A public hearing was conducted at the June 6 Carbon County Commission meeting regarding the possible approval of the recommendation from the planning board supporting a zone change in Scofield.
The motion was denied by the county commission.
The request for the zone change came from a private group hoping to put a commercial property in a currently privately zoned area.
The group’s plan was to put a storage facility on the southeast parcel of land.
The private property designation needed to be reassigned as a commercial-one zone in order for the group to proceed with the proposed development project.
The amount of private property needing the change would have been approximately 5.3 acres located at the southeast end of Scofield Reservoir.
Commissioner Mike Milovich motioned to approve the zoning change request.
But Commissioner Steven Burge would not offer a second to the motion.
Burge felt that there needed to be some planning of the future development in the area, before any zone changes should be made.
“We need to look at the big picture, and make sure we are planning correctly,” stated Burge.
New growth is anticipated for the Scofield area and county officials need to have a plan in place to deal with the expansion.
Burge was concerned about agreeing to the zoning change request.
The next time people come to the county and ask for changes in other private zoning areas, the commissioners will have little choice or argument because they approved to the current request, pointed out Burge.
Burge suggested that Scofield hire a professional commercial growth planner to do a complete survey of the area.
A professional survey might provide a better idea of what, where and how the county should be expanding in the area.
“Hiring a professional planner would be of great value to the popular lake front community,” noted Burge. “I don’t want to just start making these changes without a plan.”
The facility in question would house everything from boats to all-terrain vehicles and general storage.
Burge felt that the need for the facility is there and that it is a great idea.
The commissioner also stated that he would probably use such a facility himself, for personal storage.
The motion for the zone change was denied by the commissioners.
But a motion to move forward with hiring a professional development planner for Scofield was carried.
According to the motion, Dave Levanger from the county planning and zoning department will be researching bids from various companies and will get things moving as quickly as possible.
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