Hey Eagle Mountain. Colten here.
My anniversary was this weekend, so I was out of town during all of the Direct Communications internet drama. Fortunately, I started writing today’s Valueletter on Thursday, and I finished writing it in SLC at my in-laws. I’ll have more to say about this farther down this letter, but it appears that Direct Communications internet is still having issues. Here’s to hoping that it gets resolved sooner rather than later, given the fact that our lives are completely centered on functional internet. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Or neither? First world problems, am I right?
UTILITY BOX
Weather this week:
⛅ Mon, Sep 21: 79°/56°
⛅ Tue, Sep 22: 71°/50°
🌞 Wed, Sep 23: 76°/52°
⛅ Thu, Sep 24: 80°/55°
🌤️ Fri, Sep 25: 83°/56°
🌤️ Sat, Sep 26: 81°/56°
⛅ Sun, Sep 27: 78°/52°
Active Construction Projects:
🚧 Trail Head Rd. and Pony Express Pkwy. — Lane closures 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
🚧 Red River Dr. at Woodhaven Blvd. — Closed through October. Detour on High Noon or Moon River.
🚧 Cory B. Wride Memorial Park — Parking lot construction through November, weekdays and Saturdays.
Resources:
🚐 UTA On Demand — On-demand rides in parts of Eagle Mountain. $2.50, or $1 reduced fare.
💧 The state's lawn watering guide.
🔗 Eagle Mountain City's Linktree.
📱 The Eagle Mountain City App: App Store or Google Play.
🏛️ Civic Roll Call — Tool for tracking what's happening at City Hall.
💊 Medication disposal kiosk — Drop off unwanted medications inside City Hall.
Do you find these newsletters useful? No obligation, I'll keep writing every issue either way, but I have a Venmo (@eaglemountainvalue) if you'd like to help support the work. Really appreciate it.
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Own a local business or have an event coming up? Reply to this email or reach out at [email protected]. I'm always looking for things to share.
AT CITY HALL
The Planning Commission meets Tuesday, September 22 at City Hall, 1650 East Stagecoach Run. The afternoon meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. and the evening meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. All three public hearings are at the evening meeting.
Quick reminder: The Commission does not make the final call on any of these. It votes on a recommendation, and the City Council decides later.
On the Planning Commission agenda
Forty-one acres could become a data center that makes its own power
The owners of the Corrigan Farms property want the city to change what can legally be built on about 41 acres, so a data center and its own natural gas power plant can go there. The land sits at the western edge of the city's data center area, right against the Utah County line. QTS parks its construction trailers there now.
Screenshot of the Agenda Packet for the Planning Commission meeting. Source: the September 22 agenda packet.
The Planning Commission will also review a contract between the city and the company that would build the data center. Here is what the draft contract would commit the city to:
The contract would run 20 years, and the company could cancel it at any time, for any reason. The city could end it only if the company broke the contract and then failed to fix the problem, with at least 60 days to do so.
The city would agree not to back a new tax that applies only to this project, this property, or data centers, or one written to single them out. The city and its staff also could not move to change an existing tax that currently exempts the property.
How much water the project uses would be treated as confidential business information. The city agrees to black the figure out of records requests, to tell the company within two business days that somebody asked, and then to wait at least ten more business days before releasing anything.
The draft does not name the company. Where the business's name goes it reads only "______, LLC," and the document never says how much power or water the project would need.
The hearing on the zoning change is Tuesday night at the evening meeting. You can read the full agenda and packet here.
Here is the rest of what is on Tuesday's agenda:
You still will not be able to shoot a bow in your yard. (Public hearing) Eagle Mountain code generally prohibits shooting a bow or crossbow within city limits, and singles out anything with a draw weight over 10 pounds. Tuesday's amendment would not change that backyard rule. Instead, the amendment would establish standards for permitted indoor and outdoor archery ranges. Outdoor ranges could be allowed only in agricultural, industrial or open-space zones, and would have to meet safety requirements including proof that they sit far enough from homes. City code has referred to authorized archery ranges since 1999, but the city currently has none.
The city cannot stop you from clearing brush around your house to meet fire-safety standards. (Public hearing) That applies if your lot is inside the wildland urban interface, the area the city maps where homes meet open wildland. A state law passed this year already took that power away from cities, and Tuesday's amendment would write the same rule into city code. New subdivision maps would also start marking which lots are inside.
Want to submit a public comment? You can do that on the city's form. Or you can contact the city if you would rather write in before Tuesday.
Also from City Hall, not on Tuesday's agenda:
A study is taking a first look at a crossing over Utah Lake. UDOT is planning how people will get around northern Utah County through 2055 and beyond, including east-west routes, travel between the towns around the lake, and options other than driving. Eagle Mountain hosted the first working group meeting. UDOT is drawing up and comparing options through April 2027, and a plan for carrying one out is not due until June 2028. You can read more here.
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT: Autumn Ridge Kids
Heather Kirillova is opening an after-school program out of her home in November, with a preschool coming this school year. It's called Autumn Ridge Kids, and she's keeping it to eight kids per session.
The idea came from the kind of childcare she'd want for her own four kids. Gardening and good food have been a big part of her family's life for years, and both carry into the program. The kids help in the garden, and its herbs and seasonal produce go into meals made on the stovetop.
"I didn't want Autumn Ridge Kids to feel like a big childcare center where kids are just one of a huge group. I wanted something smaller and more home-like, where the kids are actually known, they can spend a lot of time outside, eat good food, play, create things, garden, and just have a really good place to be while their parents are working."
Here are the programs she's running:
Kids Club, kindergarten through 6th grade, opening in November. Before-school drop-off runs 7:00 to 7:25 a.m. with breakfast, and after school goes until 6:30 p.m. with a snack and homework help if they need it.
Preschool and Pre-K, ages 3 to 5, opening this school year. It will have its own teacher.
Summer Club, full weekdays in the summer, 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
She meets the Black Ridge kids at school and walks them back to her house along the neighborhood trail rather than down the street. For after-school care, Autumn Ridge Kids picks up American Preparatory Academy students from their nearby bus stop and brings them back to the house. Kids from other schools can come to after-school and school-out days too, but their families handle the ride.
Tours run the first and third Saturday mornings, and tuition starts at $175 a month. The one-time enrollment fee is normally $100, and the code EMVALUE* cuts it to $50. You can reach her at autumnridgekids.com, at [email protected], or by call or text at (801) 804-8827.
*Heather pays me a commission when a family enrolls with the code.
Heather Kirillova, owner and primary care giver of Autumn Ridge Kids.
COMMUNITY NOTES
City Hall and the library closed Friday, September 18 because of an internet outage. The city says regular business hours resume Monday, September 21.
Direct Communications is the fiber provider serving much of Eagle Mountain. The company said Saturday, September 19 that the trouble came from unusually high volumes of traffic, consistent with a denial-of-service attack. The disruption ran through the upstream providers it connects to. A fix restored stability Saturday night, and the company said customers may still see problems. People were still reporting outages on Sunday, September 20.
If your service is still slow or dropping, the company says to unplug the router from power, wait about 30 seconds and plug it back in. Anyone who factory reset their router during the outage will have to set it up again before Wi-Fi works normally. ABC4 has more on the cause.
Wednesday, September 23 is the last day for the fall clean-up dumpsters. They are at Cory B. Wride Memorial Park from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Yard waste, e-waste and light household waste only. They will not take furniture, mattresses, appliances, tires, paint or hazardous waste. Details on the event page.
Free and reduced school meal benefits from last year expire at the end of September. You have to apply again every school year, and the benefit cannot be applied to meals your child has already eaten. Alpine School District posted the notice, and you can apply through LINQ Connect.
The EM30 Challenge runs through November. Finish it and you get an EM30 sticker while supplies last, plus an entry in a drawing for 30th anniversary prizes in December.
THIS WEEK'S EVENTS
Monday, September 21
Play n' Learn, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Eagle Mountain Public Library, 1650 E Stagecoach Run. Ages 0 to 5, space limited.
BINGO, 5:00 to 6:00 p.m., Senior Center, 1632 E Heritage Dr. September birthdays.
Tuesday, September 22
Storytime, 10:15 to 10:45 a.m., at Haven Ranch Sanctuary, 5194 N Lake Mountain Rd. One session this week, and not at the library.
Senior Citizens Computer Class, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Valley Crossroads Chamber, 3688 E Campus Dr #101.
Cedar Valley home varsity girls tennis vs. Westlake, 3:00 p.m., 1389 Aviator Ave.
LEGO Club, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., library. Ages 5 to 12.
Planning Commission, afternoon meeting 5:30 p.m. and evening meeting 6:30 p.m., Council Chambers.
Wednesday, September 23
Eagle Mountain Career and Resource Fair, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Cedar Valley High School, 1389 Aviator Ave.
Mindful Movers, 4:15 to 4:45 p.m., library.
Eagle Mountain Academy, "Keeping the City Safe," 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Session 2 of 6, free. The event page does not name a location.
Last day for the fall clean-up dumpsters.
Thursday, September 24
Storytime, 10:15 and 11:00 a.m., library. Two sessions.
Free business advising, 30-minute sessions by appointment, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., Valley Crossroads Chamber, 3688 E Campus Dr Ste 101. The advisor is Camille Pendleton, Regional Director of UVU's Small Business Development Center. The chamber says first priority goes to "our tenants and Launch Pad Businesses."
Craft Day Open House, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., library. Leaf sun catchers, supplies limited, first come first served.
Friday, September 25
Laptime, 10:15 to 10:35 a.m. and 11:00 to 11:20 a.m., library. Ages 0 to 24 months.
Free marketing clinic, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., one-on-one sessions with Ty Brooks. Registration is on the event page.
Saturday, September 26
Eagle Mountain Farmers Market, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Cory B. Wride Memorial Park, 5806 N Pony Express Pkwy.
Family Game Day, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., library.
At the Senior Center, 1632 E Heritage Dr
Senior Social, Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Senior Exercise, Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Arts, Crafts & Lunch, Wednesday and Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Senior Crocheting, Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Senior Lunch, Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 1:00 p.m., free.
WORTH THE DRIVE
Monday, September 21
Saratoga Springs Farmers Market, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., Neptune Park, Saratoga Springs. The last one is September 28.
Cornbelly's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest opens, Thanksgiving Point, 3003 N Thanksgiving Way, Lehi. Runs through October 31, and admission closes an hour before the listed closing time.
Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails is now open at the Museum of Natural Curiosity, 3605 Garden Dr, Lehi.
Tuesday, September 22
$5 Tuesdays at Thanksgiving Point, Lehi. $5 per person per venue across seven venues, free account required. The offer ends September 29.
SCERA Cinema Classics, every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. with doors at 9:30, Clarke Grand Theatre, Orem. $2 per person, ages 18 and older, no advance tickets, pay that morning. This week is Up Periscope from 1959, and the series runs at least through November 17.
Wednesday, September 23
Autumn Bloom Showcase opens, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily through September 26, Ashton Gardens, 3900 N Garden Dr, Lehi. A showcase ticket includes a return pass for the cut dahlia and sunflower sale on September 28 and 29, while supplies last.
Summer Concert Series: Slim Chance and his Psychobilly Playboys, 7:00 p.m., Orem City Center Park. Free.
"Predators, Sexting, Cyberbullying: the dark side of technology", 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., 1020 E. Pioneer Rd, Draper. A community presentation from the Utah Attorney General's Internet Crimes Against Children Division on how predators pick targets, from apps and social media to newer technology. All ages.
Friday, September 25
Utah Latin Festival, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Orem City Center Stage.
Saturday, September 26
European Cultural Festival, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m., The Orchard at University Place, Orem.
Fairfield Historic Driving Tour, 9:00 a.m., about three hours, Camp Floyd State Park, Fairfield. $10 per person, reservations required, and you need a high-clearance vehicle.
Running now
Noises Off at SCERA in Orem, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. through October 10.
Hee Haw Farms Fall Festival, 150 S 2000 W, Pleasant Grove, through November 7. Monday through Thursday 3:00 to 9:00 p.m., Friday 3:00 to 10:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. $14 for ages 3 and older.
NEXT WEEK
Monday, September 28 — the last Saratoga Springs Farmers Market of the season.
Tuesday, September 29 — Storytime runs three sessions at the library, 10:15, 11:00 and 1:00.
Tuesday, September 29 and Thursday, October 1 — two Cedar Valley home varsity girls soccer games at 1389 Aviator Ave. September 29 is Senior Night at 7:00 p.m., and October 1 is against Mountain Ridge at 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, September 30 — Eagle Mountain Academy, "How the City Grows," 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Session 3 of 6, free.
Wednesday, September 30 — Summer Concert Series: Los Hermanos de los Andes, 7:00 p.m., Orem City Center Park. Free, and the last of the season.
Friday, October 2 — Saratoga Springs Fall Festival, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Shay Park, 516 W Aspen Hills Blvd. Free to attend, with trick-or-treating, food trucks, a community fair, a pumpkin contest and a scarecrow display competition. Inflatable Alley and petting zoo wristbands run $5 to $8 and train rides are $2. A community fair booth is $30.
Saturday, October 3 — adaptive trick-or-treat, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., City Hall.
Saturday, October 3 — Movie in the Park, Hocus Pocus, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Cory B. Wride Memorial Park.
Saturdays, October 10, 17 and 24 — Ghosts of Camp Floyd at Camp Floyd State Park in Fairfield, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. $10 per person, reservations required, 40 people per night. Arrive at 6:00 p.m. to see the museums in daylight.
Tuesday, October 6 — City Council at 4:00 p.m., and a special meeting at 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 10 — the Farmers Market season ends, and Noises Off closes at SCERA.
Tuesday, October 13 — Planning Commission, 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 20 — City Council, 4:00 p.m.
Monday, October 26 — senior chili cook-off at the Senior Center.
Tuesday, October 27 — mobile mammography at the Senior Center, 1632 E Heritage Drive. Appointments required, and you can book a slot.
Thursday, October 29 — the Snapology program ends.
Saturday, October 31 — Cornbelly's ends.
Saturday, November 7 — Hee Haw Farms ends.
Wishing you all a wonderful start to your week.
See you around,
— Colten
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