WOODS CROSS Utah (ABC4 News) – City officials said it’s not their fault and homeowners need to take responsibility.
Homes in a subdivision in Woods Cross were damaged following a Silver Creek refinery explosion Wednesday.
Gary Uresk who is the city manager said the city didn’t do anything wrong by allowing the subdivision be built next to the refinery.
ABC4 News obtained a document called the Redd Engineering Impact Study which recommended a fire zone be developed to protect homeowners.
In 2001, the Redd report used HUD guidelines that recommended no housing be built in a fire zone that extended up to 825 feet from the refinery.
Homes that were damaged in Wednesday's refinery explosion were inside that fire zone.
But the Woods Cross city council adopted the Psomas report commissioned by the developer. It suggested a safety zone that extended 175 feet. That's why the subdivision was built.
“There's always a concern but we applied the standards that we felt that were appropriate in this situation,” said Gary Uresk the Woods Cross city manager.
According to Uresk homeowners in the subdivision that was damaged knew what they were getting into when they moved next to the refinery.
“They need to realize that they have some individual responsibility,” he said.
But according to city council meeting minutes in 2002, the developer was advised to let homeowners know about problems at the refinery. The council said those caveats needed to be posted with the deed at the county recorder.
"I'm not aware of that,” Uresk said. “I'm not aware that that was done.”
Thursday, homeowners were quite upset after ABC4 News told them about the Redd report, the report that pushed safety and would have created a fire zone.
“It makes me angry, it makes me very angry,” said Jimm Kjelgaard whose home was damaged by the explosion. “It makes me feel like we didn't get full disclosure.
But the Woods Cross city manager said they didn’t fail the neighborhood.
"We feel that we adequately protected them,” Uresk said.
Residents will get a chance to meet with city leaders.
Uresk said they will hold a special council meeting next Tuesday, November 10th. The meeting begins at 6:30 at the Woods Cross elementary school.
