By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News correspondent
Two council members want subdivisions in Mona to have
sidewalks and want the additional wording calling for
sidewalks included in the subdivision ordinance.
Council members did vote to give final approval to the
application for the development of the subdivision and will
meet to discuss sidewalks before giving final approval to
the project.
"I don't think curb, gutter and sidewalk is something we
want," said Bryce Lynn, mayor. In Mapleton, he said, $3
million homes had been and were being constructed but the
council there had opted not to have sidewalks.
Tom Felt and George Smith, partners in a subdivision
enterprise planned for Mona, met with Mona Town Council in a
further attempt to get the subdivision they are planning
approved. With them was Glen Way, a state legislator, friend
and business partner in other ventures but not the one in
Mona.
Glenda Buchanan and Doran Kay, council members, both
favored requiring sidewalks.
"A lot of rural communities don't have sidewalks," said
Felt. In a community such as Mona, demanding sidewalks in
front of homes in a subdivision was a wasted effort unless
sidewalks were constructed in the rest of the community and
that is not the case.
Few places in Mona have sidewalks, he said. Some of those
sidewalks are more a liability than an asset because they
are old and have raised pieces where tree roots have pushed
them out of place and are rough textured because the
sidewalk is crumbling.
"Sidewalks make a community look better," said
Buchanan.
In her opinion, she said, sidewalk was preferable to a
weed patch in front of each home. Most homes have cultivated
and landscaped yards but they also have weeds along the
streets beyond the property line.
Since Smith is a developer, he will develop the property
and then will sell the lots. That would mean the sidewalk
would need to be in place before the homes were built.
Construction would then break up the sidewalk and defeat the
purpose of having it.
Buchanan said a 30-foot road was preferable, as well.
That would cut down on the weed patch growth area. There
would be a sidewalk, a cultivated edge and a weed patch.
"I have checked all the streets in town and all of them
are 24-feet or less," said Smith.
Another issue to consider in asking for wider roads, said
Rick Schnurr, council member, was that roads would be
constructed by the developer but they would be maintained by
the city.
"A 42-foot road would be more expensive for the
town&emdash;it would be double the price for
asphalt&emdash;and we would be responsible for maintaining
the road after the subdivision is built," he said.
Kay said a 26-foot road was standard.
"Many people want to leave the city and prefer a rural
lifestyle. They will move to Mona because they want to live
in a rural area," said Felt.
"Until they move here," said Lynn, "then they want
sidewalks."
He said the delay was unneeded and that it was foolish to
hold up the project any longer. Smith had completed all the
items on the subdivision development list and was ready to
proceed, said Lynn.
Had Smith complied with all the restrictions of the town
to begin with, said Buchanan, he would have been in the
construction phase by now.
However, Smith protested, he said he had not had the name
of the town's engineer, because the town did not have one
until long after he had begun the process. In addition, the
fire marshal did not give a letter to him until the council
demanded it because the fire marshal did not think he was
required to sign such a letter.
Steve Ludlow, of Ludlow Engineering, has been designated
the town engineer, said Schnurr. "He has approved the
proposition," said Schnurr. "In addition to talking to him,
I have talked to several communities. Santaquin, for
example, exempts curb and gutter."
Buchanan said that she would like the council allowing
time for council members to meet and discuss the sidewalk
issue and find out about the town's liability before giving
approval to the developers.
"I do not like to be pressured," she said. "I want to
have time to talk this over."
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