NORTH LOGAN—Residents voiced market viability and an increase in traffic as a few of their concerns at a public hearing Wednesday, to declare 1.4 acres of city land as surplus for private sale and the possible construction of an assisted living facility.

Alma Brown addressed the City Council in opposition to the proposal because he said it will increase traffic and decrease safety around Greenville Elementary School.

“So far I don’t think there’s a whole lot of problems with kids crossing at that four-way stop right there, with the help of crossing guards and those kinds of things,” Brown said. “But I think an increase in traffic there, which is what that assisted living facility would do, I think might cause problems. My kids go to that school and so does the rest of that development.”

Russell Goodwin said one of the reasons he opposes the proposal is because there are many facilities like the one proposed already in North Logan and Cache Valley, and he doesn’t see the need for another.

“Is the market demand there for another [assisted living facility]? Have you, the council, done the market analysis to determine the viability? All we need is another failed structure sitting next to the library and our future civic center building,” Goodwin said.

Lydia Embry echoed Goodwin’s concern over the number of similar facilities in the area, and said that the size of the land, 1.4 acres, doesn’t seem compatible with the proposal. “How tall, how many stories would this proposed facility have to have to make it economic?” she asked.

Kris Huber, who accompanied a troop of Boy Scouts to the meeting, said he would just like to know the value of the land before the city gets rid of it.

Following the remarks by city residents, Shawna Warner, one of the potential land buyers, addressed the council. Just like the facility she’s proposing in North Logan, Warner said she owns similar facilities in other parts of Utah and Idaho. She said the market analysis for the proposed facility has been done, and while there are other assisted living facilities in the area, their facility would specialize in dementia patients and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Warner also said that increased traffic should not be a concern, because residents almost never drive or have cars.

“I think that we would be a great asset to your community,” Warner said. “[The location] gives the opportunity for grandmas and grandpas to still be in a city area and not shut out in the middle of nowhere. They have the opportunity to be a part of so much going on in their lives and they can look out there window and see the kids coming in and out of school.”

City Administrator Jeff Jorgensen concluded the hearing by reminding the 30 attendees that declaring the land surplus is a conditional action based on whether the price and proposal fits.

In other business, the council:

• approved a motion to allow propane tanks of 125 gallons or less to be stored at recreational vehicle parks as long as they are checked by the police chief or fire department for safety.
• approved a motion to allow a home business owner to store three shaved ice stands outside on his property for 60 months, pending complaints, after which approval must be renewed.
• heard a presentation from Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Director Alan Luce regarding the desire of a local developer to donate four parcels of open space to the City of North Logan. Luce said the city already spends $10,000 per year maintaining the open space it already owns. Among other options, Luce said the city could accept the parcels, decline the donation, turn the open space into “pocket parks”, or amend homeowners’ plats to include the open space. The council will visit the parcels and discuss the matter further at a future meeting.

Published in cooperation with the Hard News Cafe. Original story is here.