R-1-30 Rezone Referendum Update

On Thursday, January 26th  Highland received the county’s report on the referendum signatures. After reviewing the report our city recorder issued the final certification report which states the following: Of the 2,778 signatures submitted 2,404 were certified. This is 109 fewer signatures than the 2,513 which were required and there for the referendum will not be placed on the 2017 ballot.

City Council 10-Jan-2017: Road Plan, Youth Council, R-1-30 Moratorium, Spring Road Projects,

If you support the construction of the Murdock Connector (an east-west road between Alpine Highway and North County Blvd) please indicate your support by signing an online petition (click here to sign). This petition will be shared with Utah State legislators as they will need pass a bill this year to allow the road to cross state owned property. Also, our new State Senator, Dan Hemmert, and State Representative, Mike Kennedy, both have short constituent surveys that include a question on this issue. Please let them know how you feel on this and other issues such as education, internet sales tax, medical marijuana …. Click on their respective pictures to complete their survey’s .

State Senator Dan Hemmert	State Rep. Mike Kennedy

Now on the the meeting. It was a productive meeting with a good exchange of information. Two residents attended the Roads Work Session and over sixty were present for the Council Meeting. Most of the Council Meeting attendees were there to support the 2017 Highland City Youth Council members who were sworn in. It is great to see so much interest in local government.

City Council 6-Dec-2016: Cemetery Work Session, Murdock Connector Resolution, Open Space Maintenance Agreement

Sixteen residents and others attended the council meeting none were at the work session.

Work Session: Cemetery perpetual Care fund

The Cemetery Fund currently has a balance of $10,000. Plot fees are presently being used to refund the city for the purchase of the cemetery land. The goal of a perpetual care fund would be to build up a balance that would generate enough interest to cover all or most of the cost of maintaining the cemetery. Matt Millis, Zion Bank, walked us through multiple scenarios for increasing the lot and burial fees in order to reach a fund balance that would be self-sustaining. We generally agreed to build a balance to that would cover some of the maintenance cost of the cemetery. The fees needed to be reviewed periodically. We felt that the city should pay some portion of the costs as the cemetery does fill a “park role” for some residents. The estimated percentage of “park”  was not fixed (10% to 15% was discussed). Staff will work with Mr. Millis to further refine the model and finalize initial fee recommendations. These would need to be approved at a future council meeting. Click here to review the presentation we were given.

City Council 15-Nov-2016: Oak Ridge Rezone Decision, Open Space Maintenance Agreement, 10400 Sewer Project

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

About 40 people were in attendance. Most were there to discuss the rezone issue. This has been a somewhat controversial issue and we’ve had a lot of resident input. I ran a poll starting in September to better understand how residents feel about lot sizes (results shown below). Additionally, residents were not happy about the final vote and are petitioning for the matter to be on the 2017 election ballot. While technically the referendum can only overturn the decision to rezone this specific property a large majority decision on either side would be an indicator of the publics view of future R-1-40 to R-1-30 rezone requests. Anyone wishing to help gather signatures or sign a petition can contact Natalie Ball at responsiblegrowth@hotmail.com. I will discuss this further below.

No Room For Them In The Inn—William George Jordan

The following is a chapter from William George Jordan’s book “The Crown of Individuality.” As always, his writing is filled with profound thoughts and great analogies.

No Room For Them In The Inn

The world’s attitude towards the birth of every great truth is focused in a single phrase in the simple story of the first Christmas, the greatest birthday since time began. Mary laid the infant Christ in a manger—“because there was no room for them in the inn.”

For worldly success, fame, social prestige, laurel-crowned triumph, the inn is illuminated; welcoming music fills the air; and the inn doors are thrown wide open. But struggle towards sublime attainment, heroic effort to better the world, simple consecration of soul to a noble ideal means—the manger and a lonely pathway lit only by the torch of truth held high in the hand of purpose.

City Council 1-Nov-2016: Retail Building in Town Center, Quick-Quack Car Wash Site Plan.

About 8 people attended the council meeting at which we approved (1) the final plat for the Edge Home development on the south west side of town (R-1-30), the architectural plan for Quick Quack car wash, a site plan for a new building west of Wendy’s, and a sewer connection for a Golf Training Center which will be built in American Fork adjacent to Highland..

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

City Council 1-Nov-2016: Road Repair Plan Work Session

Background: In 2011 a road study was begun which ended up projecting that the cost of repairing Highland’s D & F rated roads would be $16.2M. As the sturdy was reviewed by staff, residents, and council members a number of issues were uncovered which council and staff felt warranted a second opinion.

Earlier this year we executed a contract with PEPG Consulting to reassess C- through F rated roads in Highland using a core sampling methodology. Coring gives engineers a much better ability to assess the condition of a road segment and recommend an appropriate treatment. While the study was underway a committee composed of residents, staff members, and council members met monthly with PEPG to review the progress and provide input. I really appreciate those who participated.

City Council 18-Oct-2016: N. County Aquifer Council, Open Space Maintenance Agreement Discussion

About 20 people attended the meeting. Most were there to participate in a discussion on maintenance agreements on open space land. Note, If you haven’t done so already please share your opinion as to what constitutes a “large lot” by voting in the poll below. Feel free to add comments.

In a survey conducted earlier this year the most frequently cited reason for living in Highland was large lots. The city now has three residential zones; which one meets your minimum criteria for large lots?

R-1-20: 20,000 sq. ft. or greater

R-1-30: Min. 20K sq. ft. with no more than 25% of lots less than 25K sq. ft.

R-1-40: Min. 20K sq. ft. with no more than 25% of lots less than 30K sq. ft.

 

pollcode.com free polls

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

City Council 4-Oct-2016: Apple Creek (rezone request), Budget adjustments.

There were ~30 residents at the council meeting. A decision on whether to rezone 5.76 acres of undeveloped land in the town center to allow an age restricted (55 and older) condo/lease with commercial development to be constructed was the issue which brought most of the residents.

Note, If you haven’t done so already please share your opinion as to what constitutes a “large lot” by voting in the poll below. Feel free to add comments.

In a survey conducted earlier this year the most frequently cited reason for living in Highland was large lots. The city now has three residential zones; which one meets your minimum criteria for large lots?

R-1-20: 20,000 sq. ft. or greater

R-1-30: Min. 20K sq. ft. with no more than 25% of lots less than 25K sq. ft.

R-1-40: Min. 20K sq. ft. with no more than 25% of lots less than 30K sq. ft.

 

pollcode.com free polls

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

City Council 20-Sep-2016: Bike Trail Completed, 2017 Utility Projects, Code Enforcement, PI Rate Discussion

There were less than ten residents present. One stayed through the entire meeting (thanks). We approved two final plats one R-1-30 and one R-1-40.  As lot sizes continue to be topical I have started to put plat approvals into a Google Spreadsheet so that I can better understand the issue. Below is a chart and table that summarizes the data I’ve collected so far:

City Council 6-Sep-2016: Splash Pad Fence, R-1-40 to R-1-30 Rezone Request

Prior to the meeting the council received numerous emails regarding the zone change request on the agenda. Most of the attendees at the meeting came to share their views on this issue. We had also received several emails regarding a small parking area in Canterbury that was recently cleaned up. I was surprised no one attended to bring up this issue given the number of emails. I also was a little surprised that there were no public comments on the water quality issue that’s been in the news of late. About 50 people were present.

Because one of the issues on the agenda was a rezone from R-1-40 to R-1-30 I would be interested in your response to the following 1 question poll.

In a survey conducted earlier this year the most frequently cited reason for living in Highland was large lots. The city now has three residential zones; which one meets your minimum criteria for large lots?

R-1-20: 20,000 sq. ft. or greater

R-1-30: 30,000 sq. ft. avg. with min. 20K sq. ft. & no more than 25% of lots less than 25K sq. ft.

R-1-40: 40,000 sq. ft. avg. with min. 20K sq. ft. & no more than 25% of lots less than 30K sq. ft.

 

pollcode.com free polls

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

Public Comment

• One resident spoke to the rezone issue in the public comment portion of the meeting when other rose to speak on this issue we deferred them to the public hearing portion of the agenda for this specific issue.

CONSENT ITEMS

City Council 16-Aug 2016: Fling, NUERA Landfill purchase, Selling City Water Shares

 

About 30 residents attended the council meeting.

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

Public Comment

• Residents asked the dead trees which pose a safety hazard be removed. This is was a long-standing request. Note, staff already has quotes to have the trees removed. The council later encouraged staff to act as soon as reasonable and to take advantage of the offer to help with the project by the residents.

Presentations

MannkindPerspectives: Top 10 Posts After 500,000 Pageviews

MannkindPerspectives, a blog I started in June of 2010, recently hit 500,000 pageviews. Below is a list of the top 10 view posts out of the 219 published posts:

Pageviews	Post
168,073	The Royal Road to Happiness by William George Jordan
128,889	James Allen – Inspired Author, Gentle Soul
7,988	William George Jordan – Author Extraordinaire
6,204	Striped Chipmunk Provides a Great Family Lesson
4,988	Books by William George Jordan
2,624	About Ron Mann
2,399	Why Rush to Make Fundamental Changes in Utah’s Political System?
2,222	Highland City Council
2,163	The First Tailor
1,836	In the Absence of Religion, Morality and God by Ron Mann

My personal top 10 favorites in no particular order:

What Really Peaks the Interest of Highland Residents

I thought you might find it interesting to see the relative popularity of my Highland City posts during the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Below is a chart of the showing the top and bottom five posts in terms of numbers of views:

City Council: 19-Jul-2016: Surplus of Property, Office Hours

In total about 130 people attended the council meeting. Around a 100 attended to participate in the public hearing on whether or not the city should sell land to the east of the police and city hall buildings.

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

Public Comment

• None

Presentations

Highland Road Study Open House Review

On May 23rd the city held an open house to review the outcome of a recent road evaluation study we commissioned. Below are copies of the poster boards which were on display along with some short comments.

City Council 14-Jun-2016: 16-17 Budget, Utility Rate Increases

Seven residents attended the meeting to approve the the 2016-2017 budget and utility rate changes. Perhaps the fact the process has been very transparent with multiple meetings open to residents early in the process contributed to the low turnout. As always feel free to reach out to me via phone or email with questions or comments. I really don’t mind being challenged on decisions or opinions. It always makes me think.

City Council 07-Jun-2016: Edge Homes, Bike Trail, Multiple Re-Zoning Requests both Commercial and Residential

The council meeting ended at 12:30 AM. There was lots of discussion with residents, which I always view as positive, and I therefore didn’t mind that we ran late. Several residents stayed till the bitter end and then talked afterward with council members for another 30 to 40 minutes.

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

Public Comment

• Dave Krammer, Head Coach of the Lone Peak mountain biking team introduced a proposed project and then let team members Levi Kammer, Cade Nielson, and Kyle Randall describe it. They want to create a  bike trail system on City property off of the Murdock Canal trail
  and Canterbury Drive. The project would be done as multiple Eagle Projects, grants would be sought to fund the project, and then the team would assume much of the responsibility for the maintenance of the trails. These would be available to all residents. The council expressed support. Brian encouraged them to address parking concerns when they bring this back to the council for a vote. Click here to see the presentation that was shared with the council.
  
  

City Council 17-May-2016: Tentative Budget, Mortuary Conditional Use Modification

About 10 people attended the meeting. Representative Mike Kennedy gave a brief legislative report (see my notes from the East-West Connector meeting for more detailed comments on the most topical item discussed). The East-West connector will be an item that will be worked on over the course of the next year. It does look like this is a difference of opinion between Senator Dayton (see article posted on UtahPolicy.com) and the city and county on this item so we will have to see how this resolves itself over the next 9 months.

Council Meeting AGENDA / MINUTES

Public Comment

• No appearances

Utah Property Taxes: What Is A Certified Tax Rate?

Each year each county in Utah calculates a new certified tax rate for all taxing entities (i.e. cities, school districts, and service districts) within their jurisdiction by taking the property tax revenue collected the previous year and dividing it by the current assessed property value within the taxing entities (exclusive of new growth). This is the tax rate is then applied to all assessed property (including growth) and the new total becomes the base for next year. Another way to say this is if our home value doubles then our tax rate will be reduced by half. Confusing? I know! Let’s try walking through an example to clarify.