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Show Group home request withdrawn, awaiting ordinance By KALYN SECRETAN Request for a group home permit was withdrawn last week by Wayne Crabb and Northwestern Corporation Cor-poration as Lindon City Council continued to try to come up with an ordinance concerning group homes. The council reviewed the home ordinance Jan. 7 and will make any recommendations by the next meeting on Jan. 20. The ordinance will then be considered by the Planning Commission and recommendations given back to the council for consideration on Feb. 4. To comply with the state code, a public hearing will be held with the required 15 day notice. No official action can be taken on the ordinance or-dinance until the regular meeting on March 4. At that time a group home would still have to be applied for even if the city approves the ordinance. Del Ray Gunnell representing the Citizens Committee made a report after writing letters to each State Senator and Legislature concerning group homes. Opinions varied, Representative Donald LeBaron worked on a subcommittee sub-committee to draft the law while serving as a member of the Interim Social Services Committee. He felt the cities should stay involved. in-volved. The State people were there pushing for group homes while citizens were not represented. It was a patched up job and not all legislation agreed with the law, the council was told. Gunnell stated the big question was the number to be allowed in the group home. The Citizens Committee Com-mittee felt they had legitimate reasons for limiting the number to four individuals. They expressed concern over adequate supervision, maintaining the serentiy of a neighborhood, and feel property value will be diminished. The committee advised the council to vote their conscience and if necessary fight for rights. They requested the councilmen to give their own opinion. Councilman Childs stated he would be uncomfortable un-comfortable with eight individuals in h is neighborhood but is not excited ex-cited about getting into a lawsuit with the State of Utah. The state can override anything in the Lindon code. Councilman Garth Gillman also expressed concerns about the home inadequate for 12 people. Councilman Dean Blackhurst had no problem with eight individuals. He has associated with handicapped individuals and has one in his own home. He cited the recent articles in the Journal reporting goup homes were well supervised with little free time left for the individuals. The council previously questioned why the Ogden code limited handicapped han-dicapped individuals to four per home. Mr. Ray Brown discovered Ogden City h ad to change the number to 8 to comply with the State Code. Lindon will have to pass an or dinance compatible with the state ordinance. Alan Reed met with the council with a request for a zone change to allow billboards at the Lindon freeway entrance on the Holly Maxfield property. Bona Advertising wants to install and rent the billboards. They will give perference to Lindon businesses and offer a ten per cent discount. The council questioned Mr. Reed concerning maintenance and concerns about whether the area is large enough for four signs. They were assured new signs are not a problem. They will be top quality billboiards with steel posts. He said it is n ecessary to m ove on the issue b ecause federal legislation may prohibit new billboards in the future. The law states billboards must be 500 feet apart and the property is ample for the four signs. Ace Rents and Bill Curtis along with other businesses have expressed an interest to advertise in Lindon. It was decided a public hearing will b e held to determine if billboards will be installed on the Maxfield property. In other city concerns, the council voted to support the Enhanced 911 system. The mayor will attend a UDAG meeting where the county wide emergency system will be discussed. |