The council approved the mayor to Create a Clean Air committee with Councilman Philip Swanson as the chairman. Swanson suggested to create this committee to campaign against vehicle idling. Swanson hopes a public campaign will encourage people to turn off their vehicles when idling whether they’re waiting to pick up children from school or waiting at a drive in. Swanson said, “Repeated awareness changes behavior over time.” Carol Campbell called for people to be a solution to the problem by reducing idling. She said research shows in the long term they are experiencing cleaner air over time with less red air days and she attributed this to businesses changing their practices. She said vehicle emissions is a way “we all contribute to the dirty air problem.”
Mayor Brent Taylor is in the process of receiving military orders for deployment to Afganistan, requesting military leave of absence according to state code. In an emergency council meeting Monday Jan. 8, the City Council set the times in which an interested person could submit an application to be appointed as a temporary Mayor. They chose to open the application period immediately and close on Wednesday Jan. 10 at 5 pm. On Thursday at 8 pm, the council will appoint a temporary mayor.
The council approved an ordinance for residential uses in commercial zones. This will provide flexibility for small business owners to live on site. City Planner Rob Scott said, “This ordinance anticipates that [residential space in a commercially zoned area] is an accessory use to an existing business.” He said this ordinance is applicable for lots up to 15,000 square feet, two parking stalls are required per residence, and no recreational vehicles are allowed. The planning commission was divided in requiring owner occupancy. Swanson said he doesn’t see it necessary to enforce owner occupancy, however, he does think that whoever lives there should be an employee of the business.
The council approved the ordinance with an amended change to allow a propane tanks with a maximum height of 12 ft. Phil Childs said he hopes to bring a propane fill up station to the Ace Hardware in North Ogden. The ordinance allows Childs to have a vertically set 500 gallon propane tank. Councilwoman Sara Fawson said it will be nice to have an option to buy propane in North Ogden.
Scott reported on the Land use permit program. 29 land use permits had been issued in six months. He said it takes a day or two to review and they have had no complaints for the $25 fee.
Chief of Police Jon Call presented an agreement that will perpetuate Weber County Strike Force services in North Ogden. Call said they contribute money to the taskforce each year to have the option to use their services. The task force assists with intelligence gathering to get warrants, doing searches, and addressing drug trafficking.
The council appointed Steve Prisbe and Lisa Arnor to serve as the newest planning commission members.