The battle is brewing for the Sandy gravel pit. We lost but won our battle in Orem

Boyer co and walmart want to turn the 100 acre site into a big shopping center. Other people want to turn it into a park. The classic battle. Hell hath no furry like a home owner facing uncertainty about development.

Since I don't live in Sandy and I already have my house built, I am strict conservationalist now (just like Robert Redford with Sundance). I vote leave it as a park.

A similar battle was fought for the LDS welfare farm orchards that used to be in my backyard. The fight went something like this:

residents: we want the owner to sell it to the city and the city to make a park out of it.
city: we can't afford it. Do you have several million dollars handy to buy it?
[pause while residents look around the room at wealthier residents who also live near the orchard. No signs of check books being drawn]
residents : No. Hey, let's pass a bond!
city: it is unlikely that other people in orem will want to fund a park for you.
residents: Hey, land ownder, maybe you could donate it to the city?
land owner: we will sell it to the buyer of our choice.
residents: hmm, maybe we could rezone it to recreation land?
city: you can try, but it won't happen. it is already zoned for residential.
residents: alrighty then. Thank you for seeking our input, I guess.

And now there's a great new neighborhood being built in the orchard. And, what do you know, the new neighborhood is bringing in great families that are revitalizing our community! So we didn't just save our community by developing the orchard we made it better.