Former planning commission chairman recalls Sandy City's growth and creation of City Hall

A longtime Sandy resident and former planning commission chairman reflected on the city's growth and the creation of Sandy City Hall during remarks at a public event.

"We made Sandy a place where people wanted to come," the former planning commission chairman said, recalling that he and his wife built a home in southern Sandy in the 1970s and that residents at the time called the area "North Phoenix." He said he represented homeowners who opposed certain development proposals and sought to negotiate what kinds of projects would be compatible with existing neighborhoods.

The speaker said he was appointed to the planning commission by Larry Smith and later served as chairman. "When I first came into the planning commission, there were about 40,000 people in Sandy. 9 years later when I left, there were about 85,000 people," he said, describing the period as a "huge growth spurt" that made planning decisions difficult and required balancing the rights of individual property owners.

He pointed to the city's City Hall as an example of a civic choice he takes pride in. The speaker said City Hall became "the very heart of Sandy City," and described the grassy mall there as a site for community events such as Fourth of July celebrations and a Sept. 11 healing field.

The speaker listed several large projects he was involved with approving, including South Town Mall, the Utah Auto Mall and the Ski Connect Road, and said those developments benefited the city. He also noted everyday community outcomes'parks where children play soccer and baseball'as evidence that planning choices have produced intended results.

Concluding his remarks, the speaker said he felt humbled to have his name associated with other civic leaders and specifically referenced Noel Bateman as an elder he respected. He said the work of many people contributed to making Sandy "something that was good for everybody."