Reader comments
Bluffdale charter seeks friendlier area to build

Suzie | 7:01 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007

Maybe now these Charter School developers will start working WITH communities rather than trying to shove the schools down the throats of unsuspecting neighborhoods.

alan | 7:09 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007

Way to go Bluffdale neighborhood, itï¿½s about time someone told these elitist they canï¿½t have everything they want. They need to be part of the system, not above it.

Joel Wright | 9:05 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007

This is classic NIMBY.

"We're pro-education, anti-location,"

In other words, "We're selfish."

The flooding issue was a total red herring -- if these neighbors were concerned about the flooding, why do they live there? Furthermore, any flooding in the area was man made flooding, the area is not in a flood plain.

The bottom line is that if we have children, we need schools. Currently, that neighborhood has no western or southern access. If they created such access, and traffic or parking issues would be largely mitigated.

Comments continue below

jp | 9:06 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007

Yeah way to go, we don't want a school in our neighborhood, even if it will save taxpayers 10 + million dollars that they will have to pay when they have to build a public school for their kids.

Proud Bluffdale neighbor | 10:24 a.m. Oct. 25, 2007

YEAH BLUFFDALE! Way to go.

To Nancy Lord | 12:50 p.m. Oct. 25, 2007

Hey Nancy, this whole region is prone to flooding. You ever hear of Lake Bonneville?

To Joel Wright | 3:26 p.m. Oct. 25, 2007

I assume you're the State Charter School Joel Wright - Nice conflict of interest.

This has nothing to do with NIMBY.

The flooding is real. Whether it's man-made or not, it occurs from time-to-time. Those summer thunder showers have indeed caused the canal to overflow its banks and make 40th West impassable to emergency vehicles: Watch the video.

If an individual chooses to stay in that area is a matter of personal freedom and choice. But it is irresponsible for someone in your position to advocate allowing 700 children to be put at risk. Your abdication of this basic responsibility to protect the children should be reason enough to have you removed.

Finally, it's not the neighborhood's responsibility to build the extended infrastructure to support the school. It's the schools responsibility to find a suitable location. Other more suitable locations were/are available, the developer just can't make as much profit using them.

The citizens brought facts; the developer brought lies ("we'll lose the charter if we don't build here") and deception (bogus traffic study prepared by a friend, not an engineer).

Anonymous | 3:33 p.m. Oct. 25, 2007

Have you ever heard of Justice?

Disgusted | 8:34 a.m. Oct. 26, 2007

These neighbors will get their reward someday for how they treated the families at the groundbreaking. Whether they wanted the school in the neighborhood or not, that is no justification for threatening children. And they DID threaten to yell at children if the school opened. They can justify their actions all they want, but in reality, they are greedy bullies. I hope that all of the land that they lost is built up and they realize that they can't do anything about it. Providence Hall leaving the neighborhood was ultimately about not wanting to build in a location with hostile people. However, there are rational neighbors in that are that are disappointed that the school is not going in.

What disgusts me even more is that some of the opponents have enrolled their children in the school. What a double standard.

concerned parent | 11:34 a.m. Oct. 26, 2007

I really enjoyed walking to the groundbreaking ceremony and looking at all the signs that referred to children dying. Specifically, "Children Will Die!" I liked it so much I took a picture of it.

I wasn't sure that I was supposed to take that as a threat or what, but I think the neighbors acted poorly and not responsibly.

I can't wait for some nice, high density apartments to go up right next door. Then let's hear them talk about traffic.

To Disgusted | 11:55 a.m. Oct. 26, 2007

We got our reward!! NO SCHOOL! You need to know all the facts before you start pointing fingers. This developer was sneeky and deceiving to say the least. We did not threaten anyone at the ground breaking. Yes we did voice our opinions about the way things came about but we have every right to do so. Have you heard of freedom of speech??? We are not bullies and I feel that we did a great job expressing how we feel about a school going in on a dead end street with one way in and one way out! You have no idea what that would be like everyday. This is not about charter schools it is about keeping our children and the children going to the school safe. So please don't judge us.

To Disgusted | 12:10 p.m. Oct. 26, 2007

Amen! It makes me sick to think that the people in Bluffdale who were so against the charter in their neighborhood & stood in the streets yelling at people trying to attend the groundbreaking ceremony could accually get picked in the lottery & take the spot of one of those little children they were yelling at.

To disgusted | 12:28 p.m. Oct. 26, 2007

Talk about a double standard.

You're disgusted with some individuals (not all) who may have made inappropriate comments at the ground breaking. This group, as a whole, did not threaten anyone. They may have been intimidating I'll grant you, but the vast majority of them did not threaten a soul. These were people who were simply acting in defense of the safety of their own children and the preservation of the life they have tried to carve out for themselves.

On the other hand, the developer lied and was caught in his lies, in the Bluffdale public meeting. Read the transcript when it becomes available. He also tried to pass off a bogus traffic study as legitimate to misrepresent the real safety hazards the school will create in that location. Ability of emergency vehicles to that area has been impaired in the past because of flooding.

The reason he gave for not taking an extra year to find a more suitable location without the safety hazards? "I have money invested and investors to satisfy." Read the transcript.

This isn't about the kids for him. It's about the money.

Why aren't you disgusted about that? Double Standard!

State Legislators are to Blame | 1:50 p.m. Oct. 26, 2007

Talk about disgusting --

What's disgusting is that a greedy, self-serving legislator pushed a bill through the state which allows a developer to buy residential land (at residential prices) and convert it to commercial property, and make a boat-load of money on the deal, with out any public input. In fact a clause in the law allows the developer to specifically keep the city from informing the citizens of what's happening in the building lot next to them.

Disgusting that developers then use that law to bully - e.g. "There's nothing you can do about it!" the taxpayers.

Disgusting that financial profit overshadows safety.

All done under the banner of "To improve our children's education."

Disgusted | 2:27 p.m. Oct. 26, 2007

I was AT the meeting. I heard what was said. I also heard what was said afterward. "We will yell at the children that go to this school and make your lives miserable for years to come." I'm sorry, if that isn't a threat, I don't know what is.

Bluffdale Resident | 2:39 p.m. Oct. 26, 2007

I was at the meeting and didn't find anything sneaky about what the developer said. He was very calm and tried to answer the questions that were posed to him by the city council. It was clear that legally he did everything the way he supposed to based on the Utah State law. He's a developer. This isn't emotional for him. His role is to find property and build the school, not to cater to the neighborhood. At no point did he lose his temper or get frustrated. Unlike some of those that were against the school used excuses like piano lessons being disrupted and escaped horses. I have lived in this neighborhood for several years, but I realize that growth is inevitable. At some point 4000 West will open up to Herriman whether the city wants to or not. I was looking forward to having the school in the neighborhood, but I saw the signs and the ridiculous behavior of some of the residents and don't blame them at all for wanting to leave. This is a loss to this neighborhood, not a gain for the few that were protesting.

Tester | 9:30 a.m. Jan. 2, 2008

Thanks Chris Brockbank,

I live in Herriman just a block from where new Providance Hall will be, my kids are in the school and I am very glad Bluffdale is acting just like bluffdale always acts, now our school is a block away!

Thanks again soooo much!

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