Budget retreat sets priorities: Fitness Center fixes, Lakeview Park, 700 West, Pony Express Parkway and temporary Station 53
February 19, 2026, 4:30 p.m. · Fox Hollow Golf Course, 1400 N. 200 East
At a two-day budget workshop Feb. 19-20, the council ranked priorities for fiscal 2027, including $3-5 million in Fitness Center improvements without a bond, a $3-4 million Lakeview Park on 620 South, Lakeshore Drive, the Pony Express Parkway and a 700 West road connecting it to 200 South, the Dixie Well, and a temporary Fire Station 53 in a house leased from UDOT. A resident survey found 58% support for a Fitness Center bond, with roads and density the most common complaints.
From the approved minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Fiscal 2026 budget status, debt and property tax options | Discussed |
| Fiscal 2026 capital project status | Discussed |
| Fiscal 2027 project proposals and priorities | Discussed |
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Presentation
Community survey and fiscal 2026 strategic goals
Discussed
Assistant City Administrator Camden Bird reported 864 survey responses; 58% favored putting a Fitness Center bond on the ballot; top capital wishes were a new Fitness Center, more parks, a third fire station and FrontRunner access; roads and density drew the most comments. Fiber: a public-private partnership with CentraCom and Strata; Strata is not ready, CentraCom is. Public works facility architect bid planned for March. Fire Station 53: the city has leased a home from UDOT, hopes to move in by May, and is working with UDOT to trade property. Police and courts remodel was out to bid. Economic development moved in-house.
- Survey: 864 responses; 58% support a Fitness Center bond
- Fiber partners: CentraCom, Strata
- Station 53: temporary home leased from UDOT
Item 2 · Budget
Fiscal 2026 budget status, debt and property tax options
Discussed
General fund revenue is flat overall; sales tax up 8.4%; property tax dipped due to a Utah County error to be made up next year. Public safety is about 54% of general fund spending. PARC tax has raised a little over $14 million since 2015, about $1.58 million this year. The city gets about $376 per household per year in property tax; each 1% rate increase raises about $73,000. Outstanding debt: 2018 sales tax revenue bonds (Art Dye Park/cemetery), 2020 GO bonds (Fire Station 52), 2022 CRA tax increment bonds (200 South), 2026 lease revenue bonds (public works facility), 2015 and 2016 GO irrigation bonds, and 2020 water revenue bonds (36-inch waterline). The city's bond rating improved.
- 1% property tax = about $73,000
- PARC tax since 2015: about $14 million
Item 3 · Roads and utilities
Fiscal 2026 capital project status
Discussed
Completed: Boat Harbor improvements, Rotary Park field lights and dugouts, Hindley and Monarch playgrounds, Robinson Park pavilion, 100 West improvement plan, Caveman Boulevard signal, right-of-way for the 200 South/300 West roundabout, Automall Drive connection. In progress: 620 South park design, 700 North right-of-way (close to an agreement with Mr. Bingham), Lakeshore Drive right-of-way, 1100 South/500 East roundabout, 1500 South/860 East signal and widening.
Item 4 · Budget
Fiscal 2027 project proposals and priorities
Discussed
Fitness Center options from a 2022 VCBO study: 'must do' facelift with a 20,000-square-foot addition, a 90,000-square-foot 'better' option, or a 120,000-square-foot 'best' option with an indoor pool. Lakeview Park on 620 South: trail, restroom, pavilion, playground, pickleball/padel courts, dog park and parking, $3-4 million, partly impact fees. Slough Trail from Monarch Park south: $600,000-700,000. Lakeshore Drive to 1500 South: a three-lane collector just over a mile; first phase 26 feet of asphalt for about $3.1 million while TSSD installs sewer lines; the city is working with a church to obtain the last piece. 200 South interim improvements estimated at $24.7 million in 2022, with $8 million more for full build. 2026 road maintenance plan: $2.7 million. Pony Express Parkway: Phase 1 with $14.9 million in MAG funding; Phase 2 with $17.97 million to connect 700 West to 500 East and 1500 South, likely 2030-31. 700 West: a MAG request to connect Pony Express Parkway to 200 South as a TOD major arterial, about $5.05 million including right-of-way. Dixie Well: about $5.65 million on two city parcels, one for the pump house and one for staging then sale as a home lot, with 24-hour drilling for about two weeks. Station 53: possible bond vote in 2028 after a Fitness Center bond vote. Other priorities: in-house legal counsel, an I-15 flyover study with MAG, a CRA-funded 1100 South roundabout, a transportation utility fee and 100 East widening south of I-15.
- Pony Express Parkway MAG funding: Phase 1 $14.9M; Phase 2 $17.97M
- 700 West (Pony Express to 200 South): about $5.05M
- Lakeshore Drive Phase 1: about $3.1M
- 200 South interim: $24.7M (2022 estimate)
- Dixie Well: about $5.65M
- Lakeview Park: $3-4M
- Slough Trail: $600,000-700,000