By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Some enterprising residents of Nephi want to build a
movie theater in Nephi, however, they also want to work out
an arrangement that would let them build the theater on a
city-owned site next to the fire station.
Kelly Andersen, Mike Cowan, and Tyler Cowan asked city
council members to consider allowing them to build the
theater on the same site as the county building, city
building, recreation center, and fire station because of the
central location.
Also included in the project would be W. Robert
Andersen's, who could not be present at the council
meeting.
"There is one problem," said Chad Brough, mayor. "The
property is zoned R-1."
"The commercial district, along Main Street, is only a
half a block deep," said Randy McKnight, city
administrator.
A variance would not be possible so the developers
would need to seek a zone change. A zone change calls for a
public hearing and the process that goes along with the
public hearing.
And before a public hearing would be called, the men
would need to meet with the city planning commission and
find out what they would recommend.
All of that takes time.
Financing is already in place, said Andersen, and the
group is in a hurry to find a site and begin building. "We
would like to be in operation by July."
"We have been looking around at a place to put our
show-house," said Andersen. "When I was on the council, we
were interested in people developing recreation that would
give the kids something to do. We all agreed we needed
something for the kids."
Mike Cowan said the community had been without a
theater for 16 years. It had been that long since the
pioneer-era theater had been destroyed by fire. In that
time, there had been a lot of proposals for a theater but
the council had always indicated they did not want to be in
the theater business. They did, however, encourage private
development.
"We want to know what the city would do," said
Cowan.
The men are especially interested in an area where
there was once the old central school, known locally as "the
old pink school." When the school was razed, the city
determined to make the site a park. In fact, it is currently
being developed as a park.
Cowan said the movies would cost about the same, per
ticket, as the new Spanish Fork theater complex. While
Ephraim and Payson also had theaters, he still thought the
theater in Nephi would be used. However, he said, such a
venture was still a gamble.
Building a tri-plex, he said, would give the
movie-goer more variety to choose from.
"It would keep some of the money spent up North in the
community," said Cowan.
Brough said he thought such a project would benefit
more than the young people in the community. Many young
people travel to Utah County to watch movies but adults have
little to do in the community in the way of recreation.
"This would give the adults something to do," he said.
In addition, some of the young people would stay in the
community to go to a movie and it would give those who are
too young to drive a theater to attend.
"It would be nice to have something like this," said
Jim Wilkey, council member.
However, said Brough, the council needed some time to
consider what had been proposed and to find out what
everyone thought. He said he realized the developers were on
a time-constraint, but the council and planning commission
needed time.
"We want this to be a class-act," said Andersen. "This
will not be a parking lot theater but will have frontage
that will feature a fountain, like the one I have in my
back-yard, in front of the theater."
It will be south facing and will be landscaped with a
stucco front and a bar tile roof. There will be tile on
columns at the entrance.
There will be three theaters inside the building. The
building will measure 110-feet by 90-feet and parking will
be at the side and rear of the facility.
Brett Ostler, city fire chief, said he was concerned
with the theater being next to the fire station because of
parking. "We already have a problem with parking."
If the station is blocked, so that emergency equipment
cannot get out or firefighters cannot find parking space,
the community has a problem.
Cowan said the theater, as planned, would require at
least two acres, but the acreage would depend on what the
city requirements are for parking.
There is one residence located just to the east of the
theater. It is the only house on the block, but would
require consideration.
"One nice thing about the central school property,"
said Cowan, "is that it is centrally located. People could
walk to the theater. We would show a matinee on Saturday so
kids could go to the movie and then go to the Old Gym and
roller skate."
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