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Show April 1 03.qxd 12/7/2021 3:49 PM Page 1 The OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Your Community Newspaper New Fire Code Alarms Home Builders By Shanna Francis Ogden Valley News Weber County home builders are up in arms over a new county regulation that could increase the cost of a new home by as much as $20,000. Fire Marshall Ted Black and Weber Fire Chief Dave Austin met last week with Weber County Commissioner Glen Burton and Northern Wasatch Home Builders Association President Ken Mitchell to discuss the code and its impact on new home builders. The code requires newly constructed homes that are larger than 3,600 square feet, which includes the garage area and any space under the roof line, to have sprinklers if fire flow is less than 1,750 gallons of water per minute. Fire flow is the amount of water street hydrants can pump. Many areas of the county do not meet the required flow level, triggering the installation requirement of fire suppression sprinkler systems. A crowd of home builders turned up at a Weber Fire District board meeting to complain about the new code. Fire Marshall Ted Black explained that the fire department couldn’t arbitrarily change or ignore the code. Doing so could expose them to future liability. Salt Lake firefighter Dan Mortensen, who is building a new home in Eden, was quoted in a March 20 article in the Standard-Examiner, “I’ve seen more damage done by sprinklers, especially in downtown high rises. Smoke detectors get you out, not sprinklers. I don’t want them in my home.” Contractor Lynn Petersen of Eden is also opposed to the new standards, concerned about the added construction costs facing new home owners. County and fire district officials are now working on a compromise. They are considering raising the 3,600-square-feet limit to 5,000 square feet, and excluding the garage area from the total square foot formula. The fire district is also looking at the option of buying a tanker truck to carry water to the scene of a fire in areas of the county that have insufficient fire flow. Fire Marshall Ted Black stated, It’s still up to our board on whether to spend the money for a new tanker truck.” The proposed revisions will also need to go before the county commission for approval. April 1, 2003 PRSRT STD POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO House of Representatives Selected Highlights 2003 Session Wrap-up The following is a summary of the 2003 Utah Legislative Session provided by Speaker of the House Marty Stephens. Legislation has been grouped by areas of key interest like education and radioactive and hazardous waste, and was created, in Mr. Stephens’ words, to “give you a sense of some of the things we accomplished this session.” Overview Almost 400 pieces of legislation were approved by the 55th Legislature. Bills ranging from changing the state’s educational sys- tem to restructuring outdated liquor laws were considered by the bodies. Education, radioactive waste, human services funding, tougher criminal penalties, and the credit union-bank debate were especially prominent issues. While a few task forces have been created to further study some of the most complex issues of the session, many valuable and constructive bills passed through the legislative process, and will make Utah a better place to live, work and raise families. Education Education Omnibus Bill - Fundamentally changes Utah’s educational focus from attendance-based to competency-based. This will ultimately allow students to accelerate learning by demonstrating competencies. To accomplish this, the omnibus bill requires the state to make its core curriculum increase in depth and complexity from year to year and focus on consistent and continual progress in the core academic areas of English and Math. It also requires graduation and curriculum requirements to be core subject intensive. HIGHLIGHTS cont. on page 10 Pineview Reservoir reflects its scenic surroundings as it lies still. Photo courtesy of Jim Halay of Eden. Continued Road Restrictions over Spillway Planned Pathway Meetings Being Held to Hone Master Plan In addition to stabilization efforts upstream of the dam, which necessitate the road closure over the spillBureau of Reclamation Area way, the Bureau will also be shoring Manager Bruce Barrett met with area up the dam below the spillway along officials on March 21 to give an update the edge of the highway in the on the Pineview Dam stabilization proj- Wheeler Creek area. The roadway through the top of the canyon will remain open, but lane widths will be minimized. Watch for more information on the construction project in the April 15 edition of The O G D E N V A L L E Y NEWS. Bureau of Reclamation Area Manager Bruce Barrett speaks at a recent meeting. The latest meeting of the Ogden Valley Chapter of plated, which will provide a path for horses, probably on Weber Pathways was held on March 11 in the Ogden the other side of the road. Ms. Holmstrom also reported that she had met with Valley Library in Huntsville. More than a dozen Valley Weber County planning staff, who residents were in attendance, including had given her a list of tasks for several new faces. Geoff Ellis passed Ogden Valley Pathways to accomout copies of the Pathway Master Plan plish. Proposals for development brochure, and explained how the plan are coming in so fast that there is a had been created by Ogden Valley need to take the next step, which Pathways and adopted by the county will finalize the details that were not officials. The plan provides for a netincluded in the Master Plan. work of non-motorized public pathThe County is asking for advice ways linking all of the Valley, and outon where pathways should be locatlines the principles that will guide their ed, what their surface should be development. However, it does not constructed of, and where crossspecify exact routes. walks, trailheads and other facilities Sharon Holmstrom reported that should be placed. In this way, each Susan Summers has completed a grant new subdivision that is approved application for paving part of the Eden Artwork by Steve Songer of can contribute to the creation of the Trail. The paved pathway will provide Huntsville. better access for school children and others traversing the entire pathway network. All those at the meeting were asked to take the Maverick/Valley Market junction, and down to the Master Plan home, read it, and think about the trails that Pineview North Arm trailhead. Ogden Valley Pathways is hoping to receive funds they would like to see in their neighborhoods. The from both the state and the National Park Service to Valley has been divided up into sections for the purpose accomplish this project. Additional work is also contem- of pathway planning, and committee members are being organized for each section. At the next meeting, a preliminary detail plan will be presented for comment. As always, all Valley residents and other interested parties are welcome to attend. Do you see a need for trails near your home? Are you an equestrian, or a bicyclist, with good ideas on where people should be able to ride? Come share your opinions at the next meeting, which will be hosted Wednesday, April 2, at 7:00 p.m. at the Ogden Valley Branch Library in Huntsville. Contact Weber Pathways at 393-2304 for more information. By Shanna Francis Ogden Valley News ect. Valley residents and visitors can expect additional permanent road closures across the spillway beginning as early as July of 2003, and lasting through November of the same year. The Bureau is currently working with county officials to coordinate an exact date to minimize the impact of simultaneous road closures on the North Ogden Divide when improvements to the mountain road begin. Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . Page 2 Announcements . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 6 Historical Article . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . Page 14 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 15 |