Many people live in an idyllic rural area of the Ogden Valley, located just east of Weber County’s population center. But a proposed development has many in the valley up in arms, with some worried their rural way of life could soon change.
The Weber County Commission is expected to vote on a zoning change Tuesday night to potentially turn a 20-acre plot of farmland into the Eden Crossing development — a mixed-use development village complete with condos, a hotel and retail space. The development would be located near Eden’s current town center.
In November, the development was brought before the Ogden Valley Planning Commission, which serves as an advisory body to the three county commissioners. The planning commission voted down the proposal 5-2 and recommended the commission deny the rezone.
Despite the planning commission vote, the county commission is set to hear the proposal during a special meeting Tuesday night.
Some in the Ogden Valley community are frustrated with the county government over the potential development.
Kelli Booth is one of these frustrated residents, saying this isn’t the first time the county commission has considered an unpopular development plan.
“This has become a full time job for Eden residents and citizens should not have to work this hard for transparent see in their elected officials," Booth said. "I believe our elected officials have a fiduciary responsibility for those people who elected them. And it's maddening that we have to work so hard to find out all these details.”
Booth and others worry about the potential impact to the valley, as they say the development would surely alter the landscape of the area’s rural way of life. The development would turn a patch of farmland into a form-based village area commonly seen in ski villages across the west.
The three Weber County Commissioners are set to hear the rezoning proposal Tuesday night, where they could vote to approve or deny the proposed rezoning.
