PLEASANT GROVE -- Pleasant Grove officials and residents practically gave Envision Utah representatives the boot Tuesday.
City Councilman Freeman Andersen said it appears Envision Utah is following a socialistic agenda and ignoring feedback from residents in the various communities.Anderson said every time Envision Utah is mentioned, people seem to become intensely angry.
"We were ignored in the initial meeting," Andersen said. "It's useless to give feedback."
"The idea seems to be put more people on smaller spaces," said Councilwomen Carol Harmer. "I feel the growth should be market driven and not dictated."
Envision Utah representatives Kristin Thomson and Bonner Ritchie, a Brigham Young University professor, said the nonpartisan, nonprofit group is simply interested in providing help to local communities as they plan the future.
Thomson said there is no intent to dictate or pressure communities as they wrestle with the difficulties ahead.
She promised the council a "toolbox" of 32 suggested strategies and formulas developed by the growth committee that would be available as needed.
"Fine," said Harmer. "Give us a packet and leave us alone."
Mayor Ed Sanderson said the city did an electronic survey of residents that included a question about funding Envision Utah's efforts with $1,600 from the general fund.
"Ninety-eight percent said no and another percentage wanted to know why we didn't include a place to check, 'H--- no!,' " Sanderson said. "There's some serious apprehension here."
Sanderson said as Pleasant Grove has been dropped by the Utah Transit Authority and appears to not be included as a stop for commuter rail, it's hard to feel that the community is being taken seriously.
Residents in the audience wanted to know why growth had to be in the already tightly populated areas.
"There's plenty of empty space in Utah," said one man.
Another man said he expects Envision Utah will eventually start asking for power, funding and the assurance of a long life as a government agency.
"I'm afraid of your power," he said.
You can reach Sharon Haddock by e-mail at haddoc@desnews.com