Blanding City approves work at Centennial Park and building inspection contracts

Blanding City Council members tabled a rezone request for a property near the new Elementary School, approved building inspection contracts and gave the okay for upgrades and a mural at Centennial Park at their latest meeting.
Members of the Blanding City Council held a public hearing for a proposed property zone change at the March 11 meeting. Members of the council moved to table the proposed change to allow for more time to understand the possibilities for the lot, especially related to subdividing and selling of lots.
Members of the council heard from the public regarding the proposed R1 zone change to R2 zoning for a property located between 700 and 800 North and 100 West owned by Chad and Tiawna Moses.
City manager Trent Herring explained the zone change would reduce the minimum lot size for residential dwellings. In the R1 zone minimum lot sizes are 10,000 square feet, while in R2 zoning minimum lot sizes are 7,000 square feet and can be for single or multifamily dwellings. Herring also explained the city is looking at reducing that minimum square footage from 7,000 feet to 4,500 to help with the housing shortage.
“The cost to build right now. It can be difficult for some. So, we're trying to figure out some ways that Blanding city can help with some of that development. That's something that's currently in the planning and zoning commission's hands, but we're looking at that. That's not something that's been passed yet, but more than likely there will be a reduction in the square footage lot size for the R2 zone based on some of their feedback that we've seen so far from the planning commission.”
One neighbor expressed concerns about an in-home business already in the property and the possibility of making the residential neighborhood more busy with the development.
Concerns were especially high with the increase in traffic expected with the new Blanding Elementary School going in just across the street.
The zone change was passed on to the council after being reviewed and approved by planning and zoning.
City staff did clarify that the R2 zoning does not allow for commercial development but residential zones in Blanding do allow for in-home businesses. The R2 zoning would also allow for an apartment building to be built.
While the property owner has the right to develop the property in any way allowed by zoning council and staff did ask the Moses’s what their plans were for development, with Chad Moses sharing they don’t have set plans.
“It's tough to make plans when your only option is R1 and you have to put in a lot of utility and infrastructure and roads, etc. It'd be impossible to make that worth the time. But that being said, I really don't have any plans. I really don't want an apartment complex behind me. But to your point, I can't say somebody buys some property from me. I couldn't, you know, mandate that they don't build some either. That's fair to say, but I have no intention of doing that.”
Moses added that the property is landlocked with just one access currently really only available from his personal home driveway.
“I mean maybe potentially I could have a mother-in-law suite down at the shop or something. I don't know. I don't have big plans nor good funding behind me to do that, but I have been approached by a few people to try to purchase some of the property on the south end. And I did not want to, you know, put that out there to them until we have the possibility of going through a zoning change just in case to try to have some potential to do some housing in the future.”
Members of the Blanding City Council tabled the item to better understand the options for housing on the lot especially as it relates to subdividing and selling parts of the property.
Members of the Blanding city council also approved contracts for building inspection services. The council approved contracts with Ben Tomco and Cory Coleman to provide services with the retirement of the previous inspector.
While Tomco is in the police academy, and Coleman works for Grand County, concerns were raised about timely inspections by council but city staff assured the council a schedule is being worked out to provide adequate coverage. Members of the council approved the contracts with an amendment that termination clauses be reduced from 90 days to 60 days.
Members of the council also gave advice and consent for the city to move forward with upgrades to Centennial Park. Council gave approval for staff to move forward with an estimated $4,000 project to carpet the interiors of the buildings at the ball field complex with an exception for the closets to remain uncarpeted, as well as a $1,000 estimate for other repairs including repainting, fixing holes in tables and repairing cracks.
Herring also explained he’d like the city to revisit the concession stands. Currently the stands are open sometimes when volunteers want to use the facility to raise funds. While that could continue, the city would also like to explore other options including contracting vendors at a certain amount or percentage of sales as possibilities to explore.
Members of the council also gave advice and consent for the Blanding Youth Council to move forward with the San Juan art club with a project to make a mural at the city ball fields. Council approved the landscape design and for the youth council to hold an event on April 5 to help raise funds for youth council projects.
Members of the council also gave advice and consent for city staff to bring a contract back for consideration to allow local businesses to showcase their products at the visitor center.
Ben Muhlstein, Economic Development director, explained the idea would be for local items to be sold as a way to highlight businesses. While the city would receive commission on the products the aim is not to produce a large amount of revenue for the city.
“Our purpose isn't to make a ton of money off of this as much as it is to highlight local producers.”
Staff made plans to bring back contracts to sell local items at the city visitor center.