Lehi City Council Work Session Summary - February 9, 2026
Lehi City Council Work Session Summary - February 9, 2026
The Lehi City Council held a work session on February 9, 2026, to discuss several key items, including the Thanksgiving Point Development Agreement, sidewalk funding, code amendments for screening and parking requirements, and auto sales in commercial zones. The meeting began with a prayer and the introduction of new code enforcement officer Travis Sharman.
Introduction of Staff
- Council welcomed Travis Sharman, the newly hired code enforcement officer.
Discussion Items
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Thanksgiving Point Development Agreement & Participation Agreement: Ryan Thomas of Stack Real Estate presented the history of the Thanksgiving Station project, including concept plan approval (March 22, 2022), area plan approval (August 8, 2023), and HTRZ approval (November 13, 2023). Over 20 drafts of the development agreement were discussed over nearly two years. Councilmembers expressed concerns about the agreement's obligations on the city, including the creation of a Public Infrastructure District (PID) allowing up to 15 mills of taxing authority, city sales tax backing of bonds (which was removed after public pushback), and the city's commitment to advocate for roads like Clubhouse Drive and a northern east-west connector. The developer offered to return with a simplified participation agreement aligning with the HTRZ code. Council agreed to review a revised version at a future meeting.
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Sidewalk Funding Discussion: Councilmember Freeman initiated a discussion on prioritizing sidewalk projects and costs. City staff presented a priority system (near schools, parks, collectors, etc.), with an average cost of $350 per linear foot. A citywide map showed about 6.5 miles of missing sidewalks downtown (estimated cost $2.5 million for high priority areas, $9.9 million for lower priority) and 14.5 miles outside downtown. Council discussed using CDBG funds, grants, and potential cost-sharing programs used by other cities. Council requested a citywide priority list and further analysis on specific corridors like 2300 West, 5th West, and routes to public venues.
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Code Amendments: Screening for Non-Residential Uses: Councilmember Stallings proposed amending code to require screening/buffering when any non-residential use borders a residential use, regardless of zoning district. Council supported the change and staff will draft an amendment.
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Off-Street Parking Reductions: Council expressed concern over parking waivers for new developments downtown, citing a recent concept plan with zero parking that would rely on legacy center lot. Discussion included requiring parking studies, minimum parking percentages, and revisiting allowed uses. Council directed staff to explore amendments for parking requirements in mixed-use and historic commerce districts.
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Auto Sales in Commercial Zones: Council debated removing minimum lot size requirements and instead basing inventory limits on available parking while maintaining public safety standards. Ideas included creating separate categories for small auto dealerships vs. class A sales, as in Farmington. Staff will research and bring draft code amendments.
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Transient Room Tax for Short-Term Rentals: Council discussed requiring short-term rental hosts to obtain business licenses and sales tax ID numbers to ensure compliance with state lodging taxes. Staff will review with business licensing before proceeding.
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Upcoming Agendas: Mayor asked council to send agenda items directly to him with a two-week lead time to allow staff adequate preparation.
Key Outcomes
- The Thanksgiving Point developer will return with a simplified participation agreement; no vote taken.
- Council directed staff to amend code to require screening for non-residential uses near any residential use.
- Council directed staff to develop a citywide sidewalk priority list and explore alternative funding mechanisms.
- Staff will draft code amendments on parking requirements for mixed-use and historic commerce districts.
- Staff will research and propose amendments to auto sales regulations in commercial zones.
- Action on the safe systems/bike lane presentation and transportation plan item (2C) was postponed to the next work session due to staff illness.
- The meeting adjourned with plans to continue discussions at the following regular session.
Meeting Transcript
Today. I do remind you that it is a work session, so there won't be any public comment today. And with that, we'll go ahead and get started and I will offer a prayer. Our Father in Heaven, we bow our heads before thee, grateful for the opportunity to come together today as staff and as a council to discuss the needs and possibilities that lie with uh within our direction here in Lehigh City. We pray for our folks that live here and for those that come and visit and those that work here that they may find joy in doing so. We we pray that as we talk about things today that we might find the right answer as we work together and work out those uh things that need to be discussed that we may work in a in a direction that's progressive and get us to a final answer. And we're grateful for again for all that we have, and we pray for the spirit to be with us as we do so and offer that prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you. Uh first item, just real quick. Travis, if you'll go ahead and stand. Just so everyone recognizes Travis. This is Travis Sharman. Travis was recently hired as our code enforcement officer. Uh so we uh when I saw him in the hallway, we we told him we would introduce him so everyone has an idea who he is as you see him walking through. Uh make sure you reach out to him, but uh his name is Travis Sharman. Travis, we welcome you, so thank you for thanks for coming. Okay, we'll start with the discussion item uh number 2.8 presentation and discussion of the Thanksgiving Point Development Agreement and participation agreement. Marlon, do you want to start us with that? Marlon's left the House. Oh, Marlon's right there. Welcome, Marlon. Marlon is here, so Marlon will let you start and we'll go from there. Actually, if it if it's all right, Mayor and Council, um Ryan Thomas with stock development actually put together a really good presentation. Uh if you would indulge him uh to go over kind of the history of the HTRZ uh and a little bit of why we're here today. Uh the bottom line is our hope is that uh we can go through any uh concerns that the council and the mayor might have uh with the development agreement participation agreement uh to see if we can get something finalized that we can then bring back to uh the council during a regular session meeting. So if it's all right, before we s Ryan, do you want to go through the presentation first? And then we'll start taking questions and and getting into it. Is that okay with the council and mayor? Yep, we're good. Okay. Do you want to start? Yeah, okay, thanks, Marlene. All right. Uh she's gonna switch, I think, to uh you all three. Excellent. All right. Sounds good. Awesome. Uh Ryan Thomas, Stack Real Estate. Happy to be here talking about Thanksgiving station. Um maybe just wanted to start with a few slides. We'd like to keep this, you know, question and answer. This has uh been in the works for a very long time. Maybe this slide will address um kind of just the history. I know there's some new faces on the council, and welcome aboard, happy to see you here. Um this is kind of the context of this project here. So Thanksgiving station, uh the conversation started back in 2018. Um the project itself received the concept plan approval, which vested the rights to the 2,000 units here March 22nd, 2022. So almost four years ago. Um our area plan was approved, which kind of the area plan, if anyone's not familiar with that, is kind of the governing document of this area.
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