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Show Page 2 The Ogden Valley News Volume XXX Issue IX December 15, 2023 The Ogden Valley News Staff: Shanna Francis Tel: 801-745-2688 Cell: 801-791-4387 Email: slfrancis@digis.net Jeannie Wendell Tel: 801-745-2879 Email: crwendell@digis.net crwendell@msn.com Opinions expressed by advertisers, columnists or letters to the editor are not necessarily the opinions of the owners and staff of The Ogden Valley News. Please note that The Ogden Valley News does not endorse or guarantee the professional qualifications or licensing of businesses or business owners and contractors who may advertise in this publication. Those who engage or contract with advertised or highlighted businesses or contractors are personally responsible for reviewing and determining for themselves the qualifications and licensing and insurance requirements of each advertiser where and when appropriate. Guidelines for Letters to the Editor Letters should be 300 words or less. 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Letters to the Editor To Resist Overdevelopment, Develop Objective Data One of our Thanksgiving dinner guests is a national authority on housing development issues. Though based in Washington, D.C., he had some fascinating thoughts on the current specter of growth in Ogden Valley. In a nutshell, he said we can control development only if we use objective argument criteria, such as engineering data. But if we try a subjective approach, it might sug- gest discrimination and then you’re lost. Professional planners know the law won’t allow objections to growth based on income, ethnicity, NIMBY, etc. County commissioners also recognize this and would dread a federal civil rights lawsuit brought on by frustrated developers. This is why commissioners may sometimes override our expressed wishes and vote opposite of what we want. Our best bet is to focus on the paramount, objective issues like water and infrastructure. Concerns like preservation, conservation, light pollution etc. can also be brought to bear if the work is done to develop quantified, objective argumentation. Paul Williams, Eden has served Eden drinking water needs for many decades and has been an incorporated company since December 2000. Most of the water supplied to our 532 shareholders comes from the Burnett Spring (near the Wolf Creek Golf Course) under a decreed water right dating back to 1861. EWW stands in solid compliance with the State divisions of Drinking Water and Water Quality with adequate back up sources of water via the Clark East Well near Snowcrest Junior High and the Kammeyer Well located o昀昀 of Highway 158 near Valley Storage. EWW is currently equipped to serve an approximate maximum of 750 shareholders. Taking on the additional 300 plus water services for Eden Crossing would be an impact requiring additional water sources and additional costs for delivery and infrastructure. To adequately address this increased service possibility, EWW has imposed a six-month moratorium on the sale of any new water shares. This will allow time to research the impacts, obtain legal guidance, formulate plans, and determine the desires of company shareholders. Our shareholders are the heart of EWW and are greatly appreciated. Please be assured that your opinions will be sought as we determine if EWW will provide culinary water to the Eden Crossing project. Eden Crossing Water? Many questions are ramping up regarding this proposed new development [Eden Crossing] in our neighborhood including, “Where will the water come from?” Although the Eden Crossing project is in its early planning stages, the planners have presumed that our local Eden Water Works Company (EWW) would provide their culinary water and have erroneously stated so in planning and other documents describing the project. However, the developer of the project has recently acknowledged the error. Moving forward, here are some facts about EWW regarding the Eden Crossing project: • EWW as a privately owned company that • • • • Eden Water Works Board of Directors Valley Residents Now Know Where They Stand with County Commissioners It’s nice to have the December 5 County Commission public hearing over, as we now know where we stand with our elected commissioners. It was sad to see that the Ogden Valley Planning Commission members’ vote to deny, twice, the proposed Eden Crossing development had no impact on the three county commissioners’ votes after they approved the zoning change on December 5 to allow Eden Crossing to move forward. Even so, I was so proud of the people from our community. The quality of comments made at the public hearing was fabulous. Everybody learned a lot from the rational and sound comments on why Eden Crossing should never be allowed to be developed. Now that the commissioners failed to listen to Valley residents, we’ve already started preparing to go to war. As someone said last month, “You guys are way too nice.“ Yes, we have been way too nice. We will never give up this fight. Thank you, Ogden Valley, David Carver, Eden More Park, Less City The slogan “More Park, Less City” begs the question, “How do we keep the Valley rural?” The whole point is to emphasize the need to lean into the general plan and embrace its core value. We came together as a community in 2014-2016 and decided the best way to keep the beautiful Valley open and free from rooftops, was to transfer the density off the open areas and hillsides and cluster them in dense village centers. In all of our projects in Ogden Valley, we have created open space, community amenities, biking and hiking trails, well beyond what was required, as well as the unique touches that we hoped to see in our hometown because… it is our hometown. When we developed Osprey Ranch, that 567 acres could have been 153 homes. We preferred to embrace the general plan and move most of those rooftops (all but 61) off those visible hill- sides and move them down to the village areas. By transferring the front door rights we create more attainable housing where they would be surrounded by community amenities, shopping, and transportation. That’s how we keep the Ogden Valley rural—by putting density in a clustered and walkable village. That’s how we end up with more park and less city. That also puts all that density on sewer which is the responsible thing to do to protect our aquifers; on average a home on sewer produces 70% less nitrates than one on septic. I’m very proud to say that my partners and I have invested over $10 million in sewer and water lines connecting Osprey Ranch to Wolf Creek Resort. We built this system and are donating land, not just for our projects, but for all of Eden, the Nordic Valley area, and Wolf Creek. We now have a sewer transmission line & sewer manhole at the 4-way stop that has been oversized by 10x to accommodate the Jr High, Maverik, Valley Market, other commercial sites, and neighborhoods in the future when they are ready to connect; that’s smart growth. The county is using some of its ARPA funds to augment parts of this system that benefit existing structures on septic. As I pointed out at the Dec. 5 County Commission meeting, we are at the very beginning of Eden Crossing and it is a blank slate. We believe small communities can accomplish great things and with a lot of local input, we will collectively create a pedestrian friendly main MORE PARK cont. on page 13 Weber County Commissioner’s Eden Crossing Vote a Wasted Opportunity According to the American Planners Association, “Smart Growth” creates a unique sense of community and place and preserves and enhances valuable natural and cultural resources. The best plans are proactive, not reactive. They lay the groundwork for the future we dream of. They are fair, balanced, and trusted. The Ogden Valley General Plan provides a guiding light for such development and is held up as the standard by which planning decisions shall be made. In the staff report for the recent vote on Eden Crossing by our Weber County Commissioners, the term “urbanized center” was used numerous times throughout to describe what is being proposed. The Ogden Valley General Plan refers to core density areas as “villages.” To say the two are equal is like saying that a six-lane highway is the same as a winding country road. They are not the same. “Urban centers” are not part of the Ogden Valley General Plan. In fact, the only time “urban” is used is to say that residents would rather continue to access the urban development on the Wasatch front than bring it to the valley (OVGP, page 30). It has been stated that the General Plan calls for commercial development to follow infrastructure. This makes complete sense. The recent sewer studies provided by Sunrise Engineering show where the backbone of this infrastructure should be installed to service the largest number of existing and future customers. All of the recommended scenarios show the public infrastructure located along the public right-of-way, specifically through the 4-way and directly up SR 158 toward Wolf Creek. No options show the alignment zigzagging through private ag land. That choice was made by the developer as a business decision to serve his development goals; presumably, as the most cost-effective manner for him and his investors. The agreement between Wolf Creek Sewer Improvement District (WCSID) and the newly formed ESSA states that service will be provided to WCSID existing customers and to the devel- OPPORTUNITY cont. on page 12 JOIN US IN CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF BUSINESS ‘Tis the season to celebrate milestones and spread joy, and this year, Diamond Peak is delighted to mark three decades of serving Odgen Valley. We invite you to join us in commemorating our 30th Anniversary this holiday season. Saturday, December 16 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Diamond Peak Mountain Sports parking lot and in collaboration with Mad Moose Cafe, Don Pollos, Goldenwest, Eden Coffee & Cocoa, Lavender Hill, and Bailey Sleigh Rides. Enjoy delightful holiday-themed refreshments, free sleigh rides, yummy food, caroling and bonfire. Special discounts from local businesses. Your support has been instrumental in our journey, and we look forward to celebrating this significant milestone with you! Wishing you a Merry Christmas mas and Happy New Year! 30th MON.- SAT. 8AM - 8PM • SUN. 8AM - 6PM • IN PEAK PLAZA • 2429 N. Hwy 158, Eden • 801-745-0101 WWW.DIAMONDPEAK.BIZ |