Lehi City Council Work Session - March 4, 2025
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Lehi City Council Work Session - March 4, 2025
The Lehi City Council held a work session on March 4, 2025, at 4:04 PM in the City Council Chambers. The meeting covered an Arbor Day proclamation, approval of purchase orders, a presentation from UDOT on the 2100 North and Pioneer Crossing projects, a discussion on a proposed attainable housing overlay zone, a presentation on the Lehi Block mixed-use concept, a review of city department goals, and a staffing discussion for Family Park. The council also heard public comment from a developer.
Consent Calendar
- Arbor Day Proclamation: The council unanimously approved a proclamation declaring April 25, 2025, as Arbor Day in Lehi City. The proclamation highlighted the benefits of trees, including environmental and economic impacts. Parks staff noted that 1,242 trees were planted in city parks last year.
- Purchase Orders: The council approved several purchase orders as presented in the agenda packet without discussion or objection.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Jason Harris (resident and developer) spoke during the attainable housing discussion. He expressed concern that the proposed overlay zone was over-regulated, particularly regarding lot size, frontage requirements (60 feet), and architectural specifications (e.g., 40% stone or brick, 8/12 roof pitch). He urged the council to allow flexibility so developers can meet the $400,000 target price, and offered to test a prototype on a specific parcel to demonstrate feasibility.
Discussion Items
2.a. Arbor Day Proclamation
- The mayor read the proclamation, which was unanimously approved. Tree planting events are scheduled for April 26, 2025, and a fall event (September 11). A new "Mulch Madness" event in March was also announced.
2.b. Purchase Orders
- Approved without discussion.
3.a. 2100 North Project Update (UDOT)
- Andrew Jordan (UDOT Project Director) and Matt Parker (Project Manager) presented. The project will add a six-lane freeway between existing frontage roads from Mountain View Corridor to I-15, with grade separations at 3600 West, 2300 West, and Waterbury. Construction is expected to start late winter 2025/early spring 2026 and finish fall 2028.
- Noise walls: An extensive noise study was conducted; most areas did not meet federal policy criteria due to cost-effectiveness. Only one area near I-15 qualified for a noise wall extension. Councilmember expressed frustration that residents near Ashton Boulevard will be impacted but did not qualify. UDOT noted a public hearing on the environmental document is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, 2025, where residents can comment on the noise study.
- Aesthetics: The project will use a Mountain View Corridor theme west of the railroad and an I-15 tech corridor theme east. A betterment option for fencing near the skate park (powder-coated chain link vs. a more expensive option) was presented but not decided; the mayor preferred to spend the $1 million elsewhere.
- Council questions: A councilmember asked about adding dual left-turn lanes at 3600 West to separate Texas turnarounds; UDOT agreed to study it.
3.b. Pioneer Crossing Project Update (UDOT)
- Matt Parker presented: The project will implement flex lanes (reversible lanes) on Pioneer Crossing from Mountain View Corridor to I-15, converting the median into a seventh lane that shifts direction based on peak traffic (4 lanes eastbound AM, 4 westbound PM). Construction is planned for summer 2025 to fall 2026, with night work required for median installation.
- Additional lane capacity between I-15 and Mill Road will be added to improve westbound to southbound movements.
- Council discussed speed limits (45 mph), signal timing impacts on cross traffic, and the need for public notifications. A public open house is set for April 9, 2025, at Snow Springs Elementary.
3.c. Presentation of Lehi City Department Goals (Cameron Boyle)
- The assistant city administrator presented eight priorities derived from the budget retreat, including regional transportation, customer service, competitive staffing, zoning/code enforcement, parks and recreation, and financial planning. Each department has specific goals, strategies, and measures. The document will be sent to council for review.
3.d. Discussion of Family Park Employees (Parks Department)
- Steve (Parks Director) reported that Family Park opened March 1 and is very popular. Staffing the park 98 hours per week (14 hours/day, 7 days) requires 2.45 FTE. Current staffing is short 58 hours per week, costing $2,750/week in overtime, or $110,000 annually for 40 weeks. Vandalism occurred when the park was closed on Sundays (e.g., gate damage).
- Options discussed: hire an additional full-time employee (cost ~$95,000) to reduce overtime; open the splash pad on Sundays with staff split between Family Park and Ivory Ridge Park; or keep the park open on Sundays but leave the splash pad closed and rely on the public to self-police. The council asked for a cost sheet and will consider a budget amendment.
- Councilmember expressed concern about the slippery slope of adding staff for every new park. The mayor suggested a trial basis with the splash pad closed on Sundays.
3.e. Presentation of Lehi City Grant Program Update
- This item was skipped because the presenter was not present.
3.f. Discussion on Attainable Housing Overlay Zone (Planning Department)
- Brittany presented the proposed "Starter Home Residential" overlay zone (later renamed to "Starter Home Attainable Residential" with acronym SHARE). Key features:
- Sales price under $400,000 (or lower than comparable homes without the overlay)
- Detached single-family homes only, no more than 100 lots per subdivision
- Lot size max 5,999 sq ft (to prevent ADUs), 60-ft frontage
- Density: 10 units/acre for projects under 10 acres, 8 units/acre for larger
- Max ground floor area 1,200 sq ft, unfinished basements limited to 50% of homes
- Setbacks: 8 ft/12 ft sides, 20 ft front/rear
- No garages built (but must show future garage addition), one-story homes, steep roof pitch (8/12)
- Architectural features required (e.g., brick/stone, covered porches)
- Owner-occupied requirement, no HOA
- Council discussed enforcement, potential for individual lot development, and the need for a review mechanism tied to market changes. The mayor suggested a standard development agreement template.
- The council will seek legal advice on price caps and profit limitations. The item will be brought back for formal consideration on March 18, 2025, after further refinement.
3.g. Presentation of Lehi Block Mixed Use Concept (Gardner Group, Wasatch Group, Boyer)
- The developers proposed a revised concept for the Lehi Block (near the existing Embold project) to reduce office space, increase retail, and add 58 apartment units. The current commercial zoning requires a general plan amendment or development agreement.
- Council opinions were divided: Some supported the mixed-use concept, citing the success of Embold and the need for rental options. Others opposed the increase in residential density, citing infrastructure constraints (water, sewer, traffic) and the desire for more office space and homeownership opportunities. The mayor noted that the city must consider capacity limits and the pending TOD requirements (30% ownership) for nearby developments.
- The developers agreed to work with staff on infrastructure analysis and to consider including condominium ownership units. The council recommended proceeding with an amendment to the existing development agreement.
Key Outcomes
- Arbor Day Proclamation: Approved unanimously.
- Purchase Orders: Approved unanimously.
- 2100 North Project: No formal action; council received information. UDOT will continue community outreach on noise wall concerns.
- Pioneer Crossing Project: No formal action; council noted the April 9 open house.
- Department Goals: Document will be shared with council for review.
- Family Park Staffing: Council directed staff to prepare a cost analysis for an additional full-time employee and will consider a budget amendment. The splash pad may remain closed on Sundays pending a trial period.
- Attainable Housing Overlay: Further refinement needed; legal review on price caps and development agreements. Next discussion scheduled for March 18, 2025.
- Lehi Block Mixed Use: Developers will analyze infrastructure capacity and consider ownership options. No formal action taken; council encouraged amending the existing development agreement rather than a general plan amendment.
Meeting adjourned at approximately 6:30 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Started, I apologize. I'm four minutes late. It is 4 04. It is March 4th 2025. All our council members are here in attendance. This is a work session today. So it's an extended work session because of uh a lot of conflicts going on this month. Uh we're going to start out with uh an opening prayer, and I've asked uh Chris if he would do that for us today. To thank thee for the prosperity that our city is experiencing, and to thank you for the opportunity to serve the city and to participate with the residents and the staff and helping to move uh the priorities of the city forward. Uh Father, we ask the blessing to be upon us this evening, that as we uh listen and participate in discussion, that thy spirit may be upon us all, that we may uh listen to understand and that we may have a uh positive and conduct uh productive uh conversation. Father, we are aware of our first of responders, our military and all of our staff, and we're aware of all that they do for us and ask that thou bless them and their families, that they'll may continue to watch over them and bless those who are suffering and um in harm's way, Father. We pray that thy blessings be upon them and and that uh we may always show our gratitude for that which we have. And this we pray and do so in the name of my son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Chris. Okay. Uh just as a matter of note, as is anybody here from the Gardner Group, yeah. Do you mind if we uh bounce your agenda item around a little bit? Because I had a request to move 3F and 3B and trade places with those. So the good thing is you get here a bunch of a whole bunch of presentations you probably don't give a hoot about, but you know, it's just for it's continuing education is what it is. So okay. Uh so we will be moving uh hearing uh 3F in the place of 3B and 3B where 3F was uh item 2A is our Arbor Day proclamation. Uh Jessica Smith is here, right? Oh, there she is. I'm looking from the back. Okay. So I'm gonna go ahead and read through through this, and then if you unless you want to say something before I read through it, I don't know if you want to say something after. So okay. Well, uh let me go ahead and read through the well, no, you get up first. Let's do that, do it that way. Uh so Arbor Day uh this year. Um April 26th, we'll be planting trees, of course, at uh one of the parks with our ongoing tree restoration and all of our existing parks. And then we also always do a fall one as well. We always do two events. Um and that usually coincides with the September 11th project on volunteers and that. And then also another thing that we're doing, hopefully, is we are starting to do a mulch madness party at the parks around there, and so that will help the trees and the plants as well. In March? In March. The March mulch madness. Mulch madness. Can anybody say that five times, like real fast? So, yeah, we're trying to start to kick that off as a yearly thing here. Okay. Did you say the tree planting was March 26 or April? April 26th. Okay, that's what you okay. Any questions for Jessica? Okay, thanks. Have you ever yelled at your kids wondering where they were and they're standing right in front of you because you're just looking over?
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