Cut! Salt Lake may rein in the film industry
While City Council members agree television and movie filming is a good thing for both the state's and the city's bottom line, some are not willing to sacrifice neighborhood life to support the film business.
"We're not here to provide a filming venue," Councilman Eric Jergensen said. "We're here to provide neighborhoods that are viable and vibrant."
In all city decisions, Jergensen maintains, the city should weigh pros and cons and "hopefully balance them in favor of the neighborhoods."
The filming issue has come to a head in the Avenues a district Jergensen represents where the television program "Everwood" has been filming for weeks. As the filming drags on, neighbors are complaining about the show, which is set in a small Rocky Mountain town, filming in the southeast portions of the Avenues.
"The streets are very small and so what happens is these large filming trucks come in and all the people involved in the filming come and then they work late," Jergensen said. "The problems are parking on the streets and people can't get to their homes, late night noise and so on."
"Everwood" is produced by Warner Bros., and a spokeswoman said the crew hasn't received any complaints about filming.
"We chatted with our producers in Utah, and there have been no complaints lodged against 'Everwood' to our knowledge," Sheran Magnusson said.
Not every council member is as worried as Jergensen. Jill Remington Love said her neighborhood actually enjoyed having TV's "Touched By an Angel" filmed there. After filming was complete, the crew donated money to the neighborhood's street-lighting project.
"Our experience in our neighborhood has been very positive," she said.
Still, when "Touched By an Angel" filmed in Salt Lake City it moved from place to place throughout the city, never bothering one neighborhood for an extended period. With "Everwood," the Avenues gets a continuing hit.
Avenues issues aside, council members say they enjoy having many movie and television productions film in Salt Lake City.
"I am pro film industry," Councilman Dave Buhler said. "It's a great industry to have here."
Salt Lake City special events coordinator Shawn McDonough said one problem is the city has no rules on how to confront filming issues in neighborhoods.
"I would like to have some guidelines to help resolve some of the situations," McDonough said.
Guidelines are needed now more than ever since "filming (in Salt Lake City) is increasing every day," McDonough said.
With the issue beginning to boil in the Avenues, Jergensen may have enough support on the council to make some changes that would mitigate a production's negative impacts.
Comments
- Attempted murder case refiled 1:58 a.m.
- Sports on the air 1:38 a.m.
- This weekend on TV 1:38 a.m.
- Birthdays for Saturday, July 11 1:38 a.m.
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza 1:37 a.m.
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his 1:23 a.m.
- Girl critical after run-in with train 1:23 a.m.
- Probe of death treated as slaying 1:22 a.m.
- Taylorsville man arrested in robbery 1:21 a.m.
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love' 1:20 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- Teacher faces new sex charges
- Cash for Clunkers to get rolling soon
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his
- Jazz rookies quiet Thunder youngsters
- LDS seminary principal arrested
160 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
99 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...
i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...
Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...
Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...
can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...
Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...
These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...
My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...
It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...
You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...



You can be the first to comment on this story.