This week supporters of a referendum to overturn a decision to abandon a stretch of road in Francis say they will submit their petition to the Summit County clerk.
“In just a few days, it is believed we are at or beyond the number of required signatures,” Francis resident Kristi Major states in an e-mail.
Citizens also filled out voter registration forms so they’re eligible to cast ballots in November, she added.
To help accommodate a 61-home development the Francis Town Council voted 3-2 in February to vacate part of Hill Top Road.
Francis Mayor John Bergen says he cast the deciding vote in favor of the proposal because, he agrees, the intersection poses a hazard for drivers.
The intersection of Hill Top Road and S.R. 32 should be closed according to traffic studies and the Utah Department of Transportation, officials say.
Because of the angle at which Hill Top Road connects to S.R. 32 drivers turning onto the highway have limited visibility, the mayor claims.
Major, who supports the voter referendum, claims UDOT has called the intersection “problematic” not dangerous.
The historic road skirts the southern edge of Francis near the Provo River and hundreds of potential home sites in the Kamas Valley.
Wolf spotted at Pinebrook?
While driving through her Snyderville neighborhood at night a Pinebrook woman says her son, who lives in Ohio, recently encountered a wolf while visiting the area.
“He had come home late on a Saturday evening and there was a wolf about 10 feet from our driveway, just standing there,” the Snyderville Basin woman said. “As he was trying to enter the driveway it really refused to budge, it just stood there looking at him.”
“He said he was absolutely petrified, even though he was in the car,” she added.
With reports of wolves being spotted recently near Jeremy Ranch, she warned citizens that “they are out there and they’re not too frightened about coming forward.”
“I’m at the top of Pinebrook,” she said.
New animal rescue center
The Summit County Friends of Animals group seeks a permit to construct a 14,250 square-foot rescue facility in Brown’s Canyon.
The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. April 4 at the Kamas City Hall to discuss the care center proposed mainly to treat dogs, cats and horses.
“There will be no commercial activities at the facility,” a Summit County Community Development Department staff report states. “Public pet adoptions will continue to take place at the existing Furburia facility located in Park City.”
Friends of Animals, which rescues pets slated for euthanasia, would use the facility to house the animals. The rescue center is planned on a vacant parcel of land near Z-Rock Road in South Summit.
Eighty-five dogs, 65 cats and 15 horses could be housed at the facility, the staff report states.
Interstate 80 rest stop
Summit County planners have blocked development of a rest stop on Interstate 80 in the Snyderville Basin, County Commissioner Ken Woolstenhulme claims.
“The best thing we can do is kick the planning department in the butt to get them going,” Woolstenhulme said. “I just think that we’re not cooperating with [the developer] very well.”
In conjunction with the Utah Department of Transportation, the owners of several service stations in Summit County are discussing developing the rest stop.
Summit County Community Development Director Nora Shepard explained last week that the property owners “need to get us a plan and show us want they want to do.”
Eastsiders worry about water
A recent meeting of the Eastern Summit County Water Advisory Committee found that citizens are concerned water is being taken from the East Side for development in Park City.
“The idea they had was that this committee was put together to take all their water,” County Commissioner Ken Woolstenhulme said.
The committee was formed “to avoid the mistakes that were made on the West Side of the county,” he added.
Curbside recycling in Timberline
Summit County now provides curbside recycling service to the Timberline neighborhood adjacent to Summit Park.
“Congratulations,” Summit County Commissioner Sally Elliott said to residents of the neighborhood last week.
Sixty-eight of the community’s 92 homeowners so far have subscribed to the free service, County Curbside partner Shirin Spangenberg said.
“We’re really excited to be working with them,” Spangenberg said. “They’re very easy to work with we have found.”
Lots of recycling was already sorted for pickup Friday in Timberline, she added.
“You can tell they have all been well trained, just the kind of neighborhood that you want to serve,” Spangenberg said.
When heavy snowfall prevents County Curbside from working in the mountain community, Spangenberg insists she will inform customers via e-mail.
“We’re going to be able to send out a notice to them so they’re aware of what’s happening,” she said.
Timberline residents interested in subscribing should e-mail Spangenberg at [email protected].