Summary of the March 3 Meetings

In the Work Session

Neighborhood Program Purpose:
The Neighborhood Advisory Board has been evaluating the Neighborhood Program and has recommended some changes to the purpose statements to better reflect the way the program currently functions. They also wanted to clarify that neighborhoods don't always need to go through the City to accomplish their goals. Council Members will vote on adopting the updated language at a future Council Meeting.

New Energy Complex:
This year marks the 75th anniversary for Provo Power and the beginning of their transition to a new energy campus. Current facilities need replacement and the smokestacks would not withstand an earthquake. Demolition begins Monday on a smaller building. Abatement and demolition will continue in stages through September. Two sites for the new campus were considered and the Council was shown plans for construction on the current property that would incorporate historical and educational elements.


User Fees:
The Citizens Budget Committee continued the discussion on establishing guiding principles for setting user fees for Provo City. They also proposed some budget intent statements. The Mayor's office will review these and come back with more feedback in the next several weeks. 

The Council also:

• Heard a presentation on a plan for proposed cemetery plot relinquishment
• Discussed a request for an amendment to Provo City Code Chapter 15.20 to add references to new zones and update supplemental landscaping requirements. (City Wide). This will be formally heard at the March 17 Council Meeting.
• Discussed a request for a zone change from Residential Conservation to Campus Mixed Use from University Avenue to 900 East and from 700 North to the BYU campus. (Joaquin Neighborhood).  This will be formally heard at the March 17 Council Meeting.
• Discussed a request for an amendment to Section 14.29.100 to reduce building height in a Planned Industrial Commercial Zone when that zone abuts a residential zone. (City Wide). This will be formally heard at the March 17 Council Meeting.

In the Formal Meeting

RenewChoice:
The Utah Municipal Power Authority has created a renewable energy program called RenewChoice that allows Provo Power consumers the option of purchasing all or a portion of their energy from renewable sources. Because the consumers who opt-in pay a fee based on the amount of renewable energy they desire to purchase, the program pays for itself. Fifteen Provo residents, including several City Council Members, have already signed up to participate. Council Members voted unanimously to pass the resolution creating the renewable energy program and the accompanying electric rate schedule.

The Council also:

• Presented awards to the January Employee of the Month
• Passed a resolution modifying the payment on a previously approved construction loan for the Startup Building and added a requirement for quarterly financial reports
• Decided to continue an annexation and zoning request for 56 acres on the east side of North Canyon Road between 5020 and 5150 North (North Timpview and Riverbottoms Neighborhoods) to the March 17 Council Meeting
• Held a public hearing and approved a resolution amending the General Plan Land Use Map designation at 451 South 1100 West from Residential to Commercial (Franklin Neighborhood)
• Held a public hearing and approved an ordinance amending the Zone Map Classification from M-1 to LDR for approximately five acres of land located at 1000 West 500 South (Franklin Neighborhood)
• Held a public hearing and approved an ordinance amending the Zone Map Classification at 653 West 600 South from RC to MDR in order to facilitate a multi-family project on that site. (Franklin South Neighborhood)

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