Karen McCandless’s proposal for smaller homes on smaller lots sounds appealing on the surface. She suggests that reducing minimum lot sizes — such as to 8,000 square feet — could open the door to more “missing middle” housing for families priced out of Orem. But the economics don’t add up easily.

Even homes already built on lots that size routinely sell for more than $750,000. Without clear mechanisms such as developer incentives, cost-sharing, or price controls, it’s unclear how simply shrinking lot sizes would lower prices. Builders tend to follow profit margins, not good intentions, so unless the city commits public funds or imposes conditions that guarantee affordability, the plan risks becoming a symbolic gesture rather than a real solution.

McCandless also references ideas like community land trusts, which can work in theory but require sustained funding, administrative capacity, and land availability that Orem hasn’t yet identified. The concept raises more questions than answers about how many residents would actually benefit and when.

Mayor David Young, by contrast, frames the issue through stewardship rather than expansion. Orem is about 95% built out, and Young argues that the path forward lies in strengthening what already exists: revitalizing aging neighborhoods, preserving open spaces, and keeping the local economy strong.

During his first term, the city enacted the Orem Land Preservation Act, protecting public properties from being sold off for dense development, and redirected the State Street Master Plan toward business growth rather than apartment corridors. The result has been one of Utah County’s most vibrant commercial tax bases, with thousands of businesses opening in the last four years.

This approach emphasizes fiscal realism. By focusing on neighborhood renewal and infrastructure efficiency instead of speculative growth, Orem can sustain its character without overloading roads, utilities, and public services. It’s a plan rooted in measurable results, not untested theory.

In the end, Orem’s debate isn’t about whether growth should happen — it’s about how it happens. Do we chase new density models that sound innovative but lack financial grounding, or do we invest in maintaining and improving the community we already love? The answer will shape the city’s identity for decades to come.

Cortt Kindrick is a resident of Orem who follows local policy and city-planning issues.