Housing In Provo City

Photo credit: Matthew Taylor

Affordable housing has been making the news across the country.  It is not unique to Provo or to Utah that many people are struggling to find housing that can be purchased or rented in a range that is attainable for the average worker wage. According to a report in the Gardner Business Review, Utah’s demographic growth “produced exceptionally strong demand for housing, which in turn has put upward pressure on housing prices.”         

Because of the shortage in affordable housing, the Provo City Council made it one of their priorities beginning in 2016. Council’s Housing Committee was formed and the Committee worked to educate themselves on issues relative to affordable housing, brought in experts to discuss ways in which the Council can assist in increasing affordable housing options, and are working on legislation to assist developers to increase housing options in the City.

We have heard that some people believe that Provo City is turning down development projects for higher density housing. This is simply not true. The City Council has not turned down any higher density projects in the past three years. In fact, over 1,500 new housing units have been approved during that time or are currently in the process of approval. Several of those projects have been built and several others are currently under construction (see Table below).

Council Work Meeting | June 19, 2018

Agenda  (Time stamps have been added on YouTube to the individual agenda items to help you find them in the video.)


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Comment below (requires Google+ account), on our Facebook page, through our online comment form, or by contacting Council Members directly. Comments/input on items appearing on an upcoming meeting agenda will be compiled and provided to Council Members the day before the meeting. **Note - your comments will be part of the public record.

Citizens Agenda for Meetings on June 19, 2018

Citizens Agenda
Council meeting agendas are often difficult for people to navigate. Filled with jargon and legal requirements on how an item must be listed, it can be a challenge to determine what Council members are actually discussing or deciding on.

What follows is a staff interpretation of the agendas.
The official published agendas and supporting materials can be found here:  http://publicdocuments.provo.org/sirepub/meet.aspx

PROVO MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Work Meeting Agenda
12:15 PM, Tuesday, June 5, 2018

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 on tax increment funding (18-057)
   
   • Recently, there have been a number of post-performance sales tax items brought before Council. The frequency of these items has caused some Councilors to question the use of increment as a tool. Specifically, how frequently should projects be approved? What type of project warrants the use of increment funding? What limitations has the County and School District placed on usage?This is an opportunity for Councilors to express their views on the use of increment as a tool. Economic Development has been invited to answer questions
2. A discussion on the Real Estate Purchase Agreement and Development Agreement for a medical school at the golf course (17-136)
   
   • The Administrative Staff and the developers of the new medical school (being built on the a portion of the golf course property) have now exchanged draft agreements several times and are now ready to bring a substantially complete agreement to the Council for review, discussion and verification that the documents substantially conform to the direction and discussion that transpired in the January 2018 Municipal Council meeting.
3. A discussion on police personnel levels (18-069)
   
   • Provo is currently 15 police officers short of what was recommended in a 2012 report issued by the Police Executive Research Forum. While the FY 2019 Tentative Budget provides for four additional officers and a police analyst position, the Council is concerned that without taking additional measures, the City may continue to suffer an officer shortage. Chief Ferguson and Daniel Softley will present specific options for the Council to consider in effort to address these concerns.
     

Council Addresses Freedom Festival Parade News

The Provo City Council would like to address the recent news regarding the denial to several LGBT organizations as parade entries. These organizations do important work in our community and we want them to know they are welcome and needed here. They are helping our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and many others in need of support.

We support the nondiscrimination clause in Provo City’s contract with America’s Freedom Festival and have long appreciated the positive economic benefit America’s Freedom Festival brings to Provo. It is disappointing that parade organizers and these community groups were unable to come to some sort of agreement that would allow the groups to participate in the parade.

Still, we recognize that the newly signed contract between Provo City and the Festival provides room for Festival organizers to decide which entries comply with their overall mission and specific event requirements. Out of 120 parade entries, 22 were rejected. We don’t know how those specific decisions were made or the rationale for rejecting specific entries. We have just heard that those who were rejected now have an opportunity to modify their entries and reapply to be in the parade.

We encourage everyone to work as a community to resolve the challenges that face us. These are critical issues that are important to our community and we look forward to having the necessary conversations to bring the community together.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Comment below (requires Google+ account), on our Facebook page, through our online comment form, or by contacting Council Members directly. Comments/input on items appearing on an upcoming meeting agenda will be compiled and provided to Council Members the day before the meeting. **Note - your comments will be part of the public record.

Summary of Action | Meetings on June 5, 2018

PROVO MUNICIPAL COUNCIL

Work Meeting
12:00 PM, Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Room 310, City Conference Room
351 West Center Street, Provo, UT 84601
Summary of Action
 
Approval of Minutes

• April 17, 2018 Joint Meeting with the Planning Commission
• May 1, 2018 Work Meeting

Approved by unanimous consent.

Business

1.  A discussion on funding options for Miss Provo and parade float (18-055)
A motion to add $12,000 in parade float funding to the list of items the Council would like the Administration to work into the budget was approved 5:1, with Kay Van Buren opposed and George Handley excused. (This would bring total funding for the float to $22,000.)
A motion to continue the discussion on Miss Provo funding to the June 19, 2018 Work Meeting was approved 6:0, with George Handley excused.

2.  A discussion on appropriating $160,000 in the General Fund, Parks and Recreation Department to fund needs in the Recreation Center (18-064)
Presentation only. This item was already scheduled for the June 5, 2018 Council Meeting.

3.  A discussion on rental dwelling license fees (18-065) Presentation only.

4.  A presentation on reinvestment for the Shops at Riverwoods(18-066)
A motion to schedule this item for the June 19, 2018 Council Meeting was approved 6:0, with George Handley excused.


5.  A discussion with officials from Utah League of Cities and Towns regarding State legislative items (18-067) Presentation only.

6.  A discussion on Bulldog Blvd. construction (18-068)
Presentation only. Council would like staff to work with engineering to get information on the Bulldog Blvd. project out to the public. Staff will also coordinate with Leadership to schedule another discussion about Bulldog Blvd.

7.  An update on the proposed budget (18-005)
Presentation only. If Council members want to fund anything that is not in the budget yet, they will come to staff with a proposal (supported by four Council members) on what to cut from the budget in order to make money available for their item of interest.

Gary Winterton: Response to Daily Herald Editorial

In response to Daily Herald Editorial 

On Sunday, May 27, 2018, the Daily Herald Editorial titled “Provo, where ‘Welcome Home’ doesn’t apply to the young, single professional population” addressed an issue that has energized many. The editorial alleges that “Provo wants single millennials out” or that “single professionals are not welcome.” This is a sad, inappropriate assumption. The young single professionals are critical to the vitality of our community and we need them to play a vital role in the evolution of our great city. In 2017, residents approached city officials asking for help with enforcing existing laws regarding occupancy and parking regulations. In conjunction with Council, the Mayor’s Office, Community Development, several citizens and many public meetings, a plan was developed to help Community Development enforce the laws that are in the books. One of those tools to aid in enforcement was the rental disclosure requirement. This disclosure requirement was to help lessors and lessees in understanding existing laws as well as to help Community Development enforce existing laws. With the rental disclosure, nothing about current occupancy limits was changed. Zoning violations were already prosecuted as a Class C misdemeanor. Penalties for zoning law violations need to be in place, otherwise they are merely zoning suggestions. Currently, the Council and Administration are working hard to inform residents of the laws and new disclosure requirement. Letters have been sent, open houses held, and articles have been written and placed in as many forums as we have access.

Provo Pig for Utah County Fair

To help in promoting the Utah County Fair, each city in Utah County was given a wooden pig to decorate. The Neighborhood Art Center took on the task of decorating Provo City's pig using the theme "things we love about Provo." The result is magnificent and you will soon find yourself drawn in and identifying many iconic Provo scenes.
UPDATE: Vote for Provo's pig here: http://utahcounty.gov/pigs/

 

Council Work Meeting | June 5, 2018

Part 1 of 2


Part 2 of 2


Agenda  (Time stamps have been added on YouTube to the individual agenda items to help you find them in the video.)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Comment below (requires Google+ account), on our Facebook page, through our online comment form, or by contacting Council Members directly. Comments/input on items appearing on an upcoming meeting agenda will be compiled and provided to Council Members the day before the meeting. **Note - your comments will be part of the public record.

Citizens Agenda for Meetings on June 5, 2018

Citizens Agenda
Council meeting agendas are often difficult for people to navigate. Filled with jargon and legal requirements on how an item must be listed, it can be a challenge to determine what Council members are actually discussing or deciding on.
What follows is a staff interpretation of the agendas.

The official published agendas and supporting materials can be found here:  http://publicdocuments.provo.org/sirepub/meet.aspx

PROVO MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Work Meeting Agenda
12:00 PM, Tuesday, June 5, 2018

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 on funding options for Miss Provo and parade float (18-055)
   
   • This was initially discussed at the May 1 work meeting. Provo City and Miss Provo have been partners in promoting Provo for many years, with the City providing limited financial support for the Miss Provo Organization, and a parade float to promote the City with the expectation that Miss Provo participants would ride in the parade. Since 2016, the City Council Office has been Provo City’s liaison to the Miss Provo Organization—a role that had previously been fulfilled by the Mayor’s Office. As a result, the Council Office budget includes funding for Miss Provo and the associated city float. This discussion will address support regarding regarding the Miss Provo pageant and their involvement with the Provo City float. A public survey was conducted to gauge public opinion and help with Council’s discussion.
2. A discussion on appropriating $160,000 in the General Fund, Parks and Recreation Department to fund needs in the Recreation Center (18-064)
   
   • The popularity and growth in Recreation Center attendance has led to additional expenses. An appropriation of $160,000 is requested to finish the FY2018 budget year to cover expenses for personnel, merchant fees, concessions, and supplies. Funds for the appropriation will be covered by the additional revenues generated by the Recreation Center during the budget year and will not affect the $500,000 that the facility has been budgeted to return to the general fund, nor the $412,000 budgeted to go towards current and future capital needs for the facility.
3. A discussion on rental dwelling license fees (18-065)
   
   • The Council has asked for regular reviews of City fees to assess how those fees compare to actual costs and determine if adjustments need to be made. Currently the cost of a rental dwelling license is $20 for one rental unit or $60 for more than one rental unit. Community Development will provide the Council with additional information, including a comparison to other cities’ rental dwelling licenses.