Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

On Tuesday, the Orem City Council listened to a presentation that would amend the housing portion of the city’s general plan and comply with legislative regulations.

Jason Bench, Planning Division manager, suggested the council adopt a minimum of four strategies to comply with state law and update the Demographics and Existing Conditions in Orem.

Bench also requested the council adopt four moderate income housing strategies. The recommended strategies include the following:

• Accessory Apartments – To create or allow for, and reduce regulations related to, internal or detached accessory dwelling units in residential zones.
• Affordable Senior Housing Overlay — Demonstrate implementation of any other program or strategy to address the housing needs of residents of the municipality who earn less than 80% of the area median income, including the dedication of a local funding source to moderate income housing or the adoption of a land use ordinance that requires 10% or more of new residential development. This is for people age 60 or over.
• Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone (HTRZ) – create a housing and transit reinvestment zone.
• Station Area Plans — develop and adopt a station area plan in accordance with Section 10-9a-403.1.

First strategy

“Accessory apartments are already adopted into Orem’s municipal code and part of the Development Services process,” Bench said. “In 2021, Orem City updated its accessory apartment code text, to match the state law. Orem City continues to provide all requirements for legal accessory apartments on our website.”

Requirements are outlined in our code in section 22-6-9(I). The requirements form is found on the city website with the list of all forms, applications and checklists applicants might need. We also continue to advise residents who ask about their options, Bench noted.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Orem monitors the number of legal apartments by using an annual report of existing legal apartments. Currently, there are 722 legal accessory apartments in Orem. It is anticipated that approximately 26 additional accessory units will be approved in the next year, according to Bench. The list of legal accessory apartments within the city is also available on the city’s website.

In 2020, Orem City enacted an ordinance requiring landlord licensing for all rental properties in Orem. As of November 2021, there were 3,746 active landlord licensing accounts. This data will be used to further map existing rentals and housing for future analysis, according to Bench.

“Orem’s newly created Civilian Code Enforcement team is helping track illegal accessory apartments and helping educate property owners on bringing them into compliance,” he added.

Second strategy

In 2012, Orem approved the Affordable Senior Housing (ASH) Overlay Zone to assist income-restricted seniors. The city provides all information on its website and works collaboratively with the Utah County Housing Authority to provide new affordable senior housing units, according to Bench.

“Orem plans to continue to educate developers on regulations for developing in the Affordable Senior Housing Overlay (ASH) zone,” Bench said. “The ASH overlay zone allows up to four units to be constructed on a single parcel.”

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Since the ASH zone has been adopted, there are five projects that have been built and maintained for affordable senior housing. The owners of those projects must submit an annual report to the city to assure rents, age of tenants and income restriction of tenants are compliant with code, Bench noted.

Third Strategy

“A developer has approached the city and has met with staff, the mayor and members of the council as to the feasibility of an HTRZ Zone,” Bench said. “The next step in this process is for the developer to hire a consultant for a study of the HTRZ estimated to take six-to-eight months.”

In 2023, following the study, the developer, consultant and city will consider the next steps as required from the HTRZ Act.

Fourth Strategy

In accordance with Utah Code Annotated (UCA) 10-9a-403.1, Orem City has outlined Station Area Plans for the transit stations in Orem into two phases. Phase 1 will begin with the revision and update of the existing station area plan for the Orem Frontrunner Station. Phase 2 will create a station area plan for the Lakeview, Main Street and University Place Bus Rapid Transit stations, Bench explained.

“These plans will consider elements as outlined (in 10-9a-403.1(7)(b)(i) such as housing types that will be providing for densities necessary to facilitate the development of moderate income housing; and provide for affordable costs of living in connection with housing, transportation, and parking,” he said.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Orem City will encourage the consideration of owner occupied twin home developments, Bench noted.

“Staff has applied for technical assistance and is in the beginning stages of this process for Phase 1 of the Station Area Plans,” Bench said.

The early estimated timeline for the Station Area Plans is Phase 1 to be completed in 2023, and Phase 2 in late 2024 or early 2025.

The next steps for the amended housing section of the general plan is to have a public hearing in front of the Planning Commission on Wednesday, Sept. 21 and a public hearing in front of the Orem City Council on Tuesday, Sept. 27.

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