CITY OF OREM
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
January 18, 2000
5:00 P.M. STUDY SESSION
CONDUCTING
Mayor Jerry C. Washburn
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Council members Joseph C. Andersen, Judy Bell, Les Campbell,
Bill Peperone, Stephen E. Sandstrom, and Mike Thompson
APPOINTED STAFF Jim Reams, Paul Johnson, Stanford Sainsbury, Richard Manning, and
Donna Weaver
The Council and staff reviewed the agenda items and adjourned at 6:00 p.m. to the City Council
Chambers for the regular meeting.
6:00 P.M. REGULAR SESSION
CONDUCTING
Mayor Jerry C. Washburn
ELECTED OFFICIALS
Council members Joseph C. Andersen, Judy Bell, Les
Campbell, Bill Peperone, Stephen E. Sandstrom, and Mike
Thompson
APPOINTED STAFF
Jim Reams, Paul Johnson, Stanford Sainsbury, Richard
Manning, and Donna Weaver
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Ben Fordham
INVOCATION
Jean Thane
PERSONAL APPEARANCES
Vonna Hunsaker, Eagle Forum, noting that it will soon be the anniversary of Roe v. Wade,
presented to the Council pins with baby feet to celebrate life.
Michael Conway, 520 East 800 South, said he put up a negative sign in front of his house,
because he was upset about some insulting comments that were made to him. He indicated that
Mayor Washburn came to his home and apologized to him. Mr. Conway stated that he wanted
to publically acknowledge that and apologize for the embarrassment the sign caused.
SCHEDULED ITEMS
UPDATE - Status of the University Parkway Interchange.
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.1)
Mr. Manning indicated that plans are being drawn up for the rebuilding of the University
Parkway Interchange. Currently all plans and time lines are preliminary. The interchange
design will be a Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI). This is the type of interchange being
built in Salt Lake County. The proposed construction time will be from late July 2000 to early
October 2001--approximately fifteen months. Landscaping will continue until December 2001.
UDOT is planning on keeping east-west traffic flowing across the structure throughout the
project. Final determination of this is pending the results of a soils study that is ongoing.
The deck of the interchange will be built in two separate phases--a north and a south phase. The
south phase will be the first to be constructed. During the construction of the deck, traffic will
be routed to the opposite side of the bridge deck. There will also be some lane restrictions on
I-15 as the structure is being built. There will be some traffic crossovers on the freeway similar
to those done in Salt Lake County. Two major on-ramp closures that will last approximately six
weeks each are being planned. First the south bound on-ramp will be closed late summer of
2000. In the spring of 2001, the northbound on-ramp will be closed. At this time the UVSC
hook-ramp has been removed. If the lobbying efforts of the City and UVSC are successful, the
hook-ramp can be rebuilt after the northbound on-ramp is constructed. The major closures are
timed so as to not interfere with the major Christmas shopping rush. There will be minor
closures lasting one to two days to tie over the other interchange ramps.
There is a committee--consisting of representatives of the University Parkway business corridor,
UDOT, and the City--which is meeting to discuss how to mitigate the impact of this construction.
The committee is taking a proactive, positive stance.
When Mrs. Bell inquired if it is possible to get a copy of the time line, Mr. Manning replied that
the time line is available, but everything on it is tentative.
RESOLUTION - Adopt Proposed Plan Line for Center Street between 400 and 800 East;
OR Direct Staff to Cease Working on Plans to Widen Center Street.
Mr. Manning presented to the Council options to (1) direct staff to proceed with the proposed
plan line for Center Street between 400 East and 800 East; or (2) direct staff to cease working on
plans to widen Center Street. He noted that on November 23, 1999, staff met with home owners
on Center Street between 400 East and 800 East and shows various options for widening Center
Street. Staff then made a presentation to the City Council on January 11, 2000. In this
presentation an amended plan line was shown to the City Council, incorporating some of the
recommendations received from the November 23, 1999, meeting. On January 12, 2000, a
second open house was held at the Senior Friendship Center to gather feedback from the
neighborhood on the amended Center Street Plan line. The Mayor and City Council attended
this meeting and had the opportunity to speak to the neighborhood and receive input.
The proposed plan line that was presented to the neighborhood at the open house consists of the
following components:
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Two travel lanes in each direction
Permissive left-turn lane
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.2)
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Shoulder parking on both sides of the street (this was added to the plan line to meet
neighborhood desires to maintain on-street parking and to enhance safety between the
neighborhood and the street.)
Build bulb-outs on the corners to prohibit traffic from using the parking lane as a travel
lane.
Maintain approximately 7 feet of planter strip on both sides of the street.
The advantages of this plan are:
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Improved traffic flow for both Center Street and 800 East.
Improved ability to maximize the traffic signal interconnect system (timing traffic signals
to minimize the time people spend stopped at red lights)
Reduce accidents at the 800 East intersection.
Reduce air pollution from idling cars.
Create better platoons of traffic along the corridor, somewhat improving the ability of
residents to get in and out of their homes.
The disadvantages of this plan are:
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Increased street noise. (Approximate increase of 10 decibels)
Access to the home on the northeast corner of 800 East Center will be very difficult.
Turning left across two lanes is more difficult than turning left across one lane.
Perceived devaluation of property from widening of the road.
Cars will be closer to homes than they presently are.
Mr. Manning indicated that an additional stumbling block is the timing. The right-of-way for
this project was purchased in 1977. Since that time, some of those who received payments for
damages to their homes have moved and the properties have been sold--sometimes several times.
The current residents were not a party to any compensation paid for the right-of-way. This
creates a feeling in those residents of being caught in the middle.
Mayor Washburn invited comments from the audience.
Thane Perkins, 615 East Center Street, said that labeling this project as street widening is
inaccurate. This project will change the nature of the street. He stated that staff has shown
many reasons why the road should be widened, but they are not experts. The solutions being
proposed tend to mitigate complaints from those who would like the road widened. Staff has
missed the point; people live on this street and their quality of life will be diminished by the
widening. Children will not be able to learn to ride a bike or walk to school on the widened
street. Pets will be killed. Two more lanes will mean that more snow can accumulate and
prevent residents from getting out of their driveways. He stated that the bottleneck at 800 East
helps to slow traffic. One of the City's engineers at the open house said that a five-lane road
next to residential is not compatible. Mr. Perkins asked the Council to allow the residents to
move somewhere else if the road is going to be widened.
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.3)
Kim Crandall, 749 East Center Street, commented that safety is a huge concern. He said that he
has spoken with a police officer and was told that traffic speed will increase on a five-lane road.
There is also concern about the children who will be using the intersection of 800 East and
Center Street to get to school. Staff has said that the Alpine School District could bus the
children. Mr. Crandall said that when he called the district he was told that there are no plans to
bus the children. Staff seems to be making suggestions to the residents with no follow through.
The staff presentation tonight said that reducing the bottleneck will save time and that is
justification for the widening. Mr. Crandall stated that he does not think the few seconds saved
by widening the road is worth the increased risk to the safety of the families living on this street.
He said that he attended a meeting where it was stated that when a city is considering widening
a street, the vision of what the street will become should be a part of the planning. Mr. Crandall
stated that he does not believe Orem has done that. The City should wait to widen this part of
Center Street until the project can be done right. He concluded by passing out some literature to
the Council.
Joe Monson, 756 East Center Street, remarked that he lives on the south side of the street. The
City seems to think that the residents on that side do not care about this project; that is wrong.
He questioned how Orem City as a whole will benefit from the widening of this road. Mr.
Monson said that, to be honest, he must admit there is the possibility that widening the road
could decease accidents at the intersection; however, he cannot see how this increases the safety
of the residents on the road.
Bruce Fordham, 955 South 830 East, said that he lives on 800 East between 800 South and
University Parkway. He declared that the 800 East project was a waste of money; it did not
solve the traffic problems. His home has the frontage road in front of it, and it is still difficult to
get onto 800 East from his residential area.
Remo Pyne, 535 East Center, stated that after the widening he will only have ten feet left of his
front yard. He expressed appreciation that Mr. Gifford came by his home and made some good
suggestions to help alleviate the problems from the widening. Mr. Pine said that he will not be
able to have a parking lane near his home, and he would prefer to have the City move his home
to an adjoining lot he owns. He questioned if a study could be done to determine the amount of
congestion that will exist in ten years, voicing concern that the whole issue could come up again
in the future. Mr. Pine said that he had hoped a frontage road could be built to help the
neighbors access Center Street, and he is disappointed to hear from Mr. Fordham that it would
not work. Mr. Pine suggested that Orem should consider posting a movable Aphoto cop@ and
have tickets sent to speeders. The word will get out and be a deterrent to speeders. He said that
Center Street should be done right or not done at all.
Kendall Jefferson, 774 South 850 East, said that he believes the City must consider how this area
of Center Street fits into the General Plan. He indicated that he can understand the need to
expand in this area; it is now traveled to access commercial areas, and side streets are seeing a lot
more traffic than they used to.
Monta Rae Jeppson, 213 South Campus Drive, declared that she thinks this Council will do a
great job and should not let people's unkind comments deter them. She said that she has lived
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.4)
off of Center Street for years. It is now a main thoroughfare, and traffic will not get any better.
She sat on a committee for three years, representing the residents of other communities. She
worked hard to get the funding for this project, and she is pleased that it has finally come
through. The widening of Center Street must eventually happen. Ms. Jeppson said that people
are saying that they have barely heard about the City=s plans, but it was made clear when the rest
of the street was widened that this section would be, too. She asserted that the majority of the
people in this area have lived there for thirty-five to fifty years. If it is such a terrible place, she
wondered why they have not already moved. It is not very often that homes on Center Street are
put up for sale, and they sell very quickly when they are put on the market. Center Street will be
used to access Provo or the freeway, when the University Parkway interchange is constructed. If
the City passes up this opportunity again, it must be stated that the funding may not be there the
next time this project is considered. Ms. Jeppson said that she is glad the City is suggesting
things which can be done to help mitigate the problems the neighbors will experience.
Merrill Crandall, 32 North 800 East, reviewed the history of his property, noting that this is the
fourth governmental agency he has had to deal with. He stated that the damage is not done to
the home, but to the people who must live in it. There is a lot of noise from traffic now, and the
$13,000 in damages he received was not enough. Mr. Crandall said that he does not feel he was
treated fairly. Referring to Ms. Jeppson=s comments that homes on Center Street do not remain
Afor sale@ very long, Mr. Crandall noted that the home across the street from him has been for
sale for many years. No one will even rent it. He asked the Council to treat the residents fairly.
Gene Calderwood, 720 East Center Street, remarked that he moved into his home in 1961. He
said he is quite upset about the road, because it is being rushed. When a project is rushed to get
funding, corners are cut. He asserted that the original environmental report was falsified. A
City engineer was given the responsibility to make a report for the State in order to request
federal money. He said that would seem to be a conflict of interest. The report should have
been done by a federal agent. Mr. Calderwood said that he has lost trust in his elected officials.
Russ Brown made the statement in the environmental report that noise on Center Street exceeds
the standards, but that is not a problem because there is no activity in the front yards. Mr.
Calderwood declared that the statement was ridiculous, and he has suffered for twenty years
because of the noise from the street. He cannot even open his windows in the front of his home.
At the invitation of the Mayor, Mr. Calderwood gave copies of his records to the Council.
Ray Whitmer, 575 East Center, commented on the following:
1. Presented the Council with a copy of the original petition which was included, in part, in
the agenda material.
2. Orem is catering to Provo. Citizens of Provo use Orem's nice streets to access the freeway,
because Provo has not done a good job providing them for its own citizens.
3. The environmental report done years ago addresses some of the same issues that are still
concerns today.
4. The school crossing was not considered a safety issue twenty years ago, because it was
assumed that the school district would divide the school so the children would not have to
cross at Center Street. That still has not happened.
5. The City is making many suggestions without any commitment to follow through on them.
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.5)
6.
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Speed in this area of Center Street will increase, but the City does have options to help
control it. He has seen how Aphoto cop@ works in Germany; it should be used in Orem.
The parking lane will provide some help--to those who will get one. It takes more
property, though, which causes more damage to the homeowner.
It is already dangerous for the residents when backing into traffic. Adding another lane
will only make that worse.
The safety of other widened streets has not necessarily been improved, even though that is
promised.
This neighborhood will be severely impacted without mitigation.
The environmental report indicated that Center Street would become a freeway.
This is a residential area which will be losing green space. Center Street cannot be
residential and commercial.
Snow removal will limit the parking spaces available to the residents, because more lanes
mean more snow being pushed to the side.
While residents were originally reimbursed for damages, many have sold their homes and
will not be the ones having to live with those damages.
He was never told that the City might widen Center Street. It was far from clear that the
property was purchased with the intent to widen the road.
There seems to be pressure for the Council to make a decision tonight.
He questioned if this widening will still meet the needs in five years.
Compensation should be made to reflect all possible, future damages.
This part of Center Street is being turned into a business area.
He was previously told by staff that the City had no plans to widen Center Street.
He did purchase his home at a price lower than the market value, but he believed that was
because it was in a state of disrepair.
Don Walker stated that he is in favor of this widening, though he sympathizes with Mr. Crandall.
Mr. Walker said that he keeps hearing about how the City is pushing this project through in a
hurry even though the right-of-way was purchased in 1977. The residents should have known
the street would be widened.
Skip Anderson, 724 East 1600 North, said that every arterial street in the city has this same
problem. He has a terrible time getting out of his driveway. He indicated that he used to be the
assistant director of transportation for UDOT. It has always been planned for Center Street to be
four lanes all the way to Provo. Damages were paid to the property owners and some homes
were bought out completely. It is unfortunate that the road was not constructed at that time.
The money was spent and the decision was made long ago. It is time to move ahead with the
project. Mr. Anderson suggested that engineering studies should be conducted on speeds
throughout the city. Some of the speed limits should be raised and other should probably be
reduced. People will not abide by a 25-mph speed zone on an arterial street, because it is not
appropriate.
Mr. Peperone inquired why Center Street is being widened, and Mr. Manning said that the
overriding reason is to improve the east-west traffic flow on Center Street and north-south traffic
flow on 800 East. Traffic timing plans throughout the city are enhanced by keeping these roads
flowing smoothly. It would also reduce the accident rate at the 800 East intersection. Mr.
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.6)
Peperone asked Mayor Washburn about a discussion he mentioned seeing in minutes of previous
meetings about why the decision was made to purchase a 100-foot right-of-way rather than an
80-foot one.
Mayor Washburn remarked that he has tried to read through the material on this issue very
carefully. Because he never attended any of those other meetings, he has tried to understand the
intent from the minutes and other documents. Mayor Washburn said that since the late 1960s,
the Council has recognized--in a visionary way--the need for future planning. At that time, they
never dreamed that traffic would be as high as it is. Studies were conducted and a great deal of
research was done. There was a dilemma about whether to purchase 100 feet or 80 feet. Eighty
feet would have more than accommodated the planter strip, two-lane road, and the parking area.
There was some debate about the long-term needs for Center Street if the smaller amount was
purchased. After consulting with the State Highway Department and conducting the studies, the
following conclusion was reached:
This discussion focused on the Orem City Council=s action to continue the proposed
100-foot right-of-way all the way through the city rather than narrow the right-of-way to
80 foot to avoid damaging five homes between 550 East and 750 East on the north side.
The roadway is being planned to provide for widening in the future as traffic warrants.
The purchase of the 100-foot right-of-way at this time would cost less. If the right-of-way
is left at 80 feet, the uncertainty about the future widening would adversely affect any
proposed sale of these properties. The City Council felt that the 100-foot right-of-way was
best for both the City and the property owners.
Mayor Washburn stated that, from what he is reading, the intent of the City Council at that time
was to let the property owners know for sure what would eventually happen on Center Street.
In response to a query from Mr. Andersen about whether this project is being proposed because
of economics alone, Mr. Manning stated that the reasons the project is being proposed right now
is because the (1) traffic volume justifies doing it, (2) money is available, and (3) quality of the
roadway has deteriorated sufficiently to require that it be redone. It is foolish to repave the
entire road and then widen it in a few years. If the City waits to repave the street until it is time
to widen it, it would be necessary to rebuild the entire street.
Mr. Campbell indicated that his children used to cross Center Street to Orem
Elementary--without a crossing guard. He stated that this has not been an easy issue for him, but
he has done his homework. He said that he has spoken with people who used to live on Center
Street and were neighbors of these residents. They told him that they knew the street was going
to be widened, and they spoke with these residents about it. They told him that the topic of
widening Center Street has come up dozens of time; the residents knew it was coming. He
reflected that he feels he and other Council members are victims, though he hates to use that term
because of the negative connotation. Mr. Campbell said that he feels bad that the project has
been delayed this long.
Mr. Campbell continued, stating that he has visited with three former mayors--Mangum, Squire,
and Johnson. Mayor Mangum was the mayor when this began in 1974. All three of these
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.7)
former mayors say that it is time to widen Center Street. Mr. Campbell said that he agrees with
their belief, even though he struggles with the impact on individual homeowners. This is a very
difficult situation for them. If the Council has any vision at all, the project must be completed.
Some residents last week expressed concern that they have not had enough time to voice their
concerns. Mr. Campbell questioned where they have been for more than twenty years and
wondered why they have not been proactive on this issue. At the open house where Council
members and staff were in attendance, the neighbors had access to everyone individually. If the
cumulative hours available for neighbors to speak to each Council member and staff are counted,
there is much more than the two hours being spoken of. The last resident left at 8:30 p.m. Mr.
Campbell said that he asked that resident if he had any other concerns, and the resident replied in
the negative. Mr. Campbell said that he had made it clear to the audience of residents that he was
willing to remain at the open house until midnight if necessary to hear all the residents=
concerns. Mr. Campbell, stated that at 8:30 he, the Mayor, and the City Manager stood in that
room with no more residents present. Mr. Campbell declared that he has not received a single
phone call from any of these neighbors on this issue since he was elected in November; he has
received fifteen communications which are in favor of widening the road. Some of these people
are neighbors to the affected residents but do not want it to be known. Mr. Campbell said that
he has a concern about how this Council is being Apainted.@
Mr. Whitmer declared that he takes exception to Mr. Campbell's characterizations, and Mr.
Campbell suggested that Mr. Whitmer could speak with him after the meeting.
Mrs. Bell stated that she has never thought that she was accommodating traffic from Provo.
Roads are built to accommodate people, and she is in favor of accommodating Orem's residents.
Mrs. Bell, referring to comments that the bottleneck actually improves safety by slowing down
the traffic, asked Mr. Manning for an explanation.
Mr. Manning indicated that the bottleneck at 800 East has increased the ratio of accidents per
million vehicles going through the intersection to more than 4.0. Anything over 3.0 is a cause
for concern. He said that at Mrs. Bell's request, he looked at the accident ratio at 800 East and
800 North; it is much lower even though the posted speed limit is much higher.
Mrs. Bell said that circumstances have changed with each term she has served. The issue of
widening Center Street is not a new one, and this is the third time it has been discussed. The
right-of-way was purchased with the intent to widen the street. Mrs. Bell stated that she has
struggled with this issue, because there are pros and cons to it. This is really a planning issue.
The Council must consider it in that light when making this decision. The traffic on Center
Street is much higher now than it was when the Council last discussed this issue, and the
situation will not get any better. There is also concern that the condition of the road is
deteriorating. Mrs. Bell said that she did a traffic count on 800 South and one on Center Street.
Center Street=s traffic is much worse. This project should have been done twenty-five years
ago.
Referring to Mr. Whitmer=s comment about a petition, Mr. Campbell said that he had never seen
it until tonight. Mr. Campbell then spoke to Mr. Reams about the questionnaire at the open house
and suggested that Mr. Reams speak with staff about it. Mr. Campbell indicated that there was a
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.8)
box provided on the questionnaire that residents could mark if they were interested in having a
representative of the City come to visit with them privately. He said that after visiting with the
residents on Center Street, he found that not one, single person who had checked that box had
received a visit from staff. Mr. Campbell declared that he finds that to be embarrassing and
unprofessional. It is important to learn from mistakes. He suggested that Mr. Reams work with
staff to see that there is follow through. When the City makes a commitment, it needs to be
taken seriously.
Mr. Reams agreed that this is something staff needs to improve on. The issue was discussed last
week, and this week there has been an effort to follow up with some of the issues that were
raised. Representatives of the City have met with some of the residents in their homes.
Mr. Thompson indicated that at the open house Mr. Gifford said--in front of residents--that he
had made a mistake, and Mr. Thompson appreciates Mr. Gifford for doing that. Mr. Thompson
commented that he was taken back by the very first person that spoke with him, Leah Johnson,
because she was very negative. In speaking with her, he found that she does not trust the
Council to listen to the residents. Mr. Thompson commented that if the neighbors say they did
not know the City was going to widen the street, he will believe them. If their neighbors say that
they did know about the City=s plans, he will believe that also.
Mr. Thompson then said that he spoke with Mayor Welsh today at some length, because she is
the only former mayor who lives near this area. They discussed a number of items on a memo
he received at the end of last year. Mr. Thompson commented on the following:
1. Mayor Welsh does not believe Center Street needs to be widened at this time.
2. Orem should not necessarily be concerned about a regional transportation master plan,
when it impacts Orem residents.
3. The current traffic volume needs to be slowed down.
4. The congestion reduction is questionable, because there will also be an increase in traffic at
higher speeds.
5. It is suggested that air quality in the area will be improved by widening the street, but there
will be more traffic, so it is unlikely that air quality will improve.
6. More lanes will be more dangerous.
7. It has been said that signal coordination will be improved, but does not believe there is any
coordination to improve.
8. More traffic traveling at a faster speed cannot improve safety.
9. He cited statistics which showed that injury accidents have actually gone down, especially
at 400 East. He would like to see a comparison of these accidents and the accidents on
busier, wider streets such as 800 North.
10. He has heard that the City cannot consider issues of the heart when making a decision like
this, but the citizens are the heart of a city.
11. There are concerns that this area can become run down.
12. Funding for a project should not be the deciding factor in doing it.
13. Does not think that the benefits outweighs the impact on the neighbors.
14. A staff member said that widening this street with residential on it is incompatible.
15. The City should first consider how to slow traffic down on this street, because it is a
residential neighborhood.
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.9)
Mr. Campbell commented that he did not contact Mayor Welsh, because Mr. Thompson told him
that she would be in attendance at this meeting and could speak for herself.
Mr. Sandstrom remarked that he has struggled with this issue and visited the area several times.
He said that he still believes that the intent to widen the street has been clear for years, and the
State has already paid for damages. He inquired if the curb on the south side will stay where it
is.
Mr. Gifford reviewed the plan line, saying that it would provide for working with neighbors to
accommodate their individual parking needs. He indicated that it would be possible for
neighbors to share their driveways, so they do not have to back out onto the street.
When Mr. Campbell asked if it would be feasible to put in another traffic light between 400 East
and 800 East, Mr. Gifford replied that it could create more congestion and is not recommended.
He stated that he recognizes this is not a perfect plan, and it will need coordination with the
neighbors. He indicated that the setbacks for most of the homes, even after the widening, will
still be forty-two feet.
Mrs. Bell noted that forty feet is more than she has in front of her street, which is also very busy.
She indicated that cities in Utah which have tried Aphoto cop@ have stopped using it. Too often,
the people who are getting caught by Aphoto cop@ are the ones who asked for it in the first place.
Mr. Andersen indicated that he has also struggled with this issue, and when he first saw the
proposal, he thought it was another situation where planning takes a back seat to economics.
However, he has reviewed the plan and determined that it is good planning. He said that he
avoids using Center Street, because it is a dangerous road. Mr. Andersen stated that he
recognizes the concerns of the residents, but this is something which needs to be done.
Compensation can be discussed in another meeting.
Mr. Andersen then moved, by resolution, to adopt the proposed plan line for Center Street
between 400 East and 800 East, knowing that the issue of mitigation still needs to be worked out.
Mr. Campbell seconded the motion, with a comment that this must be the last time. The
project must be completed.
Mrs. Bell remarked that she voted against widening Center Street in the past. However, she will
vote in favor of the motion tonight for the same reasons Mr. Thompson will vote against it.
Mrs. Bell said that it has been known for a long time that Center Street must be widened.
Traffic has increased a great deal, and the health, safety, and welfare of all residents must be
considered. Traffic will continue to increase regardless of what the Council does. She said she
agrees that there should be mitigation for the neighbors, and perhaps this area should be master
planned as commercial.
Mr. Thompson voiced concern about Mrs. Bell=s comment that this neighborhood could go
commercial. That would be creating a situation similar to 800 South and would impact
neighborhoods to the north and south of Center Street. He said that he is still not clear about the
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.10)
statement that residential and a wide street are not compatible. He agreed that it is important to
consider all of Orem=s citizens, but the people who live in the neighborhood must not be
forgotten.
Mr. Campbell said that there is a difference between listening and agreeing, and he hopes the
residents do not leave tonight thinking they have not been listened to. He stated that he has read
and studied the issue and then listened to the public; he simply disagrees with them. Now is
the time to do this project. There appears to be an attitude that Orem does not want to cater to
Provo or that neighboring cities cannot be nice to each other. Mr. Campbell said that he would
hope Orem can be a good neighbor and assuage the feeling of unkindness toward Provo.
Mayor Washburn commented that this has been an enlightening discussion for him, and he has
learned a great deal. He expressed appreciation for Mayor Mangum and the Council at that time
for having the courage to recognize that there would be streets in the City which would need
widening. Mayor Washburn mused that comments were made in another City Council meeting
to the effect that Aif we do not build it, they will not come.@ He stated that the City did not
widen Center Street, and they came anyway. He drives this street every day, and it is dangerous
because the bottleneck is confusing to drivers. He said his heart tells him that as the road is
made more predictable, it will be safer. Saying that every single property owner was
reimbursed, he indicated that there is a problem for people like Mr. Whitmer who innocently
purchased his property. Mayor Washburn voiced concern that if this project is delayed again,
there will be even more problems like this one. He said that he is not sure what the best way is
to mitigate the widening for the neighbors, but he would like to direct staff to proceed in the
same way that Mr. Gifford has gone. The City cannot make a lot of promises. There is no legal
obligation to mitigate, since that was done twenty years ago, but the City should try to help these
people. Mayor Washburn declared that he will not vote to buy out homes. He reflected that he
used to ride his horse up and down Center Street; it was a wonderful place. There are many who
would like to be able to turn back the clock, but that is not possible. Most of the City=s growth
comes from the children of Orem=s citizens wishing to live here, too. Mayor Washburn said
that he is in support of the motion.
Mr. Peperone called for a question on the motion.
Mayor Washburn called for a vote. Those voting aye: Mr. Andersen, Mrs. Bell, Mr. Campbell,
Mr. Peperone, Mr. Sandstrom, and Mr. Washburn. Those voting nay: Mr. Thompson. The
motion passed.
Mr. Peperone then moved to direct staff to examine several alternatives to lessen the impact of
the road widening, such as driveway modifications to allow cars to front out onto the road,
estimate the cost and benefits of installing double- of triple-pane windows, open-style fencing
along the road to help contain children, and landscaping options. He stated that it is the intent of
this motion to attempt to mitigate the impact for those properties where it is most cost effective.
It is not intended that the City will start handing out dollars as compensation. There will not be
a blanket amount for every home. Mrs. Bell seconded the motion.
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.11)
Mayor Washburn asked Mr. Peperone if he would consider adding that there may be situations
where the City may be able to participate with the property owner in those remedies. Mr.
Peperone accepted the amendment, stipulating that the Council would discuss mitigation issues
on February 1, 2000.
When Mr. Campbell asked if each property owner's individual needs should be considered, Mr.
Peperone said the Council should leave it to staff to identify which properties and what their
needs are.
Mayor Washburn called for a vote. Those voting aye: Mr. Andersen, Mrs. Bell, Mr. Peperone,
Mr. Sandstrom, Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Washburn. Those abstaining: Mr. Campbell. The
motion passed.
Mr. Campbell indicated that he abstained from the vote because he was concerned about the
source of the money and its distribution and use along Center Street.
Legislative Session
Mr. Sandstrom commented that there is a bill before the Legislature which would not allow cities
to sue gun manufacturers for damages, and the ULCT is opposing it. He indicated that he,
personally, is in favor of the bill. Council members can voice their individual opinions with
the legislators.
Mr. Thompson said that the literature passed out by Mr. Sandstrom reaffirms that just because
the League is in favor of something, does not mean that every Council or individual member
agrees with that position. Mr. Thompson said that Council members can contact their
legislators.
The Council moved to the conference room to continue the discussion of strategic planning.
DISCUSSION ITEMS
CONTINUED DISCUSSION - Strategic Planning.
Mayor Washburn commented that the term Astrategic planning@ may reflect a longer period of
time than the Council first thought when discussing this in the retreat last year. He said that
perhaps Atactical planning@ might be a better term to use. Mayor Washburn said that one area
of focus which is not part of the working document is Acultural.@ He noted that a citizen who is
involved in cultural arts has suggested that Orem might consider sponsoring a symphony
orchestra. Cultural issues are tied to the SCERA and perhaps the Council needs to give them
some direction. There has been some talk about building a cultural arts facility. Many of the
issues in the proposed plan hav important budget implications.
Mr. Campbell wondered about the legal relationship with SCERA, and Mr. Reams indicated that
the City has agreed to handle recreation and the SCERA does cultural. Mr. Campbell wondered
if the Council decides to include a cultural area in the strategic plan document whether the
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.12)
SCERA would need to Apass off@ on it. Mr. Reams said it would be appropriate to request their
input on it.
Mayor Washburn said SCERA would like to partner with the City and receive some direction.
Mr. Park remarked that part of the problem with the old strategic plan was that the person over
cultural items basically handed everything over to SCERA. Mr. Reams commented that this is a
process the Council will probably wish to reconsider.
When Mr. Campbell asked about setting a date for the Council and the SCERA Board to meet to
discuss this, Mayor Washburn said that the Council should prepare a definitive statement first.
That can then be presented to the SCERA for feedback.
The consensus of the Council was to have the ideas which were written on posters prepared for
the Council to consider during the next strategic planning meeting, scheduled for Saturday,
January 29, 2000, from 9:30 a.m. to Noon in the conference room. The main topic for the next
meeting will be issues under the topic of Community.
ADJOURNMENT
Mr. Campbell moved to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Sandstrom seconded the motion. Those
voting aye: Mr. Andersen, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Peperone, Mr. Sandstrom, and Mr. Washburn.
The motion passed unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
__________________________________
Melody Downey, City Recorder
Approved: February 1, 2000
City Council Minutes - January 18, 2000 (p.13)