Commissioners discuss flooding issues

By PATSY STODDARD Editor

Residents of Castle Dale approached the Emery County Commission about flooding they experienced this fall. James Huggard showed pictures to the commission of the damages. There has been flooding there the past two of three years. The waters come out of the stream channel and flood onto the fields in the area. One house had water in the crawl space and another house was saved when a ditch to divert water was dug. The stream channel has grown in with trees and debris and no longer flows within its banks in a flood event. The residents asked the county what they could do to remedy this situation and to clean out the channel.
Commissioner Jeff Horrocks said they have looked at the situation before and Mark Williams who lives in the area of the flooding has approached the commission so they are aware of the problem. The county said they will look at getting a stream alteration permit. Huggard asked that the process get started in obtaining the necessary permits so the problem can be fixed.
Commissioner Horrocks said they have tried to get permission from the Army Corp. of Engineers.
Commissioner James Nelson said when Huntington City did the stream restoration work this past spring they were able to do so under stream restoration guidelines.
The residents were told to approach the Emery Water Conservancy District to see if they can help in any way.
The emergency manager for the county, Capt. Kyle Ekker is aware of the problem too and will work on it.
Commissioner Nelson said the Cottonwood Creek Irrigation Company should be consulted and be involved in finding a solution for the problem.
It appears no maintenance work has been done in the area since Joe’s Valley dam was built in the 1960s.
The commission discussed the landfill tippage fees. Attorney David Blackwell has looked at the fee schedule and the proposal is for under 1,000 pounds there is not fee. Over 1,000 pounds there is a $10 per ton fee and for contaminated soil it’s $15 per ton. Tires are $1 and large tires are $5 to take. The hearing is set for Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. Commissioner Nelson said, “It won’t change a thing for the ordinary citizen using the landfill.
The commission denied two ambulance write-offs saying an attempt must be made to pay these bills. The ambulance service cannot continue to write-off trips and remain solvent.
Wade Allinson was appointed to the Emery County Preservation Commission. Ray Petersen is stepping down and the commission thanked Petersen for his service.
A tax abatement was approved for Dennis Tuttle after the square footage of his cabin was remeasured.
Bret Mills recommended the county not sign the agreement with NOAH for the weather equipment on Horn Mountain. This contract gives all the rights and privileges to the federal government and the county can’t cancel the contract but the government can. Mills said they need a standard lease agreement for the users at the county communications facility.
Mills said AT&T went in there and did a lot of work without permission. AT&T thought the tower was theirs and Mills had a big discussion with them about ownership of the tower. NOAH wanted the contract to last for 20 years, but Mills said that’s too long and only 10 years is better. NOAH broadcasts great information about weather forecasts and weather conditions. But, the county shouldn’t give up their building to them.
The county has to pay the forest service rent to have the communications tower on the forest. The commission requested a universal contract be prepared so all users at the communications site will be under the same rules.
The commission approved a debris basin permit application for the Huntington South Debris Basin. It’s a stream alteration permit and needs to be approved by the Army Corp of Engineers. There is a fee attached to the permit.
The commission approved an application with the state of Utah to keep them informed on the plans at the Huntington South Debris basin.
Commissioner Nelson reported he attended the UAC convention in St. George. He met with the fire district and the average volunteer fire fighter has 180 hours of training each year. The fire district is looking at pumper trucks. He attended the BLM meeting in Richfield on the sage grouse. There are two areas where the birds exist in Emery County, Horn Mountain and the Pines. The state of Utah has been working hard to keep the sage grouse from being listed.
Commissioner Migliori attended a meeting on the transmission lines running from Wyoming into Utah and onto California. If the county allows the lines to come through then there needs to be some advantage to the county.
There will be a meeting in January which will include the newly elected mayors from the towns. They are looking at a countywide dog ordinance which would make things easier. The historical preservation commission recently placed information signs at the Lucky Strike mine area and at Tomsich Butte. Plans are underway for lifesize silhouettes to be placed at the Buckhorn Information Center to depict the Spanish Trail.
Commissioner Jeff Horrocks said the south Moore road fencing project is moving ahead. He met with the housing authority and they are working hard to improve the low income housing in the county.
“I attended the Lunch and Learn with the Emery County Business Chamber and Jay Kinghorn from the Utah State Office of Tourism talked about things to do for our county to enhance tourism dollars. We met with the climbing group and discussions were held on parking, restrooms and camping. Ray Petersen will follow up. The forest service and the BLM were there.”
Commissioner Horrocks reported they are meeting with several eastern Utah counties to discuss economic development.
Mike McCandless discussed the level three conditional use permit for Trail Mountain Resort for development of two subdivisions in Joe’s Valley. He said the 34 acre parcel was leased from 1963 with a 99 year lease. SITLA decided to sell the parcel which was purchased by Blaine and MaryAnn Luke. Since there were no zoning ordinances in place at the time, it was listed as a non-conforming prior use. Since the sale of the parcel, any future development must be in compliance with current zoning ordinances. They wish to develop a 20 acre parcel in one acre lots. The plan was submitted and the zoning commission has been looking at it since August. There will be two subdivisions, one of which due to the steepness of the terrain will only have five lots. The subdivisions will have a homeowners association.
McCandless told the commission they can accept the recommendation of the planning and zoning commission, modify or reject it as they see fit. One new benefit to the county will be the individual lot owners will be subject to property taxes.
The commission approved the level three conditional use permit for the Trail Mountain resort.
Commissioner Migliori reminded everyone to shop local this Christmas season as much as possible.
The next commission meeting will be on Dec. 17 at 5 p.m. A budget hearing and landfill hearing will also be held at this time.