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Show I PAGE 10 THE ZEPHYRSEPTEMBER 1990 the mayor speaks an interview with Tom Stocks Ken Davey conducted an Interview with Moab City Mayor Tom Stocks. The Interview has edited for clarity and length. ten Zephyr: The cltv recently held a public meeting on a sign ordinance, and Invited a city planner from Durango. Jill Sevfarth. to talk about how her cltv handled problems and conflicts. Do you think a sltm ordinance here will be a divisive Issue? Tom: No. I hope that were moving people closer to bringing people together around that I think at that meeting we had alot of people there who saw there were reasons for an ordinance. Poeople I thought would say, "we don't want any change at all, they started talking about the fact that there is a common ground. I was surprised. There was no yelling, and I haven't had any feedback about people being upset about It The woman from Durango, she did alot to soothe the feelings of people. They had a direction. The most Important thing about all of this Is that we do things that are not going to restrict or cause business loss for one or another Individual, and be fair about It We can come up with a nice looking community. Zephyr: Some of the people who support a sign ordinance sav right now Moab doesn't look bad. Their malor concern Is controlling future growth. Do you think thafs a legitimate fear? Tom: If you are going to have growth, and we have, Ifs always better to have In things place, a proven method of handling those problems. If you have rules and regulation In place from the beginning, you don't upset people nearly as much as If you make the rules later. They can work around things. Where you upset people Is when you allow them to do something, and then tell them that they have to destroy what they built, move It off, create a financial cost That becomes very frustrating. Zephyr: The malor difference of opinion on die sign ordinance Is whether or not the cltv should grandfather some of the signs not In compliance, or establish an abatement period, where businesses would have a certain amount of time to get Into compliance. Tom: I think there should be an abatement period, a period where everyone has a chance to come Into compliance. I don't think you can try to make them do It right away. It affects everyone differently. Especially those who have ust erected a sign that may not be In compliance with a new ordinance. I think an abatement period Is necessary for those people. You shouldnt run roughshod over anyone In that regard. Zephyr: In Durango, they gave businesses 5 years to get Into compliance. What kind of time period Is the cltv thinking about? Tom: I haven't really been talking about any specific time period. I think those on the sign ordinance committee (of the Moab Planning Commission) should come up with a recommendation and bring It to the Council. And I dont think you can have everything apply to everyone. There Is a difference between a sign worth six dollars and a sign worth $60,000. I think there ought to be consideration for those Individuals who put out that kind of money. I dont see It being very Important whether you do It In 4 years, or 5 or 6. So If 5 years Is the period, maybe for the $60,000 signs It should be a 6 year period, maybe Ifs 8, maybe Ifs 10. But I think there ought to be some consideration of that, and I dont think If s up to me to determine that It ought to be done by the sign committee, to make a recommendation taking those things Into consideration. Zephyr: Who Is on this sign committee? Is It representative of the town as a whole? Tom: I really don't know who Is on It at the moment, but the planning commission said It had several people who requested to be on It I think It ought to be a cross section of people. I liked what Jill said about setting up a review committee of business owners, peers, who will give you a fair shake. As long as they do It based on certain standards, rattier than Individual opinions. Zephyr: What about the "Moab Look?" Do we have one? Has there been too much reliance on copying the Durango look, or the Park Cltv look? Tom: I don't think thafs valid. I think If we had our choice, each person here In Moab would like the town done In our own way. I dont perceive people are really telling us to look like Aspen, or anywhere else. The fact of the matter Is, those communities have gone through long struggles to arrive at decisions, and they have gone through trial and error processes. I'd like to see us adopt some of the good from those areas and avoid the pizzamainhu JL franchise wars 4 discussed. Zephyr: Convention facilities? Tom: Yes, but they won't be too big. Probably enough to accommodate about half the guests. Zephyr: Whafs going to happen to the oolf course Itself? Will the cltv continue to own It? Tom: At this point I would say yes, the golf course will remain owned by the city. Right now, we dont run It, we lease It out to Moab Golf and Country Club. confusion in the ranks... X AM SABMM HQSSari! xam Hereto wa&e war. 265 so. 259-634- 5 It think Ifs foolishness not to look bad, rather than try to rewrite the dictionary, so to speak. at other places and learn from their successes and mistakes. Otherwise, we make the mistakes ourselves. nrf Idea of a downtown p1 Zephyr: It has now been about 8 months since the visitors center was first raised. Any progress? Tom: Yes, weve received a letter from the Community Impact Board. Were on their agenda for the next meeting, the first Thursday In September. They have raised I with continuing the way questions about ownership of the land. dont have any problem some If can we see to money. I think the this with get weve been going process to do the prelect wherewithal! financial Canyonlands Natural History Association has the With their acquisition, they can get that piece of property (at Center and Main streets), or another piece of property, and do the project right It never hurts to have a nice focal point for the community. Zephyr: The rumor Is that the Main Street property Is being sold to someone else. Tom: Pv heard that that Is strictly a rumor. What did sell Is the Western Plaza, to people from Telluride. Zephyr: Whaf a going to happen at It? Tom: I was told they are going to put In a brewery In the Bam. Make Moab Beer, or Sllckrock Beer, some sort of beer. They will have everthlng In there; you can go In and watch the whole beermaking process. A city council member came here last week with another fellow. They told me It will take 30 to 40 employees to process the beer. They have one of the breweries In Telluride that produces beer for 13 or 14 states now. They think they can work here the same way. So my understanding Is they bought up the property and are going to use the Bam for that purpose. I have no Idea what they plan to do with the rest of the plaza. My Impression was they plan to leave It as It Is. As far as that comer property, I dont think It matters whether thafs where the plaza Is, or whether Ifs down near the old City Market, or on the comer on the other side of Nations station. There are probably 5 or 6 locations, each with plusses and minuses. I perceive we have a lot of nice areas where It could happen. I dont think It should be tied to one piece of land, and Ive always felt that way. Zephyr: Any other development proposals In the cltv? Tom: Out at the golf course. Weve really spent some time and effort looking at a prospective developer. I believe we have 3 or 4 financially capable groups looking at H In fact, Ive written a letter to one of them, and maybe well send It off to the others, saying that we wont make a choice for a period of time. Ill ask the Council for a time frame, but I believe we are going to have a proposal from someone In a short period of time. Before Is this paper printed we should have a proposal, unless the person backs off. We have a backup person who Is looking as well. Ifs not rumor, Ifs fact Hes been here, he's visited the golf course, and Ive been told he has the financial capability and Is willing to take the responsibility. We've talked about what we want In a developer: a track record, financial capability, and the type of development we are looking for, low key, low Impact on the area. All of them have that But we ust own the land. The development will be In the county. The county and the county planning commission are supposed to look at those areas, and I would expect before we sign any agreements there will be ordinances In place to protect the developer and the people who own property nearby, limits and restrictions on the size of lots, on visibility and style, the type of housing. Single family homes, townhouses, condominiums. I think It will be a combination of those. Zephyr: What about a hotel out there? Tom: Yes, they probably will, about 100 units Is the number I have heard WHO AGAWSTHIE ARE AMERICAN YOU? 1UEWAR 15 SODKEMLy IlNTERROpTfc) A 5fRfoG0U 05 IMPERIALIST TMG5 THIS 15 A TRANCHIS& WARviRA WBLSEU.tr OtfT OP THIS At). |