Ogden council moves $1 million into infill housing fund, 7-0; funds tied to proposed buyout of Madison Avenue property
March 4, 2025, 6:00 p.m. · City Council Chambers, 2549 Washington Boulevard, Ogden
The council voted 7-0 to recognize $1 million from the Business Depot Ogden fund balance and appropriate it to the Redevelopment Agency's Quality Neighborhoods infill housing program. Speakers learned during the hearing that the money is meant to buy the former Aspen Care Center property at 2325 Madison Avenue from Weber Housing Authority, a proposal the council said it would take up formally March 11. In a work session members heard the Ogden Downtown Alliance annual report and an update on the Zone Ogden code rewrite.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item WS · Presentation
Ogden Downtown Alliance annual report (work session)
Discussed
Executive Director Reide Thompson described the organization's mission, goals, successes and challenges over the past year and plans. Discussion covered annual special events and the alliance's relationship with other event partners.
Item WS · City code
Zone Ogden zoning code rewrite update (work session)
Discussed
Senior Planner Brandon Rypien said the Zone Ogden project, begun in summer 2023, is in the drafting stage. Proposed changes include a new R-1-2.5 residential zone and more infill options such as cottage lots, cluster subdivisions and accessory units, replacement of the CP commercial zones with C-1, C-2 and C-3, new community facilities and Canyon Gateway zones, junk yards becoming a nonconforming use, new historic resource chapters and revised overlays for flood, sensitive lands, airport, 12th Street Corridor, live/work and East Central. Next steps are monthly meetings with the advisory committee and Planning Commission, refining special use chapters and moving to a final draft for adoption.
Item WS · Other
Administrative update: possible city purchase of the Weber Housing Authority property (work session)
Discussed
Mayor Nadolski said he had discussed having the city buy the property from Weber Housing Authority (WHA), which asked for speed. Community Development Director Jeremy Smith said he was preparing a formal transmittal on an option to buy the Aspen Care Center property, with money set aside for infill development in the area, to make WHA whole so it can pursue other housing projects. Members asked which city entity would sign the real estate purchase contract and whether Redevelopment Agency money is available. Chair White thanked the administration for its transparency and speed.
Item WS · Presentation
Council training: open meetings, ethics and cybersecurity (work session)
Discussed
City Attorney Gary Williams gave required training on the Open and Public Meetings Act and the state Ethics Act, and IT Manager Barry Chapman gave required cybersecurity training.
Item 5 · Budget
Budget amendment: $1,000,000 for Quality Neighborhoods infill housing (Ordinance 2025-8)
Approved · 7-0
The council amended the fiscal 2025 budget to recognize $1 million of Business Depot Ogden fund balance as revenue and appropriate it to the Redevelopment Agency's Quality Neighborhoods Initiative, moving up the fiscal 2026 appropriation. The initiative, adopted in 2015 and renewed in fiscal 2021, aims to reduce concentrations of low-income or substandard housing in the East Central neighborhood and raise maintenance standards, owner-occupancy and property values. In the hearing, Kerry Wayne asked whether the program could focus on other neighborhoods and Heath Satow asked whether the money would buy the Aspen Care Center property from WHA. Chair White said it would; Council Member Richey said the money was already programmed for next year's budget; Council Member Choberka said the mayor had proposed the purchase but the council had not ratified it, and Chair White said formal action would come March 11. Council Member Hyer said the program is not tied to one neighborhood but is mostly used in East Central, and Mayor Nadolski agreed other areas have needs.
- Budget$1.00 million
What residents said
Weber Housing Authority project outcome and city purchaseFocus of the infill housing program on East CentralHomelessness servicesTransparency
Kerry Wayne urged the city to support the Weber Housing Authority project and keep homeless services centrally located. Heath Satow said the purpose of the $1 million should have been stated in the presentation and asked for more transparency about state legislation that was dropped once the city and WHA reached a deal. Robert Hunter said the legislation would not have taken effect before May 7, 2025, called the outcome a regrettable loss of 25 units and $600,000 in federal pandemic-relief funds and said the aim now is to work with the county on alternative sites. Marcus Carr of Growing Unified Development urged more help for homeless families, and Travis Pate invited residents to Women's History Month events and urged the city to refocus on the Nine Rails Creative District plan. Mayor Nadolski said about 85 percent of subsidized housing units in Weber County are in Ogden, which has 34 percent of the county's population.