Planning Commission urges City Council to adopt active-transportation plan, asks Council to fund priorities

The North Ogden City Planning Commission voted Aug. 20 to recommend that City Council adopt an active transportation and wayfinding system plan into the general plan and encouraged council members to discuss funding for priority projects.

Scott Hess, community and economic development director, said the plan previously received a positive recommendation on Oct. 2, 2024, and includes a prioritized projects list with realistic cost estimates reviewed by the city engineer. The plan covers citywide pedestrian and bicycle networks, sidewalk gap priorities and integration of safe routes to school.

Commissioners discussed implementation timing and budgeting. Commissioner Green, noting his role focusing on finance, asked whether the plan represented a 10‑ to 15‑year horizon; Hess said general plans are typically reviewed on that timescale and recommended reassessing these kinds of plans every five years. Hess explained the plan’s primary implementation strategy: align active-transportation recommendations with routine street or road improvement projects and with existing sidewalk and road capital funds so improvements can be built incrementally as larger projects occur.

The commission motioned to recommend adoption ‘‘as presented, with the addition that we encourage City Council to allocate and find funding sources to begin work on this plan.’’ The motion passed unanimously.

Hess said the plan will help public works and the city engineer include bicycle lanes or wider sidewalks when corridors such as 2600 North or 3100 North are redesigned, allowing the city to assemble network segments over time.

Public comment was not received at the hearing. The commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for consideration.