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Show Volume XXX Issue VI The Ogden Valley News Page 7 June 1, 2023 Memorial Day is the Beginning of The Hearthside “Piece Makers” Last month, heavy snows still blanketing 9:00 at night, not a single breaker “tripped up” the Ben Lomond Stake Camp in North Fork these ultra-running seamstresses. Utah’s Memorial 100 Day Deadliest Days Park nearly brought the curtain down for the Over the years, quilts produced by Piece MPH on Utah roadways. This problem has gotmarks the beginning of Utah’s 100 Deadliest Days, a time period that runs through Labor Day when road fatalities tend to be higher. Historically, from Memorial Day to Labor Day fatal crashes nearly double compared to the rest of the year—averaging nearly one death per day in the summer months. Utah fatalities are the highest they have been in more than two decades. Since 2019, we have had 533 fatal car accidents on Utah roadways. This summer the Weber County Sheriff’s Office will be teaming up with the Utah Highway Patrol and Zero Fatalities to combat the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. The Weber County Sheriff’s Office will increase DUI patrols as well as seatbelt enforcement and texting while driving. Since 2019, the Utah Highway Patrol has stopped over 26,000 drivers traveling over 100 ten so out of hand that in 2022, legislation was passed stating that anyone traveling over 105 MPH may be charged with reckless driving. This summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, law enforcement will be out in force in Weber County. Any law enforcement officer who stops a motorist traveling over 105 MPH or double the speed limit in Weber County, will have discretion to arrest the driver for reckless driving and impound the driver’s vehicle. Our goal is to decrease the number of accidents. Our hope is that everyone will enjoy their summer safely. As we enter the summer months, we are urging all drivers to slow down, always wear your seatbelt, be courteous to other motorists, do not text while driving, and please take any other necessary precautions to avoid becoming a number in the statistics of the 100 deadliest days of summer. MUDSLIDE cont. from page 1 in these areas without specific design-level geotechnical engineering and supervision.” Resident comments from 2020 to the Weber County planning staff and members of the planning commission also note: “Slope stability issues from additional snow load and clearing of trees, etc. (landslides already [have been] see in area above Viking Dr.). This is particularly a concern since the skiing area abuts the back property lines of the homes on Viking Drive. Please require them to provide a geotechnical report addressing this issue, based upon full saturation of the ground (snow melt conditions).” While the geotechnical study for hillside work in the expanded resort site calls out specific engineering details for the placing of new chairlift poles and tower poles, little is said about issues for ensuring the stability of soils where deforestation and soil disturbances occur when newly cut runs and roads, and other construction activity is engaged in. John Mortensen noted that a walk up the hillside behind his home where construction activity occurred shows no indication of efforts to reseed or stabilize disturbed soils. However, a Weber County staff report for Nordic Valley’s hillside review approval that considered final approval of the Nordic Valley Expansion Hillside application notes the following guidelines: 1. Development of the site must follow all recommendations outlined in the geologic hazards report and the geotechnical engineering study. 2. New runs that are cleared must be reseeded with a seed mix approved by the forest service to help hold the soil in place. 3. The requirements and standards found in the county’s Hillside Development Review Procedures and Standards will be met during the excavation and construction phase of proposed improvements. Other property owners along Viking Drive noted that the resort industry and development isn’t a problem as long as owners aren’t making money at the expense of the surrounding residents in the community and the surrounding environment. This is when a line is crossed, and it becomes a problem for everyone. The environmental system in the area has been in place for eons, which includes long-standing river channels and waterways, wetlands, and other ecosystems. It’s when you start messing with these natural, long-established systems that problems arise, which is what, they say, they feel has happened. The altering of the land and its layout without consideration of established systems has caused a severe problem, especially combined with an especially wet year. As this article is being written, news came in that an additional home is now being threatened along Viking Drive, with the fire department, once again, called out to help on May 25. More details to follow. away from homes and basement window wells. However, according to Lori Mortensen, their pole barn had water and mud running in the back end and coming out the front. The yard area was, and remains, completely buried by mud and road base from the destabilized hillside and fire road that runs nearly parallel to Viking Drive above the impacted homes. Another home impacted belongs to Steve and Sue Munson, who were on vacation when the flow event occurred. Neighbors Bruce Magill and Bruce Keswick, along with neighbor Kevin Baggs and his son made a heroic effort sandbagging, digging channels to redirect the flows, and standing watch for new threats through the evening hours to ensure the Munsons would find their home safe and secure when they returned from out-of-town. The Weber Fire District also assisted with the effort. It’s interesting, and ironic, to note that as late as March 16, 2022, Munson had written to the Weber County planning staff about his concerns about development above his home in an area that is described by geotechnical studies as unstable. He included with his remarks data that describes soils in the slope areas as potentially hazardous “because of indications of past landslide movements…. Within this soil type, mass movement, slump, soil creep hazards are areas where slope creep processes are likely…. Soils are prone to slope failures….Because of the past movement, the soils and rock structures that comprise these units have been weakened by past movement and deformation. Areas where mass movement have been mapped in the Geohazards Report for Nordic Valley should be considered susceptible to renewed movement, and site development grading, cuts and fills, and foundations placement should not be conducted This photos shows the impact of soil erosion along fire road above Viking Drive. Eroded soils and road base washed down into yards below along Viking Drive in Nordic Valley area. Piece Makers—a diverse group of two dozen talented quilters from all over the Wasatch Front. With no access to their planned gettogether site, group members scrambled to locate a contingency location for their annual retreat. Fortunately, the Hearthside in Eden was available and willing to let these marathon quilters set up shop for their week-long quilt fest. At the crack of dawn on Monday, April 24, the Hearthside’s large dining hall was converted into a sewing production center extraordinaire— a wall to wall sewing stations equipped with sewing machines, cutting boards, ironing boards, and lots of fabric. With multiple power strips plugged into every available outlet, Jennifer Martinez mused, “We tend to max out the electricity wherever we go with so many sewing machines running at the same time.” Jennifer, along with Terri Johnson, are Ogden Valley members of the Piece Makers. For an entire week, 8:30 in the morning ‘til Makers have benefited the Salt Lake Tree Festival, Primary Children’s Hospital, Builders Without Boarders, and many other local charities. “As fun as all the non-stop sewing is, we’re also able to be with friends and share out talents and food!” VOLUNTEERS cont. from page 1 replace the trees lost from the recent bark beetle infestation that took down many of Huntsville Park’s historic spruces. Photos courtesy of Jake Songer and Huntsville Mayor Richard Sorenson. Property Maintenance Handyman Services 385-487-9366 *Licensed & Insured* |
