By Shana Helps
Some student housing could be kept out of areas of Provo if the City Council votes to extend the city”s residential conservation zone.
The City Council changed some of the residential conservation zone ordinance in a few minor ways on Aug. 6.
“Really, it doesn”t change the intent or the scope of the RC (residential conservation)that”s already in place in the south Joaquin area,” said Councilman David Knecht. “We just call them minor text changes. It”s just clean-up work. It”s not like we”re going in a different direction.”
The ordinance requirements concerning the permissible size of lots have been consolidated from four sections into one.
The ordinance states that any uses that were legal as of Jan. 1, 2002 will remain legal in the new zone. No new lots can be created in the zone. The number of dwelling units that existed as of Jan. 1 cannot be increased without special permission from the council.
“They (the Council) just took out some language and added some language. They didn”t apply the RC zone anywhere else in the city,” said Chase Carlile, a Provo City legislative assistant.
The planning commission will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss where the new zone will apply. The plan will then be presented to the Council for approval. The zone is currently concentrated in the South Joaquin neighborhood.
As far as housing is concerned, the zone allows for single-family dwellings, as well as facilities for the elderly and disabled. No more than one pet per dwelling is permitted.
Walls and fences that obscure sight can be no higher than 3 feet in a front-yard area. The fences or walls that do not obscure height can be built up to 6 feet.
