Council balks at 90-home Earl annexation concept, backs cemetery expansion and opting out of automatic annexation
August 4, 2026, 4:00 p.m. · City Administration Conference Room, 51 E. Main St.
Most council members said a Century Communities concept for 90 townhomes on the 10.9-acre Earl annexation near 200 South and 570 West was too dense and asked for more detached homes at about seven units per acre. Staff presented a $360,000 cemetery plan adding about 800 burial spaces and a columbarium with cremation niches, and recommended the city opt out of a new state law that would automatically annex unincorporated islands on May 1, 2027.
From the draft minutes.
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Tabitha's Way ambassador network | Discussed |
| Earl Annexation concept plan, 200 South / 570 West | Discussed |
| Cemetery expansion and columbarium | Discussed |
| Accessory dwelling unit code amendment | Continued |
| Automatic annexation of unincorporated islands (HB 457) | Discussed |
Agenda, item by item
Item 5 (taken first) · Other
Tabitha's Way ambassador network
Discussed
Councilmember Staci Carroll relayed a request from the Tabitha's Way food pantry for each city to name volunteer ambassadors and promote a yearly donation month. Mayor Frost worried about fairness to other nonprofits; Assistant City Administrator Camden Bird said a formal partnership could justify using city channels and City Administrator David Bunker suggested a memorandum of understanding. Carroll will gather ambassador candidates and work with Bird on the communications policy.
- Pantry serves a family of four for a month for under $72
Item 2 · Annexation
Earl Annexation concept plan, 200 South / 570 West
Discussed
Development Services Director Patrick O'Brien said the nearly 10-acre unannexed parcel in the TOD East Neighborhood Edge area is hard to lay out under TOD rules, which allow roughly 7-7.5 units per acre and require a mix of lot types. Century Communities (Braden Cooper), engineer Matt Brown (MW Brown Engineering) and owners Nathan and Pam Earl showed 90 two-story townhomes (just over 8 units per acre, down from an original 120) with four parking spaces per unit, 58 guest stalls and about double the required open space; the site also must dedicate right-of-way for 330 South, 200 South and 570 West. Councilmembers Taylor, Hunter and Carroll said the density was too high and preferred detached homes on the edges with limited twin homes or townhomes inside; Mayor Frost supported a mix near 7-8 units per acre and asked staff to consider clarifying TOD standards. Options discussed included a development agreement, a TOD code amendment or R2-7500 zoning. Nathan Earl said his family had worked on the property for six or seven years.
- Concept: 90 townhomes, ~8+ units/acre
- Current TOD standards: ~7-7.5 units/acre
- Developer: Century Communities (Braden Cooper)
- Engineer: MW Brown Engineering (Matt Brown)
- Owners: Nathan and Pam Earl
- Councilmember John disclosed a longstanding friendship and past professional dealings with the applicant's family
Item 3 · Parks
Cemetery expansion and columbarium
Discussed
Community Services Director Derric Rykert and cemetery staff proposed extending the cemetery south over the parking lot and part of Pony Field, adding about 800 traditional burial spaces, plus a curved columbarium near the flag and children's garden with 96 exterior niches and a communal ossuary for more than 400 people (320 niches total in later documents). Lots available for sale would last about 14 years instead of under seven, and burial capacity about 45 years. City crews would do about 90% of the work, funded from the cemetery perpetual-care fund; staff proposed reserving vacant plots for full burials. Staff also floated using about an acre of the Bingham property for cemetery storage.
- BudgetAmount not given
- Remaining lot sales: <7 years now, ~14 years after expansion
- New east-west road to Center Street would form the southern boundary
- Pony Field remainder stays grass for now
Item 4 · City code
Accessory dwelling unit code amendment
Continued
Postponed to a later work session because Councilmembers Carroll and Taylor had left.
Item 5 · Annexation
Automatic annexation of unincorporated islands (HB 457)
Discussed
O'Brien explained that HB 457 would automatically annex qualifying unincorporated islands of 55 acres or less into the city on May 1, 2027, unless the city opts out. He recommended opting out because the city would lose the ability to require road right-of-way dedication at annexation; Bunker said right-of-way costs about $600,000-$800,000 per acre. Utah County supports the city opting out. Mayor Frost directed staff to put an opt-out resolution on an upcoming agenda; Councilmember John supported it after learning there is no penalty.
- Automatic annexation date: May 1, 2027
- Right-of-way cost cited: $600,000-$800,000 per acre