Lehi City Council Work Session – January 7, 2025

This work session focused on two major topics: a proposed attainable housing overlay zone aimed at creating smaller, more affordable starter homes, and discussions regarding the naming of the new Central School District and appointments to the Utah County Redistricting Advisory Committee. No public comments were received.

Selection of Mayor Pro Tempore

• Councilor Chris Condie nominated Councilor Paige Albrecht as Mayor Pro Tempore for 2025. The nomination was seconded by Councilor Heather Newall, and there were no other nominations. The selection was unanimous.

Attainable Housing Overlay Zone – Presentation and Discussion

Overview: Mayor Mark Johnson presented a proposal for an attainable housing overlay zone that would offer incentives for developers to build smaller, more affordable homes. Key elements included:

• A 50% density bonus for developers building homes of 1,200 square feet or less (or 1,000 square feet under consideration) on 6,000-square-foot lots.
• Deed restrictions requiring owner-occupancy in perpetuity to prevent corporate or investor ownership.
• Adoption of a sub-local street standard (30-foot road with mountable curbs) to reduce infrastructure costs.
• Allowing homeowners to contribute sweat equity on items like garages and landscaping.
• Homes would be built slab-on-grade (no basement) with carports, and designed for future expansion.

Speaker Positions:

• Mayor Mark Johnson – Strongly supported the concept, comparing it to post-war housing. He argued that without government assistance, a density bonus is necessary to make smaller homes financially viable for builders. He opposed restricting eligibility to specific professions and favored open qualification for any qualified buyer.
• Cameron Diehl, Utah League of Cities and Towns – Expressed that many city leaders across the state are interested in this density-bonus-for-ownership model. He noted that 190,000 entitled units are stuck due to infrastructure issues and that Lehigh’s approach could be replicated elsewhere. Diehl emphasized the importance of cities offering solutions rather than reacting to state mandates.
• Councilor Heather Newall – Generally supportive, stating the proposal addressed previous concerns. She stressed that the density bonus must be tied to truly affordable home sizes and that community amenities and architectural differentiation should not be sacrificed.
• Councilor Michelle Stallings – Supportive but questioned whether a bonus density was necessary; suggested a new zoning designation instead. She emphasized protecting existing affordable housing stock and careful placement of overlays to avoid infrastructure and traffic issues.
• Councilor Chris Condie – Supportive but raised concerns about potential impacts on rental prices and developers requesting exceptions in inappropriate areas.
• Councilor Paul Hancock – Supportive but cautioned about validating the assumption that smaller homes reduce infrastructure demand. He suggested limits on density increases and liked the idea of pre-designed expansion options.
• Councilor Paige Albrecht – Supportive, but questioned whether there should be limits on zone changes (e.g., from half-acre to 6,000 sq ft lots). She also suggested reviewing permitted uses and nuisance ordinances for higher-density areas.

Statistical Context:

• Average household income in Lehi: $117,000. At 80% AMI, $93,600; 30% housing cost threshold implies about $2,340/month.
• Example: a 1,200 sq ft home at $345,000 (with $20,000 down, 6–7% interest) results in a monthly payment around $2,700, still above target affordability.
• The analysis showed that even smaller homes in recent developments (e.g., Holbrook Farms, Parkside Cottages) sold for $500,000 to $644,000, highlighting the need for size reductions.

Central School District – Naming and Redistricting Committee Appointments

Discussion: The council considered two issues:

1. Appointments to the Utah County Redistricting Advisory Committee – The interlocal board (six cities forming the new district) is asked to nominate two representatives. Councilor Condie nominated Councilor Heather Newall, citing her involvement and familiarity with other cities. The council agreed.
2. Naming of the new school district – Mayor Johnson expressed concern that public naming processes become emotional and distract from more important priorities. Councilors debated whether the interlocal board should pursue a permanent name or continue using “Central” as a placeholder.
   • Councilor Newall advocated for a temporary name other than “Central” to avoid confusion during school board elections, and suggested involving the Alpine School District in a community survey and naming committee.
   • Councilor Stallings argued against the city taking the lead, stating the elected school board should handle naming. She was concerned about costs and potential overreach.
   • Councilor Condie preferred sticking with “Central” and letting the new board engage the public on the final name.
   • Councilor Albrecht agreed the new board should have the opportunity, but was open to a temporary placeholder.
   • Councilor Hancock warned that even a placeholder name can become entrenched (e.g., “Mount Trashmore” example), so if a placeholder is used, it should simply be “Central.”

Outcome: Mayor Johnson noted he would take the council’s input to the interlocal board meeting the next day. No formal decision was made; the council leaned toward recommending that the interlocal board keep “Central” as a placeholder and allow the new school board to manage the permanent naming process.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous selection of Paige Albrecht as Mayor Pro Tempore for 2025.
• Attainable housing discussion – The council provided direction to staff to develop the overlay zone concept, with emphasis on infrastructure analysis, deed restrictions, and appropriate locations. The mayor will present this concept to the Utah League of Cities and Towns for potential replication.
• School district appointments – Councilor Heather Newall was nominated for the redistricting advisory committee; Mayor Johnson will convey the nomination to the interlocal board.
• School district naming – No vote taken; council consensus was to recommend “Central” as a placeholder and defer final naming to the new school board.