PG Decides Not to Allow "Skyscrapers"

I am disappointed to learn that Pleasant Grove will not be allowing any sort of zoning change to it's downtown area. You remember, the zoning that would have made it possible (although not likely) to build a monster 10-story skyscraper. According to the article, city officials caved to the desires of those who apparrantly can't see to the year 2020. Keep in mind that I love PG, but the downtown area really isn't much. I just don't see what they are worried about. Does building business buildings invite the gangs to move in? More traffic? It's not like they are seeing gridlock in the streets of PG as it is. Well, good luck with the new advisory board which will effectively kill any real progress. At least I know PG won't change much - I suppose that's comforting in a way.

FYI - I came about half an hour from being the Community Development Director for Pleasant Grove. I was fresh out of grad school - having just earned my Master of Public Administration degree. My uncle was on the city council and suggested that I apply for the job. I had done the same earlier for a Zoning Inspector only to lose it to some other guy with actual experience - whatever. So I didn't have any solid job prospects and no real background in city planning or urban development, but I figured why not. I felt like I could pick up those details.

So I applied and was interviewed. My uncle told me that it was down to me and a PHD in urban planning with all kinds of experience. That fact that I was even being considered was pretty amazing. I think I had going for me that I was a local and of course that my uncle was on the council. They offered the job to the other guy who turned them down. That left me. The mayor had decided to give me the call when the other guy called back and accepted the job after all. Really, he did me a favor. Not only would hit have been a very challenging job, and I would have been managing 30 year veterans in the field, but my uncle went on to be the mayor. I stayed out of the decision-making process, but it would have been uncomfortable to be working for him in a public position. In any case, sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to be in charge of some of these plans. Interesting for sure. Maybe that's why I'm so fascinated with the goings-on in PG.

Since when does 10 stories constitute a skyscraper?

I grew up in Pleasant Grove, Utah and am proud of it. I love that town and wouldn't change my childhood for anything. I love the Strawberry Days Rodeo, the Purple Turtle, and F-dudes. So I try to keep up whenever I can with the haps in the hometown. Every once in a while, I see something that makes me laugh. According to the Daily Herald, citizens are in an uproar over new buildings being built in the downtown area. The paper makes it sound like there was an angry mob storming the building commission meeting. Is this really the one thing that is driving you to action in the community? If only the rest of the US had just these problems to deal with.

Mostly what caught my attention was that the term "skyscraper" is being thrown out to describe these 5 story (and maybe even 10-story) buildings. Really? As I write this I am sitting on the 13th floor of a 40 story building, so I'll admit that being in Chicago gives me a different view of what "skyscraper" means than my fellow Grovians. No matter how you look at it the last time anybody considered a 5 or even a 10 story building a skyscraper was in the 1800's. The Daily Herald and/or the disgruntled citizens need to tone down the description, or at least visit a place with tall buildings for some perspective.

I also find it hilarious that anybody is worried about their view being blocked by these "monster" buildings. Maybe if you lived in the apartment complex west of main street, you would not be able to see 100% of those majestic mountains, but I don't thing that would even cut off their view. I'm just not buying the view being ruined. There is a lot of space there and a 360 degrees of view. A few building will not ruin your life. If anything, it will probably add to your property value.

So maybe the grumpy PG citizens should just be proud that they have city officials willing to look forward rather than maintain the status quo. As a native PGer, I appreciate the vision of progress.