PLEASANT GROVE — Residents' requests for more input in the revitalization of downtown Pleasant Grove were answered last week, as the City Council approved the creation of a Downtown Advisory Board to aid in developing future plans for the area.

The new board comes as a response to public uproar over the city's proposed Downtown 2020 Action Plan, which would bring revitalization to the historic downtown area. When residents heard the city was planning to reinvigorate the area, many banded together to make their opinions known.

"I am happy because I believe that we were heard and responded to," said Laurel Riddle, a resident and business owner who will be part of the advisory board. "It makes me feel hopeful for the situation."

The board will be comprised of 13 residents who will work with other interested people to help review and make changes to the 2020 plan. Their first order of business will be to set their own time limit as to when they will make their recommendations.

"We are excited to revitalize," Riddle said. "I think that some members of the council thought that we were opposing any change at all, but that is not the case. We just feel that the history of the town needs to be preserved."

While city staff didn't feel that the 2020 plan infringed on the history of the town, they understand residents' concern.

"It was intended to be a master plan to kick off revitalization," said Community Development Director Ken Young. "But since there was public concern, we determined to create the board now and not push any decisions upon them."

While residents were excited to be involved in the process, there was still some disagreement as to how the board was made up. Many of the people in last week's City Council meeting felt that the downtown residents did not have fair representation on the board.

They said that while everyone should have some input into the decisions, those who live and work in the area deserve more than one spot on the proposed 14-member board. So the council elected to drop a member from the board, and replace some at-large positions with a few business owners and residents in the downtown area.

"My desire is to make sure that everyone is being represented in this group that will be recommending plans to our council," said Mayor Mike Daniels to the more than 50 people at the meeting.

The 13 spots on the board will now be represented by several downtown business owners, some who live downtown and others who don't. It also includes a member of the Business Alliance and one from the Historic Commission, as well as other at-large community representation.

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