By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Two Nephi residents want a zone changed back to the
way it was several years ago.
John and Clarence Phillipsen attended Nephi City
Council to voice concerns about property rezoning.
John Phillipsen said he bought a piece of property
several years ago which was located near Utah Foam on the
west side of Nephi in the vicinity of 300 West and 300
South.
"When I bought the property, it was zoned industrial,"
said Phillipsen.
In fact, over the years, he and his father have dumped
concrete chunks and other construction debris into a hole
located on the property.
The hole was made, said Phillipsen, by the man who
owed the property. The man would scatter straw onto the
property, wet it down, and his mule would tromp the straw
into the mud. The result was adobe which was used for bricks
which the fellow would then sell.
However, there came to be a large hole on the property
which needed to be filled in.
"The property is not suitable to build houses on,"
said Phillipsen.
He said the property zone was changed to R-1 without
the city notifying him of the change. Earlier, in 1992, he
said, he had come to the council and told them he did not
want the zone changed.
Then the zone was changed in 1995 or 1996.
"The flour-mill property has been re-zoned to R-1,
also by mistake," said Phillipsen.
The records of 1996 meetings have been located, said
Blair Painter, when the meetings were held to air concerns
citizens might have with the zones which, at that time, were
still just being proposed.
However, Phillipsen said, the minutes of the meeting
held in 1992 when he protested any rezoning of the property,
have not been located, as yet.
He did want to know why those within 500-feet of the
zone change were not individually notified.
"When larger chunks of property are re-zoned, as was
the case, then the city does not individually notify those
within 500 feet," said Randy McKnight, city
administrator.
Instead, the re-zoning is advertised in the local
newspaper.
"These zoning changes were advertised in a general way
because the city master plan and general plan were redone in
that era," said McKnight.
What needs to happen now, said McKnight, is that
Phillipsen needs to go to the city planning commission and
request re-zoning of the property Phillipsen owns.
The request needs to be made in writing.
"Are you sure your property is worth more if it is
zoned industrial rather than residential?" asked Greg
Rowley, council member.
Phillipsen said a real estate agent had told him he
could have a ready sale if the property were zoned
industrial.
|
