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By Patrice St. Germain
November 6, 2003
LAVERKIN -- The LaVerkin City Council unanimously passed two conditional use permits for Cross Creek Manor allowing the residential treatment facility to build a 12,226 square foot, two-story structure at its existing facility at in the 180 North block of State Street.
Cross Creek administrator Karr Farnsworth said the new area would be used for a cafeteria and assembly area. The existing cafeteria and assembly area would be turned into classroom space and a computer lab.
The second permit would be used to construct a soccer/softball field in the northeast corner of State and Center Streets, and a paved parking area for employees would also be constructed.
"We abandoned our plan of using the old Sunrise Market," Farnsworth said. "We are doing the new building but we are not increasing bed space."
Resident Helen Schoonover, an abutting property owner, told the council she felt there should be a limit on how many youth homes and how much growth is allowed in the town.
"I'm not in favor of these institutions," she said. "We need to have an ordinance limiting how big and how fast they can grow, otherwise we might as well give up and let them take over."
Councilor Gary McKell agreed with Schoonover.
"We need to make a decision about how many and the size. Property rights are very important but at some point, we need to address how many is enough," McKell said.
Councilor Al Snow, also an abutting property owner, asked Farnsworth about the proposed fence around the soccer/softball field. Farnsworth said it would be an eight-foot block wall.
Snow also said he is not against the facility since he knows a young man that went to the program and received the help he needed.
Councilor Lance Gifford said he's not against youth homes but said there isn't much of a tax benefit other than property taxes.
Farnsworth said the facility pays taxes, employs many local people and those employees spend money in town. The company also donates to the city.
In other action, the council voted unanimously to apply for a Transportation Enhancement Grant for an overhead walkway to be located at State and Center Streets.
The intersection located along state Route 9 is a high traffic area for children going to LaVerkin Elementary School located on Center Street.
Mayor Tom Stocks said the grant application had to be in by December and the city would know in January if the grant had been approved.