JANUARY 2023
COUNCIL CORNER Welcome to 2023! Happy New Year friends of Holladay! Maybe it’s because I’m approaching 60 years of age, or that I grew up on 70’s rock music, or that I was raised reading books published on paper, but… 2023? Really? It sounds like a year out of a futuristic Orwellian novel or a Terminator movie. Indeed, we have been through some disaster movie-style national and even global upheavals, so it seems I must concede the future is already here. Fortunately for all of us, we are riding out these storms in the oasis of Holladay. With a new year now in front of us, it is a great time to take stock of the past year, acknowledge our blessings and good fortune, learn from our mistakes, and establish goals for the coming year. At City Hall, I am astonished at how fortunate I am to serve in such a great little town. Holladay is full of generous and talented people who love to make life better for all of us. From our creative, talented staff and volunteers to our dedicated public safety officers, I can’t come up with a city that is more fortunate than we are in Holladay.
Growth/Change/Renewal The word “growth” is often a dirty word in a well-established suburb like Holladay. I’m frankly a little nervous about mentioning the word. The thing about growth is that in healthy environments, growth is a natural result. Healthy entities, including municipalities, tend to grow/change/evolve…and that’s a good thing. Unhealthy entities tend to stagnate and even die. But growth can be beautifully managed like my neighbor’s garden or allowed to roam wild like an unkept empty lot. At City Hall, the City Council and staff are committed to keeping Holladay healthy and to managing the growth and change that is inherent in a healthy place like Holladay. Though the members of your City Council don’t always agree on how to apply our mutual values for managing growth to a specific set of facts or a specific request for change, we are all committed to Holladay’s long-term health and to thoughtfully managing growth and change. Speaking of growth and change, stay tuned next month for another update on the Cottonwood Mall / Holladay Hills redevelopment project directly from developer.
Be nice. Some things change, others don’t. Choosing kindness always has and always will trump the alternative. But I will be the first to admit that it’s not always easy. Not long ago, I had a constituent complain to me in a manner I didn’t appreciate. Though I was grateful for his taking the time to point out a problem that needed attention, my response was not nice though it felt powerful in the moment, I have since felt childish, weak, and remorseful for not choosing kindness. It takes effort. Make the effort. Choose to be nice.
New First Time Grandparent. I’ll try to say this kindly, but you’re all second fiddle now. I have a grandson (mic drop). That is all. By Council Member Paul Fotheringham District 3
Winter Parking on the Public Streets By Chief Justin Hoyal, UPD Holladay Precinct During the winter months, we are continually encouraging motorists to slow down, drive carefully in the snowy conditions and watch out for emergency vehicles and snowplows. During these months we generally see an increase in the number of traffic accidents, and that is the reason for these continued reminders. However, one thing that often gets overlooked is parking on the streets when the snow is falling. The City of Holladay has an ordinance that says “It is unlawful for any person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle to park or knowingly allow to be parked any vehicle on any street when it is snowing or snow is accumulating on the street during the months of November, December, January, February, March, and April…” What this means is that if it is snowing or snow is coming down on our city roads, you cannot park your car on the street. This is important because it gives the snowplows space to navigate through our streets and gives them room to push the snow
off the travel lanes. We have already seen several snowstorms in November and December, including some that lasted several days. During those storms, we have had to issue citations to the cars parked on the roads. We want to help our snowplow drivers do their jobs so that the snow can be cleared, which makes the roads safer for everyone. If you want to make a parking or traffic enforcement request you can send a request online at our “Report Traffic Concern” form on the city website. If there is a situation or need for an officer to respond, and it is of a non-emergency nature, you can call our non-emergency dispatch center at 801-840-4000. In any situation, if there is an emergency, call 911. We are asking for your help. When a storm is forecasted, please move your car off the street. Working together we will be able to get the streets clear of snow and make it safer for everyone to travel through our great city.