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Davis Journal

Updated general plan will guide development and growth for next 20 years

Apr 24, 2023 12:47PM ● By Becky Ginos

Residents gather around a map of the city at an open house on April 12. The city is asking for public input on possible options to an updated general plan. Photo by Becky Ginos

BOUNTIFUL—The city is providing several avenues for residents to weigh in on a proposed update to the general plan. There have been two open houses with a third scheduled for next week April 27. Residents can also make comments online.

“It’s a comprehensive update to the 2009 plan,” said Bountiful City Planning and Economic Director Francisco Astorga. “The purpose is to guide the growth and development pattern for the next 20 years in Bountiful. We’re reaching out and doing public forums to get as much public input as we can get as we review city goals, policies and priorities.”

The 2009 plan became outdated and had only the barebones that met state codes, he said. “It’s time to go through the public process. A steering committee has been created by the city council to do the preliminary work. They’ve met seven times and this is what they’ve got so far.”

The city has hired an experienced consultant to design and guide us through the process, said Astorga. “We received a $100,000 grant from the WFRC (Wasatch Front Regional Council) and applied and got a $20,000 grant from the Metro Planning Organization.”

Astorga said they started the project in July. “It’s a 14 month process. We’ll adopt it via a public hearing and when the document is ready it will go to the city council to be adopted.”

There are 12 members of the steering committee, he said. “We have some developers, a design professional, realtor, a stay-at-home mom, a Bountiful High School student, someone from Lakeview Hospital and others. We have a broad group.”

Main Street is where home is, said Astorga. “We want to funnel down options on what downtown should be.”

The plan will focus on community character, he said. “We’ll have a way to separate our focus goals because the priority may not be the same for one area as for another. It will have comprehensive land use elements with an active transportation element, housing element and water element that meets state code requirements in addition to an economic development and downtown element.”

Lynnett Rueckert was at the open house to see what the options were but she was mostly concerned about development near her home on Boulton Way. “They want to put in homes on that property,” she said. “Traffic is bad enough. Kids already zoom down that street on their way to high school.”

They’re also talking about adding more multi-family homes over by Boulton Elementary, Rueckert said. “I know the property is going to get sold but I’m really concerned. I don’t want a lot of multi-family homes or businesses that draw a lot of people. It’s a quiet neighborhood. We don’t need that.”

“It’s good to be involved,” said Alec Thorley, another resident at the open house. “It’s in local government you have influence rather than at the state level. This impacts all of our futures. It’s a little unclear what they’re going for but I appreciate what they’re doing.”

“We’ve tried to create awareness of the project,” said Astorga. “The general plan will guide us on planning future zoning. The real work starts when codes meet policy. That’s the hammer and saw – the tools to get us where we want to go.”

For more information about the project or to make comments visit bountifulgeneralplan.com. λ