St. George housing too costly?

ST. GEORGE — This growing city in southwestern Utah is getting too expensive for police, firefighters and others.

The City Council has asked staff to come up with a plan to address the lack of affordable housing. Developers are nervous.

"I'm hearing that we want something done now," said Carol Sapp, executive officer of the Southern Utah Home Builders Association.

"Nobody wants that more than me, but I think we have to be extremely careful that we don't make a bad decision that's going to affect us down the road," she said.

The council will consider requiring developers set aside housing that is affordable for public employees. City Hall staff have 60 days to come up with a plan.

"Our policemen can't afford to live in St. George. Our firemen can't afford to live in St. George," Council member Rod Orton said.

The city, a magnet for people who don't mind sizzling summers, has 64,201 residents, according to a 2005 Census estimate, up 30 percent since 2000.

The council two weeks ago tabled a zoning change on a high-priced development. The developer subsequently agreed to offer 12 of 193 units for $175,000, City Manager Gary Esplin said.

In California, some communities have required 15 percent of units to be affordable or given builders the option of paying a fee to escape the rule, Esplin said.

"I don't like that personally because I don't think we should segregate people who can't afford to live in a certain area of town," he said.

During the meeting Thursday, the discussion grew tense, with Orton and Sapp at opposite ends of the room. Sapp warned that some neighborhoods might strongly resist their new residents.

Orton replied: "I don't think this council would have trouble standing up to anyone in town and doing what's right."

The Dixie Area Workforce Housing Affordability Committee also is studying the issue. But St. George City Council member Bob Whatcott said the time has come to "get the ball rolling."