County commission approves zoning for new subdivision

By Sun Advocate

The Carbon County Commission met in their regular meeting on Sept. 18 and one of the largest points of discussion on the agenda was the approval of a zone change for a new subdivision near Westwood.
The zone change had been given tentative approval by the Carbon County Planning and Zoning Commission. The public hearing held during the commission meeting was the final step to give the developers, the Leo and Kara Heugly trust the go ahead to start work on the 32 lot subdivision. The request for rezoning asked for a change from 20,000 square foot lots to 8,000 square foot lots.
“I’m worried about two things concerning this development,” said a neighbor to the project, John Erramouspe. “My wastewater (from irrigation) runs off into that area and I am concerned about how that is going to be handled. Also my corrals right next to where this development will be. I don’t want to be forced out at a later date because of my stock.”
Dave Levanger, the counties planning and zoning director, pointed out that there has been a problem with drainage in the whole Westwood area over the years.
“One of the most expensive infrastructure things we need to do in connection with this development is put a drainage ditch in,’ said Leo Heugly. “It will cost over $30,000 to do it, but we intend on taking care of that.”
As for the stock problems Commissioner Mike Milovich pointed out that an ordinance on the books allows existing cattle and horse operations to co-exist with subdivisions when the stock operation is already there.
“You can’t be forced out,” said Milovich. “Our ordinances prevent it.”‘
Another neighbor was concerned about the lot sizes.
“I’m against the small lots,” said Dennis Ardohain. “They want to put 4.5 homes on an acre there. I think there is already traffic problems in the area. I think they should stay with one half acre lots.”
The developer explained that they were just matching the lot sizes and types in Westwood.
“Actually the smallest lot is 1600 feet bigger than the largest Westwood lot,” pointed out Levanger. He showed the commission the plot plan, pointing out that the smallest lot size in the new development is 9600 square feet.
Another neighbor, Burt Collins also had some concerns.
“In 1975 when Westwood was built the developers said they would pave a road that runs by my home, but they never did it,” he stated. “I am concerned about that road and about the noise and dust that the construction project will generate.”
Another resident, Ross Fausett was concerned about the types of homes that would be built in the area.
“The homes going into this new development should at least match the ones already in Westwood,” he said. “I just want to make sure the values are consistent.”
He also pointed out some traffic problems in the area, the fact that some of the ground where the development is going in has always been “swampy” and that many of the sidewalks already in the area are “one person” sidewalks where two people cannot walk side by side.
The commission then launched into a discussion about covenants and what needs to be with them concerning construction.
Heugly stated that he wanted to see a nice community there and that they were hiring an attorney to get the covenants correct for the area.
There was some confusion in the meeting about the kinds of homes that could be put on the lots, with some confusing manufactured homes with modular homes.
“Modular homes are built to the same specifications as stick built homes,” pointed out Levanger. “Manufactured homes are built to a different standard. However they can’t be precluded by zoning, only by covenant.”
Lynna Topovic, a member of the audience and also a member of the planning commission pointed out that the traffic problems in the area is more than just local.
“The freeway exit and entrance at the west Price interchange is already a problem,” she stated. “Maybe we should get the state to look at a light there, particularly since with this new development there will be more traffic.”
After the public hearing closed the commission took the comments made under advisement and a motion was made to approve the zone change but included in the approval was a set of conditions which included providing proper drainage for wastewater, that restrictive covenants will be enacted concerning the types of houses that can be built on the lots, that during construction the dust will be suppressed and that animal rights of neighbors will be honored.
In other business the commission did the following.
• They approved a zone change from R-1-20000 to C2 for property owned by David and Kathy Smith located near Drunkards Wash and Kilfoyle Krafts. The owners wish to build approximately 100 storage units on the site.
•They agreed to sell a piece of property the county owns to the Utah Department of Transportation for the Price-Wellington highway development project. A condition within the sale, however, will allow the county to access property they own behind the sold section at any time.
•The commission approved $7350 to help with installing gas lines to the Pinnacle Peak subdivision area. The money was approved pending payback by four families in the area who cannot come up with $1800 each to put in the fund to bring the gas line into the area.
“We are asking that you help us like you did Kenilworth a couple of years ago,” said Brenda Hansen, representing the people in the area. “We have to get $28,000 to Questar before they will put in the line and those families just don’t have the money to do it right now.”
After some discussion about budgeted funds, the commissioner agreed to find the money provided some type of agreement is reached with those families concerning the payback of the funds.
•The commissioners voted to accept three parcels of land that is being given to the county by Kenilworth. A town meeting voted on August 2 to let the county take over those parcels, because residents didn’t want to see them turned into commercial property or building lots as they dissolve the township.
•The commission also decided to listen to a protest from the Mangone family about some county property that was awarded in a bidding process last month. The county had received three bids on the property, but the one the Mangone’s had submitted was misplaced before opening and commissioners thought there were only two. One of the bidders pulled out at the opening so the property was awarded to Bruce Christensen. However, a mistake in the bidding advertisement in the Sun Advocate also complicated the situation.
At the meeting after the opening both these situations were pointed out but the commission decided just to stand pat and allow the property to be awarded to Christensen.
But on Wednesday the commission decided, after hearing from the Mangone family, to change it’s decision and split the property (which lies between the Mangone and Christensen sites) and give half to each. Each party will pay half the initial bid price for their section of the granted property.
•The county opened bids for a mini excavator. Those bids were from Century Equipment (for two different machines a Case and a Kobelco) for $77,500 and $74,500; from Arnold Machinery for a Hitachi two different Hitachi machines for $94,862 and $77, 171.26; from Komatsu Equipment Company for a Komatsu for $61,840; from Wheeler Machinery for a Cat for $77, 512; from ICM Equipment Company for a GE for $66,930: from Scott Machinery for a John Deere for $67,950: and from Rassmussen Equipment for a Link Belt for $62,515.
The commission asked that Ray Hanson, county road supervisor, review the bids and make a recommendation.
•The commission also opened bids for a one ton dump truck. The bids included Community Motors with two vehicles, a Ford and a Dodge for $25,599 and $26,741 respectively; Mountain View Motors for a Chevrolet for $33, 998.49; and from Jerry Seiner for a Chevrolet for $24, 344.
Some discussion ensued about whether a dump bed was included in a couple of the bids so the commission decided to have Hanson also review these submissions.