Payson adopts citywide active-transportation plan into general plan

Payson — The Payson City Council on July 16 adopted an ordinance to include a citywide active-transportation plan in the Payson City General Plan, directing staff to use the plan as a framework for future walking, biking and trail projects.

The plan, presented by Jill (staff member), identifies safety improvements, prioritized corridors and facility types — including sidewalks, buffered bike lanes and shared-use paved paths — and includes tables for short-, mid- and long-term implementation. “We want to create a framework to support safe, accessible, connected, walkable, bikeable communities,” Jill said during the presentation.

Adoption matters because the plan compiles corridor maps, design cross-sections and a consolidated list of grant and funding opportunities that staff said will improve Payson’s competitiveness for state and regional transportation and recreation grants. Jill told the council the city received technical assistance funding through the Mountainland Association of Governments to prepare the plan and noted that including the plan in the general plan helps when applying for grants.

The plan sets three priority tiers for projects. Priority 1 items are largely near-town projects and include paved-path segments already funded or under construction, such as the Payson section of the Salem Canal Connector Trail, which staff said should be striped and open by mid‑August, and projects for which funding already exists, including portions of the Payson Canyon Trail. The plan also references coordination on a larger High Line Canal Trail that would link multiple jurisdictions.

Council discussion centered on flexibility, funding and developer expectations. The mayor asked whether the plan can be adjusted after adoption; Jill replied it can be tweaked and that having a formal plan on paper is often a grant requirement. A council member asked how much the city can require developers to build; staff replied that exactions and requirements depend on state code and the stage of the development review.

The planning commission recommended approval after discussing the plan at its recent meeting, staff said. Councilor (motion maker not specified) moved to approve the ordinance; the motion was seconded (not specified). Roll-call votes recorded Councilor Christiansen: yes; Councilor Rowley: yes; Councilor Moss: yes; Councilor Hyatt: yes. The motion carried.

Next steps listed in the plan include aligning projects with paving and capital projects, pursuing grant opportunities identified in the plan’s funding appendix, and incorporating design and maintenance standards into future projects and developer negotiations.