Orem council narrows short-term rental plan to two drafts and continues University Parkway rezone
May 26, 2026, 3:00 p.m. · 56 North State Street, Orem (work session in the Council Conference Room; regular session at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers)
The council's work session turned away from a total ban on short-term rentals, directing staff to draft two regulated options for June 23. In the regular session it moved some special exceptions from the Board of Adjustment to the Planning Commission and continued a rezone of about 6 acres at 355 West University Parkway until the development agreement is signed. Council Member Jenn Gale was absent from the regular session; Council Member Quinn Mecham joined the work session by Zoom.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Decisions at a glance
Agenda, item by item
Item WS · City code
Short-term rentals: dormancy rule, legacy status, fees and enforcement
Discussed
Deputy City Attorney D. Jacob Summers proposed that an active short-term rental (STR) sit vacant five days a month, which he said still allows occupancy above 80 percent; City Attorney Steve Earl said the rule also guards against using an STR license to get around the three-unrelated-occupant limit (the draft STR ordinance would allow up to eight). Staff also proposed 'legacy status' for operators that can show operation, a city rental license, continuous listings and tax compliance before Jan. 1, 2025; the license would not transfer on sale and would be exempt from caps and a proposed 1,000-foot separation buffer. Staff estimated $141,000 to $210,000 a year for a planner and one or two enforcement officers, which spread over about 250 operators implies a fee of more than $100 (Lehi charges $190, Logan $575), and proposed a fee study by Lewis Roberts and Birmingham. A straw poll on a total prohibition drew support only from Council Members LaNae Millett and Crystal Muhlestein, short of the four votes needed. The rest of the council directed staff to draft two options for the June 23 work session: owner-occupied only, and owner-occupied plus a capped number of non-owner-occupied rentals. Members suggested owner presence during stays, a two-strikes violation policy, fines scaled to rental value, and a citywide cap of about 20 units or 1 percent of homes. No binding votes can be taken in a work session; the chosen draft would go to the Planning Commission before a council vote.
- Option 1 (total prohibition) straw poll: Millett and Muhlestein in favor; did not reach four votes
- Staff cost estimates: planner $75,000; enforcement officer about $65,000; one of each $141,000; one planner and two officers $210,000
- Next step: two draft ordinances at the June 23, 2026 work session
Item WS · Public safety
'Know Your Force' police feedback program
Discussed
Police Lt. Jeremy Jamison reported on the QR-code survey started in 2021 that lets residents rate interactions with officers. Of 686 submissions, the average rating was 4.1 out of 5 and 77.3 percent of the feedback was positive. Staff said about 80 percent of respondents stay anonymous and that the data feeds the department's early-intervention tracking, which they said meets the state's SB 124 requirement. Council Member Jeff Lambson asked that the ratings stay visible on the city website.
Item WS · Roads and utilities
Municipal wastewater planning program annual report
Discussed
Assistant Public Works Director Reed Price presented the annual state-required self-assessment of the sewer system and treatment plant. He reported sufficient revenue after recent council-approved rate increases, zero sewer backups in the past year, no environmental violations, and inflows within design capacity. Public Works Director Chris Tschirki noted a state bill that would tie low-interest loan eligibility to a community's income-based financial thresholds. City Manager Brenn Bybee said long-term master planning leaves Orem better placed than neighbors facing deferred-maintenance costs.
Item WS · City code
Flood damage prevention amendments to Chapter 10 of the city code
Discussed
Community Development Director Gary McGinn said the city must update its flood ordinance to stay in the National Flood Insurance Program after federal flood-map revisions finalized in June 2024. FEMA extended the compliance deadline from June 23 to August 2026. Staff is using FEMA's model template, and the update keeps requirements such as raising habitable floors above base flood elevation. No vote was taken; the ordinance is to return to the council for adoption.
Item WS · City code
Neighborhood Improvement Team and parking enforcement code changes
Discussed
Assistant City Attorney Aaron McKnight outlined proposed code changes: one covered, undamaged unregistered vehicle could be kept in a driveway; residential parking would be limited to paved driveways, parking districts or behind side fences, making grass parking an explicit violation; and vegetation blocking traffic signals or speed-limit signs would be a nuisance. Fines would escalate for repeat violators, including occupancy-limit and illegal-parking offenses, rather than relying on booting or towing, which stay reserved for abandoned vehicles. Car dealerships would have to keep inventory in their lots, vehicles could not be stored in city parks overnight, a single vehicle for sale could be parked in front of its owner's property subject to the 72-hour limit, and boats, trailers and RVs on the street would have to move at least 200 feet every three days. Staff also previewed longer-term work on rental disclosures, food truck rules and sales-tax allocation. The changes go to the Planning Commission before a council vote.
Item 3 · Presentation
Legislative report from Rep. Nelson Abbott
Discussed
State Rep. Nelson Abbott told the council that cost of living is the main concern at the state level, noted a 15 percent cut in the state gas tax effective July 1, 2026 and a 4.6 percent increase in the weighted pupil unit. Asked by Council Member Quinn Mecham about interim priorities, he named tax-increment financing and business tax incentives, saying the legislature should add guardrails and oversight.
Item 4 · Presentation
Natural Resources Advisory Commission awards
Discussed
The commission recognized two residents for water-wise landscaping: one for converting much of a lawn to native pollinator habitat and one for turning a front yard into a vegetable garden. The second recipient urged the city to revisit minimum turfgrass requirements, saying they kept local properties from qualifying for certain state conservation grants.
Item 5 · Presentation
Oremfest 2026 kickoff
Discussed
Events staff outlined the June 8-13 Oremfest schedule under the theme 'Red, White, Blue, and You,' marking the nation's 250th anniversary, with the Colonial Heritage Festival as grand marshal. Highlights included a car show, pool party, Orchard Jam, carnival, a drone show, a new fire department fun run and the parade. Servpro is title sponsor, and staff and Council Member Millett said sponsorships are shifting the festival's cost away from taxpayers.
Item 6 · Parks
Summer reading program
Discussed
Library staff presented the 2026 'Unearth a Story' summer reading program, which began May 30 and uses the Beanstack app. The library expects about 2,000 participants ages 0 to 18, with prizes and a finale at the Scera pool.
Item 7 · Presentation
Miss Orem royalty introductions
Discussed
Program directors introduced the 2026 Miss Orem and Miss Orem's Teen titleholders and attendants and their community service platforms. No action was taken.
Item 8 · Public safety
Police 'Picnic with Police' recap
Discussed
Behavioral health specialist Kamryn Wilson reported that the fifth annual picnic for residents with special needs drew more than 1,500 people, with over 70 police employees volunteering and 22 outside organizations. She said the event is funded by donations and sponsors, not city money.
Item 9 · Other
Consent item: 2026 City Council schedule update
Approved · 5-0
The council approved the consent calendar, which consisted of an update to the 2026 City Council schedule.
Item 10.1 · Budget
Community Development Block Grant updated annual action plan and budget
Discussed
Jessica DeLora of Mountainland Association of Governments said a planned vote was delayed because about $350,000 from the city's inactive small-business revolving loan fund (idle since 2017) put Orem over HUD's timeliness limit of 1.5 times its annual allocation. HUD directed the city to program the money, so a placeholder capital project was added, bringing expected CDBG funds to more than $1 million, including a $563,000 annual allocation and $100,000 in recaptured funds. A public hearing was set for June 11, comment closes June 22, and the council is to vote June 23. Council members discussed broadening nonprofit applicants and technical help for small groups.
- Grant$563,000
- Grant$350,000
Item 10.2 · City code
Public hearing: move certain special exceptions from Board of Adjustment to Planning Commission
Approved · 5-0
Planning Director Jared Hall presented an ordinance amending Orem City Code sections 2-15-2, 2-15-11, 2-16-2 and 22-21 to shift two special exceptions, relocating billboards in specific circumstances and allowing multi-family on single-family parcels, from the Board of Adjustment to the Planning Commission, without changing standards. Hall said such applications come up about once every few years, the Planning Commission supported the change, and the Board of Adjustment keeps variances and appeals. No one spoke at the hearing.
Item 10.3 · Zoning
Public hearing: rezone about 6 acres at 355 West University Parkway from R8 to C-2 with development agreement
Continued · 5-0
Cole West requested rezoning roughly 6 acres from R8 single-family to C-2 commercial, consistent with the general plan's regional commercial designation. A concept plan keeps the existing office building (leased through 2032 to a pest-control firm) and adds just over 12,000 square feet of retail. A development agreement bars car sales and gas stations, and the Planning Commission added tattoo parlors; on April 15 the commission voted 6-0 to recommend approval. Applicant representative McKenna Christiansen said the company is not pursuing high-density residential. Council Member Millett raised access alignment with cross-streets; a traffic study will set the final configuration. No one spoke at the hearing. Because the agreement had not yet been signed, Hall asked for a continuance and the item was moved to the June 23 consent calendar.
- Applicant: Cole West
- Acres: about 6
- Current zone → proposed: R8 → C-2 with development agreement limiting uses
- Planning Commission: recommended approval 6-0 on April 15, 2026
What residents said
Short-term rental regulationFive-day vacancy rule and eight-guest capNeighborhood complaintsLate-night enforcementFederal CDBG timeliness
Thirteen residents and business owners spoke on short-term rentals, nearly all urging regulation rather than a ban: Amy Harrocks, Nikko Romney, Aubree Spicer, Kris Hammond, John Brooks, Jerry Duckworth, Connie Romney, Gavin Nebeker, Rocia Lizano, Brandon Beebe, Aaron Kirkham and Morgan Romney. They said responsible operators support families and local workers, objected to the five-day vacancy rule and eight-guest cap, and asked for rules based on bedroom counts or measured impacts. Beebe said Orem has about 200 active listings, 89 of them whole-home, and that a few properties drive most complaints. Mayor Karen McCandless said the council is no longer moving toward an outright ban.