Ivins is working on updating our General Plan and Land Use map. The Planning Commission decided at their March 15th meeting to hold at least a couple community meetings to get input from residents on land use throughout the city. This should happen soon.
Based on recent comments from residents on issues, here are a few things I would like your input on, as well as other issues that matter to you.
Affordable housing
Generally, the denser the housing the more affordable it will be, with lower land cost per unit and less construction cost with common walls between units. Smaller units help too. So that usually gives us townhomes or apartments. There has been resistance from neighbors to both townhomes and apartments. But the State requires us to find a solution to our affordable housing problem. What types of housing can we encourage to add affordability, how do we make them more acceptable to neighbors, and where should they be built?
Commercial development
Sales tax helps fund community improvements and keeps our taxes lower. Do you favor or oppose encouraging commercial growth within the City? What types of commercial uses (retail, dining, office, services, etc.) should be encouraged, and where should we encourage them to be built?
Transportation
With growth comes more traffic. Not only that, but traffic speed seems to be increasing. Share your thoughts about traffic management ideas, bike lanes, our trail system, speed limit changes, road improvements, and other related issues.
Please share your comments and tell me about other Ivins issues I have not addressed in recent posts. CONTACT ME
Recent “Development” posts
- The Housing Debate Is Comparing Apples To WatermelonsPDF đź“„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 đź“„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 đź“„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 đź“„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 đź“„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…