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Show Volume XIX Issue VII The Ogden Valley news Page 3 July 15, 2011 Letters to the Editor St. Anne’s Fundraiser a Huge Success I would like to thank everybody who donated to the fundraiser that was held for St. Anne’s Shelter. Many thanks to Valley Market for allowing me to place the three donation boxes there. I would also like to thank St. Florence Catholic Church for their donations and for the help they gave to me during this fundraiser. We had boxes and boxes of donations and our garage was filled with clothing, toys, and food. We took all the donations down to St. Anne’s and they couldn’t believe the turnout. They were very grateful. This fundraiser helped them a lot, so thank you to all who donated to this great cause. OVPC Makes Good Progress on the Issue of Heliports in Ogden Valley 1. Remove heliport as a designation in CV-2 zoned areas (all of which are currently on the valley floor.) 2. Allow heliports only in areas located above 6,200 feet in elevation. 3. Allow heliports only above 6,200 feet in elevation and only in DRR-1 zoned areas (the zoning for some ski resorts). 4. Allow heliports in any ski resorts (regardless of the resort’s current zoning) above a certain elevation. Ogden Valley residents David Holmstrom (who had started the process and financed the applications to change the text of the Weber County CV-2 zoning ordinances), Steve Clarke (who is head of the Ogden Valley Gem Committee), Ron Tymcio, and Lee Schussman had all variously presented at OVPC meetings, met with County Commissioners, obtained input from many dozens of Ogden Valley residents, and met with many business people from Ogden Valley. At Tuesday’s meeting, their input was repeatedly welcomed by the OVPC, and vigorous discussions ensued. Among the many issues discussed were: l Definitions that need to be established. It is likely that the OVPC definition of “Heliport” would also include permanent infrastructure facilities for ancillary uses such as fueling, maintenance, parking, and other customer services at the site; and “helistop” would simply be a landing pad with no other permanent The New Danger to U.S. Independence own numbers, the debt service ratio will con- By Bill Wilson, Gabbi Chieppa, Eden On Tuesday evening, June 28, 2011, in a marathon-length session that lasted the full three and one half hours allotted for such meetings, the Ogden Valley Planning Commission (OVPC) tackled the problems associated with commercial helicopter landing and takeoff sites (“landing zones” or LZs) in Ogden Valley. Newly elected Commission Chairman Kevin Parsons and Commissioners Graves, Howell, Montgomery, and Warburton fully upheld their previous commitments to accept public input and to devote time and effort to the heliport issue. At the meeting, Sean Wilkinson of the Weber County Planning Division reviewed the last 18 months. During that time, commercial helicopters have operated out of the Ogden Valley without the necessary Conditional Use Permit (CUP), there has been much public concern and discussion on the issue, an emergency CUP has been issued, a subsequent heliport CUP application has been denied, an appeal to that denial has been filed, and an application to remove heliports from CV-2 zoning has been filed. (For a more detailed history, please see previous postings on the Ogden Valley Forum under “heliport.”) Mr. Wilkinson stated that the use of helicopters in the Ogden Valley is believed to be desirable in appropriate locations. Given that assumption, he went on to recommend that the OVPC needed to define “heliport” and “helistop,” and he outlined four possible options for the OVPC to consider regarding helicopter LZs: Guest Commentary facilities. The desirability of keeping LZs off the valley floor. l The need to continue to address safety and noise considerations. l The possibility of placing a limit on the minimum elevation for helicopter LZs—likely 6,200 feet. l A need to decide on the CV-2 zoning issue: “Heliport” can be continued as a conditional use in CV-2 until other plans for helicopter LZs can be made, since no CUPs would be granted now until the issue is resolved. (If a minimal elevation is established as 6,200 feet for LZ’s, it may be a moot point to remove heliport from CV-2, as all current CV-2 sites are on the Valley floor.) lThe desire to accommodate and promote legitimate business interests in Ogden Valley. l The need to include possible future roles of helicopters for uses other than heli-skiing. Activities such as sightseeing, hunting, crosscountry skiing, and access to back country areas were all discussed. l The need to decide in which zoning areas heliports and helistops should be allowed so as to not discriminate in granting CUPs to one business over another. l The possibilities of having zoning in some areas for helistops (e.g. F-40, Forest Zones) and in others for heliports (e.g. DRR, resort) zones. l The fact that “airports” are already in the F-40 zoning ordinance could make it logical to also include “helistop” there. l The potential for any legitimate business to plan and place helipads in F-40 zones should help create a development-friendly accommodation for such future LZ areas. l The possibilities (or lack there of) of placing conditions (such as altitudes and flight paths) on helicopters. l The desirability of establishing fair, enforceable policies now to avoid repetition of the last 18 months and future problems. The OVPC concluded the planning session by requesting that the staff: l Create formal definitions of heliport and helistop. l Report back with a process that would keep heliports and helistops off the Ogden Valley floor by establishing a minimum elevation of 6,200 feet for LZs. l Report back with a process that could place “heliport” in the DRR zone and place “helistop” in the F-40 zone. These are huge steps in the right direction. Proper siting of heliports is a complex and specialized issue, and the OVPC deserves much appreciation and thanks from all Ogden Valley residents and businesses as it continues with the very difficult tasks necessary to protect the interests of both Valley residents and potential Ogden Valley businesses. Lee Schussman, Eden l As America celebrates its 235th birthday this July, citizens are increasingly becoming aware of a new danger to the nation’s independence and sovereignty. It was identified as the number one threat to our national security by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen. It is the skyrocketing $14.3 trillion national debt. It is why in poll after poll a majority of Americans oppose raising the debt ceiling without significant spending cuts attached. They understand intuitively that once a nation’s debt gets so large that it couldn’t possibly be paid back if it had to be, that nation is effectively bankrupt. That is the tipping point where default and restructuring of the debt becomes the only viable option, the only path to salvation. Sadly, the U.S. is rapidly approaching this position. Could the debt ever be paid? - Currently, the U.S. is paying about 3 percent interest on the $14.3 trillion debt, or $430 billion of gross interest payments every year. If we had to repay everything over the next 30 years, principal and interest owed would amount to $908 billion out of revenue every year. That’s 41.7 percent of this year’s $2.174 trillion projected tax collections. Is that affordable? Would repayment even be possible today? Perhaps just barely. The benchmark total debt service ratio for mortgage lenders is 40 percent. Anything above that, and a prospective borrower would not qualify for a loan. So even today, Uncle Sam would not qualify for a home mortgage. What is clear is that by this analysis, over time repayment becomes increasingly improbable, if not impossible. By the government’s tinue to rise this decade. Even under the rosiest scenario, America will be broke within the next 10 years. By 2021, when the debt rises to $26.346 trillion according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), that office projects interest rates will have returned to their historical norm of 5 percent. Then annual gross interest payments will be $1.317 trillion. If we attempted to begin repayment then, principal and interest owed would amount to $2.195 trillion, or 45.5 percent of the projected $4.820 trillion in tax receipts projected for that year. OMB projects a return to robust economic growth every year and tax collections more than doubling by the end of this decade. But those expected tax receipts and growth numbers may be delusional. In 2000, tax receipts totaled $2.025 trillion. Now, they’re only $2.174 trillion. In 11 years, annual collections have only increased $149 billion, breaking a long string of decades where revenues had doubled like clockwork. If OMB is wrong, and tax receipts only rise to, say, $3 trillion annually, principal and interest owed on the debt if it had to be paid back would amount to 73.1 percent of tax revenue. That would put the debt into the “couldn’t possibly be paid back” territory. Yet, if the economy fails to grow rapidly or if Congress fails to balance the budget immediately, that is exactly where we will be. At that point, default would be the only honest option. European debtor slaves like Greece and Ireland are in the same situation, where their only hope is robust economic growth and courageous political leadership that simply is nowhere to be found. COMMENTARY cont. on page 12 DYERS WOAD cont. from page 1 be made by calling Mr. Parks at 801-399-8356. Chemical control of dyers woad can be very Highway 158. effective. Small land owners will want to use Church and scout groups, families, busi- 2,4-D with a surfactant (an adjuvant that helps nesses, and other organizations are being asked the herbicide spread on, stick to, and penetrate to set aside the morning to participate in this the leaf surface). This herValley- and community-wide bicide works well while the effort between private landplants are young. Once the owners and county and state dyers woad is mature enough governmental agencies. to have flowers the 2,4-D Landowners are also is not very effective. Large being asked to clean their property owners will get their own property of noxious best control with Escort or weeds, as directed by state Telar. These products are law, prior to July 16 if posonly sold in larger sized packsible. Please note that by ages. They have some soil July 16, the weeds will have activity and one application to be collected and destroyed will often control dyers woad to prevent the seeds from for two years. spreading and multiplying. Additional informaThis means that if neighbors tion on dyers woad can clean their property before be obtained by contactJuly 16, the job will be easier, ing James Barnhill at 801and there will be much less 399-8200 at the Utah State work to do during the comExtension Office in Ogden, munity-wide effort. by visiting Weber County’s Sierra Club Dyers Woad Cleanup. Jim Parks stated that weed abatement web page Photo by Laura Burkhard. Weber County can spray priat www.co.weber.ut.us/ vate property for the cost of weeds/ or USDA’s web site at <www.inva$50 per acre. Arrangements for spraying can sivespeciesinfo.gov/unitedstates/ut.shtml> Ogden Valley D yers W oaD r ounDup ! The entire community is being asked to support a dyers woad clean-up day in Ogden Valley & Ogden Canyon before seeds drop. Saturday, July 16, 2011 Meet at Snowcrest Jr. High 8:30 a.m. Clean-up begins at 9:00 a.m. Bags will be distributed at Snowcrest Jr. High. Weber County dump trucks will collect filled bags of dyers woad and dyers woad seeds at the school parking lot. Bring pruners, gloves, hats, & water. Let’s Get Rid of This Noxious Weed Lunch served at 12:30 p.m. at Gage Froerer Century 21 Real Estate Office in Eden. Lunch courtesy of Representative Gage Froerer. Help From: Families, Youth & Scout Groups, & Other Organizations Needed! MOUth Of OgDEn CAnyOn Open Mon.-Sat. 10AM-10PM Sun. 11AM-8PM Additional information on dyers woad can be obtained by contacting James Barnhill at 801-399-8200 at the Utah State Extension Office in Ogden, by visiting Weber County’s weed abatement web page at www.co.weber.ut.us/weeds/ or USDA’s web site at <www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/unitedstates/ut.shtml> |