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2026-06-16 - City Council Work Session

Summary

Built from the official minutes of the work session (approved October 6, 2026). The minutes are not a full transcript.

  • Called to order at 2:02 p.m. and adjourned at 5:37 p.m. All seven members present: Petro, Puy (chair), Wharton, Napier-Pearce, Carlsen, Dugan and Young. Mayor Mendenhall attended.
  • Via Veneto Pizzarium proximity waiver: briefing on the new state waiver process; Carlsen asked for clear applicant timelines.
  • Short-Term Rental Business License Ordinance: briefing; straw poll in favor (all present) of requiring self-certification of carbon monoxide detector installation.
  • Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Budget: 90-minute follow-up on unresolved items with more than a dozen straw polls, including a 3-4 vote against restoring the Police drone pilot position and a 6-1 vote on a license plate reader subgrant.
  • Legislative intents reviewed; several kept open. Property tax impact schedule noted as available online.
  • No Chair or Vice Chair report; closed meeting not held.

Via Veneto Pizzarium waiver of proximity

Nick Norris and Nick Tarbet presented the request for the restaurant at 511 East 900 South across from Liberty Park (District 5), the new state requirements (since May 2026), the required public hearing and 30-day wait, the timeline and proposed notification. Members and staff discussed notice to nearby residents and community organizations, a consistent and predictable application process, and that the state-authorized waiver does not cover proximity to schools or churches. Carlsen asked that applicants get clear timelines; staff said they would develop a more trackable process. Hearing July 14, tentative action August 18.

Short-term rental licenses

Tammy Hunsaker and Arturo Garcia presented the proposed Chapter 5.13: eligibility, multifamily limits, minimum stays, recordkeeping, enforcement, fines, suspension and revocation. Discussion with Jaysen Oldroyd (City Attorney's office), Norris, Lehua Weaver and staff covered multifamily limits, ties to future zoning, enforcement resources and possible use of licensing and lodging-tax revenue, long-term housing supply, the two-night minimum, and state-law limits. Puy asked about smoke and carbon monoxide detector requirements; Norris said they could go in the licensing requirements section. The ordinance was adopted that evening (2026-06-16 - LBA, CRA and Council Formal Meeting).

Budget straw polls

Jennifer Bruno reported lower-than-estimated new growth and judgment levy revenue and savings from the finalized AFSCME agreement. Participants included Chief Brian Redd, Shellie Dietrich (Police financial manager), Jill Love, Kim Shelley (Public Lands) and Cindy Lou Trishman. Results (full list on Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Budget):

  • One-time cut of 34,121 dollars to Council Office operations: all in favor.
  • Restore Police drone pilot position as recommended by the Mayor: failed 3-4 (for Dugan, Puy, Young). Fund it about five months instead of 10: all in favor.
  • Accept a license plate reader subgrant (line 25 reduced by 50,000 dollars): 6-1, Petro opposed (see Automatic License Plate Reader Ordinance).
  • Restore Police leadership development to the Mayor's level: 5-2, Carlsen and Napier-Pearce opposed.
  • Restore seasonal Public Lands staff, line 29, 311,600 dollars: all in favor. Keep Park Ranger staffing and ask for more program information: all present in favor.
  • IMS Innovation Program cut from 100,000 to 65,000 dollars; Urban Trails restored to 450,000 dollars: all present in favor (Young absent for the polls).
  • Move 118,000 dollars of Police reductions into the property tax proposal: cameras 6-1 (Carlsen opposed), drone pilot 4-3 (Carlsen, Wharton, Napier-Pearce opposed). Move all 136,000 dollars of line 24 there: 5-2 (Carlsen, Napier-Pearce opposed).
  • Move 125,000 dollars for the Fire salary proposal from the General Fund to the property tax proposal, leaving 31,475 dollars in the General Fund: all in favor. Restore tree maintenance at 31,475 dollars: 6-1, Petro opposed.

Requests: Petro asked for a legislative intent on department efficiencies and technology while protecting employment, resident data and privacy, and for data on expectations of each alternative response program; Puy asked for a future discussion of alternative response programs such as HEART and the Park Ranger Program with consistent measures. After a 10-minute break, Allison Rowland reviewed legislative intents: UTA ridership benchmarks, Don't Block the Box, Food Microgrant and gas-powered equipment programs, Innovation Fund and citywide communications stayed open; mobile vendor report language broadened; Ranger Efficiency Study to clarify roles and spread rangers across public lands; Privacy Ordinance kept open with a request for best practices on all data collected; Improved Efficiency language firmed up to require more regular reporting.

Property tax impact schedule, reports

Puy noted the tentative Property Tax Impact Schedule was available online (adopted that evening; see Fiscal Year 2026-27 Property Tax Increase). Weaver said a piece of artwork would be removed from the City inventory but stay in place with reduced maintenance. No closed meeting was held.

Sources