Anti-Big Box Referendum Gains Traction in Heber
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) Opponents of a proposed Wal-Mart in Heber City say they've collected close to half the number of signatures they need to put the big box issue to a public vote. Matthew Heimburger is an organizer of the referendum with the grassroots group "Put Heber Valley First!""A lot of people I talk to say this is why we live in Heber, was to be away from that type of massive commercial development with all the headaches that go with it," says Heimburger. "The Put Heber Valley First folks are not against retail, we just want it to be an appropriate size and scale."
Heimburger estimates they will need 1,200 registered voters who live in Heber to sign the petition in order for the referendum to land on the November ballot. That will give voters the chance to overturn a city council ordinance that allows exceptions to the existing 16,000 square foot development cap and clears the way for big box retailers along Heber's Main Street.
Signature collection started Saturday, and Heimburger hopes the effort will be complete well within the 45-day deadline.
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1. William Miller said:
Another valiant attempt to regain control of our government at every level in Utah where the elected "representatives" regularly thumb their noses at the wishes of the voters and are afterwards rewarded with re-election! Could someone explain why this happens and what we might do about it????
3. JQW said:
It's continually amazing how elected officals fail to consider the wishes of their community. A mere 18 months ago a cap was placed on retail stores at 60K sq ft. Councilmember (NOW mayor) Dave Phillips - "We have just experienced one of the greatest entitlements of being in this Country." He said the Big Box Committee made a great presentation to the City Council last Thursday and indicated they had found some middle ground. They suggested the CAP be passed but incorporate some middle ground into it. "We can be the master of our own destiny," he said. "We can have other opportunities to improve our tax base and have convenient shopping," he continued. He suggested the Committee didn't just pull 75,000 square feet out of the air--there was a reason for it.
2. Dave Kennamer said:
Elections at the local level are seldom competitive. A major reason for this is that the Democrats are largely out of tune with Utah on the national level which sidelines them on the local level. The referendum, though, could be the wake up call that is needed.