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Show "To be nobody but yourself Is Wl&IIV ' - -': ' - mmTmm r nrjls " Jfr if ' ' ' 1 'w-. 1 fV "-Xt ""si l &-hM I 1 5T r,; pi: A .iiiil v-A JiiK Wry SNJ'TS. w--S-" - Xi Planning Director David Preece enforce. I have chosen the latter; I have to-if I want to live with myself." What does David Preece do after he leaves his office in City Hall? "I kind of fall apart," he replied, laughingly. Actually Preece enjoys playing tennis, painting (using oils and water color), and he runs on the average of between eight to ten miles a day. Having lived his first year in Park City, Preece said he had to move to Salt Lake where he still lives because he couldn't find an available house here that was in his price range. He was born and raised in Ogden, received receiv-ed a BA Degree from Weber State where he majored in Chemistry and Economics with a double minor in Geology and Public Administration. Admini-stration. Preece was later awarded a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning Plan-ning from Western Kentucky University. He has also done doctoral work at the University Univer-sity Of Utah in Civil Engineering. Maybe the best way to understand David Preece's attitudes and beliefs is by reading s quote by poet E.E. Cummings which is written on a blackboard that hangs in Preece's office: "To be nobody but yourself... in a World Which today is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else... means 'to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting," Park City is one of the fastest growing communities in the country today, a fact that- may be interesting to some people, but to Planning Director David Preece, it means having to handle an awesome array of land developments ranging from single lot subdivisions to proposed shopping center complexes.. During his two years as Park City's Planning Director Direc-tor David Preece has established esta-blished himself as a firm believer in controlled growth, and he is not timid in voicing his opinions which at times have been somewhat some-what controversial -to local developers. His interpretations interpreta-tions and views have even raised eyebrows of co-workers at City Hall. Like Mayor Jack Green, City Manager Wayne Matthews and other city officials, David Preece is under pressure on a day to day basis. Preece's busy work days could make you dizzy. He is one of the first to arrive at City Hall in the morning (between 6:30 and 7:00) and before he has time to even get his desk in order, developers are calling to discuss various problems and asking for advice, people are waiting to see Preece outside his office door, and - -he is rcvfcwtngb u i 1 d i n g permits and proposed site plans. As Planning Director, Preece also acts is coordinator coordina-tor for Park City's redevelopment redevelop-ment project; Preece does a voluminous amount of research re-search for upcoming planning, plan-ning, commission meetings, making sure projects are in compliance with regulations. What makes his job difficult, Preece told the Record during an interview this week, is simply the large amount of proposed developments develop-ments for Park City. "It has gotten to the point where it takes everything I have just to stay on top of it, making sure everything is covered," he saidi r- i And Preece" is not one to review proposed projects lightly; he is considered "tough" in making sure a particular development complies com-plies with local ordinances and regulations. "I'm a firm believer in reviewing everything every-thing in a very comprehensive comprehen-sive manner, both in terms of short and long-term effects," ef-fects," Preece explained. Park City's Planning Director, Dir-ector, it would, be safe to assume, does not necessarily jconsider himself "tough" on developers ut simply, .doing his job the best way he knows how. Yet Preece said he has received pressure from various segments in the community to compromise his beliefs in terms of his job. "The most important part of being planning director is to make sure development and growth happen in an -orderly way. That's the whole idea behind planning: -to set guidelines and regulations regula-tions and make sure they are-being are-being implemented, so that development happens in a positive, not a negative manner," Preece told the Record. By planning for the future, Preece added, a crisis or a problem can be prevented. When asked what Park City's most pressing problems pro-blems are now, he was quick to, respond, saying traffic circulation needed analyzing and that it is time to update and revise the Master Plan. "Our present streets and traffic circulation are inadequate inade-quate to service the public," he said. As far as the Master Plan is concerned, Preece said it is necessary to get an overview of Park City, to examine what has been occuring here lately in terms of housing and commercial developments, existing land uses, capital improvements as well as water, sewer and - fire service capabilities. "I can't stress enough the importance of updating the Master Plan," he said, adding a revision in the Land Management Code was also needed. Although each development develop-ment requires a comprehensive comprehen-sive study, Preece pointed out three in particular which demand a lot of time: the massive Deer Valley Ski Resort, Quittin Time on Norfolk Avenue, and the Holiday Village Shopping Center. With all three, Preece said, the impact on the community as a whole is one of the top concerns. Regarding Deer Valley, the planning director said,.. "It's very difficult dealing with projects of that vast? ness." And on Quittin Time, "It's a classic hillside development deve-lopment which has several ' problems, and each one needs tor be evaluated... to assure that the project will have no detrimental impact on neighboring residents or the city." And the Holiday Village Shopping Center, Preece explained, should be studied to determine how it will affect existing commercial commer-cial facilities in town. If Park City is to maintain it's' ' umque character and stand out among other resort towns, David Preece said it is "very important" to revitalize revita-lize Main Street and to encourage historic preservation preserva-tion throughout the city. He pointed out that a recent nation-wide survey showed over 60 tourist trade orient themselves to historical aspects as-pects of a town. "Historic preservation will separate us from other resort areas," said Preece. "The history of Park City needs to be preserved. And we need to establish an identity in our newer areas which is consistent consis-tent with our mining history." his-tory." The City Council not long ago decided to expand the planning commission, adding add-ing two new members, an action Park City's 27 year old . planning director took exception excep-tion to eventhough he admits the new commission members mem-bers will add expertise to that body as a whole. "I was opposed.to expanding expand-ing the planning commission," commis-sion," he said. "I think we had a good balance in the beginning. I was also disappointed disap-pointed with the procedure in which it was handled. I felt like it should have gone through the planning commission com-mission for recommendation before going to the City Council." - David Preece told the Record there have been ' times, during the past two. - years; when, h was asked to . either compromise his interpretations inter-pretations of particular development deve-lopment regulations or to simply "conform." One objection ob-jection raised about Preece is that he is not effective in terms of "public relations; " "I have no other alterna-' alterna-' tiveT" he explained, "but to enforce the law as it is written. I'm a student of the Watergate era: you can either ignore personal and professional ethics and dd only what the establishment wants; or, you do what irou . know is right and enforce things you re supposed to |
