The Heber City Council approved a North Village development annexation petition at a contentious meeting late Tuesday night. However, the City Council’s approval is contingent on final discussions with developers continuing into January.
The ordinance will not take effect until agreements with the Harvest Village and the North Village Crossings developments are completed.
Mayor Heidi Franco and City Councilor Yvonne Barney hoped to define terms of the development agreements with Harvest Village and North Village Crossings, but Heber City Attorney Jeremy Cook said an approval could be made either way.
“We’ve spent months negotiating these,” Cook said about the agreements. “Oftentimes we approve the annexation subject to the development agreements because it assures all parties that we are going in the right direction.”
The vote was split 3-2 in favor. Barney and City Councilor Aaron Cheatwood were opposed.
“We still have a lot to discuss. We’re nowhere near where we need to be,” Barney said ahead of the vote. “I’m not willing to say yes to something. My citizens are not, and that’s what you need to understand.”
An outpouring of public opposition flooded the public comment period earlier that night.
Some Heber City residents, like Nathan Morris, questioned if the annexation would benefit Heber Valley at all.
“I think it’s very, very clear from all those that are here that we are deeply concerned that you’re taking actions concerning, considerably, the North Fields and the bypass that are against what the people of this city, what the people of this valley want,” Morris said.
Most encouraged officials to abide by Heber City’s density codes.
With the North Village Crossings developments, the agreement outlines up to 60 hotel units, 354 residential units and up to 10 commercial units across 56 acres.
The Harvest Village development agreement details construction of up to 34 hotel units, up to 211 residential units, and up to 48 commercial units on 39 acres, plus the obligatory 33 residential units for affordable housing.
Both plans exceed Heber City’s zoning requirements of 4.5 units per acre.
“They’re asking for double what is allowed in city code,” Franco said.
According to Cook, the matter of affordable housing is moot.
“To be blunt, I don’t think this type of housing will accommodate that kind of level,” Cook responded to Franco’s question about if locals in need of affordable housing would get the first opportunity to rent.
For City Councilor Scott Phillips, who moved to extend the hours-long meeting twice over the course of the evening, approving the annexation would allow the city the chance to collect preservation fees, which could later be used to preserve Heber Valley’s North Fields.
“We all agreed the North Fields is the gem of this valley. … We agreed that it needs to stay as it is,” Phillips said. “The way to do that is to buy it.”
Phillips also said that in regard to the Crossings development, a gas station in that area of the valley could keep additional traffic off of Main Street.
“There are some good aspects to this,” Phillips said.
City Councilor Mike Johnston said ahead of the vote that after four years of discussion, he recognized council members might still have differing opinions on the annexation.
“You can be angry and think we’re not hearing you and maybe you hate my guts,” Johnston said after the public comment period. “That’s OK, we have differences. Yvonne [Barney] and I have differences, and I would never belittle her. That’s not a personal thing.”
Barney echoed the sentiment.
“Part of politics — the ugly part of politics — is that we sometimes have to disagree. In my case, I have to stand my ground,” Barney said.
Further decisions on the details of each development agreement will be discussed at the Heber City Council meeting on Jan. 7.