Hyrum P&Z approves changes to Elk Mountain plans
March 23rd, 2010 Posted in OpinionBy April Ashland
HYRUM–The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously passed Elk Mountain’s proposal to change its development of 25 single homes to 12 twin homes and 17 single family units at the March 11 meeting.
No one spoke at the public hearing that was held, but Jim Huska, citizen, wrote a letter to the chairman about the proposed change to Elk Mountain’s plan. Huska said he owns a townhouse at Elk Mountain, and said it’s a well-built development. He said he came to Hyrum a few years ago and rented, meanwhile searching for affordable housing, and found the Elk Mountain development early in 2009.
“My guess is, these duplex homes would have an ‘affordable’ base price of around $180,000. Affordable is very subjective. I could not qualify for such homes. My townhouse base price was $135,000. I guess that makes me a really undesirable neighbor,” Huska said, addressing concerns about a lowered standard of living.
Huska also said the old proposal to change the 25 single homes into 12 duplex homes would be a good compromise to the expressed concern over density, and that 300 South is a large enough road to accommodate the increased traffic that would come with the building of the homes.
“I urge your favorable action and approval so the Phase one development can continue,” Huska wrote.
Chairman Steven Sproul read Huska’s letter to those in attendance, and said he agreed with Huska. “I think the lack of people here means the issues have been resolved,” Sproul said.
Ron Hales accompanied contractor Royce Yorgensen to the meeting to discuss the new plan. He said he wanted to clarify that the developers were not building low-income housing, but rather a high quality affordable living area.
“We are building low cost, affordable high quality housing. We tried to fit what is selling, what is affordable, and what is nice,” Hales said.
Yorgensen said pending approval at the meeting, there is one person who will contract for a twin home, and four others who are more than modestly interested, two of whom currently live in single homes and would rather live in a twin home.
Other business covered was the proposal by Leonel Barriga to turn one lot into a three-lot mini subdivision at 397 W. Main St.
Scot Allgood moved that the commission agree to the proposal, with the conditions that access is subjected to UDOT approval, all the buildings were to be approved at a later time, and trees would be required on lots two and three.
The motion passed unanimously.
NW
Tags: Elk Mountain, Hyrum, twin homes
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