Council Meetings - 21 July 2020

Tomorrow's meetings are really light. We almost canceled the meetings. Our chair, George Handley, is unavailable so I'll have to chair the meetings tomorrow. Even though there are only a handful of items, we will be touching on the two raging issues of our time: COVID and protests.

The COVID item is a late addition to the Work Meeting, so it isn't part of my preview below. Some on the Council requested this item to discuss with the Administration what we can do to encourage proper precautions. A team at BYU just released an analysis of the most up-to-date research and finds general consensus that wearing masks is the best thing that we can be doing to get through this crisis. If we all will mask-up when in public then we can prevent further shutdowns, we can reduce the risk of kids going back to school, we can help our economy rebound, and we can save lives. We can even avoid the whole discussion about whether the government should or should not mandate it. Just do it. It's the right thing to do whether or not it is mandated.

Work Meeting Agenda
2:00 pm, Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Work Meetings are designed to be a less formal venue for discussion among Council Members. Generally, no public input is taken during the meeting.


Business

1. A discussion regarding a WaterSMART Grant application. (20-105)
   Public Works has been working to identify ways to artificially recharge the aquifers that supply water to the City. A WaterSMART drought resiliency grant has been identified as a potential funding source for these aquifer storage and recovery projects. One of the requirements of the grant application is a resolution indicating the Council's support and commitment to meeting the requirements of the grant program. I'm a big proponent of ASR (aquifer storage and recovery) to help meet the future water needs of Provo City. If grants have already been set up to help pay for projects of this nature, then we should seriously consider applying for them. Presentation only. This item will be scheduled for the Council Meeting on August 4, 2020. We are currently replacing our sewer treatment plant (it'll cost over $200M over 30 years). We are in the midst of numerous projects extending services to West Provo and replacing aging infrastructure throughout the rest of Provo. I agree with the Public Works Director, Dave Decker, that ASR is the most important project that the department is currently working on. Generations to come will benefit from the foresight driving this project.
2. A motion to add an additional committee member to the Public Gatherings Committee. (20-103)
   The committee was formed during the Work Meeting on July 7, 2020. Since it was created, Councilor Shannon Ellsworth has expressed interest in being a part of that committee. The committee members were amenable to the request and it has been brought to the full Council to formalize the action. I have no concerns about this item itself.
   
   The ACLU of Utah recently released a report that was critical of Provo City's responses to the protest/rallies/gatherings. I was horribly disappointed in the one-sidedness and mischaracterization in the report. From my perspective, we have had several successful gatherings of groups with different viewpoints, and only one that went terribly wrong. While the ACLU seems to be upset about July 1st gatherings, I'm upset about the gathering two days before where members of the public were harassed, threatened, and shot by so-called demonstrators. Ironically, the first ACLU "demand" is for law enforcement agencies to "not deploy to protests when there is not a clear and present danger to public safety," which is pretty much what Provo had been doing prior to the evening of July 1st. This approach worked well when protesters gathered for peaceful protest. The same approach failed on June 29th when protesters gathered to violently protest. It was the failure of this approach that led to a stronger police presence at the July 1st gathering. A motion adding Councilor Shannon Ellsworth as a member of the Public Gatherings Committee was approved 6:0, with George Handley excused. Councilors Handley, Fillmore, and Ellsworth are now serving on this committee.
3. An update regarding Provo City's policies for COVID-19. (20-106)
   This item was added late to the agenda. Presentation only. The Council is very concerned about the surge in COVID-19 cases in Utah County. We discussed with the Administration steps that we can take to keep city employees and the community safer. We encouraged the Mayor to specifically look at policies regarding city facilities that serve the public. We all agree that face-masks are an effective way to slow the spread and are to be encouraged.



Policy Items Referred from the Planning Commission

4. An ordinance amending the zone map classification of approx 1.92 acres of property generally located at 442 and 490 S State St from General Commercial to High Density Residential and authorizing a related development agreement. Maeser Neighborhood. (17-0010R)
   The applicant is requesting a zone change from General Commercial (CG) to High Density Residential (HDR) at this location to allow for a four-story, 32-unit apartment, a three-story, 24-unit apartment and a two-story, 4-unit townhomes on the corner of 500 South and State Street. These proposed sixty units would be on commercial property that is to be rezoned to High Density Residential (HDR). The HDR zone would allow for more units and additional building height than is being requested, therefore, a development agreement would be advisable to ensure that only what has been proposed would be developed. The City Council continued the zone change request and instructed the applicant to go back and work with the neighborhood and address their concerns. The applicant has now done that and made changes to their original proposal of 64 units in 2 four-story buildings. The Council agreed to this request last year, but the project stalled and the deal expired after a year. The developer would like to renew the rezone to be able to proceed with the project.
   
   I have not seen anything change that has led me to change my mind on the project. Presentation only. This item was already scheduled for the Council Meeting on July 21, 2020. I supported this request a year ago when it was first approved. I still think it should go ahead.



Closed Meeting

Closed meetings (aka executive meetings) are held without the public present and must meet one of the conditions listed in Utah State Code (§ 52-4-204 and 52-4-205 et. seq.). If a closed meeting is needed, it will be announced at that time. A closed meeting was held.



Adjournment

---

PROVO MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Regular Meeting Agenda

5:30 PM, Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Opening Ceremony

Items in this category do not involve legislative action.



Presentations, Proclamations, and Awards

Items in this category do not involve legislative action.
1. A presentation to the winner of the ULCT essay contest "Why I Like My Community." (20-104)
   Thanks to ULCT for creating this contest and for everyone who entered. We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful community. Presentation only. Congrats to Alana Parry on a great essay!
   
   

   Public Comment

   Instructions for making public comments at this electronic meeting can be found on the officially published agenda: agendas.provo.org.
   
   Fifteen minutes have been set aside for any person to express ideas, concerns, comments, or issues that are not on the agenda:
Please state your name and city of residence into the microphone.

Please limit your comments to two minutes.

State Law prohibits the Council from acting on items that do not appear on the agenda.



Action Agenda

2. A resolution appointing individuals to various boards and commissions. (20-003)
   Mayor Kaufusi has submitted a number of appointments and reappointments of individuals to various boards and commissions. The Council has had an opportunity to review the appointees' qualifications and meet with the appointees. This resolution will formalize their appointments to these respective boards and commissions.
   
   Scott Parker and Emma Willes (Arts Council), Matthew Christensen and Jamie Littlefield (Landmarks Commission), Megen Pectol (Library Board), Jen Peterson and Tom Sitake (Parks and Recreation Board), Richard Peterson and Maria Winden (Board of Adjustment), Jim Tracy (Civil Service Commission), Cole Houghton and James Hall (Design Review Committee), Clancy Black (Transportation and Mobility Advisory Committee), Allyn Jones, Lisa Jensen, Daniel Gonzales, and Brian Henrie (Planning Commission). A big reason why Provo is such a wonderful community is that so many people are willing to serve to make the community better. Approved 6:0, with George Handley excused. Thanks to those willing to serve!
3. An ordinance amending the zone map classification of approx 1.92 acres of property generally located at 442 and 490 S State St from General Commercial to High Density Residential and authorizing a related development agreement. Maeser Neighborhood. (17-0010R)
   This was item 3 in the work meeting. See my Preview for item 3 in the earlier meeting. Approved 5:1, with Shannon Ellsworth opposed and George Handley excused. I supported this request a year ago when it was first approved. I still think it should go ahead.




Adjournment