OREM -- In the process of updating and revising the city's general plan, the Orem City Council also reached a consensus to shore up Orem's strategic plan, and agreed to have both documents more accessible.

The council met Tuesday with the city's executive staff members during a City Council retreat at the Central Utah Water Conservancy District offices in northeast Orem. The general plan was the first main topic discussed in the morning session of the retreat. The council did not take any official voting action at the meeting.

"I really see the general plan as being sort of the constitution for land use development in the city," said Councilman Carl Hernandez.

Proposed changes to the general plan, presented by members of the Orem Planning Commission and development services director Stan Sainsbury at the May 12 City Council meeting, included simplifying the document by focusing on the three elements required by state law -- land use, housing and transportation.

During the retreat, council members expressed concerns that other elements, such as cultural arts, economic development and the city's relationship with Utah Valley University, not be overlooked. The broader strategic plan, of which the general plan is a subset, could be the right vehicle to encompass more elements, they said.

"Long-term, we want a good strategic plan and general plan," said Councilman Mark Seastrand.

The council appeared receptive to most of seven other proposed changes to the general plan, with the exception being the Townhouse Residential Development (TRD) zone concept.

Sainsbury said the TRD zone was designed to serve as a tool to provide affordable housing for younger families and individuals in the city, and could assist in the redevelopment of aging neighborhoods.

But for some council members, the proposed TRD zone was reminiscent of the R-5 -- a controversial zone that allowed more density than the main residential R-8 zone, and could be applied to 5,000-square-foot lots with 50 feet of frontage. The zone is no longer applied on new properties in the city, but resulted in a series of what Mayor Jerry Washburn termed "painful" public hearings.

"I'm not opposed to the TRD, I'm concerned about introducing higher density," Washburn said. "Whenever you introduce higher density, it changes the nature of a neighborhood. As our housing stock ages, an entire area could turn into a TRD. My concerns are based on our experience with the R-5. This presents challenges we must be prepared to deal with."

Sainsbury distanced the former residential zone from the city's proposal for the TRD. The R-5 "was a vague ordinance that created lots of controversy, because you couldn't tie it down," he said. "Citizens didn't want it, although those who live there do."

Councilwoman Karen McCandless said she would like to look at some tweaks to the TRD proposal because she sees some potential for conflicts.

"I'm not ready to throw it out completely," she said.

Washburn reiterated that his comments were not designed to close the door to the TRD recommendation from city staff, but merely to raise concerns about potential weaknesses in the concept.

Sainsbury said he did not want to see the entire general plan revision process "hijacked" by opposition to the TRD zone.

"Let's lay this [part] aside, then come back later with more options -- four or five -- to rejuvenate neighborhoods," Sainsbury said.

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