Garden City Staff Reports

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  July 20, 2017.  Mayor John Spuhler noted that the 300 Road was applied for in 2012.  Garden City was put onto a list and moved down several times.  Next summer, the City will finally be able to get this bypass road in place.  However, because of the passage of time, the amount to complete the road is $350,000 short.  In other words, costs have gone up during the last few years.

The City is going to have to come up with enough money to complete the road.  UDOT will loan the amount of money needed, but it must be paid off within five years with an interest rate of about 1.5 percent.  Another possibility is having the City do some of the work that would usually be done by UDOT.  Zan Murray, the City Engineer, noted that he would look things over and find some items that the City could probably do to lower the overall costs.  The City could have them put in the road to the fish pond and quit at that point.  The City would then be responsible to finish the road. 

Spuhler also noted that the City could again apply for more money.  However, that would then put us back on the list for another five years.  At that rate, it would again be less than enough to actually finish the project.

The Mayor also noted that Norm Mecham will be creating a subdivision that will have between 60 to 70 units.  They will be using the 300 road extensively.

The Elk’s Ridge Subdivision has not be resolved.  A new agreement had to be written, and all the signatures are needed on the new agreement. Hopefully, this will be finished up soon.

Spuhler also met with the Lieutenant Governor when he was here in the Garden City.  Spuhler said he talked about 22 different projects with him and noted that the State should be more involved and concerned about Bear Lake.

A wireless network is currently being installed in Garden City which should help communications during the remainder of this summer.

Riley Argyle, the City’s Public Works Supervisor, reported that all the American Flags are up.  This next week water samples need to be taken to Salt Lake every week.  If anyone knows of someone going that way, they may be willing to take the sample for the City. 

Argyle noted that leaks are popping up everywhere.  He spends most of his time working on them.  Swan Creek currently runs right through a person’s lot.  Something needs to be done there to make it easier to work with the Creek.

Potholes are being taken care of.  It has cost the City about $90,000 so far this summer in taking care of rough roads.  There was a large section, about 150 feet, in Buttercup that needed to be fixed.  The road at the corner of 100 West and 200 North a pothole needed to be fixed.  It cut into the bike path which made it more difficult to get it fixed.  There were also several potholes along the bike path that have been fixed.

LaGrand Johnson is willing to work with the City and will allow the City to put some items into the pit.

Riley Argyle will spend most of his time the next couple of weeks getting ready for the 24^th of July as well as Raspberry Days.

There is a landowner near the boardwalk who is willing to work with the City on getting the boardwalk completed.  There will need to be a retaining wall along one area which may require a contract for permission to get it installed.

Glen Gillies, the Commercial Inspector and Commercial Inspector, reported that the building at Water’s Edge has their restaurant open.  Blue Water Beach has finished their additions.  They have done a good job.  The pool and club house at Legacy are moving forward nicely.  Adventure Park has been approved.  Work will be moving forward there.  

Gillies has given 25 citations and 16 warnings during the past month.  Nine of the citations were follow-up on short term rentals licenses.  There were seven parking tickets.  There is at least $2,200 due in fines.

Just south of Bear Lake Pizza there are 16 or so campsites.  Gillies will be checking into this matter.

Currently there is a short-term rental home made like a RV on wheels.  It is called a mini house.  It is supposed to be located somewhere in Buttercup.  There is supposedly another similar mini home in Bridgeland.  Both have been found using the short-term rental software.  Gillies will be finding them.  He will make sure they have short-term rental licenses.

These two homes, however, are not legal if they aren’t connected to water, electricity, and sewer.  Also, they should be permanently place in one location.

George Peart, the Residential inspector, reported that there are currently 24 building licenses out.  There are two permits for garages and one for a shed.  The rest are for homes—predominately for short-term rental use.

Bear Lake Legacy Management is the manager for one of the homes being built.  This particular home needs to add one more parking spot at that location.  Currently they have parking for six cars.  They really need seven to meet the City ordinance requirement.

Building on Buttercup is especially busy.  The lower end does allow for motor homes.  The motor homes shouldn’t be any older than 1976.  The Council responded that that ordinance needs to be updated because that year is too far back and needs to be changed.  It was suggested that perhaps the ordinance should read “not older than ten years.” 

There is a large home going up on Snow Meadows.  It is specifically for short-term rentals.  Tiny homes are becoming popular.  They must be attached to water sewer and electricity.  They are not a camper or a trailer.

People are demanding larger and more elaborate short-term rentals.  The bar is being raised.  Older homes are difficult to rent.  The City may want to consider this matter and perhaps weed out questionable short-term rentals.  Parking at the short-term rentals is also becoming a real problem.  There is not enough space at any of them.  More people are bringing more toys with them than in the past such as boats, side-by-sides, 4-wheelers, and so forth.  There is not enough room for all the cars, and the extra trailers really clog the roadways next to the short-term rentals.  We have got to control parking more carefully and perhaps get some additional parking areas for the trailers and extras.  Currently, a parking ticket is $1,500.  The short-term rental ordinance may also need to be updated requiring more parking space than in the past.