American Fork
News, businesses and events in American Fork.
City council & planning →
Tue, Oct 13 · City Council
Council weighs UDOT land swap for Pony Express Parkway link to 700 West, FrontRunner double-tracking agreement
The agenda included a parcel exchange with UDOT to extend Pony Express Parkway from the Lehi border to 700 West, a master agreement letting UDOT relocate city utilities for FrontRunner double-tracking, a $140,000 crack-seal contract and a $68,714 repair of the upper pressurized irrigation pond. The council also considered starting the process to sell two city properties: 1.54 acres at 687 S. Automall Drive and 0.338 acres at 163 S. 300 West. Outcomes are pending until minutes are posted.
- Partial release of notice of interest, Timpview Logistics industrial project Pending
- Fraud risk assessment Pending
- UDOT master agreement for FrontRunner double tracking (FR2X) Pending
Wed, Oct 7 · Planning Commission
Veterinary clinics in shopping centers, more lawn at churches up for planning commission recommendation
The Planning Commission's Oct. 7 agenda included hearings on allowing small-animal veterinary clinics as a permitted use in the SC-1 shopping center zone, sought for a Sploot clinic at Main Street Plaza, and on raising the lawn limit for churches and schools from 20% to 33% of landscaped area at the request of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A clerical fix to the administrative site plan code was also scheduled. Minutes and outcomes were not yet available.
- Sploot Veterinary Clinic: vet clinics in SC-1 zone (Section 17.7.602) Pending
- Hillcrest 2, 3, 6 wards: more lawn for institutional uses (Section 17.21.020) Pending
- Administrative site plan review clerical fix (Section 17.6.101) Pending
Tue, Sep 22 · City Council
Council allows backyard cottages on large lots ahead of state deadline
The American Fork City Council voted 4-0 to allow detached accessory dwelling units on single-family lots of at least 11,000 square feet, meeting an Oct. 1 state deadline while promising to revisit parking, height, water and impact-fee questions. The council also made property owners responsible for clearing sidewalks along the side and rear of their lots, ordered $55,367 in steel for temporary Fire Station 53, and approved year-end budget adjustments.
- Release of durability retainer, Fenn Farms, 350 S. 700 West Approved · 4-0
- Public hearing on fiscal 2026 budget amendments No action
- Fiscal 2026 budget amendments Approved · 4-0
Wed, Sep 16 · Planning Commission
Planning commission recommends backyard cottage rules to meet state deadline
The American Fork Planning Commission unanimously recommended rules for detached accessory dwelling units, the backyard homes that a new state law requires cities to allow on single-family lots of at least 11,000 square feet by Oct. 1. Commissioners added changes: required parking must be off-street on the same lot with no tandem spaces, units may go in side yards without a variance, and they must sit at least 10 feet from the main house. The commission also approved a site plan for National GMC at 629 E. 1000 South that eliminates a landscape strip along I-15.
- National GMC Addition commercial site plan, 629 E. 1000 South Approved · 7-0
- "A" definitions: accessory buildings, dwellings and structures (Section 17.12.201) Recommended for approval · 7-0
- "D" definitions: detached accessory dwelling unit (Section 17.12.204) Recommended for approval · 7-0
Every meeting, item by itemCouncil minutesAuditing American ForkDevelopment and road trackerContracts and spending
What residents are raising
Property tax increase (3)Police accountability (2)Oversized accessory building at 731 N. 900 West (2)No-parking restrictions on narrow road off 700 WestCommunity gardenHotel parkingParking supply in transit-oriented development zonesLimited FrontRunner transit serviceSeniors on fixed incomesCity spending and wages
Development and road tracker →
City hall
- Politics
Ernie John leads the irrigation company. His handling of related council votes has been uneven.
He recused himself on irrigation rates and on irrigation share agreements, but voted on a fee change touching shareholders the same night and on a water-share banking agreement after noting his tie.
- Politics
American Fork's $40 million public works complex: an essentially tied architect pick, and a builder still to choose
Staff recommended WPA Architecture for $589,900 although its average score was 0.1 point behind another firm. The contractor will be chosen next, and two council members work for a construction firm.
- Politics
American Fork's impact fees haven't changed since 2017. Collections have fallen 90%.
The one-time fees on new construction were last set in 2017. A proposed update would raise the single-family maximum to about $16,700, while restricted balances fell from $38 million to $17 million in two years.
- Politics
American Fork agency kept collecting Egg Farm tax money after its report said the cap was nearly reached
The redevelopment agency's 2026 report says the business-park area had $213,198 left under a $9.26 million cap after 2022, then shows $3.28 million collected over the next three tax years. About two-thirds came from Alpine School District taxes.
- Politics
American Fork's auditors reported state-law noncompliance six years running. The details aren't public.
From fiscal 2016 through 2021, each audit said it found instances of noncompliance with Utah's audit guide and put them in a separate letter to management that isn't in the published reports.
- Politics
American Fork's debt is set to pass $110 million, about double 2022
A $40 million bond for a new public works complex and $30 million in redevelopment bonds push the city's long-term debt to a projected $112.5 million by mid-2027.
- Politics
American Fork's fitness center subsidy has nearly tripled since 2015, and fiber materials sit waiting on a deal
The general fund now covers about $1.2 million a year of fitness center costs, plus about $200,000 a year for broadband, while $5.4 million in fiber materials await a final partnership agreement.
- Politics
American Fork's oldest redevelopment areas built up $4.5 million that the agency hasn't spent
North Valley and East Main collected tax increment through 2025 and recorded no spending for three years. This year's budget would spend it on improvements it doesn't describe.
- Politics
On the record: how American Fork officials handled votes touching their ties
Minutes show Ryan Hunter abstained on the $9.1 million SIRQ fire station price, Clark Taylor disclosed a client and voted, and the mayor stepped back from the Chamber's Steel Days deal.
- Politics · Feature
Auditing American Fork: what we're examining and why
The Ledger is reading American Fork's budgets, audits, redevelopment reports and disclosures. Here is what the records show so far, and what we still want answered.
- Politics
Patriot Station tax money hasn't covered its $30 million bond payments
Tax increment from American Fork's FrontRunner-area redevelopment zone has come in at about half the forecast, leaving a $4.5 million gap that sales tax covers.
- Politics
American Fork Citizen: officials' disclosures leave open questions on contracts and ties
The local paper found a city landscaping contract held by the mayor's company went 13 years without a rebid, and that two council members list ties to the firm that built the newest fire station.
- Politics
American Fork council takes up FrontRunner, road deals and property sales
The agenda also called for notices of intent to sell two city-owned properties and contracts for crack sealing and an irrigation pond repair.
Growth & construction
- Growth & housing
American Fork to hold town hall on metered irrigation water rates
The city is moving from a flat secondary-water rate to tiered charges based on lot size and actual use, phased in over five years.
Around town
- Sports
Lone Peak survives Skyridge in shootout as girls soccer playoffs open
Lehi and American Fork also advanced in 6A, while Timpanogos upset No. 2 Wasatch in double overtime and Salem Hills knocked off Timpview in the 5A and 4A openers.
- Sports
Power ratings favor Skyridge, Corner Canyon and Lone Peak in Utah County's Week 10 showdowns
Skyridge-American Fork rates as the closest of the big matchups in Noland Parry's weekly Deseret News guide, while the paper's prep editor picks Spanish Fork to upset Timpview.
- Sports
Lone Peak repeats as 6A girls tennis champion; Bingham's Newman wins first singles
Lone Peak edged Skyridge and Bingham for the team title despite losing five starters, while Newman beat a Lone Peak senior in the final two years after a diabetes diagnosis.