Neighborhoods are the fundamental way in which we engage with one another by sharing a greeting from the porch, sidewalk, or the driveway. They are where friendships are formed and are made up of our homes and families. The family house is often the most valuable asset or investment a person or couple may own. Neighborhoods support the growth of businesses and help create economic diversity. Neighborhoods are the life blood of the community, a safe place to live, play, shop, eat out, and work. Without vivant neighborhoods, the sense of community no longer exists, and the town will start to wither. We must protect and preserve our neighborhoods.
Virgin must make residential lots more affordable for either new home buyers or for long-term renters so we can grow our community. The cost of land is one of the most important factors in affordability. As we all know, the fundamental economic theory of the law of supply and demand will control the price of land. The less available land for building residential lots and subdivisions the higher the price is for the land, thus creating higher costs for the home. In the last four years, the Town has approved the elimination of almost 300 acres of available residential land when it approved zone changes from Rural Residential and Residential zones to Commercial and Highway Resort zones, thus making less available land on which to build residential housing. I have been the dissenting vote in most of these zone changes, and often the lone dissenting vote.
The Town Council during the last four years has yet to turn down a commercial or highway resort zone change. Proponents of commercial zone changes produce the Town’s zoning map and argue that Town has plenty of rural residential zones. However, most of the rural residential zones are in areas that won’t be developed because there is no infrastructure (water & roads) and developers don’t like to leap frog because of the cost of installing infrastructure. Plus, once the infrastructure is available, then they will request a zone change to commercial and why not, the town council hasn’t yet said no to the requests. While a zone change to Commercial or Highway Resort zones may be appropriate, it should be made only after careful consideration of the location, overall effect on the Town, and the General Plan.
UPDATE: 2022-2024 Neighborhood Advocacy:
- I introduced a Jake Brake ordinance which was passed 3-2 (still trying to get permission from UDOT to install signs on SR 9)
- I created the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and drafted the CIP Policy. The CIP program creates a CIP 5-year plan which requires Virgin to plan and budget for capital improvements over the five years. The CIP program has been up and running for two years and resulted in capital improvements in and around town.
- Introduced ordinance to prohibit new Short Term Rentals which ordinance passed.
- I have advocated for traffic calming devises for local streets. Temporary speed bumps have been installed on Pocketville Road and are in the CIP 5-year plan to be replaced by larger more permanent speed bumps or humps.
- Voted in favor of allowing Rio de Sion to install a traffic calming gate for Rio de Sion (note: the neighborhood hasn’t yet installed the gate).
- I proposed and been advocating for a transitional zone next to Rural and Rural Residential zones instead of a Commercial zone being approved next to Rural and Rural Residential zones. Based upon this advocacy, Planning and Zoning are working on a Neighborhood Commercial Zone which should be going to public hearing soon (called the Village Overlay).
- Except in a few instances voted no when changing Rural and Rural Residential zones to Commercial Zones especially next to existing residential neighborhoods.
- I proposed to UDOT a traffic circle at Sheepbridge Road and SR9 intersection. Shortly before I took office, the mayor and I had a meeting with UDOT and I proposed the traffice circle (roundabout) for Sheepbridge Road. The UDOT representative told us that they don’t typically build roundabouts on highways. When I pointed out that Arizona does, he commented a roundabout would not be desirable since it slows down traffic. “Exactly” was my response. In fairness to UDOT, the official was responding to questions not in his area of expertise.
- I have proposed active crossings of SR9 to UDOT
- Had doggy waste stations installed in parks
- Drafted Request for Proposals for Parks, Recreation, Open Space,and Trails plan.
- I have more work to do and will continue to work to protect our neighborhoods.