Hyde Park OKs sports arena, discusses street lighting

By Charlotte Smith

March 19, 2004 | HYDE PARK -- The Planning and Zoning Committee at a public hearing voted unanimously to approve a permit for the Ultimate Sports Arena that may provide dances, swap meets and other uses.

The owner of the building, Randy Andersen, said the dances may have more than 700 people sometimes, and said his building is equipped with emergency exits and parking for crowds of that size.

Sherwin Kirby a member of the committee, said, "How do you plan to screen drugs and alcohol?" Andersen replied, "Our own security, made up of off-duty policeman, takes care of those issues for us."

In attendance at the meeting, a group of nine boy scouts all nodded yes when asked if they had played indoor soccer at the building before. The arena is used often for organized sporting events but Andersen said he wants the conditional use permit to broaden the building's use.

Chairman Mark Lynne said, "The Hyde Park Police must be notified in advance at least 24 hours before big events." Lynne also said the fire chief has to approve of the building's fire safety and the building also must pass inspection by the city engineers, Sargent Engineers, in order to have a conditional use permit.

The committee also voted on Steve Ashment's Shadow Bluff Estates development, located at 200 South and covering the area a few blocks west and east of 700 East. The vote was to have Ashment come back in two weeks to review the Preliminary Platt again.

David James, a member of the committee said, "This is the biggest subdivision as a whole that has been approved by the city." James asked Ashment to come back, not to create hassle, but because "the committee wants to make sure all the i's are dotted and t's are crossed" regarding the details of the subdivision.

Shadow Bluff Estates is one many new development plans the committee has worked with, in order to approve the developments to Hyde Park's standards. Ashment agreed to make the road, 200 South, twice as wide, 66 feet instead of the exiting 33 feet. Other concerns will be addressed at the next meeting.

The committee also discussed how important street lighting is, and who decides where the street lights should go.

Sherwin Kirby said, "Smithfield talked for three hours about having the whole city dark because they believe everyone has a right to darkness, but I think Smithfield is wrong."

David James said he thinks reasonable street lighting which allows for safety but doesn't shine in people's windows, is a good idea. Mark Lynne said he thinks there is a way to have street lighting and still have dark skies, using the Wal-Mart parking lot as a bad example.

City Council member Charles Wheeler, who was in attendance at the meeting suggested that they have an expert come in and talk to the committee about the pros and cons, and any options the city may have, about lighting the streets in a reasonable way.

The next planning and zoning committee meeting will be held March 31 at the Hyde Park City Hall at 7 p.m.

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