What's Up? - August 10th, 2017

Black text comes from the agenda
Bold text describes the action taken
Blue text is my analysis

Background information on the agenda items is given more in the meetings preview. This meeting report focuses on the thinking behind the votes.

As always, the documents are all available to the public. Click here for more information on how to access them.

What Was Up?

COUNCIL WORK MEETING

12:00 Noon, Tuesday, August 8th, City Conference Room, 351 West Center

1. A discussion on an appropriation for an Impact Fee Facilities Plan and Impact Fee Analysis
   Presentation only. This item was already scheduled for the August 8, 2017 Council Meeting.
   Some members of the public had expressed concern about the necessity of this analysis as well as the process by which the contractor was selected. I feel like the Council asked the right questions regarding these concerns and I was satisfied with both the necessity of the project as well as the selection process. Take a look and see if you agree.
2. A discussion on a parameters resolution authorizing the issuance of up to $30 million of general obligation refunding bonds; and related matters
   Presentation only. This item was already scheduled for the August 8, 2017 Council Meeting.
   By refunding (think refinancing) the Rec Center bonds, we (the property taxpayers of Provo) will save $2.8M over 15 years. That translates to a $4/yr decrease on a median home.
3. A discussion on road funding
   Presentation only.
   I don't think we are fully funding our streets and sidewalks, but we are awfully close, and far better than just about every community around us. One tidbit that I found interesting, some roads are being maintained regularly to extend the time before they need to be completely repaved. Others have hit that point that they need to be repaved, so they won't be maintained, but the City is holding off as long as they can before repaving in order to save money. (Like I said, we aren't fully funding). This helps explain why some roads seem to be so neglected and others are well maintained. I also learned that the street engineers had a lot of turn over this past year and are still looking to hire one more person to get back to full strength. They have been stretched thin, which helps explain some of the difficulties I've heard from some of you about.
4. An update on Victim Services grants
   Presentation only.
   This presentation was both heartbreaking and encouraging. This division serves our community members who are going through the most difficult circumstances: unexpected deaths, suicides, domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse, etc. They directly serve more than 1% of our population, EACH YEAR. It's a sobering thought that there is so much suffering going on all around us. It is a good reminder to be kind to everyone you interact with. You never know what they may be dealing with.
5. A discussion with the Economic Development Department on retail incentives and retaining business
   Presentation only.
   Each time we discuss the topic of retail incentives, I can't help but think that our whole county would be better off if we entered into some sort of agreement or arrangement so that each city isn't competing against one another to see who will give the most away to a new business.
6. A discussion on parking
   Presentation only.
   The new Provo Parking Manager has been on the job for 2 months and is developing a plan to improve parking in Provo, starting with our Downtown. I appreciated Ms. Santiago's encouragement that we get going as soon as possible. We've been struggling with parking for too long. I am very optimistic that better days are on the horizon.
7. Provo City Community Development Department requests an Ordinance Amendment to Section 14.02.010 to make city noticing requirements consistent with state law. Citywide impact.
   Presentation only. This item will be scheduled for the August 29, 2017 Council Meeting.
   This item is in conjunction with item 8 and they were discussed together. This is the only component of the DAPR Committee's recommendation that would actually affect City Code. The rest are just changes to the Council's internal rules and standard operating procedures.
8. A discussion on the Development Approval Process Review Committee's recommendation on noticing land use items
   A substitute motion to approve the proposal as originally written was Approved 4:3, with Council members David Knecht, George Stewart, and Kim Santiago opposing.
   If you are a regular reader, you know how excited I am about this. It gives residents a more robust opportunity to engage with the Council on land use proposals that affect them, at the same time as reducing the time period between a recommendation from the Planning Commission and a final decision by the Council. It's a true win-win.
9. Scott Bowles requests an Ordinance Amendment to Section 14.20.160 to increase the size of signs permitted in the Regional Shopping Center (SC3) Zone. Citywide impact.
   Presentation only. This item will be scheduled for the August 29, 2017 Council Meeting.
   Last time we passed an ordinance allowing for a larger sign for Provo Towne Centre Mall on their freeway frontage. Now they are asking for much larger video signs on their University Ave frontage. I feel that multiple Councilmembers expressed unease at the proposal and asked for more information and wanted to understand the future impact of this decision.
10. McKay Christensen requests an Amendment to Section 14.21A.110 to eliminate the facade stepback for buildings in the General Downtown (DT1) Zone. Downtown Neighborhood.
    Presentation only. This item will be scheduled for the August 29, 2017 Council Meeting.
    Community Development Staff and the Planning Commission recommend this request. Community Development indicated that they think the requirement should be eliminated from all of Center Street. I pushed back a bit, telling them that I remember when the requirement was put into place and they did such a good job convincing me that it was important to maintain and improve the historic feel of Center Street that they would need to do a better job convincing me now that it isn't needed.
11. McKay Christensen requests an Ordinance Amendment to Section 14.21A.090 to reduce the average apartment square footage from 800 feet to 600 feet in the General Downtown (DT1) Zone. Downtown Neighborhood.
    Presentation only. This item will be scheduled for the August 29, 2017 Council Meeting.
    Some Councilmembers were surprised because we just recently added this new requirement. When we implemented it we were under an important deadline, and at least some Councilmembers felt like we needed to get something in place and then we could come back later and make finer level tweaks to it. This would be one such tweak.
12. Closed Meeting
    A closed meeting was held.

COUNCIL MEETING

5:30 PM, Tuesday, August 8th, Council Chambers, 351 West Center

1. A presentation of the Employee of the Month for August 2017
   Presentation only.
2. A presentation by the Covey Center on the play "Murder by the Book."
   Presentation only.
3. Public comment on the Provo River Land and Water Conservation Fund Property Conversion Draft Environmental Assessment
   Public comment only; this item is scheduled at the August 29, 2017 Council Meeting for a vote.
   The original land had been obtained with an eye toward routing the Provo River Trail along the river. But that plan was abandoned when too many other obstacles stood in the way. The Trail now runs along the University Ave Greenway. The replacement will be a wetlands interpretive park out towards the lake. I asked Parks and Rec to keep an eye out for opportunities to connect the park, on the south side of the river, to the popular Provo River Trail on the north side of the river.
4. A presentation on disaster preparedness and a resolution adopting the Mountainland Pre-Disaster Hazard Mitigation Plan.
   Approved 7:0.
5. An ordinance amending City Code to allow accessory dwelling units attached to an industrial use in the Manufacturing Park (MP) zone. Rivergrove Neighborhood.
   Approved 6:1, opposed by Council member David Harding.
   I love the concept. I generally support innovative housing arrangements and really wanted to support this live/work proposal. I could have supported this if it was located near downtown. I could have supported this if the applicant was willing to accept restricting the residential occupant to the owners or renters of the business space below, or their employees. But I just couldn't support this project in this location without those restrictions. It didn't matter because the rest of the Council was willing to approve it.
6. An ordinance amending Provo City Code regarding street-side yards on corner lots. Citywide impact.
   Approved 7:0.
7. An ordinance amending Provo City Code regarding patio roofs and their extension into a required setback. Citywide impact.
   Approved 7:0.
8. A resolution appropriating $111,650 in various funds for the funding of an Impact Fee Study for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018.
   Approved 7:0.
   This item was heard in the afternoon meeting as agenda item 1.
9. Consideration of a parameters resolution authorizing the issuance of up to $30 million of general obligation refunding bonds; and related matters.
   Approved 7:0.
   This item was heard in the afternoon meeting as agenda item 2.