No Planning Commission Meeting was held in August 2009. Both the City Council Meeting and the Planning Commission Meeting were cancelled in September 2009. Special Problems in the City An important matter, the issue of changing the general plan, was brought before the City Council in August. The general plan provides the rules for how a zoning change for property can be done. Zoning is designed to separate uses, such as residential from commercial. Zoning changes in the city must comply with the general plan. The city cannot randomly change zoning for certain property to be used as the owner desires, if it is not allowed in the zone. This law makes a strong rule and also prevents favoritism. City Administrator Bill Morris said the general plan is usually in effect for 10 to 20 years. Our general plan was put in place in 2004, so it is still at least five years before a full review is needed. A partial review was under consideration at the August 2009 meeting. The process provides that the City Council makes a request to the Planning Commission to make a recommendation for any changes in the general plan, and send this recommendation to the City Council. The ability of a property owner to use his property as desired, versus the general plan formulated for the betterment of the community, was at issue. Mr. Ty Martinez and Mr. Joe Taylor requested and supported changing the general plan to allow manufacturing on property each owns on 1200 West. This is next to a residential area. Staff noted that these property owners purchased the property knowing, or should have known, that it was not planned for manufacturing. The owners agreed they took the risk and did not exert due diligence. After thorough discussion, the City Council's consensus was not to pursue amending the general plan. Ongoing complaints and problems at a house at 1359 West 700 South have been received by the city. A search warrant for this house earlier found multiple code violations, and the house was condemned due to its hazardous condition making it unfit for habitation. The house was foreclosed and the owner evicted. The city reached an agreement with the bank to purchase the home for $30,000.00. The city accepted all liability relating to the house, including environmental contamination for the failed septic system and from drug use in the house. The city demolished the house as a public nuisance abatement project. The property was added to the Heritage Park Regional Storm Water Detention Basin. Jerry Stanger volunteered to cut down the trees around the home. The law enforcement S. W. AT. used the home for a training exercise before it was razed. The house was demolished on April 29, 2009, by Cory Maylan. An abandoned house on Pioneer Road next to Al Farr's residence was also demolished this past spring. The new Maverik Station in our city was robbed May 16, 2009, by a man wearing a white bandana. He reached over the counter to grab a cash drawer, and made off with an undisclosed amount of money. Lloyd Vit was charged with junk accumulation on his property near Mill Creek and 1-15. The city allowed him 90 days to clean up the property, after which clearing, the criminal charges would be dismissed. Mr. Vit appealed his case to Magistrate Orvil Holley with the hearing held in March. Mr. Vit represented himself, and Mr. Morris represented the city, with both sides arguing the case. Chris Allred, Weber County Attorney, assisted Mr. Holley. After due consideration, Magistrate Orvil Holley ruled in favor of Marriott-Slaterville City in the matter. Mr. Vit plead guilty to criminal charges at a court hearing in July, and was fined $600.00. The Standard Examiner featured a Marriott-Slaterville story on August 22, 2009, concerning a dispute between neighbors Roger Miller and Marion Long, who both live on Pioneer Road. Mr. Long filed a formal complaint with the city about barking dogs in Mr. Miller's dog kennels, then Mr. Miller filed a complaint against Mr. Long for having too many cars and junk in his yard. Next, Mr. Long filed a complaint about Mr. Miller's 15 geese that roam the neighborhood. The city decided the geese must go. The issue about the dogs was not resolved at the time of the article. City Administrator Bill Morris said most of such issues occur when people from a more urban area move to the country. "You've got a farmer who has been there for years, and people come in from the city and they want manicured lawns." On November 19, 2009, a public hearing was held by the City Council concerning this issue. Mr. Miller had filed an application for creation of a 6.8 acre Agriculture Protection Area at 3101 W. Pioneer Road for Parcel 15029099. This was brought before the Planning Commission, but the meeting was cancelled, and the time lapsed for their report and the report of the advisory committee, so the council acted without the benefit of those reports.