Your City @ Work for You

The City staff and elected officials are hard at work to make our community an even better place in which to live and play. Check back often to learn about scheduled and completed projects.

Mesquite Soccer Park (5/2/08)
Another beautiful addition to the City’s parks system is being built at 10440 N. Mesquite Way.. This park will have one full-sized soccer field and two junior-sized fields, which can be played the opposite direction for a full-sized field. The park will also have a small playground area.

Keep animals restrained---It's the law! (3/6/08)
The City of Cedar Hills appreciates responsible pet owners and depends on everyone to keep their animals properly vaccinated, licensed, and restrained. The following items are taken from the City Code regarding the proper care of animals (Title 5, Chapter 1: Animal Control):

• All animals shall be maintained so as to eliminate excessive odor and noise.
• Any animal that barks, whines or howls, or makes other disturbing noises in an excessive or continuous fashion is deemed a nuisance. Likewise, any animal that molests passersby or chases passing vehicles is deemed a nuisance.
• It is unlawful for any animal to be unrestrained within the City limits.... However, dogs may be at large under certain conditions such as field trials, obedience classes, assisting their owner or trainer in legal hunting or in herding of livestock, and assisting a peace officer engaged in law enforcement duties so long as such dogs are under sound or gesture control and within sight of their owner or trainer.

The City contracts with American Fork police for animal control enforcement. Please notify the animal control officer for assistance with nuisance animals. Impounded ani-
mals are taken to the animal shelter in Lindon. A listing of lost and found pets in Utah County may be viewed at a new Web site: Utah County Pets. For information regarding dog licensing, click here.

Code/Zoning Enforcement (1/7/08)
The City staff is focusing on a number of Code/Zoning issues that have plagued neighborhoods throughout Cedar Hills. Please help us by reporting any violations to the City office.

• Parking Restrictions/Snow Removal: No parking of motor vehicles, RV’s, trailers, or basketball standards, etc. is allowed on public streets.
• Signs: No signs are permitted on any public property, as well as on any public right-of-way. Further, non-premise signs are not permitted without a sticker from the City. Non-premise signs include real estate signs, yard sale/garage sale signs, lost dog/cat signs, etc.
• Garbage Cans: Garbage/recycling toters must be pulled off the curb within 24 hours of being emptied.
• Landscape Ordinance: All new homes are required to have landscaping installed within 12 months of issuance of a final inspection approval.
• Off-Road Vehicles: The new Motor Vehicle Trespass Ordinance, which was passed in December by the City Council, prohibits the use of cars and trucks on undeveloped public land east of Canyon Road. Please also recognize and respect the wishes of private property owners who have posted “no trespassing” signs on their property. The ordinance also prohibits the reckless driving of all motorized vehicles in this area, and limits the speed of all vehicles to 25 mph. A motorist will now be cited by the police if they are found in violation of this ordinance. The fine for the first offence will be $200, and the fine for the second offence and thereafter will be $750. Please be safe, and make it safe for others by reporting violators to the police (763-3020).

Cottonwood Well Construction (11/6/07)
Great news! The City is in the process of constructing a new culinary water well. Currently, the City operates its City-wide culinary water supply with one well, which is a very productive well. Nonetheless, the ability to have a redundant, backup well is paramount. If the City ever has a pump go down or any type of mechanical issue, there will now be a solid, functioning backup well. Some of the specific and more technical aspects of the well are as follows:

· The City has contracted with Bowen and Collins Engineering, a specialist in water engineering, for the overall project. The City has contracted with Henkle Drilling, Inc. of Denver, Colorado, to drill the well, and another firm to do all of the connections and build the housing. The well is anticipated to be drilled to a depth of between 800 to 1,000 feet in an attempt to provide 2,500 to 3,000 gallons per minute.
· Not only will this well project satisfy Cedar Hills’ culinary water needs at build out, but it will also provide water needs for the foreseeable future.
· The City is also providing a ‘water break’ resting area with benches and a water fountain as part of the well house for an ‘upgraded’ trail system.
· The pedestrian trail was closed in order to install the well pad. The City understands the inconvenience this may cause our residents, so as a solution, a temporary gravel trail was installed and will remain open until May/June of 2008, when the well house is expected to be completed.
· Unfortunately, this culinary well development will take out a few trees in the construction process, but the City has completed a topographic survey of the area to reduce the amount of trees to be removed.
· The new culinary well and trail improvements will be located just off the new portion of Cottonwood Drive below the golf course. Estimated completion date is May 2008.

Cedar Hills joins Rocky Mountain renewable energy program (10/25/07)
Click here to read the article in the Lone Peak Press.

EPA Green Power Partnership (10/22/07)
The City of Cedar Hills has partnered with the EPA to become a Green Power Community (GPC). GPCs are cities, towns, and villages in which the local government, businesses, and residents collectively buy green power in amounts that meet or exceed the EPA's Green Power Community purchase requirements. The EPA requires that a community's local government becomes a Green Power Partner and then takes the lead on a green power campaign. The green power campaign requires coordination between the local government and the local utility, as well as the participation of local businesses, residents, and non-profit organizations. Communities can garner a number of benefits as a result of buying green power: reduce the community's carbon footprint; increase community pride; protect the environment; engage businesses, environmental organizations, and citizens; earn national recognition as an EPA GPC.

City of Cedar Hills leads the way with renewable energy (10/22/07)
The City of Cedar Hills is a leader in sustainable practices. With its Blue Sky renewable energy purchase covering 100 percent of its city building's electricity use, we are helping to keep the environment healthy and preserve resources. The City of Cedar Hills joins thousands of Utahns buying Blue Sky and encouraging renewable energy development in the region. Thanks to participating customers’ support, the Blue Sky program was recently named 2007 Green Power Program of the Year by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Center for Resource Solutions. To learn more, please click here (off-site link).

Soaring with the eagles...or at least with the birdies! (10/22/07)
The July 2007 issue of Golf Inc. magazine reports that year-to-date rounds played at municipal, military, and university golf courses continue to decline. The information shows a drop from -8.96 percent reported in the May issue to -11.2 percent reported in the July issue. The Cedar Hills Golf Club is bucking the trend; rounds played have risen. In fact, revenue at the course is seeing unprecedented growth, evidenced by its increased rounds played, steadily increasing revenues, and multiple tournament bookings.

FAQ: Is Cedar Hills ever going to get UTOPIA fiber-optic network? (6/6/07)
Cedar Hills is a UTOPIA city; in fact, it is a founding member. A few years ago, when the UTOPIA project began bonding for construction costs, many cities pledged a portion of their sales tax revenues to guarantee the payment of the bonds. Cedar Hills opted NOT to guarantee the bonds with sales tax revenues (we don't have much sales tax!), so we are at the bottom of the list, waiting for the network installation. We expect it will be 2-3 years before UTOPIA is installed in Cedar Hills. It has been frustrating for many residents to have so few options. Some neighborhoods should have Comcast service available, as well as Qwest DSL, and many residents have opted for wireless services through local providers. None of these options will compare to the UTOPIA network, but they are the options we have right now. More questions? Call the City office or e-mail the Front Desk.

Golf Course Reconfiguration (4/2/07)
In an effort to retire the golf course bond, the City Council has proposed reconfiguration plans to develop two new subdivisions on the course. In addition, new holes would be built to maintain the 18-hole course. Questions may be directed to any of our elected officials and/or executive staff. View the reconfiguration drawings for Canyon Road here and for The Grove here.

Water Line Repair (1/10/07)
The Public Works Department repaired a ruptured connection on a 20-year-old main culinary water line. Nearby residents were out of water for 36 hours as the City's technicians worked day and night in extremely cold temperatures to restore service. The City would like to thank the affected residents for their patience during the repair.

Decisions 2006
A public opinion and marketing research firm was retained by the City to conduct and compile a public opinion survey of Cedar Hills residents. The primary objective of the survey was to determine how City residents feel about their city and to begin the process of Decisions 2006. To view the results of the survey, click here (pdf).

Clean It Up . . . Don't Be a Nuisance! (10/1/06)
The City of Cedar Hills has adopted a nuisance ordinance “...to protect the health and safety of the public; foster neighborhood stability; preserve the appearance, character and beauty of neighborhoods; encourage community pride; preserve the value of property; and to protect the general welfare of the City and it’s citizens, businesses, and visitors.” Following are some of the items that are commonly violated:
* Improper Parking or Storage - Trailers, boats, recreational vehicles, etc. are not to be parked in the public right-of-way, except for temporary loading/unloading. In addition, basketball standards must be removed from the public right-of-way.
* Accumulation of Junk - Furniture, appliances, fixtures, lumber, junk, etc. are not to be stored so as to be visible from a public street, alley, or adjoining property.
* Improper Storage - Dirt, sand, gravel, concrete, mulch, etc. shall not be stored and deposited on the premises for an unreasonable period of time or in the public right-of-way.
* Garbage Cans - Leaving of any garbage can or refuse container in the street, other than on collection day, for more than twenty-four (24) hours after collection day is deemed a nuisance.
* Illegal Accessory Apartments - The City’s zoning ordinance does not allow ANY accessory apartments. Residential zoning within the City only allows for single-family residences.
* Improper Signs - Improper placement or maintenance of a sign is prohibited. Signs of any type are prohibited from being affixed to any street sign, traffic device, or in the public right-of-way. (This includes yard sale, wedding, lost/found, etc.) Signs are only allowed on private property, with proper approval by the City, and with the owner’s permission.

Any violations should be reported to the zoning official at 785-6261. Thanks for doing your part to beautify Cedar Hills!

Door-to-Door Solicitation (10/1/06)
All businesses, including door-to-door, must register and license through the city in which they are operating. If someone comes to your door to sell you something, you may ask to see their Cedar Hills, City-issued business license. (A City-issued license should include the logo, signature of the City recorder, and a stamped seal from the recorder’s office.) All licensed solicitors are instructed to carry a copy of their license with them at all times. If a solicitor comes to your door, ask to see their license. If they cannot produce one, you may instruct them to go to the City office to obtain a license, or you may contact the police. If you have a “No Soliciting” sign posted, you may immediately contact the police. A list of licensed businesses, including solicitors, is on this site under the "Business" drop-down menu. We encourage and support businesses that are properly licensed and encourage residents to use services that are offered within the community.

Turn Lane on Canyon Road (9/1/06)
New striping was painted on Canyon Road to provide a turn lane from Cedar Hills Drive north past Ironwood Drive. We appreciate UDOT for responding to the City’s requests to review the safety concerns at this location and for taking appropriate action to improve safety along this busy road.

Street Overlay & Patching (9/1/06)
Although the cost and availability of asphalt has hampered some street projects, a number of needed overlays and patches were completed. Asphalt overlays were installed on Meadow Drive, 4100 West, 9820 North, 9950 North, 4160 West, 9860 North, 9800 North, and Manila Creek Drive. Additionally, approximately 20 road patches were completed.

Road Striping (9/1/06)
A number of roads were striped and crosswalks were repainted throughout the City.

Speed Tables (9/1/06)
Two speed tables were installed: one on Harvey Blvd. at the trail crossing and one on Canyon Heights Drive.

Sidewalk Installation (9/1/06)
Approximately 20 locations throughout the City have had new sidewalks installed. One of the key locations is at the roundabout at Cottonwood Drive/Nielsen Blvd. With the elimination of some school district bus routes, the City is working to install more sidewalks where children walk to and from school.

Electronic Public Hearing
On August 8 and 9, 2006, a town meeting was held to present and discuss reconfiguration options for the Cedar Hills golf course. For those who were not able to attend one of the meetings, the City invites residents to submit their comments. To view the presentation of the options, click here (pdf).

Road Repairs
Here are the following streets that will be repaired and/or patched this year (7/26/06).

Patches

• 10312 Forest Creek Drive
• 10313 Forest Creek Drive
• 10283 Forest Creek Drive
• 10354 Forest Creek Drive
• Forest Creek Drive & Carriage Lane
• Charleston & Oxford
• Ferguson Drive & Harvey Blvd
• Ferguson Drive & Ferguson Way
• Cedar Creek Cir.
• City Building
• Cedar Hills Drive & 4800 West
• Briggs Blvd & Oakmont
• Cottonwood Drive (hill)
• Cedar Hills Drive & Sage Road East
• 4355 W Oxford Street
• Oxford Cir
• 10240 North 3900 West

Overlays

• North Meadow Subdivisions

New Sign Ordinance
At the March 7, 2006, City Council meeting, the council adopted Ordinance 3-7-2006B regarding the placement of signs throughout the City. The purpose of the ordinance is to regulate signs and to authorize the use of signs that are compatible with their surroundings and are conducive to promoting safety, to limit visual distractions, and to preserve and enhance property values. The ordinance also balances individual rights while promoting short and long term civic beauty and order by establishing standards and regulations for signs. This ordinance will help to create signs that are functional, human-scaled, and attractive to residents, businesses, and visitors.

The ordinance addresses a number of issues such as criteria for residential and commercial zone signs, placement of signs, required permits for signs and other items. Click here to view a complete copy of this ordinance.

Curbside Recycling (2/3/06)
Beginning in April 2006, Cedar Hills will offer curbside recycling. Resident participation is voluntary. The service is offered for a low monthly fee of five dollars per bin. The recycling bins look like a regular trash bin, except they are blue. Residents simply put the recyclables inside their bin without separating them, and wheel the bin out to the curb every other week on the day of their regular garbage pickup. Waste Management will collect recyclables and transport them for processing. Residents currently using two trash bins can save money by replacing one of their regular garbage bins with a recycling bin. Click here for more information, including a list of acceptable and unacceptable items for recycling and a schedule of the every-other-week pick up.

New Public Works Building (2/3/06)
The City is in the architectural design phase of constructing a new Public Works building. The City owns and stores very few pieces of equipment, supplies, and tools necessary for basic public works duties, and, as a result, must contract outside sources for many traditional public services. As the City grows, the necessity for timely and qualified services becomes more paramount. This facility will allow us to accomplish basic services such as road, water, sewer, and storm drainage maintenance and repair, park maintenance, and snow removal, etc., in a more timely and cost-effective manner. The building will be constructed prudently, maintaining an aesthetic, positive image for the City.

Pressurized Irrigation Upgrade (1/6/06)
The City has identified several upgrades to the upper pressurized irrigation system, which will maximize the delivery capability of the system. Upgrades include four new booster pumps in addition to the existing pumping system and two new wet wells. Final engineering and construction plans will be completed in January, and construction will begin in February. The new system will be operational for the irrigation season, which begins in mid-April.

Two New City Parks (1/6/06)
Bids for two new parks should go out in the next couple of weeks, with construction starting shortly thereafter. We hope to have these parks completed by Fall 2006. The two parks will be in the Juniper Heights and Canyon Heights subdivisions.

Electronic Meter Reading (1/6/06)
The City is in the process of installing a City-wide electronic meter reading system. Currently, 78 percent of the City is read electronically. We hope to have the entire City online by October 2006. Thereafter, the meters will be read monthly, including the winter months.

New Public Works Building Planned (1/6/06)
The City is in the design phase of erecting a Public Works building. This building will be located north of the Public Safety Building on Canyon Road. The benefits of this building will be numerous, including a quicker and better response to infrastructure, parks, and streets needs.

New Ambulance (12/2/05)
The Lone Peak Public Safety District has just purchased a 2006 Wheeled Coach 4x4 ambulance, which has found it’s new home in Cedar Hills. This vehicle was purchased as a component of the District’s vehicle replacement program. The cost for this vehicle, plus equipment, was $125,000. The ambulance, which it replaced, was sold to the State Fire Academy for training.

Utility Drop Box (12/2/05)
The City’s utility drop box and the mail box have been relocated to the City building's parking lot. The box was the victim of a hit-and-run accident at the beginning of October 2005. To date, no one has claimed responsibility for the damage, but if you have information regarding this incident, please contact the City office.

Mile Markers on Trails
The City recently had an Eagle Scout install trail markers along City trails. The markers were installed every 1/4 mile throughout the trail system beginning at the mouth of American Fork Canyon. We appreciate the work that was done and hope that those using the trails will find the markers useful.

New Park Playground Equipment
The City has secured bids for playground equipment for The Cedars East pocket park, located at the corner of Tamarack Way and Doral Drive, and the Cedar Run Circle pocket park, located south of Cedar Run Circle. The playgrounds will be prepared for the installation of the equipment this spring. We are excited about the development of these area pocket parks for the recreation and enjoyment of the children who live in those neighborhoods.

New Left-Hand Turn Signals
With the anticipated commercial district and the current high school traffic, the City installed four type-five left-hand turn signals at the 4800 West/Cedar Hills Drive intersection. The project was completed on October 21, 2005.

Canyon Heights Park
In completion of part of the Parks Master Plan, the City will construct a new public park, which will connect to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, in the Canyon Heights subdivision at approximately 9500 N Timpanogos Cove. (Timpanogos Cove is accessed from 9340 N Canyon Heights Drive.)

The five-acre park complex will contain five picnic pavilions: one large, one medium and three small; two playgrounds: one for tots and one for teens; a basketball court; and a natural amphitheater area. The estimated completion of the park is Summer 2006.

We are Growing!
Cedar Hills was incorporated as a town in November 1977 with 31 homes, 137 residents, and a total budget of $31,400. In 1991, there were 191 homes, 848 residents, and a total budget of $149,350. In 2000, the City had 686 homes, 3,045 residents, an operating budget of $1,471,839, and a total budget of $2,407,143. As of September 2005, the City has 1,847 homes, 8,201 residents, an operating budget of $2,148,910, and a total budget of $8,788,703. We estimate growth of approximately 250 new homes over the next twelve months, or 1,100 residents. Our estimated buildout is 12,500 to 13,000 residents.

The City has 25 full-time equivalent employees (19 full-time, 2 part-time and 12 seasonal). In addition, we have four contracted police officers; contracted park maintenance, garbage, sewer, and partially-contracted snow removal; and the City is a member of the Lone Peak Public Safety District, which provides fire and EMS [Emergency Medical Services], the only paramedic service in North Utah County.

As you can see, we are growing very quickly. As we grow, the City staff and elected officials are committed to continue to provide Cedar Hills residents with the very best municipal services at the lowest possible cost. Thank you for helping us make our City the best place around.

Street Signs
The City is actively commencing its street sign update and replacement program. Throughout the next year, street signs will be removed, replaced, and/or combined to make a more uniform appearance throughout the City. Some regulatory traffic signs will be changed to better meet proper and consistent traffic engineering standards. This project will make our City look and function even better. Residents, public safety personnel, and visitors will benefit from these improvements.

Neighborhood Watch
The Canyon Heights neighborhood has initiated a Neighborhood Watch program. Jointly, with our police, the neighborhood is on its way to being a safer place to live. If you are interested in learning more about Neighborhood Watch or starting a program in your own neighborhood, contact Sergeant Shawn Richins at 785-9668, ext. 112.

Cedar Hills Landslide
Beginning on Thursday, April 28, 2005, a portion of the hillside above The Cedars East townhomes began moving. Click here to go to a Web site, which contains information, including an explanation of what happened, and photos of the landslide site.

Two geotechnical studies were done prior to development of the affected area, which is in the subdivision known as The Cedars, Plat E, east of State Road 146 at approximately 10500 North:
Earthtec Geotechnical Report (80-page pdf)
AMEC Supplemental Geotechnical Report (7-page pdf)

Cedar Hills Hires Its First Police Sergeant
The City continues to contract with the American Fork Police Department for police services. However, we now have a full-time sergeant, who is permanently assigned to our City on a daily basis. Sergeant Shawn Richins directly oversees three additional patrol officers assigned to our City. Along with these four officers, we have access to all of the police services offered by American Fork City on an as-needed basis. American Fork continues to be a great partner in this area.

Sgt. Richins is a welcome addition to the City office staff. He has been with the American Fork Police Department for 13 years and oversee all police activities in Cedar Hills, including Neighborhood Watch and DARE. Among his other responsibilities, he also serves as the department firearms instructor.

Trails
The City recently completed a large section of the City-wide trail system. With the help of a $47,000 grant from the State of Utah Parks and Recreation, the City was able to match those funds to build a portion of the Bonneville/Shoreline Trail. The City also completed the Forest Creek Trail section.

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