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Orem planners review options to limit 'boxy' 35‑foot homes; staff favors graduated envelope
Summary
At a Jan. 21 work session the Orem planning staff presented options to curb three‑story, flat‑roof homes that maximize the city's 35‑foot height limit; ideas include defining flat roofs and a graduated height envelope that slopes inward from lot lines to reduce massing while leaving pitched roofs at 35 feet.
Orem planning staff told the planning commission on Jan. 21 that the city’s residential height limit is currently 35 feet measured from the average of the building corners and that a recent uptick in infill redevelopment has produced concerns about three‑story, flat‑roof homes that feel overbearing to neighbors. The staff presentation said exceptions in R‑20 and R‑12 allow up to 45 feet when setbacks increase, and that chimneys and cupolas are excluded from height measurements.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the immediate goal is narrow — prevent flat‑roofed houses from exploiting the 35‑foot allowance at minimal setbacks and creating ‘box’ massing — not to protect private views or implement a broad infill code. Staff emphasized this is a targeted, near‑term fix rather than a comprehensive redevelopment ordinance.
Details: Staff outlined two principal approaches. One would distinguish flat roofs (staff proposed calling roofs with a pitch of about 2/12 or less “flat”) and give flat roofs a lower maximum — staff suggested options in the 20–24 foot range or a one‑and‑a‑half‑story equivalent — while allowing pitched roofs to retain the 35‑foot maximum. The other would keep a 35‑foot top limit but add a graduated height envelope: measure up 8 feet at the side property line and draw a 45‑degree plane toward the lot center so upper walls must sit inside that diagonal plane; small architectural projections such as gables or cornices could penetrate the plane.
Staff said measurement specifics matter: height is taken from the average finished ground level at the corners of the building, which means grading and brought‑in fill can change the measured height. Commissioners raised enforcement concerns (how grade is calculated and the data developers provide), and staff said the envelope requires only basic geometry and is enforceable if applicants submit accurate elevations.
Concerns and tradeoffs: Commissioners pressed whether the envelope or a simpler exterior wall metric would be easier for staff to administer; staff said either is feasible but the envelope better protects neighbors’ light and air. Commissioners also noted steep grades and fill used for utilities or drainage could create edge cases and suggested possible exceptions or variance paths for extreme grades.
Next steps: Staff said they will refine wording and return a draft text amendment for the commission to review and potentially forward to council. The discussion concluded when the commission moved to the regular meeting agenda.
