Summary of the March 17 Meetings

In the Work Session

Retail Strategy Study:
Retail Strategies presented the much-anticipated retail strategy study for Provo City. They were very positive about the potential for attracting new retailers that would be a good fit for Provo. The full study is available here.

Vote by Mail:
Council Members received public comments submitted via email, blogs, and social media and heard a presentation on the results of a survey regarding voting by mail. While there appears to be a lot of support for voting by mail, it would require efforts to educate citizens on the process. Concerns were expressed on the election cost doubling and deciding how to fund it as well as the potential confusion with Provo City doing voting by mail while elections conducted by Utah County every other year being handled traditionally. Council approval is not required to enact the program but the administration prefers to have their support. No decision was made to move forward with it at this time but a recommendation was made to encourage more citizens to vote with a mail-in absentee ballot to show interest and participation in this type of process.

The Council also:

• Approved a Council rules policy on the use of development agreements
• Held further discussion on the proposed new energy complex and the process involved in choosing the location
• Discussed a request for a zone change from A1.5 to R1.10 zone on properties located between approximately 4900 and 5000 North on the east side of Canyon Road. (North Timpview Neighborhood). This will be formally heard at the April 7 Council Meeting.
• Discussed a request for approval of a street vacation for 940 North between 300 and 500 West, adjacent to property owned by IHC Health Services Inc. to allow them to connect their property into a healthcare campus. This will be formally heard at the April 7 Council Meeting.
• Discussed a request for an amendment to Provo City Code Sections 14.23.020(7), 14.14A.040, 14.14B.040, 14.14C.040, and 14.14E.040, in order to clarify language regarding permitted uses and prior created lots. (City Wide). The Council sent this to the Planning Commission to review.

In the Formal Meeting

Neighborhood Program:

Voted on purpose statements. Continued to April 7 meeting

The Council also:

• Presented awards to the February Employee of the Month and March Employee of the Month
• Had a presentation by the Covey Center's Improv Broadway production
• Appointed David Sewell as Chair and Calli Hales as Vice-Chair of the Redevelopment Agency of Provo City for the remainder of the 2015 calendar year
• Passed a resolution requiring the owner of a lot, site, or portion of the Provo City Cemetery that has been unused for burial purposes for more than 60 years to file a notice of claim to the lot, site, or portion with the Provo City Recorder
• Passed a resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of up to $20 million of energy system revenue bonds
• Denied an annexation petition for approximately 0.47 acres of property generally located at 4435 North Canyon Road. (North Timpview Neighborhood)
• Held a public hearing and denied an annexation petition for 56 acres on the east side of North Canyon Road between 5020 and 5150 North (North Timpview and Riverbottoms Neighborhoods)
• Passed a resolution indicating the intent of Provo City to annex 3.15 acres at 5050 N Canyon Road (North TImpview and Riverbottoms Neighborhoods) and directed City staff to draft an annexation agreement for the April 21 meeting
• Passed a resolution approving the proposed design of the NeighborWorks project generally located at 590 South 400 West
• Held a public hearing and passed an ordinance amending the Zone Map classification from Residential Conservation to Campus Mixed Use from University Avenue to 900 East and from 700 North to the BYU campus. (Joaquin Neighborhood). 
• Passed an ordinance a amending Provo City Code Chapter 15.20 to add references to new zones and update supplemental landscaping requirements (City Wide)
• Passed an ordinance amending Section 14.29.100 to reduce building height in a Planned Industrial Commercial Zone when that zone abuts a residential zone.(City Wide)
• Passed an ordinance amending Provo City Code Section 9.31.110 to remove references to BYU from the notification which is required to be placed on the windshield of a booted or towed vehicle.

This is a general summary of the Council's meetings. For a more detailed agenda and minutes, please visit our public documents site: http://publicdocuments.provo.org/sirepub/meet.aspx
Video recordings:  Work Meeting and Council Meeting

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