Randolph asks County for money for subdivision road

Bobbie Bicknell Coray, Reporter
Rich Civic Times

RANDOLPH, Utah. October 2, 2019.  Sim Bell, councilman for Randolph City, told  Rich County Commissioners that they did not have  any ordinances for subdivisions in Randolph because there had been so little development there. 

Then Merrill Muir decided to build the Crawford View Subdivision.  The City got the water line in and Rocky Mountain Power put in electricity.  The gas company put in gas lines.  Now the subdivision needs a road from the highway to the subdivision and Randolph does not have enough money to build it.  They would like the County to help pay for it.

Commissioner Bill Cox said that the County has done a lot of work for the City already.  If it is considered a city street then there are some revenue benefits but, he asked, “what benefit is it to the city or county when it is a private road.  You took it.”

“What will it cost to put it in?” Cox asked. 

Dale Wilson, road supervisor, said that the road will be 1500 feet long and 24 feet wide.  They have to put in pit run and crushed gravel.  Merrill Muir, the owner of the subdivision will donate as much as 300 loads of gravel.

Commissioner Sim Weston asked why it was not Muir’s responsibility to put in the connector road himself.  "Why is it the City’s responsibility and not Muirs?"

“I agree,” said Bell.  “The town agreed to put in road.  We put in water to property line.  Muir paid an impact fee.  The City should have put a moratorium on building until they had ordinances for subdivision.”

Bell went on to tell commissioners that Randolph has never billed the County for rodeo water or road water in the past which has saved the County money,  but now they are going to have to raise rates and bill for those things.  There was a lot of water leaving town without permission, so they wrote an ordinance for water use.  The water truck fills up at one place so they can meter it.  If the County helps the City would continue to donate water which has been worth about $4500 a year.

Dale Wilson estimated that the road would cost over $60,000.  Cox said that taking that much money out of the budget without forewarning is almost impossible.  Sim Weston suggested that the developer pay a good  part of this.  Commissioner Norm Weston said, “We’ll  get some numbers together and then talk  about it.”