Orem council creates Public Facilities zone for school and city land on a 5-1 vote
May 16, 2023, 3:00 p.m. · Orem City Center, 56 North State Street, Orem
The council created a Public Facilities zone and rezoned various school and city properties into it, 5-1 with Council Member Tom Macdonald opposed, after a hearing at which residents spoke on both sides and several members tied the change to Alpine School District school closures. It also allowed the council to retain its own legal counsel, with the mayor breaking a 3-3 tie, and approved CARE tax awards and new flag and social media policies. In the afternoon the council toured the water reuse project and FrontRunner station and discussed the Transportation Master Plan.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Roads and utilities
Water reuse project and FrontRunner station tours (work session)
Discussed
The council and Planning Commission members toured the Orem Water Reclamation Facility's water reuse project, led by Assistant Public Works Director Reed Price. The project will let the plant treat wastewater to Type I reuse levels for irrigation and use cloth filtration to remove phosphorus before release to Utah Lake. They also toured the FrontRunner station, where consultant Christie Oostema of People+Place discussed station area plan possibilities and a UTA regional general manager discussed expansion plans.
Roads and utilities
Transportation Master Plan update (work session)
Discussed
Horrocks Engineering's John Dorney reviewed updates to the 2022 Transportation Master Plan, including access management standards, traffic calming guidelines, traffic impact study guidelines and a Southwest Street Network Plan. Council Member LaNae Millett asked about taking 1600 North off the plan and adding it later as needed; Council Member Jeff Lambson asked whether it could stay in the plan while the council kept control over how it is handled. City Engineer Sam Kelly said both options exist. The plan was to go to the Planning Commission the next day, with a council public hearing June 27, 2023.
Other
Consent: NUVAS board appointment and Summerfest renamed Oremfest in city code
Approved · 6-0
The council approved appointing Kris Pease to the NUVAS Special Service District, and an ordinance replacing the word Summerfest with Oremfest throughout the city code.
Zoning
Public Facilities zone and rezoning of school and city properties (public hearing)
Approved · 5-1
The council created a Public Facilities (PF) zone and rezoned various properties from C2, HS, M2, OS5, PD5, PD6, PD15, PD16, PD36, R6.5, R7.5, R8 and R12 to it, and amended the General Plan to match. Staff said the goals include preserving publicly paid-for school and city land for future generations and requiring due diligence before public land is redeveloped. Council Member LaNae Millett amended the proposal to make residential land use codes 1110, 1261, 1262, 1281 and 1285 not permitted in the PF zone. The Planning Commission supported it. Of five residents who spoke, two opposed and wanted better ways to work with Alpine School District, one raised a spot-zoning concern, and two supported it. Council Members Terry Peterson and David Spencer, Millett and Mayor Young supported the change (Spencer citing voters' choice on a future school district and Young saying it prevents future councils from selling land without a public process). Council Member Jeff Lambson said the process should include open public meetings and better collaboration with the district but voted yes. Council Member Tom Macdonald said he supported it only with discussions with the district and voted no.
- Zones affected: C2, HS, M2, OS5, PD5, PD6, PD15, PD16, PD36, R6.5, R7.5, R8, R12
- Planning Commission: recommended
- Amendment: residential codes 1110, 1261, 1262, 1281, 1285 made non-permitted
Taxes and fees
Rental dwelling license renewal fee exempted for accessory dwelling units
Approved · 6-0
The council amended Section 12-9-6 to remove the annual renewal fee for owners with a legal accessory dwelling unit; the initial application fee still applies.
Taxes and fees
Fiscal 2023-24 CARE tax allocations
Approved · 6-0
The council approved the 2023-24 CARE tax awards listed in Exhibit A of the ordinance. The main change from the work session was more money for the Timpanogos Symphony Orchestra. Council Member Terry Peterson said the split between recreation and arts is not a 50-50 match in this year; Library and Recreation Director Bryce Merrill said the 10-year split of CARE money has been 50/50 even when individual years were not.
City code
Policy on city-owned flagpoles and social media accounts
Approved · 6-0
The council adopted a policy listing the flags allowed on city flagpoles and the logos and emblems allowed in profile and cover images of city social media accounts. It does not apply to comments.
City code
Rules and regulations for the government of the City Council
Approved · 6-0
The council adopted formal rules for its own operations. City Attorney Steve Earl said they do not change how the council currently operates but put it on a more formal basis by policy.
City code
Authority for the City Council to retain separate legal counsel
Approved · 3-3
The council amended Section 2-3-10 to let it retain separate legal counsel, an at-will position the council can remove. Council Member Jeff Lambson said it could be redundant. Mayor Young and Council Members Terry Peterson and LaNae Millett said separate counsel would benefit the council. Among council members the vote was 3-3, and the mayor's yes vote broke the tie.
What residents said
Alpine School District school closuresSpot zoning1600 North in the transportation plan
At the Public Facilities zone hearing, five residents spoke: two opposed the rezoning, one raised a spot-zoning concern, and two supported it. During personal appearances John Barrick spoke about the school district's school closures.