CITY COUNCIL ROLLS BACK STATE STREET MASTER PLAN

The State Street Master Plan has undergone some major trimming.

Last month, City Council voted by a 5-0 margin to repeal several of the plan’s key provisions, including those allowing for increased building height and designating special city districts.

Mayor David Young lauded the outcome as an important step toward preserving the integrity of Orem’s neighborhoods.

“Our focus is to keep Orem ‘Family City USA,’ and tonight Orem made a giant leap toward that objective,” Mr. Young said. “With this change, we can now focus on helping our business community and attracting new businesses to Orem.”

Some of Mr. Young’s closest allies on City Council said they view last year’s local elections as a referendum on ballooning development and high-density housing in the city. The changes to the Master Plan, they said, fulfilled a campaign promise to check that expansion.

“I was reelected with a mandate for change, and high-density housing was at the top of that list,” said Councilman David Spencer. “I promised to keep the integrity of our neighborhoods and stave off commercial creep. We have listened, and continue to listen to the citizens of Orem.”

“Our vote tonight is the fulfillment of our promise,” said Councilman Terry Peterson. “We will continue to listen and to make needed changes. Orem is a great place to live, work and raise a family. Let’s keep it that way.”

Among other changes, the council’s vote will return zoning rules along the State Street corridor to their condition prior to 2018. The shift will slash the number of properties eligible for high-density housing, though some pockets of residential zoning and planned development will remain.

The council’s decision also puts a reduced cap on the permitted height of new State Street buildings. Commercial structures may not be taller than 48 feet, down from 60 feet before the vote, while new buildings within 100 feet of residences may not be taller than 35 feet.

The changes also eliminate any reference to the State Street districts. One piece of the original Master Plan remains untouched, however. The proposed 15-foot planters separating businesses from the road will continue as planned.

Not all members of the community were as enthusiastic about the roll-back as Mr. Young and his supporters. During council deliberations last month, Orem residents Cathy Ambrose and Mike Terry expressed concern that the changes would stymie affordable housing and disregard years of collaborative planning.

“A community not looking to grow, becomes a stagnant community,” said Mr. Terry. “We need to create a dynamic community that urges people and business to come here.”

Barry Roberts, the sole member of the recently reorganized Planning Commission to oppose the changes, voiced similar objections.

“It doesn’t seem to be the right thing to do right now,” Mr. Roberts said.

Council members Tom McDonald and Debbie Lauret, who in the past have clashed with Mr. Young on city issues, did not attend the Master Plan vote. It was not immediately clear whether their absence signaled opposition to the proceedings or was purely coincidental.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on February 23.