It has a certain ring, doesn't it? Roughly translated from the French, it means "elite city."

The folks on Draper's east side have asked me to explain this. You simply cannot count on the unwashed masses squatting on the west side of Interstate 15 in those ramshackle tract homes to pick up on the fine points of a romance language. You know - those places like West Jordan and Riverton. Herriman, even. Besides, last they heard on the tony side of Draper, those people west of the freeway don't even wear shoes. What could they possibly know about town and country living and leisurely rides along the bridle path?

Say it out loud: Vee-da-leet. Isn't it lovely? Roll it around in the mouth like a swish of fine Champagne and feel it float right off the tongue. Nothing says community pride and exclusivity quite like something French.

I was out in the Ville on Wednesday. They let me through the checkpoint, even though I drive a '99 Honda Accord pockmarked with door dings. It was the day after the Draper City Council voted 3-2 to prohibit secondhand stores larger than 5,000 square feet from its prime retail district, which begins on the east frontage road at I-15 and 12300 South and winds to about 500 East.

Thrift stores, future check cashing joints and the like would be sited west of the freeway - far west of such stunning commercial gems as tire outlets, the Golden Arches and let's see, about 14 of those quickie "fresh Mex" restaurants where one overstuffed burrito tastes about like the other one across the street.

As it happens, the LDS Church has been scouting property - said to be on five acres near the northeast corner of 12300 South and 300 East for a new Deseret Industries thrift store. The church had hoped for a 38,000-square-foot building, which would accommodate not only reams of used jeans, gently used furniture and the fixings for Halloween costumes, but also family services, an employment center and a drive-up donation station.

Mon Dieu! A DI in Ville d' Elite? People driving up, dropping off cloth coats and someone else's shoes!? And what of the people with so little money they actually have no choice but to shop there? Can you picture people clutching LDS Church welfare coupons, people relegated to eating donated cheese and butter?

The poor will always be with us. But not in east Draper.

Council members who first spoke against the DI last month have begun spinning their message faster than Rumpelstiltskin on crank. In that discussion, Councilman Jeff Stenquist said "I'm not sure [shopping at the DI] is a service a lot of our residents are looking for, given our demographics."

But this week, Councilman Bill Colbert, who voted with the majority, fretted that the matter had evolved into an "emotional issue." He lamented that the zoning question had divided the city into "haves and have nots," which he doesn't see as the issue.

Everything has ended for now. LDS and DI officials are no longer commenting on the matter.

Clean. Pristine. And more than a little mean. That's life in Ville d' Elite.

Word to the wise: If you go there, leave your cloth coat at home.

hmullen@sltrib.com or (801) 257-8610