Moratorium on Developments

An Open letter to the County Council:

I left town for a week and returned to find we now have a development moratorium. If we are to propose a solution prior to the end of the six month period, many considerations must be made to solve the indicated problems. In actuality, as any Title 16 changes (16.02.05) must be made by 11/30/05, there are less than 90 days to complete the process. Two public hearings (PC and Council), with appropriate notice (14 days), appear to be required to make this change.

With the last Council meeting scheduled 11/16, notice would have to be sent for Wave on 11/2; after the Planning Comm meeting of 10/20 to consider the proposed change which would require a notice on 10/5. So basically, it appears there is about a month to create this law change. There is currently one PC meeting scheduled on 9/15.

In my understanding no specific proposal has yet been created or under consideration. It appears to me that gathering more public opinion on these issues ASAP is paramount to creating an acceptable solution. I hope that we are NOT using Cobblestone as a standard of desired development. Although very successful in sales, to me Cobblestone does not appear to be "rural" or even "small town;" (obviously The Crossings has to be the worst example of rural planning). If we do not want to create Wasatch City, Stone Bridge, Lake Creek Farms, Greener Hills and Pole Estates might be better examples.

As a member of the Planning Commission, I would ask the following questions:

1 What specific problem(s) are we trying to solve?
Maintain rural atmosphere?
Maintain Open Space?
Keep agricultural use viable?
Slow the speed of growth?
????
2 What is the suggested direction for solution?
Rezone to 5 acres?
Require x % open space in any development over x acres or x units?
Purchase of open space by County?
Transfer Development rights?
Larger property tax abatement for agricultural with longer rollback on development?
Dedicated Parks? County maintained?
Create a facade of rural environment - 10,000 plastic cows?
One story homes - at least we will be able to see some land?
Open space on roads - not in back of homes?
Impact fees for buying open space ?
Limited annual building permits - to control the RATE of growth?
No more new roads - Build on current roads only?
No more PUD's?
No more SSD's - No mechanical Waste treatment?
Minimum distance between houses?
Water??
Cap the number of homes allowed in the Heber Valley?
????
A few sites mentioning limiting annual building permits, to better control the rate of growth and necessary infrastructure and "to promote the prosperity, improves the morals, peace and good order, convenience and aesthetics of the community":

http://www.capecodcommission.org/bylaws/buildcap.html
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:vRoFBygixqkJ:nh.gov/oep/resourcelibrary/referencelibrary/g/growthmanagement/documents/growthmanagementinnh.doc+building+permit+limit+number+ordinance&hl=en
http://www.islamorada.fl.us/newsite/ordinances/04-16.pdf
http://www.emmitsburg.net/towngov/bulletins/ordinance_14.htm
http://www.sprawlwatch.org/election.html
http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/City+Council/Council+Meetings/2005January/Reports/05-003.htm
http://www.smartvoter.org/2002/11/05/ca/sac/meas/R/