Contribute news or contact us by sending an email to: RCTonline@gmail.com

Saturday, February 22, 2014


Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  February 13, 2014.  Bruce Warner, Council Member, stated that the surrounding subdivisions outside the City limits need to be annexed into the City.  He noted that the natural boundary of the City should be from the Utah/Idaho line to the trailer park on Sweetwater Hill.  He felt the City needs to provide services to these individuals, and these individuals should be allowed to develop a sense of Community.  Everyone needs a place to come from and go home to.  Having a special place to be is as important for these individuals as for them to be provided with services.  Currently these individuals do not have a voice.  It has been estimated that this area will grow by 11 percent in the next 20 years.  He feels the area needs some solid long term planning.  He doesn’t want to force anyone to join the City, but he feels they need the opportunity to do so.  He reported that it would result in a better county and better school programs with greater representation.  He noted that generally when resources are shared, costs are lowered.

It was noted that the Planning and Zoning Committee would have to draft an annexation plan.  A public meeting and a public hearing would need to be held.  The boundaries must have no islands or unusual shapes allowed in the annexation process.

The Mayor encouraged Warner to get some publicity going concerning the annexation plan and hold some discussion meetings held to find out the desires of those living outside the city limits.  If there would be better and lower community costs and if everyone had a seat at the table, this would be a good direction to go.  Income from the annexation properties would be great.  Sweetwater would need to have their own water company and also take care of their own roads.  This may be the case with several of the subdivisions.

The Mayor noted that the City would love to have all of these individuals become part of the City.  They would have to pay the City taxes.  Currently building permits are actually easier to obtain from the County than from the City.  Impact fees are being raised which may cause them to not want them to be a part of the City.  However, the City would provide law and ordinance enforcement which could prove most helpful to them.  Fifty percent of the individuals outside the City would have to be in favor of the idea and at it would require at least half the value of the area being annexed be supportive as well in order for annexation to take place.

No comments: