LeBaronLogic

9600 North Revisited, Again

The issue of 9600 N. master planned as a collector by Highland City is still percolating. American Fork City Councilmember Heidi Rodeback answers some new and not-so-new questions.

In an effort to discuss this issue and others; American Fork City will hold a Public Hearing  tentatively scheduled for the off council meeting on the 3rd Tuesday September 18 at 7pm at either American Fork Jr. High School or Forbes Elementary School depending on availability. A copy of the Public Notice will be linked here when available. Among other things we will discuss with the public is our Transportation element of the General Plan including at this time 9600 N. (Highland)/1500 N. (American Fork), 900 West, 900 East and 1100 East.

9600 N. Angst (Round 2)

A "Work Session/Ventfest" by Highland City was held last night at Legacy Elementary and was well attended. I arrived late following a  meeting in PG dealing with the Golf Course. I referenced a boundary meeting between the two cities held in 1992 in my brief comments.  Enlightening reading of the minutes can be found here, as promised to several attendees last night.  Download joint_council_meeting_minutes_october_5_1992_in_highland_city1.pdf . One other important fact mentioned in rebuttal to a speaker who stated that American Fork City is leading the charge in extending 9600 N. east through the Tri City (now Fox Hollow) golf course. FALSE. We are committed to retaining the open space/recreation/ golf course property. Any other use would result in the property reverting back to the State of Utah.

Scorch still Scorching (Somewhat)

I have had several inquiries about the Scorch Basketball team and status. Well, we have been somewhat on hiatus during the summer, participating in American Fork team camps in June and taking July off except for some open gym time at AF. We did field a hybrid team and participated in the Utah AAU Summer Shootout on Aug 2nd and 3rd as Scorch Black, because of summer conflicts including the start of football. Playing were Tanner LeBaron, Kadan McMurtrey, Nate Ensign and Michael Wells incoming American Fork freshmen from the Scorch. Christopher Melville from Timpanogos (played with us in Dimple Dell and other tourneys) joined us as well as McKay Murdock, Michael Brown and Gavin Jones from Wasatch. With only some brief walk thrus and having some adjustment issues we downed the Swoosh from Bountiful by 11 in the first game. In the second game against the Morgan Panthers we dropped a tough game, due to some cold shooting from us and hot shooting from Morgan (a bad combination). We bounced back to beat a fairly good and athletic team from West Jordan in a cross over game by 16. We played the Jags again for 3rd place and were victorious by 12 in a more competitive game. It was good to be active and involved. We seemed to get better and more comfortable with each game we played.  Fall plans for the team are still pending.

2nd Blogiversary

It's in the numbers:

2  - years of blogging . . .

200 - posts . . .

11,893 - page views since inception . . .

62 - comments published . . .

16.23 - average views per day . . .

All a part of my therapy and hopefully some helpful American Fork City items, with a smattering of sports, law stuff and a little random ramblings of life's little lessons. It has been a joy. Thank you for visiting and hey, a comment here or there would be great too. I know I am not the greatest blogger, writer or for that matter of anything, but we will try some new things as we enter the 3rd year which should be interesting on several fronts.

Upward and Onward and Live Long and Prosper

AF Skate Park Update

The long awaited AF Skate Park is nearly complete, although there have been some sneak peaks and some sneak action. We are anticipating a Labor Day opening and a Grand Opening soon thereafter. There have been some bumps and bruises; and I am not talking about the skaters. There have been some delays (weather related and ummm other related), change orders and all. When complete it should be one of the finest in the area. Landscaping, fencing and other enhancements are in the final stages. Grease your wheels and get ready for some real action soon.  Here is what Brian Baade had to say in his review, but first check out his photos of our skate park here:

Anyway, there's a new park here about 30 minutes south of Salt Lake in American Fork. Theres a clover type bowl that ranges from around 7 to 11 feet, the trannys are smooth but the downfall is the coping is flush or almost recessed in some parts. The street area has sections that are probably the closest thing Utah has to a street plaza. (emphasis added)
- Brian Baade

"Water, Water Everywhere ... "

The Public Information campaign has begun with AFPI (American Fork Pressurized Irrigation).
The website can be found here which has a plethora  (I have been waiting to use that word in my blog for several weeks) of information. Please spend some time at the site. It will answer many questions. Bookmark it and refer to it often. The website includes FAQs, schedules, connection information, construction updates, photos, hotline info, engineering items, news links and more. There will be many questions and concerns as we embark on this 3 year project.

9600 North Angst

The rumor mill is swirling and fingers pointing concerning our neighbor, Highland City's recent change to their transportation element of their General Plan to designate 9600 N. (which borders AF's northern boundary) a major collector road. Both AF and Highland neighbors have been in a dizzy thinking 9600 N. will be expanded on both sides on both borders in response to the change. Well, here are the myths and facts:

Myth: American Fork has sold out to Highland, receiving water shares for our agreement to consent.

Fact: No such thing has occurred. Highland has the authority to amend its transportation element as they choose. In this case, Mayor Franson an engineer has merely corrected the appropriate label of what the road really is.

Myth: This corridor and its widening is a "done deal" with UDOT and MAG (Mountainland Association of Governments). The Mayors in Utah County have so designated.

Fact: 9600 N. as a major east west corridor is only one of many proposals authorized by the county's mayors as an option to a major east west corridor in the overall planning.

Myth:  Construction on the widening of 9600 N. is set to begin now if not sooner.

Fact: Even if 9600 N. is selected by UDOT as a major collector, it will be 15 - 20 years before it begins. There are Army Corp and wetland issues regarding Mitchell Hollow. There are funding issues. There is the issue of Fox Hollow Golf Course. AF owns the majority of the golf course property to the north. There are restrictive covenants relative to the golf course property remaining as open space and/or recreational property. In additon this road involves regional transportation planning. Also buying the property from homeowners will be difficult given rising land values and budget restraints from funding agencies.

Myth: There is nothing we can do as Highland and AF citizens to let our voices be heard.

Fact: The power of the people in lobbying, petitioning and appearing at meetings brings much to bear. In this instance such mobilization can be directed to UDOT, MAG and Highland City.

Myth: The American Fork City Council supports Highland's decision and the Regional transportation decision makers in widening 9600 N.

Fact: I do not support 9600 N. being a major east west corridor road.  I know my colleagues are concerned about this issue as well. It seems to me that 9850 was planned and designed for that (it is much wider). Highland should be concerned about directing traffic toward its commercial center. We have or will make that known to the decision makers. Such action will have a detrimental effect on our citizens, homeowners and neighborhoods in the area. That said, we, (AF) do not have the right to dictate to Highland how to plan their city and have no authority to contest the changing of their transportation element of their general plan. (The entire road is in the jurisdiction of Highland City). Also, the fact that you call a duck a goose does not make it a goose, it is still a duck. 

Setting the Record Straight

Yesterday I was interviewed by Steve  Gehrke of the Salt Lake Tribune about the renovations on the Fox Hollow Golf Club (formerly Tri City Golf Course). The article is found in today's edition of the trib. The writer Steve Gehrke was pleasant, patient and professional. I am not suggesting any animus on his part. But with limited space, semi-soft deadlines, soft deadlines, semi-hard deadlines and the walk away deadline . . .(you catch my drift) he has a difficult job catching everything that is said and presenting it in a way that reflects what the interviewee (me) said. The information that was referenced to me was short, but frought with implications. The quote without quotation marks is below:

The (Fox Hollow Golf, formerly Tri City) course lost money this year so the three owining cities, Pleasant Grove, American Fork and Lehi each kicked in $30,000 to make up the short fall, said American Fork City Councilman Shirl LeBaron. (parentheses added).

Fair enough, that was what was said, but .....

There were other statements made by this author, but did not make it into the trib article i.e.:

1. This is the first year the golf course has not been self sustaining.
2. The abundance of golf courses in the county is only one factor in the short fall. A failing, antiquated irrigation sysytem resulting in a brown course, lack of an adequate clubhouse to facilitate corporate outings, and a general decline of play throughout the state has contributed to the declining revenue.
3. A lush, green golf course with the classic layout that it is, with the addition of an adequate clubhouse will bring revenue to the city and protect this valuable assest, the three city's have.

OTHER THOUGHTS: The cities are not unhappy about the shortfall. It is what it is. We are united as governing bodies in improving the facilities to bring back the ranked golf course that it once was along with the additional revenue from increased play and corporate outings. The agreement to sell the bonds have been/or will be approved by the respective city councils. Play is continuing despite construction on the course that has had minimal interference. Come and play Fox Hollow, so you can get a BEFORE feel and AFTER when the course matures in a year or two.