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Show The Ogden Valley News Page 12 Volume XXVII Issue IX August 15, 2022 Purchase of Development Rights: A Viable Growth Alternative Compiled by Shanna Francis The purchase of development rights— PDRs—is a viable strategy and tool in areas where growth may not be the best option for a number of reasons. Communities across the U.S. have successfully protected critical open space, farmland, sensitive lands, droughtprone areas, and the preservation of rural areas through successful PDR programs. Cache County is probably the first in Northern Utah endeavoring to do so, which will be placing a similar program proposal on the ballot this fall in an effort to protect their valuable agricultural lands and open space. They are proposing an initial $20 million bond. It is estimated that the bond will cost the average homeowner $2 to $3 a month over a 20-year period. County managers, however, will also have the option to invest incoming monies to stretch its buying power even further. Another example is Warwick, New York, which notes on their PDR website that, “PDR [programs are] the best way to hold down the escalation of property taxes. It costs a great deal less in local property taxes to protect land from development than it does to have the land developed.” Why is this? The value of the services that farmland demand is far less than the tax revenue it generates. Residential development, on average, demands about $1.12 in services for each dollar paid in taxes. Farmland, on average, demands only about thirty-five cents per each tax dollar collected. In Warwick, each tax dollar collected by the municipality to finance their PDR program saves about six tax dollars during the payout period to participatory landowners, who are reimbursed for the difference in the value of their property as open space versus residential or commercial. Bottom line, the cost of an open space easement is less than the price of services demanded by future development. Besides keeping property taxes low, other benefits also include the following. • Open space and fields are a tourism draw— especially in Ogden Valley. • Open space provides needed recreational areas and healthy environments in which to rejuvenate physically, emotionally, and psychologically—especially important in today’s stress-filled world. • Open space strengthens nearby property values. • Open space protects aquifers and other water sources and their recharge areas, limiting drawdown and recharge pressures on aquifers, helping to protect both the community’s and downstream users critical water sources, both in quality and quantity. • Open space limits traffic congestion. • Open space helps mitigate light, noise, and particulate pollution—acting as a giant kidney for all these unhealthy residual effects of development. • Open space provides habitat for a diverse range of plants and wildlife, including Ogden Valley’s sensitive species such as the Bonneville cutthroat trout and Kokanee salmon, among many others. • Open space contributes to better health, lowering heart rates, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety. The purchase of development rights is: • The most effective and fair way of permanently protecting open space from development. • A way to stop uncontrolled, run-away development. • A way to create a perpetual easement on land that permanently restricts residential or commercial growth. • A way to limit the ever-increasing rise in property taxes. Instead of spending millions and millions on funding costly sewer systems throughout the valley, and inane water gimmicks to eke out every possible drop of water, resulting in the desertification of Ogden Valley and accompanying forest fires, much like that which has been done in California, Weber County would do well to look at other viable and more palatable solutions that nicely dovetail into Ogden Valley’s mission and vision as outlined in the OV general plan. The Ogden Valley News is looking for Ogden Valley and Ogden Canyon historical biographies, stories, and photos to use in its publication. Please mail, email, or call Shanna at 801-745-2688 or Jeannie at 801-745-2879 if you have material you are willing to share. UTVs l Motorcycles Boats l Personal Watercraft Kayaks l Canoes l SUPs Snowmobiles On Site Rentals & Tours Eden (801) Pineview Reservoir/Marina Monte Cristo Trailhead l 745-3038 www.ClubRecUtah.com INFRASTRUCTURE cont. from page 1 cost/benefit ratio and sociological burden that the people, overwhelmingly, do not support. Who receives the benefit of maximizing the buildout of OV? Certainly not the general populace. Why are developers, contractors, county and state tax coffers on the receiving, winning end of maximum development while invested residents—through higher property values (i.e., increased property taxes), loss of environment, community culture, and general wellbeing—the overall losers? In fact, constituents/residents need to evaluate the changing issues and macro conditions that might make the pursuit of full build out the last option that is desired for OV. What Bowen Collins and Sunrise Engineering presented July 27 was controlled by Weber County and Weber Basin through service contract requirements and definitions of the “Scope of Work.” Weber County and Weber Basin have complete ownership of the consultants’ studies and data—every scrap of information pertaining to the studies and its distribution. It should be no surprise, then, that Weber County shaped this process to fit its goals, and that the citizens of OV were only presented solutions to achieve full build out. Those who set the agenda are those who control the power. Why weren’t other options presented before embarking on recommendations committing an estimated $90 million to provide for residential growth at an unsustainable level in a very small area? OV citizens should demand a moratorium on growth in OV to allow for time to appoint a committee to determine a course of action that is sustainable and desirable to OV residents— the true stakeholders, and those who have the most to lose if proposed plans aren’t serving their true interests. Updates for the OV water budget, which quantifies groundwater, aquifers, and Pineview flows, should be available later this year from the state, according to state representatives at DWR. Big-picture Reasons for Avoiding Overdevelopment - Agricultural use of water was excluded from the July 27 presentation, which is certainly the largest consumer of water in Utah and OV. However, trading agricultural use for residential development is not a sustainable course of action. Agriculture produces more than $21 billion annually per year in the state and contributes to a healthy watershed, maintaining the natural balance of Utah’s environment, while also keeping the environment from degrading into dry out status, such as found in states like California. Certainly, many people are now aware of the dangerous status of the Great Salt Lake. This body of water—which provides precipitation and climate moderation for the Wasatch Front, the most populous region of Utah—is in peril. Most sources cite the source of the GSL’s decline as drought and increased water demand for residential development. We can’t control drought, but we can and should have control over development. The loss of the GSL would be an economic hit of nearly $3 billion annually, as year-round recreational, brining, and mining revenue evaporates along with the GSL. Even worse, its retreating shoreline will result in the destruction of habitability of the Wasatch Front, an astronomical loss. It is imperative that every citizen of Utah understand the ecological nightmare Utah faces if we lose the GSL. Local Reasons for Avoiding Overdevelopment - OV has been promised assistance by the county many times to provide or expand essential services and protections of our community. There are more than a few issues where OV is not receiving these services. We have a situation now, in 2022, caused by real estate market values being inflated beyond affordability. Rising annual market valuations, of up to 47% and property taxes annually increasing by up to 37%, are making single-family homes unaffordable, forcing sales and relocations. Rising prices are also being spurred, in large measure, by the commercialization of community neighborhoods. We need an annual limit or cap on the increase of residential taxable assessments and taxes—and on short-term rentals (STRs), which continue to drive up home valuations. Currently in OV, there are places where fire regulations are not being met, meaning recommendations of six years ago have not been implemented. Now some Valley residents are experiencing the termination of their homeowner’s insurance policies. And if these uninsured homeowners do find an insurer that will cover the risk, it is only for a premium more than several times the norm. STRs are another problem being neglected by Weber County Commissioners. There is little to no enforcement of the laws limiting and regulating the STR industry in OV. Currently, there are hundreds of unregistered and illegally operated STRs. The failure to enforce the law regarding STRs creates many disruptions for our community, in addition to contributing to skyrocketing property tax valuations. These include noise pollution, pressure on existing infrastructure and resources, and drug and criminal activity. Residents of OV should be resilient in facing these community challenges; other groups are acting. Cache County will vote in November on whether to bond for funds to retire tracts of land from development for county open space and to pay farmers to protect their ag land. A few months ago, Davis County’s unincorporated area adopted a moratorium on new growth, providing a period of time to re-evaluate and develop viable solutions to outrageous growth demands. And outside of Utah, there are many places that have banned, or greatly restricted, STRs, including Aspen, Miami, Honolulu, Hermosa Beach, etc. What We Can Do to Remedy the Situation - How do we responsibly respond? We can hit the pause button, providing time to research, develop, and implement alternate solutions to the status quo and to fund further cost prohibitive sewer and water transfer schemes. We can attend to the county’s administration with a close watch, making certain that what is done in Weber County is for the best interest of current and future residents, and not for special interest interests only. It is time for the residents of Weber County to decide and work toward their own interests, so that future outcomes reflect these interests— not the limited interests of a few speculators and their pocketbooks. It’s time that decisions are made for the benefit of the community so they can continue to be the winners. We are at the proverbial fork in the road. Do we follow the path that leads to living beyond our natural environmental and existential limitations or do we choose to live within our resource limitations and create a new path to sane and sustainable living? Note: A water budget will provide the big picture of the sources and uses of water in OV. The reports from the Utah Geological Survey, which are for the period 2004 – 2016, indicate that for this 13-year period, the Valley’s average annual change in water storage was an increase of 3,000-acre feet per year. Fortunately, the water budgets for Utah and its watersheds for the years beyond 2016 should be available by the end of 2022, according to the state representatives from DWR. Subscriptions available for out-of-area residents at $18 annually. Send payment with mailing address to: The Ogden Valley News PO BOX 522, EDEN UT 84310 36 Come join us for dinner! Welcome Back to School! For a complete menu go to www.timbermine.com Mouth of Ogden Canyon 1701 Park Blvd. Ogden 801-393-2155 Open Tues-Thurs. 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat. 4:30 - 9:00 p.m. Closed Sun. & Mon. CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE |