Francis Town Council & Planning Commission
TOWN COUNCIL meeting: Dec 18th 7pm Remember the River Bluff Amendment issue (walking path versus paved road) will be discussed and possibly voted on. If you have not done so, please send your letters/comments to the Council members. And try to be there.
PLANNING COMMISSION meeting : Dec 19th @ 7pm It has just been announced that the CHURCH is re-approaching the commission asking for a vote/approval of their plan. This is only the SECOND time they have approached the commission and last time there were NUMEROUS concerns about their plan (road thru Wild Willow? Traffic Study? Steeple height? Exterior look?) Let us caution the commissioners that an approval now would be a HASTY one...especially if all the concerns are not addressed and conditions satisfactory. Remember that they intend to run traffic through Wild Willow even if they say a road will be built to Hwy 32 thru the school's property and thru the proposed commercial development.
So there are TWO important issues this week that will directly effect Wild Willow neighborhood. Call your friends and neighbors, contact your commisioners, and let your voices be heard.
PLANNING COMMISSION meeting : Dec 19th @ 7pm It has just been announced that the CHURCH is re-approaching the commission asking for a vote/approval of their plan. This is only the SECOND time they have approached the commission and last time there were NUMEROUS concerns about their plan (road thru Wild Willow? Traffic Study? Steeple height? Exterior look?) Let us caution the commissioners that an approval now would be a HASTY one...especially if all the concerns are not addressed and conditions satisfactory. Remember that they intend to run traffic through Wild Willow even if they say a road will be built to Hwy 32 thru the school's property and thru the proposed commercial development.
So there are TWO important issues this week that will directly effect Wild Willow neighborhood. Call your friends and neighbors, contact your commisioners, and let your voices be heard.
posted by OakleyWeather.com at
9:06 AM
3 Comments:
Dear Planning Commissioner,
I am writing you about the Church's request for approval at this Wednesday's meeting, of their proposed new development next to Wild Willow subdivision. I understand they are asking for approval to their plans but I believe this would be an extremely hurried decision. I urge you to proceed with caution as they have only just 'introduced' themselves and their preliminary ideas at last month's meeting. At that meeting, it was agreed by everyone (you, Town Planner, and residents) that there were numerous issues of concern and code violations that needed to be addressed before an approval was considered. Among them:
1) Exterior look of building was not in keeping with our General Plan concept
2) Height of Steeple was many feet over our code allowance
3) Unsafe proposal to route church traffic through Wild Willow, a kid/horse friendly subdivision. Let us not be fooled into thinking that Wild Willow will only be subject to traffic on Sundays. 1)There will be regular traffic to this church on a daily basis, 2) there will be additional traffic when emergencies/funerals occur, 3) The most traffic (approx 125 cars coming AND going) will be on Sundays, ruining the peace and quiet we expect (and deserve) on a Sunday. In addition, as the Kamas Valley community continues to grow, so will the traffic to this church, through Wild Willow, continue to increase.
4) Has an independent traffic study been done? Has the valley's growth been considered?
5) If the Church says a road will be built through the School Districts/commercial developments property to Hwy 32: Will it be paved and maintained year round? And what safeguards are part of the plan to guarantee that traffic won't revert to using Wild Willow when those two developments are finally built and it becomes a challenge to get thru to the church? In other words, we may be back to square one (item #3) if there are no safeguards in place that will stand the test of time and growth and deter traffic through Wild Willow.
I think churches are an integral part of a community's fabric but, again, I strongly urge you to proceed with caution and consider all the town, City Planners, and residents concerns that have already been posed about this development.
THANKS for your time and attention!
Kristi Major
Francis Resident
Dear Francis Councilmen,
I understand you may reverse your previous vote at tonight's meeting and jeopardize the existing River Bluffs Subdivision Plat. To do so is illogical and irresponsible.
Don't you remember that you, along with your fellow councilmen and commissioners, voted unanimously last April to accept the existing plat? And since NOTHING'S CHANGED, why would you flip-flop on your decision? Are you now saying that EVERYONE was so wrong last April, hammering out the existing plat terms?
The Town's Engineer continues to say "if we're going to build that road anyway, let's build it now." WHO SAID we're going to build that road anyway? No one. That is pure speculation and not a worthy point for an Amendment. The purpose of the existing terms of the Plat is to provide the time and conditions in which to make an intelligent decision.
Are you allowing the Hilltop Road election results to cloud your thinking? Remember it was YOUR vote that passed the motion saying the right-of-way would be developed into a road IF HILLTOP CLOSED. But Hilltop didn't close. It now seems you want it both ways. The truth is: THE TOWN voted to keep Hilltop open, not just the residents of Wild Willow as some of you are wrongfully declaring.
Gentlemen: its very simple.
You, the Town Council, passed the motion April 24, 2007 "to accept the final plat subject to the recommendations from the Planning Commission...with a walking trail... rather than a road"
March 2007: the Planning Commission recommended to accept the Plat with those terms
Nov 2007: Planning Commission again recommended to accept that Plat with those terms
Therefore, you have been given TWO recommendations from your hand-selected Planning Commission. To ignore those recommendations would be illogical and irresponsible.
Tonight's meeting will help write your legacy. Tonight you have an opportunity to dutifully serve the town of Francis. Uphold the integrity of your previous agreement and your oath of allegiance to the community. Leave River Bluffs Subdivision Plat as is.
Kristi Major
Francis Resident
Article to Appear in the Summit County Bee. Also a radio interview on same issue Friday 12/28 KPCW FM
Numerous Francis residents were disappointed at the results of Decembers Town Council meeting, when the Mayor and Town Council reversed their previous approval of a walking path connecting the existing Wild Willow subdivision to the new (yet to be built) River Bluffs subdivision. The Mayor and Councilmen insisted it now be designed as a paved road allowing traffic to enter Wild Willow, a country-style, horse-and-pedestrian friendly community with 57 horse lots.
Seven months ago, at April's Town Council meeting, much to everyone's satisfaction the Mayor and Council approved the walking path design and secured a 7-year commitment from the developer to change it if the residents so desired, and at no cost to the town. Therefore it came as a surprise to everyone, including River Bluff developers, to see the subdivision plat design challenged on the November's Agenda. In April, the Francis Planning Commission gave the Town Council their recommendation supporting the walking path design, and did so again in November. In April, the Town Council passed a motion stating that the road between the two subdivisions would be paved only if Hilltop Road closed. Comments from several councilmen caused speculation that their "about- face" was due to their frustration over November's election results, allowing Hilltop Road to remain open. In contrast to other issues the Mayor has deflected to the 'new council' to decide in 2008, the rush to get this issue reversed before year's end seemed a premeditated plan to ensure a majority vote before certain council members vacated their seats. Everyone questioned: "Why the rush?" but the Mayor and council refused to answer.
The Town Hall was packed with residents and each spoke passionately about preserving the existing plan and pedestrian-friendly path but public input seemed to fall on deaf ears. Though no official traffic study was presented, Councilmen John Keyes stated: "it wont be used much; by only about 4 or 5 cars". The Town Engineer said he spoke to several "other officials" yet he presented no official studies or reports. Councilmen Greg Averett's reason for the paved road was a need to move all the new traffic around town (which makes us wonder why the Mayor and Council pushed so hard to close Hilltop Road!). It is doubted that this short road, sandwiched in between two subdivisions, will alleviate any traffic from other town roads but more likely, as stated by Wild Willow developer Mr. Christopher Burton, will negatively impact the rural design of the community.
Mr. Burton sent a letter December 14 to the Town of Francis stating concern of detriment to Wild Willow's Master Plan: "...coupled with the recent proposal to funnel traffic from the new proposed church, [this] will severely impact if not destroy our effort over the years to create an equestrian community." The letter included the complete history of Wild Willow and the Amended Master Plans vested rights created by the 1998 Development Agreement with the Town. The initial design did not contemplate a road; in fact, in December 1997 Wild Willow's counsel proposed as part of the Amended Master Plan that "protective strips" be used to provide access to adjoining properties - not roads. It was then agreed to stub roads to adjoining properties but only with the understanding that the Town would not allow future traffic to negatively impact equestrian use.
As we all know, horses, kids and cars do not mix. Wild Willow was designed with a very specific, horse-and-pedestrian friendly concept. It's developer and residents are not wrong in their desire to protect that concept and frustrated that the Mayor and certain councilmen allowed their expressed personal bias against this subdivision to cloud their vision. In doing so, they did a disservice to the residents of Wild Willow.
There are many more subdivisions coming to Francis, bringing hundreds of more professional individuals from large corporations and cities with the same desire to raise their families in such a wonderful setting. There is hope that our new council will bring a better balance, a better representation of our growing community, and guide us through 2008 and beyond with a clear vision of their role.
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