Utah County wants to accommodate High Challenge Training - a program that teaches personal development, team effectiveness and leadership through outdoor exercises - but not if it jeopardizes the community, county commissioners say.
"There is a genuine advantage to the program and it would be helpful to have it somewhere in Utah County, but I'm persuaded there are alternatives to having it adjacent to properties that were purchased in reliance to the county master plan," Commissioner Sid Sandberg said.Property owners bought the land knowing it was not zoned for commercial use and "they ought to have the respect of the county in trying to preserve that," he said.
A number of citizens appeared before commissioners Wednesday about the possible zone change in Hobble Creek Canyon, a request made by High Challenge Training Inc. of Pleasant Grove. The change would allow leadership training exercises in a critical environmental zone.
High Challenge has operated the training course for three years in the canyon without zoning approval and without a business license. The proposed amendment would allow it to operate legally as long as it met the guidelines outlined by the County Board of Adjustments.
But Commissioner Malcolm Beck said, "This is a critical environment zone with no commercial use. They spent three years in violation and have spent a tremendous amount of time telling us they have done the right thing in that zone, but I don't agree.
"We won't even allow a farmer to set up a fruit stand because it is zoned that way. A business should get a zone change before establishing the uses."
Sandberg agreed. "It is offensive that this has been brought before us. They should have known they were in non-conformity with county requirements. They ought to be terminated at the present location."
Donald Stevens, a representative of High Challenge Training, presented the commission with petitions signed by Utah County citizens in support of the program.
"We are doing extremely important social, humane and economic work. I feel it is very unjust to do anything to curb it more than now. We are looking for more remote sites, but it is difficult to find and takes time."
Larry Breuninger, a Holiday Hills homeowner, said, "I have no problem with the program but don't want my family exposed to people that need this help. It is threatening the lifestyle others have chosen by living there."
Commissioners will take official action on the matter in next week's commission meeting.