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From parking lot to park

Jerry Raehal

Action items

• Unanimously approved the renewal of a tavern liquor license for D&S Lanes LLC at 990 Industrial Ave. for Thunder Rolls Bowling Center.

• Unanimously approved a special events permit for VFW Post No. 4265 for Aug 4, 2007, at the Moffat County Fairgrounds for the Moffat County Fair.

• Unanimously adopted the second reading of ordinance No. 967 to amend Title 15 (building and construction) of the Craig Municipal Code.

• Unanimously adopted the second reading of ordinance No. 969 - an ordinance adopting amendments to the city of Craig Municipal Code, Chapters 16, Articles 1, 2, 3 and 12.

• Unanimously approved a Quit Claim Deed from Dennis Winn to the city of Craig for a right-of-way on Green Street.

• Unanimously approved the proclamation that the month of July is the American Cancer Society's "Relay For Life Month in Craig."

• Councilman Rod Compton was not present.

Action items

• Unanimously approved the renewal of a tavern liquor license for D&S Lanes LLC at 990 Industrial Ave. for Thunder Rolls Bowling Center.

• Unanimously approved a special events permit for VFW Post No. 4265 for Aug 4, 2007, at the Moffat County Fairgrounds for the Moffat County Fair.

• Unanimously adopted the second reading of ordinance No. 967 to amend Title 15 (building and construction) of the Craig Municipal Code.



• Unanimously adopted the second reading of ordinance No. 969 – an ordinance adopting amendments to the city of Craig Municipal Code, Chapters 16, Articles 1, 2, 3 and 12.

• Unanimously approved a Quit Claim Deed from Dennis Winn to the city of Craig for a right-of-way on Green Street.



• Unanimously approved the proclamation that the month of July is the American Cancer Society’s “Relay For Life Month in Craig.”

• Councilman Rod Compton was not present.

— What some residents use as a makeshift parking area is expected to be turned into a park before winter.

The land in question is .63 acres west of Lincoln Street and south of Victory Way. Some Washington Street residents just west of the land are using the vacant area behind their house to park cars, boats and RVs.

The land was deeded to the city of Craig in February 1986 by Emilyn Young, with the understanding the land be used for a parks and recreation purpose – a distinction that is being double checked by the city.

“More than anything, (the park is) a beautification project to clean up a part of town that is highly visible, with lots of traffic, and right now it just looks awful,” Parks and Recreation Director Dave Pike said. “It’s just a dirt lot with weeds.”

However, “In order for us to go in there and do those improvements, it is going to make it tough for some of the people who live there to access their backyards as they currently do right now.”

Pike went before the Craig City Council Tuesday night seeking clarification as to what it wanted done in light of constructing the park and resident parking issues.

The council directed Pike to start setting up surveying stakes, as well as inform the residents who are using the land as a parking lot of the park to be built.

Complicating the issue is how power pole easements on the land come into play.

“From my understanding, there is a utility easement 5 feet on each side of those power poles, so their property would go within 5 feet of the power poles and ours does on the other side,” Pike said. “: I suppose that if they were to shorten up their backyards, they could still access their backyards if they wanted to.”

The park, which is budgeted at $17,700, will feature a grass field and some landscaping.

“Our thoughts are to put some (Whittle the Wood) carvings in there,” Pike said.

Parking for the park also is being looked at.

“If we turn that into a park : people got to have access to it,” Mayor Don Jones said.

Park construction is pending on getting an irrigation plan back.

“Once I get that, I can bid out the irrigation. : Potentially we could get started on it in the next month if I can fast-line this thing,” Pike said. “We probably wouldn’t start anything for a month, but I definitely want to get this thing done before the snow falls.”

Other capital improvement projects the Park and Recreation Department are working on during the summer include:

• The Finley project, located on the corner of Finley Lane and Victory Way. A portion of the land is described as dirt and rock. The city plans to xeriscape the land.

• Phase Two of the Ridgeview Trail, which will run from Finley Lane to Sunset Elementary.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council held a work session to discuss how to handle the more than 40 privately owned fire hydrants inside city limits.

The long-range goal, Councilman Bill Johnston said, is for the city to own all of the hydrants for fire fighting purposes. The practicality of that, given that the privately owned hydrants have not been tested and the uncertainty of the pipes leading to the hydrant, is less than certain.

The city is planning to craft an ordinance, which is expected to be read before the City Council at its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. July 25. The language of the ordinance is yet to be determined but will deal in part with liability issues.

After that, the council plans to send out immediate notification to land owners with privately owned hydrants based off the ordinance, and then begin research on the city’s next steps.

For more information on the fire hydrants’ issue, go online to craigdailypress.com, and search “Private fire hydrants studied after homeowners’ concern.”


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