Dissolution of land-use panel follows veto

PROVO — The veto exercised last week by Provo Mayor Lewis Billings not only blotted out an ordinance passed by the City Council, it might have helped wipe out a council subcommittee.

Billings vetoed an ordinance that would have required all homes west of I-15 to have at least 1,800 square feet.

But he used his legally required letter of explanation to complain loudly about the council's three-person land-use committee, which he said was holding illegally closed meetings about proposed developments.

Rather than open the meetings and keep minutes, as Billings suggested, the council canceled the committee.

"Items from the Planning Commission will not go to the land-use committee in the future, but will go to the open process of a City Council study meeting or regular meeting," council chairman George Stewart said.

Stewart said Billings' veto did not cause the death of the committee. Instead, he said he was responding to growing concern among some city council members who felt shut out of the process.

Council member Steve Turley said he had been trying for 15 months to be involved in the committee.

"The process has now been changed," Stewart said. "This is a better process."

State law also required the council to reconsider the ordinance that Billings vetoed. Five votes for the ordinance would have overturned the veto, but the council instead capitulated, with five votes against the ordinance.

Stewart and Cynthia Dayton switched sides.

Billings welcomed the decision.

"There are two things I hate," he said. "One is taxes, and the other is mandates. We ought to try and do this through incentives."

People in west-side neighborhoods wanted the minimum house size because the area is flooded with smaller starter homes. As families grow, they can't find larger homes in the area and move to other cities.

"Bigger homes have brought in some really nice families that probably will stay for years," Provo Bay neighborhood chairman Harry McCord said. "If all we have is smaller homes, the turnover is difficult."

Developers and real estate experts told the council that the housing market is taking care of the problem, pushing developers to build homes of at least 1,800 square feet.

Instead of an ordinance, council member Barbara Sandstrom suggested the council consider a resolution that would remind developers of the city's desire for larger homes on the west side.

---

E-mail: twalch@desnews.com