Join us on Wednesday March 22nd at 7:00 PM at Rocky Vista University (255 E Center Street) for a “Talkabout” on housing.
Our citywide survey showed that housing types, density, and design are important issues for residents. There will be some “presentation,” but based on feedback from the last Talkabout, a lot less presentation and a lot more audience involvement.
This Talkabout will focus on ways our recent survey results can be implemented or in some cases perhaps cannot be, given State requirements. Experts will address State law and requirements governing housing including those focused on moderate- and low-income housing, options on the appearance and density of that type of housing.
The Talkabout will also address the struggle over providing housing for essential service providers and for those who will need to be employed by our developing resorts, and what we ought to be doing to prepare and zone for our future growth.
We’re holding it at the university because it accommodates a lot more people than City Hall and because there’s a microphone next to every seat in the auditorium. You will be heard. But this Talkabout will only be productive if a lot of us show up and participate.
This is our opportunity to not only hear from experts but to ask them hard-hitting questions. Participate and help turn talk into positive, productive action.
The expert panel: Utah State Representative Neil Walter, local architect, Richard Kohler AIA, Shirlayne Quayle, the Housing Strategies & Policy Director for St George City and current head of the Washington County Housing Action Coalition (HAC), Stacy Young, the Governmental Affairs Director for the Southern Utah Home Builders Association (SUHBA). City staff and council members will also be there to answer questions.
Please attend in person. A large turnout makes a large statement. But if you can’t, you can participate through Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88158372546

Please share your comments on this topic and tell me about
other Ivins issues I have not addressed in recent posts.
Email me at Mike@MikeScott4Ivins.com.
Recent “Development” posts
- The Housing Debate Is Comparing Apples To WatermelonsPDF 📄The Legislature’s focus on housing affordability is understandable. Home prices have far outpaced incomes across Utah, and that’s a real challenge for families. But in trying to solve that one problem, lawmakers are putting on blinders to everything else that good planning protects. Housing isn’t built in a vacuum. When the Legislature’s only lens…
- Utah’s Housing Plan: Hope or Worry?PDF 📄The State released a draft Housing Strategic Plan last week, asking cities to provide feedback before it’s finalized and presented to the Legislature. (Download the Plan) I’ll admit, I approached my review of the Plan with low expectations. In recent years, housing policy discussions at the state level have leaned toward mandates, one-size-fits-all rules…
- Red Mountain Resort: What’s Next For Ivins?PDF 📄At last week’s City Council meeting, Black Desert Resort presented a proposed development agreement for the Red Mountain Resort property. The concept is to redevelop the existing resort on 56.5 acres with up to 500 “visitor lodging” units managed as part of a destination resort, plus an unspecified amount of related commercial space. About…
- Ongoing Blasting at Black Desert ResortPDF 📄Black Desert Resort is currently conducting regular blasting to excavate lava rock for an underground parking structure. The blasting occurs at least a couple times a week and has been underway for several months, with at least a few more months to go. During this afternoon’s blast, I was a few hundred feet from…
- My Take on Growth, Roads, Water, & MorePDF 📄Robert MacFarlane, an Ivins resident who pays a lot of attention to local issues and hosts the 435 Podcast sent a questionnaire to all city council candidates in the county. I wrote detailed responses to all seven questions, but they were too big and blew up his online survey form. So I redid those responses as…