In The Middle of Everything City Hall – 7505 South Holden Street • Midvale, UT 84047
The Upcoming Legislative Session
MIDVALE CITY DIRECTORY 801-567-7200 801-567-7200 801-567-7265 801-567-7250 801-567-7228 801-567-7211 801-567-7235 801-363-9995 801-567-7285 385-468-3350 385-468-7387 801-567-7230
MIDVALE CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS MAYOR Marcus Stevenson 801-567-7204 Email: mstevenson@midvale.com CITY COUNCIL
District 2 - Paul Glover Email: pglover@midvale.com District 3 - Heidi Robinson Email: Hrobinson@midvale.com District 4 - Bryant Brown Email: bbrown@midvale.com District 5 - Dustin Gettel Email: dgettel@midvale.com
WHO TO CALL FOR… 801-567-7200 801-567-7202 801-567-7213 801-567-7265 801-567-7202 801-567-7214 801-567-7235 801-567-7231 801-567-7208 801-567-7213 385-468-9769
PUBLIC SAFETY & EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY UFA Fire/UPD Police > Non-emergency Unified Police Department > Midvale Precinct Public Works Rocky Mountain Power
It’s that time of year again, and just over a month from now, the Utah State Legislative Session will begin. During this 45-day session our State Legislature will propose a couple thousand new laws, and several hundred of them will be enacted. Each year, the legislature proposes and passes numerous laws that impact municipalities – anything from how we plan for and address growth, to how we respond to and address homelessness, to how communities can be structured as recognized municipalities, and many other topics. During the session, myself, our city council, city staff, and our many partners advocate on behalf of our community and our various needs. While Midvale City has five legislators who represent portions of our community, the State Legislature is made up of 104 State Senators and Representatives. While this article expresses some of my opinions about the legislature as a whole, I truly appreciate the partnership and advocacy we receive from our Midvale legislators as they work to keep our community at the forefront of these policy decisions. Thank you, Representative Stoddard, Representative Bennion, Representative Eliason, Representative Ivory, and Senator Riebe.
GROWTH
District 1 - Quinn Sperry Email: qsperry@midvale.com
Water Bills Ordering A New Trash Can Permits Court Paying For Traffic School Business Licensing Cemetery Planning and Zoning Code Enforcement Building inspections Graffiti
CITY NEWSLETTER By Mayor Marcus Stevenson
Marcus’ Message City Hall Finance/Utilities Court City Attorney’s Office City Recorder/Human Resources Community Development Public Works Ace Disposal/Recycling Midvale Historical Museum Midvale Senior Center SL County Animal Services Communications
DECEMBER 2023
911 801-840-4000 385-468-9350 801-567-7235 877-508-5088
Whether you love or hate the way Utah is growing, the State Legislature has heavily impacted what cities must do or cannot do to address the demands that come with growth. Unfortunately, the State has largely blamed cities for the rising housing costs because of our public process which slows growth down, our parking requirements which makes housing more expensive to build, and the housing lot size rules, which make it harder to build more densely. To quote Governor Cox when recently speaking about these very issues, “if you don’t want state government to make you do it, then figure out how to do it.” Over the last several years, the legislature has passed numerous laws that impact density, and we anticipate seeing more. As an example, two years ago, the State passed a law requiring all municipalities with a fixed-rail station (the 3 Trax Stations for Midvale), to plan for medium- to high-density zoning within a half-mile radius of each station. While the State has required each city to create plans to build these types of developments, they are not yet binding. We anticipate the State may pass new laws to either make the plans binding or withhold certain funding from cities for not following through. Beyond binding our long-term plans, the biggest looming proposals we hear about are taking away zoning authority from cities or getting rid of parking requirements. At this point, we expect the legislature will begin addressing parking minimums that cities require and address a minimum base density for new developments. While it’s unclear what this may mean for cities, any new laws that address these issues are sure to impact us in significant ways. Here’s the thing, I don’t disagree with every proposal the State has made – it makes sense to build more densely around Trax stations – but it’s frustrating because many residents feel discontented by the growth and challenges we see with it. Not having a say over the state’s decisions, while simultaneously being blamed for those decisions, puts local governments in a tough spot that deters trust and creates resentment with the communities we call home. I’d much rather take the heat for decisions we chose to make, rather than ones we were forced to make, because then we could truly create dialogue as a community. Instead, each time the State takes
away a local decision, it frustrates local governments and the residents we are elected to represent.
HOMELESSNESS
As a community that hosts one of the five homeless resource centers in the State, Midvale City is involved in many of the homelessness-related policy conversations that take place throughout the year. Hosting the Midvale Family Resource Center also means that homelessness related policy implemented by the State, tends to impact our community more than many others. Because of our role in hosting the State’s only shelter designated for families, we receive homeless shelter mitigation funding. This State funding is received each year and is intended to help lessen the impact of the shelter on the surrounding area. Most of our funds are used on six shelter officers and three patrol officers. As we think about the impact of the shelter, it’s often thought of as the impact that those staying in the shelter create on the surrounding community, but the way I think about the shelter, and the way we approach our mitigation funding, flips that scenario. Instead of an outward impact from the shelter, I see an impact from the surrounding area inward towards the shelter. Most of the individuals staying in our family shelter are kids, and it’s clearly not these kids’ bringing drugs into our community, committing property crimes, or creating other nuisances. However, we do see many criminals’ prey on the vulnerable families who are staying in the shelter, who come from the surrounding areas, especially along the 7200 S corridor. Our officers focus on keeping the shelter and the surrounding area free of bad actors and drugs, to keep the area as safe as possible for the many kids, as their parents work to get back on their feet. This context is important, because for the last few years, the State Legislature has changed the rules for these mitigation funds and are likely to tighten up the way the funds can be used. This is concerning because as the family shelter, the issues we see are different from the other shelter-hosting communities. For our community, any proposed changes to the mitigation fund could restrict the way we can use these funds, and potentially make it more difficult for us to be able to use these funds on law enforcement costs, which we believe help provide a safer environment for those families. Furthermore, last year the State passed a law requiring that Salt Lake County come up with a winter response plan to address homelessness during the winter months. Earlier this year, this law was tweaked to require that Davis County and Utah County also have to come up with one of these plans for the 2024-2025 winter. Davis and Utah County representatives pushed back on this change, and we anticipate they may try to have this portion of the law revoked. If this happens and we see less homeless resources across the state, it likely means we will see greater impact in our community.
MUNICIPALITY STRUCTURE & IMPACT TO UNIFIED POLICE
As the reorganization of the Unified Police Department has continued to move forward, one of the major challenges we’ve run into are the restrictions that townships have on their ability to collect tax revenue, specifically property tax. Townships are a municipality classification that only exists in Salt Lake County, and while in practice they are essentially fully independent cities and towns, they are not
MAYOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
In The Middle of Everything MAYOR’S MESSAGE CONTINUED able to levy a property tax like any city can. We know that because of the State law that passed last year, which removes the Salt Lake County Sheriff as the CEO of Unified Police, Salt Lake County plans to leave the Unified Police Department. This means we will lose economies of scale, and we will see policing costs go up just to maintain the same level of service. While it may be challenging for our community to keep up with those cost increases, it’s almost impossible for the townships to do so because they cannot levy property tax. There is proposed legislation that will automatically turn all five townships into a city or town, allowing them to raise the necessary funds and stay part of Unified Police. This will save Midvale residents money, because of the economies of scale it provides. The current townships are Kearns, Magna, White City, Copperton, and Emigration Canyon.
Midvale City’s New Public Works Report a Problem Portal Midvale City residents now have a dynamic tool to actively contribute to the maintenance and improvement of their community. The recently launched Public Works Report a Problem Portal is transforming the way residents report non-emergency issues, providing a convenient platform for efficient communication and issue resolution. This user-friendly system encourages civic engagement by enabling residents to play a direct role in addressing concerns related to the city’s infrastructure. HOW IT WORKS The Public Works Report a Problem Portal simplifies the process of reporting non-emergency issues that require attention from the city’s Public Works Department. While emergencies such as water leaks, downed stop signs, or sewer backups should be reported directly to Public Works at 801-567-7235, the portal is designed for less urgent matters. Residents can access the portal online at Midvale.Utah.gov/Report and conveniently submit requests related to various non-emergency issues. The system then directs these requests to the relevant city division, ensuring that they are quickly and efficiently addressed. This streamlined approach allows for a more organized and responsive system of issue resolution. REPORTABLE ITEMS The portal covers a wide range of reportable items, including but not limited to: 1. City Parks: Issues related to park maintenance, facilities, or safety concerns. 2. Roads: Potholes, road damage, or other road-related issues. 3. Sidewalks and Curbs: Damaged sidewalks, uneven curbs, or other pedestrian infrastructure concerns. 4. Gutters and Storm Drains: Problems with drainage systems that impact the safety and cleanliness of the city. 5. Street Lights: Outages or malfunctions in street lighting. 6. Signs: Damaged or missing street signs, stop signs, or other signage issues. 7. Fences: Damaged or unsafe fences on public property. 8. Water or Snow Removal Issues: Non-emergency problems related to water supply or snow removal. EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION AND UPDATES One of the key features of the Public Works Report a Problem Portal is its commitment to transparent and efficient communication. After submitting a request, users receive email updates on the status of their reported issue. This ensures that residents are kept informed about the progress of the resolution process, fostering a sense of community involvement and accountability. Midvale City’s new Public Works Report a Problem Portal exemplifies the city’s commitment to harnessing technology for the benefit of its residents. By empowering the community to actively participate in the maintenance and improvement of public spaces, the portal contributes to a more engaged and responsive city. As residents embrace this innovative tool, Midvale City can look forward to a more connected and well-maintained community for years to come.
MIDVALE . UTAH . GOV
Navigating Winter: Parking Guidelines, Snow Removal, & Safe Driving Tips WINTER ON-STREET PARKING To facilitate effective road clearing and prevent the risk of plows hitting parked vehicles, residents are prohibited from parking any vehicle on city streets where one inch of snow has accumulated. This parking restriction remains in place for 24 hours after snowfall has ceased or until the streets are cleared of snow (Midvale Municipal Code Section 10.16.120). Residents are advised to be aware of weather forecasts and make alternative parking arrangements off the streets during anticipated snowfall. SIDEWALKS Property owners are responsible for ensuring that sidewalks adjacent to their properties are kept clear of snow and ice. City crews are tasked with clearing sidewalks at public facilities, such as City Hall. SNOW BLOWING AND SHOVELING State law prohibits residents, business owners, and contractors from depositing snow onto public roads. Snow removed from sidewalks and driveways should be placed on lawn areas or private property, avoiding placement on public roads. This practice is not only hazardous but also hinders the City’s snow removal efforts. BLOCKED DRIVEWAYS Snow accumulation on the plow blade often results in snowdrifts across driveway approaches. While the City lacks the resources to clear all driveway approaches, it is the responsibility of residents to handle this task. When clearing driveways, residents should deposit snow on lawns or park strips, avoiding coverage of fire hydrants. Placing snow in the street can cause delays in snow removal and may lead to damage to personal property. FIRE HYDRANTS In the winter, it’s crucial to clear the snow around fire hydrants. If there’s one in front of your place, make sure it stays snow-free – it’s on you! DRIVING • Please don’t cut in front of or try to pass a snowplow. • Never tailgate a snowplow truck. Always keep a safe distance of at least 200 feet. If you can’t see their mirrors, they can’t see you. • Stay sharp and drive cautiously. Winter storms make roads slippery, so keep a safe gap between cars and slow down a bit to have enough time to hit the brakes. As Election Day approaches, it’s important to stay informed about the voting process as well as the candidates and propositions that will appear on your ballot.
DECEMBER 2023 CITY NEWSLETTER MIDVALE . UTAH . GOV
Humane Education Presentations Salt Lake County Animal Services’ offers Humane Education classes and other workshops to groups and schools within Salt Lake County. Our nationally recognized program incorporates materials for all ages, youth through adults. Our age-appropriate presentations demonstrate: • Basic Animal Care • Responsible Pet Ownership • Humane Treatment of Animals • Important Animal Safety Information/Bite Prevention • Careers in Animal Welfare/Care
Our presentations complement the Common Core standards, social emotional learning, and character education, emphasizing social responsibility. We strive to foster compassion and respect for all living beings by educating youth and teachers in humane education. Our presentations cover diversity, equality, animal protections, social justice, responsibility, empathy, and empowerment. Research has shown that humane education programs not only reduce violence towards animals and people, but also can improve academic performance, foster civic engagement, reach underserved kids, contribute to individual and community health, help address social issues, encourage positive behavior changes and more. For more information and to request a presentation please visit our “Programs” section on AdoptUtahPets.org. Questions? Email events@slco.org
Saturday, Saturday urdaayy,, December 9, 2023 • 6pm - 9pm urd Join us for:
Santa Claus • Tree Lighting • Holiday Market S’mores Over Fire Pits • Hot Cocoa • Carolers
Midvale Main, 7505 S Holden Street, Midvale EngageMidvale.com