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Show second redevelopment funds hearing Dec. 21 has been set for a second hearing on the city's pending application for federal redevelopment money under the Small Cities Program administered by the Housing and Urban Development Department. The initial hearing, in conjunction with Thursday's Park City Council meeting, was held to get resident's input on priorities for use of the $850,000, 50-50 matching grant, available under the program. Park City Planner David Preece listed four priority areas for use of the funds: Housing rehabilitation, under which senior citizens and others could obtain outright grants to bring older buildings up to existing building code requirements. Main Street redevelopment, wherein funds would be used for sidewalk improvements, pedestrian access and acquisition of additional land for parking. Acquisition of land for low income housing. Development of recreation facilities around the new high school. Park City Councilman Eleanor Bennett opened Thursday's public hearing by noting that the Park City Senior Citizen group had voted to make housing rehabilitation a top priority on the grant application. Most of the other discussion at the hearing centered on the use of funds for low income housing. "Does the city want to become a developer?" asked Park City . realtor Bill Coleman, who suggested the housing problem might be . better addressed by the city granting a variance on density requirements for low income housing developments. Others commenting wondered if the city buying land at one price, and then selling it to a developer at a lower price for low income housing, might not put the city in the position of subsidizing developers. . Planner Preece encouraged those with comments on the grant application to attend next Thursday's meeting which will be held at the Prospector Square convention facilities, starting at 7 p.m. zone code ammendment hearing Jan. 4, in conjunction with the regular Park City Council Meeting, has been set for a public hearing on a proposal to amend the Land Management Code to allow hotel apartments as a conditional use in the General Commercial Zone. First proposed several months ago by the planning firm of J. J. Johnson and Associates, the controversial proposal was given a negative recommendation by the Park City Planning Commission in a unanimous vote. "In reality all we're asking is to have kitchens in hotel rooms," consultant Van Martin told the city council Thursday in asking for the public hearing, a step required before the city council can make its decisions. "Kitchens are needed," said Martin, because Park City is a resort that accommodates families ... they can't afford to dine out every night." He also told the city council that he felt some of the judgments made by the planning commission in turning down the proposal were "unreasonable." Planning Commission Chairman Burnis Watts disagreed, telling the city council: "The planning commission viewed it as a specific request for a client, not a long range goal for the city." He went on to state: "The higher density allowed in the commercial zone would be an unbalanced density it does not require the same assurances for open space and quality of life." |