Monday. Emigration that people have. If we don’t open-space zoning was done in Creek in 1963. They watched their five children grow up there error. The property is land- council will discuss, and possi- locked, bly vote on, the issue tonight. The Knowltons disagreethat $1 million. But they can’t sell. The land has been stuck in a support it, we’re going to wind up with nothing.” The Knowltons have retained an attorney and threatened to sue the city for taking their property without compensation if the land isn’t rezoned. “We just want out,” said Joseph Knowlton, a 72-year-old retired attorney. “My wife wants to take care of me in a nice, quiet zoning dispute for more than a place.” year. Some of the property is zoned aS open space, and the The Knowltons’ property used to be zoned residential. But, in 1995, city officials undertook a side house near even built a gazebo for their weddings. But the retired couple can’t care for the 2 acres anymore. They found a buyerwilling to purchase the property at 1665 E. Kensington Ave. (1535 South)for Knowltons’ neighbors don’t The Salt Lake Tribune But others don’t believe the with the only access through the Knowltons’ driveway. And someof the land sits in a 100-year flood plain and thus their land is in the flood plain, but they don’t want to spend the $14,000 necessary to do a study. They would rather the council rezone the land and deal with could not be developed, accord ing to a city survey. Planning Commission members have recommended the City Council rezone the property out- side of the flood plain as residential. The rest would remain open space, which would limit devel- development issues with a new owner. Their contract with Leishman says they must resolve the zoning before they get their money. And while other opment to one home, said city planner Greg Mikolash. The buyers are willing to purchase the land and keep it wild, the Kick Baan /The salt Lake 1 rbnene Joseph Knowlton takes a stroll around his property, which he says he can't sell because Sait Lake City officials zoned part of it open space. ordinance that would set stan dards for development around stream corridors, said Lynne Olson, a member of the Sugar House Community Council That community, which is near the neighborhood, fears the re zoning would set a precedent al lowing other open space to be developed. “There's a trend here We really need to find a way to deal withit.” hmayasltrib.com Knowltons can’t sell to them Leishman filed a lawsuit against the couple to hold them to their contract with her, Joseph Knowlton said “We'd surelike to find a way to have a good outcomefor ev erybody,” said Duggleby, who is sympathetic to the Knowltons’ situation and knows the other willing buyers. The wholesituation has re newed interest in reviving an Hearing State could save moneyonits insurance, auditors say Employee benefits: ‘They allow that the program is generally cost-effective By Resecca WALSH The Salt Lake Tribune Utah's public employee health insurance could have saved millions of dollars by adopting industry management practices and standards. Still, legislative auditors concluded, the self-insurance program that provides everything from dental coverage to early retirement insurance for 148,000 State, local government and school district employees generally is cost-effective. “We think they're doing a very good job, given the current environment that they're working in, with increasing medical costs and increasing drug costs,” said Wayne Welch, legislative auditor general. Nearly two years ago, state Rep. David Ure, R-Kamas, asked that policy decision problematic for the 71,000 state employees, whose cost-of-living increases have been trimmed at the same time the state is paying a smaller portion of insurance costs. Now, insurance benefits make up 18 percent of employee compensation packages. State premiums have increased an averageof 10 percent for the past five years, compared with 8 percent nationally. The state pays 93 percent of employee insurance premiums for those with preferred provider plans and 98 percent for those with an HMO.Since 1998, employee family premiums have gone up by about $3,000 annually. Auditors attributed those increases to increased claims. Since 1997, Public Employees Health Program claims have grown by 25,000, or 58 percent. With increasing costs, auditors decided program managers should review administrative costs which have increased 54 percent in the past five years Public Employees Health Pro- and follow state procurement policies to save money, out- gram and Children’s Health In- sourcing, surance Program to determine if the self-insurance programs are tracts legislative auditors to review the efficient. Auditors compared Utah’s public insurance pro grams with those in other states and with national trends. Conventional Hearing By Jacos SANTINI The Salt Lake Tribune As many as 320 children were prevented from participating in the Children’s Heaith Insurance munizations claims can be improved,” Michael immunizations already paid for, according to a legislative audit released Monday. Hales, the CHIPdirector, said in a written response inciuded in the audit. Theissue of potentially wasted funds is signifi cant because CHIPhasa fixed enrollment at about 28,000clients. The department accepts applications only during ope “n-enroliment periods in order to maintain the numbers of children served by the program, leavin g manyfamilies to wait months to access health-ca re coverage “Since mone y is scarce you'd like to see the money goto kids,” said Terry Haven, the coordi nator for Covering Kids and Families at Utah The departmentwasbilled $32,400 a month or for vaccines already bought at $388,000 in 2002 discounted prices. Physicians administering im munizations for CHIPclients are supposed tobill the state Department of Health only for the cost of administering the vaccines, according to the report released Monday by the Legislative Auditor General. The department, however, contends they spent a total of $70,000 during 2002 for CHIP immunizations. Anna West, a spokeswoman for the an enhanced smoking-cessation program. Andif insurance managers had adopted a prescription drug payment structure, the state could have saved $1.3 million this year. The Utah Public Employee completing some Association is studying the audit and lawmaker reaction. “We want to make sure public tracts worth over $20,000 each. employees are protected and treated fairly,” said Director AuLegislative Audit Subcom- ous health insurance benefits policies, auditors said the program could save $220,000 in re- rather than employee raises. But duced claims and extend 720 em- recent budget-cutting has made ployees’lives over 10 years with mittee members forwarded the audit Monday to the Retirement and Independent Entities Committee. Custom Shell Custom Canal Hearing Aids Hearing Aids SALT LAKE: 1588 E. 3300 S TOOELE: 23 E. VINE ST Children. —— Se YOUR ADJUSTABLE BED HEADQUARTERS! + Prices Start As Low As... 4°) dete drey Wood. 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