Pine Springs OKs $6,125 survey and advances Southwest Quadrant plan with Oakdale talks

The Pine Springs City Council on Sept. 3 approved a capped $6,125 survey and directed staff to draft a business-plan overview with the nearby City of Oakdale as part of a proposal to rezone land in the southwest quadrant of Pine Springs from residential to commercial.

At the meeting, Nate reported Oakdale has requested a formal water-connection agreement that would not impose costs on Oakdale residents and described surveying needs for a right-of-way vacation. Council discussed rezoning the parcel to permit generalized industrial/business uses and a billboard restricted to Pine Springs. Nate said the surveyor he contacted charges $125 per hour but could not estimate total hours without fieldwork; Nate proposed an hourly contract with a not-to-exceed clause. Council discussed not-to-exceed figures of $3,500 for field work and $2,600 for office work, and the mayor moved to accept a $6,125 quote with a cap. Adams seconded and the motion passed (motion 24-83).

Council debate centered on cost versus long-term revenue. Councilmember Adams and Councilmember Kinney argued the work could make the property more valuable and generate revenue, including from a billboard. Councilmember Dahl said the proposal was producing more expense than benefit and urged ending the project. Councilmember Kardashian said significant funds have already been spent but that the billboard company wanted to move forward and urged a timeline of October or November.

Christina, the city attorney, said the city planner will revise the sign ordinance and supporting comprehensive-plan language to permit the proposed billboard and that Christina would review legal compliance prior to publication. The council voted to have the ordinance revised, for Christina to review the material before publication, and to hold a public hearing on Oct. 8, 2024 (motion 24-85); Dahl voted no.

Kardashian moved, and Adams seconded, that Nate draft an overview of a Pine Springs business plan with Oakdale for review by the mayor before it is sent to Oakdale; the motion passed with Dahl voting no (motion 24-84). The council record notes the mayor estimated the full project expense could be about $70,000 by completion, though a detailed budget and contractor estimates would be required before the city committed additional funds.

Next steps recorded in the meeting: the city will obtain the formal survey quote documentation through Nate, Christina will review ordinance changes and legal compliance, and the city will publish notice so the rezoning and sign-ordinance changes can be heard at the Oct. 8 public hearing.

The council’s formal actions on the Southwest Quadrant — the survey authorization, the business-plan overview directive, and the scheduling of a public hearing — are recorded in motions 24-83, 24-84 and 24-85.