Isn’t this already a done deal?

Why did the Salt Lake City Planning Commission disregard the recommendation of the Salt Lake City Planning Department?

I heard that the neighborhood unanimously endorsed the expansion. What gives?

Who is against the expansion?

Isn’t a vote against the expansion a vote against the elderly residents of the Villa?

What promises did the Villa make to the community?

Don’t neighborhoods have to make room for things like nursing homes?

Why would the neighborhood rise up against a small nonprofit that’s helping to house seniors?

Doesn’t the Villa own these homes? Shouldn’t they be able to do whatever they want with them?

Proposed Building:

How do I get a sign?

How else can I help?

What’s next?

Q: What is the Villa seeking from the Salt Lake City Council?

A: They need council approval to tear down seven homes and replace them with a three-story, institutional building at the corner of 500 E and Hollywood Avenue.  (Top)

Q: Isn’t this already a done deal?

A: No. Though planning staff recommended denial of the expansion, the Salt Lake City Planning Commission recommended approval to the Salt Lake City Council. The City Council has the final say.  (Top)

Q: Why did the Salt Lake City Planning Commission disregard the recommendation of the Salt Lake City Planning Department?

A: A planner who was at the meeting said that neighborhood residents opposed to the Villa expansion "just didn’t show up." Residents of the Villa made their voices heard at the meeting - perhaps commissioners were swayed by their emotional appeals.  (Top)

Q: I heard that the neighborhood unanimously endorsed the expansion. What gives?

A: That’s not true, but the Planning Commission likely got the same wrong impression. The Liberty Wells Community Council, which "represents" the larger neighborhood, endorsed the expansion but did so without garnering input from those who would be most directly affected. Neighbors in the immediate Villa area didn’t know about the endorsement because it wasn’t advertised on the Liberty Wells agenda. Those neighbors never got a chance to speak up.  (Top)

Q: Who is against the expansion?

A: Not just people on Hollywood Avenue where the development would take place. Others who have voiced opposition include neighbors on Westminster Avenue who have lived with the Villa in their backyard for years and seen the detrimental effects such as noise, traffic and parking issues on their quality of life. Opponents also include newcomers and long-time residents from blocks away. Some of them even volunteer or have worked at the Villa.  (Top)

Q: Isn’t a vote against the expansion a vote against the elderly residents of the Villa?

A: No, it isn’t. This vote is about preserving single family homes in one of the more affordable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City. The decision the City Council makes could set a precedent that could affect all neighborhoods in the city. The neighborhood has nothing against Villa residents, we just want the Villa to live up to the promises it made to the community.  (Top)

Q: What promises did the Villa make to the community?

A: Before the 1992 expansion was approved by the city, a top Villa official publicly promised the city and the neighborhood that no further expansion would take place at the site. In addition, the East Waterloo Subdivision Small Area Master Plan, adopted by the City Council in 1992 with input from the Villa, states, in a section under "Future Plans":
The small scale residential character of blocks 4 & 5 along Westminster Avenue and Hollywood Avenue must be maintained. The interface of these blocks with the surrounding neighborhoods should not be imposed by larger scaled more institutional special use housing needs.
Tearing down seven homes and erecting an institutional building on Hollywood would directly contradict that promise.   (Top)

Q: Don’t neighborhoods have to make room for things like nursing homes?

A: The neighborhood already did—in a big way. In the 1990s, the Villa tore down an entire residential block—Ramona Ave. between 400 E and 500 E—to make room for its current facility. Our question is: When does development stop?.  (Top)

Q: Why would the neighborhood rise up against a small nonprofit that’s helping to house seniors?

A: The Villa is not a small operation. It’s a Texas-based nonprofit that earned $154 million in net income for fiscal 2007.  (Top)

Doesn’t the Villa own these homes? Shouldn’t they be able to do whatever they want with them?

A: The Villa purchased these homes fully aware that they are zoned residential and protected by the various master plans for the area. Their expansion plan is not an addition or a remodel - they want to remove residential property from the neighborhood forever. Regardless of intended use, this is an expansion of institutional zoning in the middle of a residential neighborhood. If the Villa ever went out of business, property that’s zoned institutional can be used for a variety of things, including medical clinics, communication towers and private recreation centers.  (Top)

Q: How and when do we vote on this?

A: We cannot vote directly, so contact the City Council to let them know your opinion. Also, when the City Council meeting on this is announced, we will update this site with the date and time. If you would like to receive an email notification, please contact us.  (Top)

Q: How do I get a sign?

A: Contact us to request a sign. A $5 donation is requested to cover printing costs, but if you cannot afford that, let us know. (Top)

Q: How else can I help?

A: Call, email, or write any or all City Council members. Talk to your neighbors; many people in the neighborhood are not even aware that this expansion is proposed. If you would like to help with research or petitions, please contact us. If you would like to donate money to put a sign in someone’s yard, that would be fabulous as well.  (Top)

Q: What’s next?

A: The Salt Lake City Council will decide whether to allow the Villa to expand beyond their current footprint. A Public Hearing is scheduled for 10 March 2009 at 7p.m. at the Salt Lake City and County building, downtown.  (Top)