Orem outlines 10-month canal study of about 330 adjoining parcels with no trail decided
August 25, 2026, 3:30 p.m. · 56 North State Street, Orem (Council Conference Room)
At a work session, consultant Methods Consulting described a 10-month study of the dry Union Bench canal corridor, covering about 330 adjacent parcels, and council members said no trail or other outcome has been decided. Staff also previewed a rental license change, due for a vote Sept. 8, that exempts owners housing relatives rent-free. Council Members LaNae Millett and Chris Killpack are listed as attending by Zoom. No votes were taken other than adjournment.
From the approved minutes. Updated October 14, 2026.
Orem's mayor is a voting member of the seven-member council. The minutes count the six council members in each tally and record the mayor's vote beside it, so a council vote of 6-0 with the mayor voting yes is 7-0 with the mayor.
In brief
2 items came up for a decision or discussion: 2 discussed.
1 item here is tracked in the city's development tracker.
This write-up links 3 source documents and the meeting video.
7 members were present.
Residents raised canal corridor ownership and liability, adjacent property owner anxiety, and rental license fees for family housing.
The previous City Council work session meeting was on August 11, 2026: Orem council picks Killpack and Millett for judge-selection panel and debates detached ADU setbacks
The next one was on August 26, 2026: Orem council and Timpanogos School District hold joint session on boundary study, school safety and resource officers
Decisions at a glance
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Union Bench canal utility and trail study | Discussed |
| Rental dwelling license ordinance update | Discussed |
Agenda, item by item
Item 1 · Roads and utilities
Union Bench canal utility and trail study
Discussed
Marty Asay of Methods Consulting, hired in mid-July 2026, presented a 10-month study prompted by the North Union and Provo Bench canal companies ceasing water delivery. Mayor Karen McCandless and Council Members Jeff Lambson, Quinn Mecham and Jenn Gale stressed there are no predetermined outcomes and that a trail is the lowest priority behind land ownership, easements, liability, hazards, maintenance and infrastructure along the roughly five-mile corridor. The team will map easements across about 330 adjacent parcels, study stormwater discharge rights and estimate costs for options, and will tailor solutions section by section. Outreach includes mailings to all 330 adjacent owners, email updates, walkabouts, design workshops, a scoping open house in late October and an online map for comments. The study is funded in part by a grant secured by the city.
- ContractAmount not given to Methods Consulting
Item 2 · City code
Rental dwelling license ordinance update
Discussed
Chief Financial Officer Brandon Nelson previewed an ordinance to follow a new state law: owners who house a relative without charging rent can file an annual signed affidavit and may not be charged a rental license fee until the dwelling is rented for pay. The city will have owners re-verify each year, and the ordinance is to come for a vote Sept. 8. Council Member Quinn Mecham said families had been flagged and charged in such arrangements.
What residents said
Canal corridor ownership and liabilityAdjacent property owner anxietyRental license fees for family housing