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Commission recommends denying proposed ITAD text amendments, urges targeted edits and safeguards for adjacent neighborhoods
Summary
After lengthy discussion and public comment, the Provo Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of the text amendments to the ITAD/ITOD code as presented and forwarded a package of recommended edits and safeguards, including retaining transitional building‑height protections and protections for ADA and parking/amenity language. The commission also asked that a townhome parcel be reconsidered as a separate zone by the council.
The Provo City Planning Commission on March 11 recommended denying the proposed ordinance text amendments to the interim transit‑oriented development (ITAD) zone as submitted by the applicant, and forwarded a set of amended recommendations to city council.
Staff presented a package of edits proposed by an applicant seeking flexibility for a pending mixed‑use redevelopment. The proposed changes included adding single‑family attached units (townhomes) as a permitted use, increasing the by‑right square‑footage threshold for certain uses, exceptions for owner‑occupied units, removing maximum front/setback controls, modifying transitional building height standards, and other dimensional and form changes.
Commissioners questioned several changes as inconsistent with TOD goals or potentially harmful to adjacent low‑density neighborhoods. Several members said raising the by‑right threshold from 2,500 sq ft to 10,000 sq ft would remove oversight for large anchors in a TOD and none of the commission supported that specific change in a straw poll. Commissioners also flagged the removal of transition protections and the removal of the maximum front setback as items that needed stricter guardrails.
Public commenters raised ADA/access concerns and urged the commission to ensure accessibility if private streets or exceptions are adopted. One commenter said, "When they're talking about being able to have people walk out onto the street, what is their proposal for ADA, which is getting ignored a lot in Provo and it needs to be addressed," and staff replied that city standards including ADA will still be required at project‑plan review.
After item‑by‑item deliberation and straw polls, the commission moved to recommend denial of the text amendments as presented and forwarded a set of recommended edits and clarifications that preserve transition/height protections, keep oversight on large uses, clarify owner‑occupancy wording (or reject the exception approach), maintain ADA and right‑of‑way standards, and permit limited setback flexibility for amenity space but not for parking. The motion passed unanimously.
What’s next: The commission forwarded its recommendation and the amended red‑line suggestions to the city council for final legislative action; staff and applicants may use this guidance as they revise code language or pursue the broader Title 14 rewrite.
