North County Staff | Posted: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 11:00 pm
CITY BRIEFS
Sensitive lands ordinance nearing completion -- American Fork Planner Rod Despain told the City Council on Feb. 13 the Planning and Zoning Commission had done an initial review of a draft of a sensitive lands ordinance. That document, when approved by the City Council, would provide the guidelines for future development of lands, particularly those on the south side of the freeway.
"We have several areas of attention or change," Despain said. He said the planners would review a revision to the proposed ordinance and make suggestions at a future meeting.
Mayor Heber Thompson said the ordinance would provide guidelines which needed to be in place before development could occur in the areas of sensitive lands. Those include wetlands, areas prone to liquefaction or other concerns.
Boys and Girls Club report -- Kit Wilkinson, the co-director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Utah County reported good news for the group which meets in the basement of the American Fork Public Library and offers help with homework for students.
He said there were two new part-time employees and some new computers, bringing the number of computers to eight. The group has about 150 tutors and offers help for 85 members, up from the 65 who were registered in November.
Wilkinson offered thanks to library director Sheena Parker, librarian Lorraine Vance who coordinates with the homework center, and other library employees.
City Council voices support for UVSC -- On Feb. 13, the American Fork City Council passed a resolution to support UVSC in becoming a four-year university. The issue had come before the council previously, but had been tabled, in part because of concern expressed by Councilman Dale Gunther. He said he had heard concerns from some individuals who had been on the staff of the school.
At the recent meeting, he said he still felt it was a little premature and was concerned that enrollments at other Utah schools had leveled off. He said he was also concerned about the costs.
Development code amended -- Prior to 1978, American Fork had some lots of record which had two homes on them. With the zoning ordinances that were put in place then, those lots became nonconforming. The laws required each single-family home have its own lot.
Since that time, some of the owners sold their homes. By practice, the city staff recognized the nonconforming lots as a different circumstance and approved the sales.
Courts building to be completed -- The American Fork City Council is expected to take action Thursday at a special session to select a contractor to do work to complete courtrooms in the Police and Courts Building. When the building was initially constructed, there was space created for future courtrooms when the Fourth District Court deemed them necessary to complete.
The court will pay the expenses of the construction project, but the city, which owns the building, is responsible to make the contract for the work.
City Council members were set to make the decision on the contractor at its Feb. 13 meeting, but one person who submitted a proposal for the work asked for additional consideration.
The committee which evaluated the proposals used a formula to rate them. Cost was 30 percent of the total, qualifications and competency 20 percent, ability to meet construction timetable 20 percent, and experience with court facilities 30 percent.
Steven Burt, president of Entelen Design-Build, said he had asked the references he had provided whether they had been contacted and they said they had not.
A motion to accept another contractor ended in a tie vote and Mayor Heber Thompson broke the tie. He asked the council to verify the references and vote again in a special session.
Boundary line on hold -- A boundary line agreement for a common border between American Fork and Pleasant Grove has been put on hold.
Mayor Heber Thompson reported to the City Council on Feb. 13 that representatives from the two cities met that morning to consider a proposal for the agreement.
"There are still some issues," Thompson said. "They are not show-stoppers, I don't think."
-- Barbara Christiansen