Payson planning commission recommends adding citywide Active Transportation Plan to general plan

The Payson City Planning Commission voted to forward a positive recommendation to the City Council to incorporate a newly completed citywide Active Transportation Plan into the Payson City general plan.

Planner Jill (staff member) told commissioners the plan was prepared with consultant support after Payson received a Technical Assistance for Governments (TAG) grant administered through the Mountainland Association of Governments. The plan maps a citywide network of sidewalks, buffered and striped bike lanes, and paved multiuse trails, ranks projects as short-, medium- and long-term priorities, and includes design and maintenance guidance and a list of potential funding sources.

Commissioners were asked to approve a recommendation that the council adopt the active-transportation document as an amendment to the general plan so it can be used in development review and as a condition of future annexations and plats. Commissioner Hamill moved to send the positive recommendation; Commissioner Brinkerhoff seconded. The motion carried with all commissioners voting in favor.

Why it matters: the planning commission’s recommendation, if adopted by the council, will make the plan part of the official general plan. That change gives the city a formal basis to require or encourage pedestrian, bicycle and trail facilities as conditions of development and to prioritize capital projects and grant applications aimed at accommodating non‑motorized travel.

What the plan says: Jill described the plan’s aims as improving safety, public health, economic development and overall quality of life by increasing walkability and bikeability. Project priorities are grouped as “community showcase” (1–5 years), a support network (midterm) and vision projects (long‑term). The plan uses the city’s transportation master plan and regional studies as a starting point, adds local detail for neighborhood streets and intersections, and flags crossing and intersection improvements where crash data show concentrations of incidents.

Notable projects and funding: Jill said the Salem Canal Connector Trail (a Payson section) is under construction and that the city expects paving of the Payson segment to occur in mid to late July. The plan includes the High Line Canal trail as a potential paved corridor if the canal is piped; Jill said the canal piping is part of a broader Central Utah effort with substantial cost (she referenced a $300,000,000 canal piping effort) and multiple agency partners, including the Bureau of Reclamation. Staff also noted a separate recreation grant will fund rehabilitation of portions of the Dry Creek corridor trails.

Public comment and discussion: Robert Mills, assistant city manager, spoke in support of the plan and said active‑transportation facilities help preserve a “small‑town” feel by making it safe for people of all ages to walk and bike to destinations. Commissioners raised follow‑up points: one commissioner asked whether the plan addresses e‑bikes and electric micromobility; staff said e‑bike standards are not fully addressed in the draft and recommended that the commission discuss citywide e‑bike policy later. Several commissioners emphasized safety at intersections and crossings and the need to require developers to install sidewalks and connectivity rather than delay construction of critical links.

Implementation and next steps: the plan lists potential funding programs and links to grant sources to help staff and council prioritize applications. Jill and staff said the planning commission’s recommendation will go to the City Council for final consideration and that staff will continue coordinating implementation with public works, parks and regional partners. The plan is intended to be a “living document,” updated as projects, funding opportunities and engineering best practices evolve.

Speakers quoted in this report are those who took part in the public hearing and discussion: Jill (staff member), Robert Mills (Assistant City Manager), Commissioner Hamill (mover), Commissioner Brinkerhoff (seconder), Commissioner Becker, Commissioner Frisbie and Commissioner Adams.

Ending: With the planning commission’s positive recommendation, the Active Transportation Plan moves to the council for adoption; staff will return to the commission and council with implementation coordination, grant applications and any refinements (including a follow‑up conversation on e‑bike policy) as projects proceed.