Castle Dale City Discusses Zoning

By COREY BLUEMEL Staff Writer

Castle Dale City Council held its regular meeting on Feb. 13. Mayor Neal Peacock opened the meeting and led the pledge of allegiance. Council members present were Brad Giles, Doug Weaver, Jack Rogers and LaMont Gordon. Also present were Carolyn Jorgensen, city treasurer and Linda Turner, city recorder.
Minutes from the January meeting were approved afterwhich Mayor Peacock welcomed Bethany Peacock, youth city council mayor to come forward and present her report. Bethany Peacock began with thanks to the city council for their continued support of the youth program. She stated that the youth council is presently making blankets to donate to Castleview Hospital, and care packages for the EMTs to distribute to children in emergency situations. The youth council will bring these items to the March meeting to allow the city council to see first hand what the youth council has been doing.
Bethany Peacock then asked Councilman Gordon of the plans for the Easter Egg Hunt and what would be expected of the youth council for this event. Gordon will review last years event and inform them of the final decisions. Gordon did state, however, that the Easter festivities would again be held at Cheddar Field.
Mayor Peacock then welcomed Kerry Lake from the city’s planning and zoning committtee to bring his concerns before the council. Lake had been investigating and reorganizing the zoning ordinances. Lake presented one change to the council for their consideration. This change was a wording change to the ordinance concerning caretaker structures. Councilman Weaver informed the council that he had been working on this project with Lake and this wording change would eliminate a conflict in the current ordinance. Approval from the council followed to advertise and hold the hearing on this ordinance change at the March meeting.
Councilman Giles then asked Lake about building permits. There has been a concern over how the different entities report to one another about who has a building permit. Lake explained how the county personnel send applications to him for approval and he stated that this system has always worked well in the past.
Councilman Weaver raised the issue of an ordinance change to allow for one way streets. In some cases in the city, there are streets that are too narrow to be deemed designated city streets. Some of these underdeveloped rights of way are being driven on and Weaver asked about the city’s liability in matters like this. Discussion followed as to whether to close the road entirely or designate it a one way street. Lake informed the council that a citizen who lives on that particular road has requested that it be designated a city street. Giles requested a map of the city streets and the council studied and discussed the issue. Mayor Peacock instructed Tom Maier to install a stop sign to try to control the use of the road until the council could investigate and come to a decision about the situation.
Giles questioned Lake further about zoning in a particular portion of the city and Lake responded that the changes that had taken place at that site were allowed as the property has been grandfathered under business zoning regulations.
Giles then requested that Lake contact the sheriffs office about the existing signs directing people to the old sheriffs office site. Discussion followed concerning the existing building and the hazards it represents. The council decided that a representative from the council would approach the county commission with this issue and other outstanding issues it has with the commissioners.
The next agenda item was a new zoning map. Jorgensen displayed the map to the council and asked for corrections or additions. The council reviewed the map and discussed several changes that need to be made. Jorgensen explained to the council some concerns about the map and the possiblity that an engineering firm would need to make some additional changes to the new zoning map. Mayor Peacock stated that the map did need corrections and additions before it could be adopted by the council. Jorgensen was instructed to have the necessary changes made before the next meeting.
Next on the agenda was a request by a citizen to have the name of a road changed. The existing road situated partly in Castle Dale City and the remainder is in the county. The road has been named and given a number under the current city plans and to rename it at this point would disrupt package delivery, emergency medical services and would necessitate those addresses presently on the road to undergo unnecessary paperwork to make the changes. The council did not approve this request.
Giles began the council reports stating that he has met with the special service district and PacifiCorp to request moving of six power poles to facilitate some improvements planned for Center Street from 400 to 600 North. He asked Jorgensen to prepare a formal letter of request before the work could begin. Giles also informed the council that he had reviewed the 2004 list of projects with the special service district.
Concerning the roto-mill project scheduled for summer, Giles reported that he had received a letter from UDOT concerning the city’s request to use the roto-mill material. The projects were approved by UDOT. The highway 10 project has been moved back to the original plan after some changes were deemed unfeasible.
Giles also reported that the sidewalk projects will need to be re-bid due to changes in the contract. He has recently talked to the vendor about the street signs to be ordered, and requested approval from the council of the design. The council approved the design.
Weaver reported that he has talked to Glen Vernon about the business license ordinance and everything is moving along and the new ordinance should be ready for the process soon.
Rogers explained the city’s current water agreement. He has been discussing the matter with the Emery Water Conservancy District and it has been decided that the current agreement works well and that if the city continues to conserve and manage the water wisely, there would be enough to get through the year.
A letter from the city’s fire chief was read. This letter listed the current officers and their plans to continue to educate and train the fire department volunteers. Also stated was their policy for protocol response, drug and alcohol use, and the code of ethics.
Rogers requested suggestions from the council concerning the June summer celebration. He informed the council that he has not received any response from his notices asking the citizens to volunteer to help plan this event. He stated that he needs at least five or six people to form this committee. This need is urgent as time is running out to make the necessary plans.
Gordon informed the council that the roof repairs have been completed over the city offices, but that the work is continuing on the repairs over the swimming pool.
Mayor Peacock began his report with an update from the January meeting concerning the bids for the dump truck. After contacting the league of cities and towns, Peacock had opened the sole bid that was received before the deadline and accepted that bid. The truck was sold to the successful bidder. Since that time the city has purchased a newer dump truck from the state.
Mayor Peacock then reviewed his meeting with the Castle Valley Special Service District and reported on several items. The first was a new sidewalk design to conform to the ADA. The CVSSD also recommended the city continue to inform citizens of any sidewalk work to be done in their area. Next was an agreement consideration outline and specifying the responsibilities of the city and the special service district. The last item with the CVSSD was the CIB list of projects. Peacock reviewed the list with the council.
Mayor Peacock explained the grants that have been applied for in other areas. He also informed the council that the water share situation was about the same as last year. He announced to the council that he has been asked to participate on the fair board. When he approached the board in response to their request to move the location of the fair, he was informed that they did not want to move it and would appreciate his willingness to help with the planning of the fair. He told the council of some date changes in the scheduling of the activities for this years fair.
The mayor asked next about a water meter situation in Valley View subdivision. He was informed that it has not yet been installed. Peacock told the council that Emery Telcom had requested a meeting with him, and they had discussed an amount of money that they believe the city stills owes them.
Mayor Peacock asked Jorgensen if the arrangememts had been made for the council to attend the Utah League of Cities and Town convention. He then reported that the BLM has contacted him about serving on a committee to decide the future of the Swell. He will be serving in an advisory capacity only and one other Emery County mayor will also be on the panel.
The council adjourned into executive session. The next Castle Dale City Council meeting will be March 13 at 7 p.m.