Picto Diary - 08, 09 October 2015 - Moon in 7th House
Above: Andy Beerman speaks to ROMEOs, LSDM, Wasatch Bagel. Park City, UT. 08 October 2015.
Glad to be back! You guys were the first group I spoke to when I became a candidate for City Council!
Q and A
LSDM: What is your number one accomplishment?
AB: I've long been a proponent of open space. But, we are not done! It took us 20 years to purchase the Clark Ranch parcel.
LSDM: How do we fund open space? Bond?
AB: Bonding is an option. Raising property taxes not a good idea. Our resort city sales tax has worked well to fund open space purchases.
Open space is the only silver bullet we have to temper growth.
LSDM: Transportation?
AB: Its a regional issue. We are victims of our own success. We are choking on cars. We need to coordinate closely with our regional peers.
There are three cohorts to deal with when it comes to the burgeoning transportation issue:
Tourists - Dont' bring a car! You won't need one! This is best accomplished at point of sale. We tell residents booking at our hotel to not bring a car.
Workforce - Improve bus system. Use park and ride. We are contemplating a "skip ramp" off of US 40 to a park and ride. Employers have to make parking harder. We need to charge more for parking.
Locals - Improve waking options. Electric busses to more bus stops. Electric bikes.
LSDM: We won't make much progress on this unless resorts charge for parking.
AB: We've talked to them about this... So far, they demure.
Look... in the end... we have to enhance the existing system... more use of bus lanes, added transit hubs, walkability paths, electric trolleys, gondolas... we are looking at all options.
This problem won't cure itself.
Perhaps we need to look at an "Uber like," "on demand," model.
We can't "solve" problem in the short term.... but, we can mitigate.
We want to build a town where people can get around easier without a car.
LSDM: What about the other players in the region re: transportation
AB: Utah is expected to double in population by 2030. Then, we'll look like Denver is now. Have you seen the transportation nightmare in Denver? I-70 inbound on a Sunday afternoon? We don't want a "Denver" here. To achieve that we must work with other entities in the state... the resorts, the county, the legislature, cities along the Wasatch front.
LSDM: Talk about the Mountain Accord and your role on it.
AB: Its a regional effort to preserve and protect our lifestyles. We on the Wasatch Back and those on the Wasatch Front have a shared back yard. It behooves us to work with regional partners.
LSDM: Who are the partners?
AB: Various cities, counties, UDOT, Ski Industry.... Forest Service, Fed Highway Administration, water districts, legislature, environmental groups.
MA started heavy on train connection. That has been pulled back. We've increased emphasis on improving trails. The public wants preservation. We want to keep the mountains whole.
A Trax connection is being considered between Sandy and Alta. We don't want a train connection coming that route to Park City.
Group is working on transportation solutions from the SLC airport.
Short term... transportation can benefit from express lanes, transit center and better bus systems.
LSDM: Is there resistance to our/your participation on Mountain Accord?
AB: Some. Some believe that the Utah legislature is out to sell Park City down the river. We have benefited greatly, in my opinion, by our participation on Mountain Accord. It is better to meet with other interest groups which share a common goal, than to be on the outside wondering what they are talking about. Many positive transportation initiatives for Summit County have come about by us (County and Park City) educating Mountain Accord members about our issues. We have built many great relationships by being part of Mountain Accord. My opponents suffer from a fringe paranoia about our role on Mountain Accord. Believe me, we benefit greatly from our association with other entities in the state who share our belief that our "back yard" be preserved.
LSDM: There are three seats and six candidates. Do you have preferences for whom you would like to work with?
AB: They are all good candidates. I hope the public would understand the benefit of keeping me, an incumbent, on the city council. I've been trained, I understand the issues, I have made many contacts, I'm ready to hit the ground running. I've been going to council meeting for ten years. I also believe I'm the best candidate to continue building on the regional relationships that we have developed.
LSDM: Why do you want to be in public life?
AB: I've lived in Park City for 20 years. I'm a local business owner. I've lived a charmed life. I love it here. Park City has been good to us. I feel the need to give back.
LSDM: Senior housing?
AB: City's focus has been mostly, justifiably, on affordability issues. Our targeting has been towards empty nesters and the young. Research shows that there is not sufficient justification for the city to develop senior housing options.
LSDM: Treasure Hill?
AB: 200 acres... 90% of which is a conservation easement. 30 years ago development rights approved for the remaining 10%... but, in the interim city growth has raised the issue of traffic mitigation to the development site. We almost had a deal a year ago... but, one of the owner partners balked at the "final" solution which called for a spread out density of approved space. The issue will come back. Hopefully, we can reach a solution. I believe we can.
Thank-you.
LSDM thanks Andy Beerman for his remarks today, and, for his service to Park City.
La Societe Deux Magots (LSDM) is a non-partisan ROMEO (retired old men eating out) group which meets daily, at 7:00 AM at Wasatch Bagel in Park City, UT. LSDM members are the rightful intellectual heirs of a group of authors (Hemingway, Sartre, Camus, deBouvoir) who met daily at Cafe Deux Magots, in Paris, France in the 1930's.)
Above: TIMDT on Riverwalk. Provo, UT 08 October 2015.
Above: Jupiter, the moon, Venus. From my front porch. 6:45 AM, 09 October 2015.
Addendum:
Great pics, beautiful. I was expecting a heated discussion with McInerny, but I guess with his opinions so cast in stone, why bother.
Mezzanine,
Miami, FL