Just heard from the county that Blue Ox has withdrawn their application for the zoning amendment to MG-EX. So at this point any new application for a zoning change would need to start at square one.
Willard, UT- One of the best parts of Willard is the beautiful scenic mountains. However, many citizens are concerned that Willard’s beauty will soon be a thing of the past and they will be living in the pits. The gravel pits to be exact.
In 2014, a proposal was brought to Willard City to allow the mountain directly east of Willard Bay Gardens to be developed into a gravel pit. The citizens were very vocal about not wanting it, and the measure was voted down. Recently, the land has changed hands and the new owner had the land un-annexed from Willard City and has petitioned Box Elder County to allow the area to be approved for a gravel/asphalt pit.
Willard citizens are calling on Box Elder County to hold a public hearing and let the people have their voices be heard. At this point, the County says they can have a public meeting where the public is not allowed to speak, or a public hearing which would allow citizens to voice their concerns. If a hearing is to take place, it would likely be April 19th to allow an appropriate time for notifications.
Many citizens of Willard are opposed to development of a gravel pit. One must ask: was it appropriate for the County to allow the property to be separated from Willard City? Some feel it was a way around what was already decided by Willard in 2014.
On the other hand, is it fair to deny the development of privately-owned property?
Regardless of your feelings on the issue, one thing is true, it is in the best interest of freedom of speech for the County to hear the voices of the people and hold a public hearing. It is time our public officials remember they are elected to serve, not to dictate. You can contact Box Elder County commissioners and ask that they respect the right to a public hearing by emailing:
Stan Summers, Commission Chair
ssummers@boxeldercounty.org
Jeff Scott, Commissioner
Commissioner Jeff Hadfield
To reach any of the county commissioners, you can also call the Commission Office at: (435) 734-3347 Mon - Fri 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
