TREMONTON CITY CORPORATION
PLANNING COMMISSION
JANUARY 8, 2019

Members Present:
Micah Capener, Chairman
Val Bennett, Commission Member
Arnold Eberhard, Commission Member
Troy Forrest, Commission Member
Ben Greener, Commission Member—excused
Brad Janssen, Commission Member
Tom Stokes, Commission Member
Bret Rohde, City Councilmember
Steve Bench, Zoning Administrator
Cynthia Nelson, Deputy Recorder

Chairman Capener called the Planning Commission Meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. The meeting was held January 8, 2019 in the City Council Meeting Room at 102 South Tremont Street, Tremonton, Utah. Chairman Capener, Commission Members Bennett, Eberhard, Forrest, Janssen, Stokes, City Councilmember Rohde, Zoning Administrator Bench, and Deputy Recorder Nelson were in attendance. Commission Member Greener was excused.

1. Approval of agenda:

Motion by Commission Member Bennett to approve the January 8, 2019 agenda. Motion seconded by Commission Member Eberhard. Vote: Chairman Capener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Forrest – aye, Commission Member Janssen – aye, Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.

2. Approval of minutes: October 9, 2018

Motion by Commission Member Eberhard to approve the October 9, 2018 minutes. Motion seconded by Commission Member Janssen. Vote: Chairman Capener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Forrest – aye, Commission Member Janssen – aye, Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.

3. New Business:

a. Discussion and approval of the 2019 Annual Meeting Schedule

Administrator Bench said historically the fifth week meeting is on an as needed basis or if they choose to meet with the City Council to brainstorm. Councilmember Rohde said it would be a good idea to do so in the future.

Motion by Commission Member Forrest to approve the 2019 Annual Meeting Schedule. Motion seconded by Commission Member Bennett. Vote: Chairman Capener – aye, Commission Member Bennett – aye, Commission Member Eberhard – aye, Commission Member Forrest – aye, Commission Member Janssen – aye, Commission Member Stokes – aye. Motion approved.

b. Discussion and consideration of the Tremonton Economic and Market Analysis Plan

Administrator Bench said the City needs to hold a public hearing before it could be adopted by the City Council as a plan. Commission Member Stokes said he never saw where they took into consideration infrastructure, water or anything like that. This is an economic study and if you want to bring in major industries, you have to have those things. Administrator Bench said that is a good comment—I will pass it along. Commission Member Eberhard said they need to consider an airport based on the projected growth of Tremonton. That is one thing that would attract big industries—an ability to fly in and out. If we want to have more industry in here, airplanes will play a big part in that. Administrator Bench clarified that the previous airport was shutdown because the runway was too short. There was no room to extend it and would have to be considered on the west side of town, which he would note.

Commission Member Bennett said is it a done deal that Tremonton needs to grow as big as we can get it. Many comments in that survey say we like it here because it is small. Administrator Bench said the future Annexation Policy Plan, which takes in more property, kind of squares the town up a bit. The projected population is 18,000 to 20,000 people, which is the size of Brigham City now. Commission Member Bennett said I think one of the biggest obstacles for growth is Main Street. That is the only way to get through town reasonably and you cannot support any more traffic. Administrator Bench said I do not know what plans UDOT would have to widen that out, but many businesses would have to go down, move back and rebuild, or we would have to reroute traffic. We have a couple natural land inhibiters like the freeway. Creating an overpass and underpass is costly for the City, but who knows what we could see in 20 years. Commission Member Bennett said we need some kind of bypass. It is conflicting to have Main Street be this main travel route, but also walk-able. Administrator Bench said we are bottlenecked from Taco Time to the railroad tracks. There are some roads slated to be redone and widened. The Transportation Plan has some bypasses that the Commission has reviewed for the future, which will take a lot of money. Councilmember Rohde said if we increase the businesses that come in, then we have a better sales tax base and can afford some of that.

Commission Member Bennett asked about Opportunity Zones, saying that is the whole town all the way to Elwood—how does that work? Chairman Capener said they did not want the Opportunity Zone for blighted areas because then an investor could come in and doze the whole city. They wanted it for progressive places that have already spent money and could invest. There is huge potential.

Administrator Bench said they would hold a public hearing for this on February 12. They have time until then to review it. Chairman Capener asked if money was spent on this. Administrator Bench said some was because Zion’s Bank helped put it together. There will be some minor tweaks made to the document, but the meaning will stay the same with their suggestions forwarded on.

Administrator Bench told the Commission that there are areas in town that are a long ways away from the sewer making it tough for developments to pay for themselves. Those who have to run a mile to the sewer cannot afford to do so. He showed what other cities are doing in order to help them determine how they could tweak Tremonton’s code to allow septic tanks in different situations relative to distance or acreage. They discussed what some of the surrounding areas suggest. Administrator Bench said 300 feet is what the state says the City can use as a mandate and that is what we have used in the past. I think we can come up with a combination of things that not everyone will like, but I think we can make something work. Study this and come back with your thoughts for our next meeting. Commission Member Forrest said could we make it contingent on size and have it graduated. So if they have over 30 homes it has to be under X amount of feet or if they have 10 homes it is under this many feet. Commission Member Bennett said since it is economic, could they base it on the size of the development? Commission Member Stokes said the problem is they do subdivisions and then add another portion. Commission Member Forrest said they would do it based on the build-out, not on each phase. The Commission was asked to bring their ideas to the next meeting.

4. Adjournment

Motion by Commission Member Forrest to adjourn the meeting. Motion seconded by consensus of the Board. The meeting adjourned at 5:59 p.m.

The undersigned duly acting and appointed Recorder for Tremonton City Corporation hereby certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the minutes of the Planning Commission held on the above referenced date. Minutes were prepared by Jessica Tanner.

Dated this 12th day of February, 2019.

______________________________
Linsey Nessen, CITY RECORDER

*Utah Code 52-4-202, (6) allows for a topic to be raised by the public and discussed by the public body even though it was not included in the agenda or advance public notice given; however, no final action will be taken.