Garden City Council Discussion

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah. February 13, 2014. The Garden City Long Term Plan had been given to the City Council last month.  Some of the members had not read the plan yet.  When the motion was made to approve the plan, it was requested that a bit more time be given to the Council Members so they could finish reading the document.  The Mayor requested that the Council Members look closely at the goals section of the document and perhaps put them in a priority order to assist in future City development. 

Mitch Poulsen requested that the City appoint someone to work with him on the Bear Grant.  This grant is part of BRAG, an organization that supports businesses in the area.  Mayor Spuhler felt someone with e-commerce experience would be helpful and asked that Chuck Stocking work with Mitch.  It was also determined that Gary Cox could perhaps give some good suggestions to that group.  The motion to appoint Chuck Stocking and Gary Cox to this group was made and approved.

Mark Hislop, the owner of a new business called Brite Side Professional Cleaners DBA Bear Lake Project Management, requested a license to conduct a cleaning company at 65 W. Logan Road #9.  Mark noted that he will be cleaning short term rentals and will also do any laundry and dry cleaning that is brought to his business.  The license was granted.

The Lodge at Bear Lake, the owners of the new Water’s Edge Resort, presented their Development Plan to the City Council for approval.  The Council noted that the plan was not as clean as the previous one, but did meet with all of the City’s ordinances.  Norm Mecham, developer, noted that he told his partners he would ask if the previous plan could be considered one more time.  Mayor Spuhler said that wouldn’t be possible.  Mecham noted that the new plan will cost about a million dollars more than the previous plan.  The Council discussed several changes that have been made.  The motion was made and passed to approve the development plan for Water’s Edge.

A short discussion was held regarding the current parking ordinance.  Changes to this ordinance were introduced by Council Member Darrin Pugmire.  He reported that he had presented this idea to Planning and Zoning at their last meeting.   They have put this item on their agenda for the next month’s meeting and are taking advantage of the time in between to become more familiar with the ordinance and ways where it could perhaps be changed for the better.

A discussion concerning Resolution #R 14-01 was held.  The Resolution would give authority to the Council Member assigned to the water system to determine when or if water reduction fees can be applied for a specific reason on a case by case basis.  Bruce Warner was given this responsibility and approval of the resolution passed by the council.

Jim DeGroot appeared before the Council on behalf of the Appeals Board.  He noted that the Board Members, using the information that they had, made the best decision they could.  He felt that the Council had tossed them under the bus.  He noted that the board has met and withdrawn the decision.  However, he felt that they would actually make the same decision today as they did previously and asked that the Council make changes in the height ordinance so that this same problem would not be repeated.  He asked that the ordinance be reworded to avoid problems in the future.