The Provo City Planning Commission on Aug. 13 approved a conditional use permit allowing Brigham Young University to occupy the former Wasatch Elementary at 1080 North 900 East as temporary office space while BYU constructs a new administration building on campus.

Aaron Ardmore, a city planner, told commissioners the school district site requires a change‑of‑use review under the public‑facility zone and that the proposal requested a 25‑space parking reduction — about a 6 percent shortfall. Ardmore said staff supported the reduction because the use is temporary, BYU is adjacent and the forthcoming UVX transit line should reduce auto demand. The plan received CRC review and staff recommended approval with conditions.

The commission’s approval includes four written conditions: record and plat the adjacent parking lot so the site is on a single parcel; record the approved Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan; make the conditional use permit expire six months after BYU’s new administration building receives its certificate of occupancy; and require that impact fees be paid if the temporary use remains after three years.

John Crespo, BYU campus landscape architect, told the commission BYU intends to vacate the site when the new campus administration building is finished. “As soon as it's done, everyone will move back into the new building,” Crespo said.

Commission discussion focused on parking demand and neighborhood impacts. Commissioners asked about employee counts (the application lists about 250 employees), existing BYU parking supply, bike and motorcycle parking in the TDM, and how the planned UVX station nearby might reduce parking needs. Public works staff warned that impact fees could be applied if the site remains in office use after three years; David Day said impact fees would likely be applied to any future permanent building on the site.

Several commissioners and public commenters discussed the nearby property that BYU is acquiring from Provo City — a parking area adjacent to Kiwanis Park — and whether removing that area from public park inventory would reduce public parking for park users. Ardmore and BYU representatives said the parking lot currently used by BYU would be platted into BYU ownership and that park facilities on city property would remain under city control.

The commission’s motion to approve the conditional use permit and the requested TDM passed 6–1. The approval authorizes BYU to use the building temporarily under the stated conditions; the permit will need administrative follow‑through to record the plat and TDM and to monitor the time and impact‑fee conditions.