Below is the most recent “2-Minute Tuesday” video from Utah’s Highlander summarizing the May 4th council meeting. Fans of the movie Caddyshack will especially appreciate this edition.
There are several interesting agenda items including:
- A proposed increase to the culinary water fee.
- Proposed changes to the city fence code.
- A resolution to start the process for putting a RAP tax on the ballot this fall.
- Approval of this year’s road rehabilitation contract
This meeting will be held at city hall but we will also stream it on our YouTube channel (click here to watch). Note, individuals in a high-risk category, are encouraged to participate in the meeting virtually!
You can find an abbreviated meeting agenda together with my thoughts below. The complete agenda (443 pages) which includes the staff reports associated with each item can be accessed by clicking here.
Highland City Council Agenda
Tuesday, May 18, 2021 at 7:00 PM council meeting
- Zoom: Call 1-346-248-7799 Meeting ID: 825 7295 1489
- Email comments prior to meeting: council@highlandcity.org
The time and duration listed at the end of agenda items is my guess as to the start time of this item and how long it will run..
UNSCHEDULED PUBLIC APPEARANCES 7:00 (15 minutes)
Time has been set aside for the public to express their ideas, concerns, and comments. Comments are limited to 3 minutes.CONSENT ITEMS 7:15 PM (10 minutes)
Items on the consent agenda are of a routine nature or have been previously studied by the City Council. They are intended to be acted upon in one motion. Council members may pull items from consent if they would like them considered separately.- Approval of Council Meeting Minutes for the April 20th. Administrative
- Approve a contract with Eckles Paving for $247,294 to execute the 2021 road maintenance projects. Administrative
- PUBLIC HEARING: CULINARY WATER RATES. Legislative 7:25 (20 minutes)
The only city fee we are looking to change this year is the culinary water rate. A primary driver for the change is the need we have in the relative near future to drill a new culinary well because the aquifer has dropped enough to lower the production of one of our existing wells. The cost for the new 1,000 ft. well will be about $1.6M.Monthly Water Rate Current Proposed Difference Residential Base
(0-5,999 gallons)$12.24$15.91$3.67
+30.0%Residential Overage
(6,000-15,999 gallons)$0.78 per
1,000 gal$1.01 per
1,000 gal$0.23
+30%Residential Overage
(16,000+ gallons)$2.04 per
1,000 gal$2.65 per
1,000 gal$0.61
+30%Commercial Base
(0-5,999 gallons)$25.50$33.15$7.65
+30%Commercial Overage
(6,000+ gallons)$1.02 per
1,000 gal$1.33 per
1,000 gal$0.31
+30% PUBLIC HEARING/ORDINANCE: TEXT AMENDMENT – FENCES, WALLS, AND HEDGES 7:45 (20 minutes) Administrative
Staff is proposing the following changes to section 3-612 of the development code:- Materials
The proposed amendment clarifies that chain link is prohibited for fences. This is consistent with what the City Council has requested. Precast concrete has been added as a permitted material. -
Height of Fence
The existing code states that the maximum height of the fence is measured from the highest adjacent finished surface of the ground, paving or sidewalk within five (5) feet of the base of the wall. The proposed amendment is as follows:- Fence height shall be measured from the finished grade to the highest point of the fence. “Finished grade” means the average finished grade of the property nearest the fence. Berms, or other means to raise the elevation of the ground upon which a fence is proposed to be located, shall be included in the measurement of fence height.
- Retaining walls are considered as part of the fence height.
- When a difference in grade exists on either side of a fence or wall, the height of the fence or wall shall be measured from the height of the higher property grade within five (5) feet of the property line but shall not exceed eight (8) feet in total height as measured from the lower property grade.
- Fences on top of Retaining Walls
The Engineering and Public Works departments have requested that a height maximum be added regarding fences on top of retaining walls. Staff agreed with the request to add the following to the Retaining Walls section of the Development Code:
Under no condition shall a fence and retaining wall exceed eight (8) feet in
height on the same vertical plane. If a privacy fence that is on top of a retaining wall would exceed eight (8) feet, the fence shall be set back at least four (4) feet from the back side of the retaining wall. Open style fences are permitted to be on the same plane as a retaining wall. -
Typical Lot Illustration
- Corner Lot Illustration
- Corner Lot Setback
The existing code states that the side setback along the street may be reduced 6 feet from the back of the curb if the fence is 66% open. The proposed amendment clarifies that it cannot go past the property line. - See Section 3-4112(4) for fencing around athletic courts” has been added at the beginning of the section.
- The rest of the changes were made for the purpose of reorganizing and clarifying existing regulations. .
AGREEMENT: CONNECTION TO THE PRESSURIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS Administrative 8:05 (15 minutes)
On Feb 16th 2021 the council approved a request by Ron Peck to provide water to property he owns via our pressurized irrigation that is in the county but adjoins Highland. He will be providing over 3X the number of water shares that he typically needs to water the alfalfa field. Staff was charged with drafting the agreement which is what the council will review and potentially approve. This should be a relatively straight-forward approval. Using our PI system to provide water to the property will allow Lehi Irrigation to abandon about 2 miles of ditch in Highland.RESOLUTION: AUTHORIZATION TO PROCEED WITH RAP TAX PROCESS Administrative 8:20 PM (20 minutes)
The council with consider a resolution that will start the process of putting 0.1% Recreation, Arts, and Parks sales tax on the ballot this fall. There are still multiple steps that need to be taken before it is put on the ballot, but this would create momentum in that direction. My personal view is that this a good way to generate funds for parks and trail because it shares the cost among all those who shop in Highland, not just Highland residents. Cedar Hills and American Fork have implemented this tax. Had the tax been in place this year it would have generated about $160,000 of revenue.USE OF OPEN SPACE PROPERTY PROCEEDS Administrative 8:40 (20 minutes)
The council is being asked to provide direction on how to treat the money received from the sale of open space parcels. In the past there have been discussions that the money should be targeted at the subdivision the parcels were in. My personal view is that the money simply be put in the park capital fund and then used based on the priorities set by staff and council. This would provide the most flexibility to address the city’s future needs with respect to park improvement. Note, we have generated about $450,000 in open space parcel sales and have identified over $1.5M of needed park improvements.DISCUSSION: HIGHLAND CITY BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022
The city previously approved a tentative budget. During the discussion council asked our finance director to review the sales tax forecast to be sure that it was not too aggressive. The forecast sales tax revenue for 21-22 was $3,025,000. If we continue on current trends our 20-21 sales revenue will be $3,175,000. Based on this info the 21-22 forecast is conservative.MAYOR/COUNCIL AND STAFF COMMUNICATION ITEMS 9:00 (10 minutes)
- Future Meetings
- May 25, Planning Commission Meeting, 7:00 pm, City Hall
- May 26, Lone Peak Public Safety District Board Meeting, 7:30 am, City Hall
- June 1, City Council Meeting, 7:00 pm, City Hall
- June 9, Lone Peak Public Safety District Board Meeting, 7:30 am, City Hall
- June 16, City Council Meeting, 7:00 pm, City Hall
- June 22, Planning Commission Meeting, 7:00 pm, City Hall
- CLOSED SESSION 9;20 (40 min)
ADJOURNMENT 10:00 pm
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