Friends & Neighbors,
Another Election Day has come and gone, and I hope that everyone was able to get out and do their civic duty to this country! This is also a great time for a few reminders regarding the national political climate.
In local politics, we’re working tirelessly to improve our little part of the world - divisive tactics have no place here. We are neighbors and friends first, and we should council together for better outcomes and stand together for what our small valley needs.
Sadly, I have received very contentious communications, some even to the point of very directed threats and accusations that have no foundation in the truth. I have seen candidates on the local level this month do and say things that are completely false or not the full truth just to gain votes and it makes me lose confidence, not in our system of government, but in those who are running to fill these offices.
See, some local politicians are echoing the messaging from the national stage and taking tactics from those competing for the highest offices in the country and the state - this kind of rhetoric makes it difficult to rise above the fray and let the public know what is going on in the meetings.
I want to make sure that all in our community know this:
My main goal right now is to try and communicate what is happening in the community and what’s on the horizon in our valley. I am always willing to discuss my positions on decisions affecting our community, and if I differ from others in my stance, I’m always willing to discuss why I might feel differently.
The support of Heber residents is noticed! I thank all of you, as I try my best to serve and do what’s best, ensuring that it benefits all of Heber City Residents.
UDOT Updates
UDOT finally came to a public meeting to discuss the progress on our bypass road. They were very clear with us: the conservation easements that had been applied for in the North Fields, where national money was going to be used, actually delayed the study. They stated in a later meeting with the County that none of the current alternatives were going to work. Unfortunately, the solution would need to be much more “painful”, in their words.
I don’t know what "painful" means in their terms, but I do know that the traffic in Heber and on highways 40 and 189 is getting more and more difficult and troublesome. I truly hope that we as a community can come together to help UDOT with a solution that benefits us all, and I really feel like we can get there.
Annexation Needs
For a brief moment in October, we thought there would be a new town within the North Fields. This, however, was short lived as the County informed the applicants that they didn’t have enough residents to apply for incorporation.
At the same time, the City has been discussing annexing the corner of highway 40 and River Road. This is a strategic corner for Heber City as it is the entrance to the valley and potentially a hub for commercial activity.
Some years ago, the County approved higher density on that corner and even the development of a water park. That plan, luckily, never came to fruition, but the development rights had already been granted to the land owner. Another group is now applying for annexation and would like to put a hotel and mixed housing on the properties with the density or lower than the density already granted by the County.
This is something we should want to annex so that the City has a say in what is built, as well as giving us the opportunity to benefit from the taxes that the property will generate. There is another property across highway 40 that would be part of this annexation and it would include commercial business as well as a gas station. This would help serve the more than 6,000 homes that are entitled and would be built eventually as part of the North Village.
I am leery to annex anything that is not currently part of the annexation master plan or that adds density above and beyond what had already been approved in the county, but we are also seeing that other jurisdictions are seeking to annex some of these properties - I feel we would be better served if they were in Heber City. We also approved the annexation of MTECH which will be built adjacent to the new high school.
Walkable Downtown Branding
We still have not finalized the branding on the walkable downtown that we are hoping to create and for which we are starting to lay the foundation. C Street would be the name of the alley on 50 West. I look forward to eventually buying the old fire station and the Heber Light and Power buildings to help build much needed infrastructure, including parking for the downtown.
The bandshell on 200 S is nearing completion and this should be totally done by the first of December.
Walkable Downtown Branding
The Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) has been discussed quite a bit recently with the election season upon us. There is a new website with videos and other information to discuss what a CRA actually is and what it is not.
The CRA in Heber is a vehicle by which we can fund some of the projects and infrastructure that we’d need in order to bring our downtown vision to reality. There is a set area which includes the redevelopment zone and the property values. For tax purposes, they are fixed in time and the School District and County will still receive 100% of those taxes based on that value.
What is referred to as the increment is the amount of property taxes above that value that would be captured as a result of redevelopment of those properties hence increasing their taxable values. For example, if a property is worth $1 million today then the property tax on $1 million would go to the school district and the county. If the CRA is in place and the building is redeveloped and now is worth $2 million, then the increase in the property tax that the property owner would pay from the $1 million to $2 million values would be split, with a majority of the taxes going to the city to pay for infrastructure upgrades and a minority part still going to the county and school district.
If the term is for 20 years, then after that time is up, the percentage of taxes being received by the school district and county would go back to the normal rates. Hopefully, the redevelopment increases those values substantially, therefore increasing the overall amount of taxes collected.
But how does this help our community? The more commercial property taxes are paid, the fewer taxes that need to be collected by all of the citizens for the same services. Basically, we’re trying to provide a mechanism where we increase taxable values in these areas, taking some of the burden off the citizens.
I hope that makes sense and was helpful in understanding what has seemingly become a very heated topic of conversation. The City would only get the tax increment if there is an increase of value. Check out the website for more info:
Happy November, friends. As we come up on the holidays, remember how blessed we are to be a part of this community and this city! Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with your questions, comments or concerns. I’ve had several meetings with individuals and groups this past month to keep communication open and really see what the citizens of Heber are feeling and needing.
Three years into this position, I still want to accomplish what I set out to do and that is to help Heber City be a great place for generations to come. I hope that all of my friends and neighbors have an excellent start to their November
Sincerely,
D. Scott Phillips
Heber City Council
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