Santa Clara meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Santa Clara to weigh wedding venue rezoning, impact fees, and parking changes

This week's Santa Clara City Council and Planning Commission meetings will consider a rezoning for a wedding and event center, new commercial impact fee options, and parking changes near Frei's Fruit Stand. All items are on agendas only; no final decisions have been made and minutes are not yet published.

Planning Commission: Wedding venue rezoning and rock cut slopes

The Planning Commission held a public hearing on Aug. 6 to consider two main items. First, a proposed code amendment to Chapter 17.28.180, Rock Cut Slopes, which would add another wall option in the Walls, Fences, and Hedges chapter. Second, a request to rezone 12.99 acres at 4405 W. 1700 N. (Big Rocks Subdivision, Lots 1, 2, 3) from Open Space OS to Planned Development Commercial PDC for a wedding and event center. The commission also reviewed a development agreement for the same property, submitted by applicants Randy and Sue Yocum. The commission will forward recommendations on all items to the City Council.

City Council: Proclamation, awards, land trust update

The City Council's regular meeting on Aug. 7 included no public hearings. The agenda featured a proclamation declaring Sept. 17-23, 2026 as Constitution Week, life saving awards presented by Police Chief Jaron Studley, and a discussion on the Virgin River Land Trust Conservation Easement update. The council also approved minutes from the July 22, 2026 meetings and claims through Aug. 12, 2026. Additionally, the council noted the cancellation of the Aug. 26, 2026 City Council Work and Regular Meeting.

City Council Work Meeting: Impact fees and parking

At a work meeting also held Aug. 7, the council discussed several items without making final decisions. These included adding low-pressure sewer standards to the construction manual, an easement creation and abandonment on the Neil Walters property (SC-6-2-16-345), and options for revising the streets impact fee for commercial development. The options presented were collecting the full fee at shell construction or a baseline fee with a tenant-improvement true-up. The council also continued discussing changes to angled parking in front of Frei's Fruit Stand on Santa Clara Drive, including installing 8 bollards at approximately $400 each and restriping for an ADA stall at $4,000, for a total of $7,200. Commercial impact fee examples provided included $59,637 per 1,000 square feet for a fast-food restaurant with drive-through and $70,395 per 1,000 square feet for a coffee/donut shop with drive-through.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days.

Santa Clara Council Scheduled to Vote on Rezone, Ordinance Updates; Minutes Not Yet Published

The Santa Clara City Council had a busy July 22 on its agenda, with a public hearing and potential votes on a property rezoning at 2998 Santa Clara Drive, updates to the city's burial ordinance, and several other ordinance changes. However, minutes from that meeting have not yet been published, so it is not possible to confirm what was decided or how any votes went.

All four meetings listed below are marked "agenda only (minutes not yet published)," meaning the information reflects what was scheduled, not necessarily what occurred. Readers should consult the official city records once minutes are available.

City Council — Rezone and Ordinance Votes Scheduled

The July 22 regular City Council meeting agenda included a public hearing on an update to City ordinance 12.24.100, "Restrictions on Burial," and consideration of adopting Ordinance No. 2026-14 to update that ordinance.

The council was also scheduled to consider a rezone and amended site plan review for 2998 Santa Clara Drive, which would change the property from Historic District/R-1-10 to Historic District Mixed Use HD/MU Zone. Approval would adopt Ordinance No. 2026-15.

Additional agenda items included discussion and action on awarding a Rap Tax, and consideration of updates to Chapter 17.08 (Definitions), which would adopt Ordinance No. 2026-16.

Because minutes are not yet published, the outcomes of these items — including whether votes were taken, whether ordinances were adopted, and any vote tallies — are not available in the record.

Work Meeting — Rock Cut Slopes and Fireworks

A July 22 work meeting was set to continue discussion on potential code amendments allowing rock cut slopes as an alternative to retaining walls. Staff planned to present findings from St. George City's recently adopted ordinance, specifically St. George City Code Section 10-18A-10, with input from geotechnical engineer Wayne Rogers. The discussion focused on potential additions to Chapter 17.28 of the Santa Clara City Code.

Fire Chief Dan Cazier was scheduled to lead a discussion on fireworks regulations.

No votes or decisions were expected at the work meeting, as these were discussion items only.

Planning Commission Meeting Cancelled

A Planning Commission meeting was scheduled for July 22 but is listed as cancelled. The agenda had included a public hearing on rezoning and a project plan for 4405 W. 1700 N. in the Big Rocks Subdivision, proposing to change the land from Open Space (OS) to Planned Development Commercial (PDC) to allow a wedding and event center. The commission was also set to review and recommend a Development Agreement for the property and forward a rezoning recommendation to the City Council.

Approval of meeting minutes from July 9, 2026, was also on the agenda. Because the meeting was cancelled, none of these items were acted upon.

What This Means for Residents

The rezone at 2998 Santa Clara Drive, if approved, would shift that property into the Historic District Mixed Use zone, which could affect what types of uses are allowed there. The burial ordinance update and Chapter 17.08 definitions changes could affect city code administration. The rock cut slope discussion, if it eventually leads to code amendments, could change how developers handle hillside construction instead of building retaining walls.

None of these outcomes can be confirmed until meeting minutes are published.

Coming Up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the city's official website for any newly scheduled meetings or rescheduled items from the cancelled Planning Commission agenda.

Santa Clara Council Set to Act on Rezoning, Burial Fees, and Rap Tax Award

Santa Clara's City Council and Planning Commission have a full slate of items queued for action this month, including a rezoning for an art gallery on Santa Clara Drive, new non-resident burial fees, and a Rap Tax award. However, minutes have not yet been published for any of the recent meetings, so outcomes are not yet confirmed in the official record.

Rezoning for Art Gallery at 2998 Santa Clara Drive

The Planning Commission on July 9 held a public hearing on a proposal to rezone a 0.10-acre property at 2998 Santa Clara Drive from Historic District/R-1-10 to Historic District Mixed Use. Heather Taylor and Barbara Parks proposed converting a 1935 cottage into office and retail space for an art gallery. The plan calls for three parking spaces, including one ADA space, and replacement of asphalt shingle roofing with natural cedar shake.

The City Council was scheduled to take up the same rezoning on July 16 under Ordinance No. 2026-15, changing the property to Historic District Mixed Use (HD/MU). Minutes for both meetings are not yet published, so the vote outcome is not confirmed.

Non-Resident Burial Fees and Burial Ordinance Update

On July 8, the City Council was set to hold a public hearing on non-resident burial fees and vote on Resolution No. 2026-15R to approve them. The council was also scheduled to approve a memorandum of understanding with Utah Tech to manage a local PEG channel.

A follow-up meeting on July 16 included another public hearing on an update to City ordinance 12.24.100, Restrictions on Burial, with consideration of Ordinance No. 2026-14 to update the burial restriction ordinance. The July 8 work meeting also listed discussion of Burial Cremation, Section 12.24.100.

Rap Tax Award and Code Definitions

The July 16 council agenda included an award of the Rap Tax, presented by Parks Director Ryan VonCannon, and adoption of Ordinance No. 2026-16 to update Chapter 17.08 Definitions. The Planning Commission on July 9 also considered a code amendment to Chapter 17.08 regarding city code definitions.

Rock Cut Slope and Fireworks Discussion

A July 16 work meeting was scheduled for the council to discuss adding rock cut slope provisions to City Code Chapter 17.28. Staff intended to review a similar ordinance adopted by St. George City, specifically St. George City Code Section 10-18A-10, aimed at minimizing large manmade retaining walls. Fire Chief Dan Cazier was also listed to present a discussion on fireworks.

Traffic Study

The July 8 work meeting included discussion of a traffic study for Santa Clara Drive and Vernons Street. This item was listed for discussion only, not final decision.

Coming Up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the city's official website for any newly scheduled meetings or special sessions.

Santa Clara boards weigh art gallery rezoning, burial fees, and PEG channel deal

Santa Clara's Planning Commission and City Council held a series of meetings in early July covering a proposed art gallery rezoning, non-resident burial fees, and a public-access television agreement with Utah Tech. Because minutes have not yet been published for any of these meetings, outcomes and vote tallies are not available. The items below reflect what was scheduled for consideration.

Art gallery rezoning at 2998 Santa Clara Drive

The Planning Commission scheduled public hearings on July 2 and July 9 to consider rezoning a 0.10-acre property at 2998 Santa Clara Drive from Historic District/R-1-10 to Historic District/Mixed Use. The proposal, submitted by Heather Taylor and Barbara Parks, would convert a 1935 cottage into office and retail space for an art gallery.

Staff recommended approval with conditions including three parking spaces (one ADA-compliant), drought-tolerant landscaping, and shielded lighting. The proposal also calls for replacing asphalt shingle roofing with natural cedar shake. The Heritage Commission approved design review on June 18, 2026. The Planning Commission was also set to consider amending Chapter 17.08 of city code to add new definitions, and to forward a recommendation to the City Council on both items.

Non-resident burial fees and Resolution No. 2026-15R

The City Council scheduled a public hearing on non-resident burial fees for its July 2 and July 8 regular meetings. Council members were set to vote on Resolution No. 2026-15R to approve those fees. No dollar amounts for the fees were listed in the available agendas.

MOU with Utah Tech for PEG channel

The council was also scheduled to discuss and act on a memorandum of understanding with Utah Tech to redirect PEG channel franchise fees for a scaled-back public access station. According to the agenda, the channel is funded by a $112-per-month TDS franchise fee paid by Santa Clara residents.

Traffic study discussion continues

Council work meetings on July 2 and July 8 included continued discussion of a traffic study for Santa Clara Drive and Vernons Street. The July 2 presentation was to be given by City Manager Brock Jacobsen and Jerry Amundson of Avenue Consultants. Parks Director Ryan VonCannon was also listed as a presenter. These items were for discussion only, not final action.

Burial and cremation ordinance

The council's work meetings also included discussion of proposed changes to the burial and cremation ordinance, specifically Section 12.24.100. No specific amendments were detailed in the agendas.

Consent agenda items

Regular council meeting agendas included approval of June 24, 2026 meeting minutes and claims through July 8, 2026 on the consent agenda. A closed meeting session was also listed on the July 2 agenda, with no details provided.

Coming up

No public meetings are listed on the city calendar for the next 14 days. Residents seeking confirmed outcomes from the July 2, 8, and 9 meetings should watch for published minutes on the city's official website.

Santa Clara Council Tackles Water Rates, Budget, and Utah Tech Funding in Back-to-Back Meetings

Santa Clara's City Council and Planning Commission held a series of meetings in late June and early July covering water rates, the city budget, burial fees, a rezoning for an art gallery, and a proposed funding deal with Utah Tech University. Minutes have not yet been published for any of these meetings, so outcomes of scheduled votes are not yet available in the public record.

Water Rate Increase and Budget Amendment

On June 24, 2026, the City Council scheduled public hearings and votes on a proposed water rate increase under Resolution 2026-14R and an amendment to the FY2025-2026 budget under Ordinance 2026-11. The council also planned to vote on Ordinances 2026-12 and 2026-13, which would update City Code Title 17 and Chapter 17.66. The consent agenda included approval of meeting minutes and claims. Because minutes are not yet published, the vote tallies and whether these items passed are not confirmed.

Utah Tech PEG Channel Funding

A proposal to redirect PEG (public, educational, and government) cable channel franchise fees to Utah Tech University appeared on multiple agendas. At a June 24 work meeting, the council discussed a Memorandum of Understanding that would send approximately $1 per cable subscriber to fund Utah Tech's broadcast media operations. The discussion was listed as discussion-only with no votes scheduled.

On July 2, the council was scheduled to discuss and act on an MOU with Utah Tech for a scaled-back public access station. According to the agenda, the funding source is a $112-per-month TDS franchise fee paid by Santa Clara residents. No vote outcome is available yet.

Non-Resident Burial Fees

The July 2 City Council meeting included a public hearing on non-resident burial fees and a scheduled vote on Resolution No. 2026-15R to approve those fees. A separate work meeting that same day continued discussion of burial and cremation rules in Section 12.24.100 of city code, with presentations by City Manager Brock Jacobsen, consultant Jerry Amundson of Avenue Consultants, and Parks Director Ryan VonCannon. The June 24 work meeting also listed this topic for discussion.

Art Gallery Rezoning at 2998 Santa Clara Drive

The Planning Commission met July 2 to hold a public hearing on rezoning a 0.10-acre property at 2998 Santa Clara Drive from Historic District/R-1-10 to Historic District/Mixed Use to allow an art gallery. Staff recommended approval with conditions including 3 parking spaces, drought-tolerant landscaping, and shielded lighting. The Heritage Commission approved the design review on June 18, 2026. The commission was also scheduled to consider a code amendment adding new definitions to Chapter 17.08 and to forward a recommendation to the City Council on both items. Action on meeting minutes from June 11, 2026 was also listed.

Rock Cut Slopes and Traffic Study

The June 24 work meeting included discussion of a proposed rock cut slopes ordinance intended to reduce the need for retaining walls in hillside development, with a review of St. George City's rock cut slope ordinance as a model. The July 2 work meeting continued discussion of a traffic study for Santa Clara Drive and Vernons Street.

Coming Up

No upcoming meetings are listed on the city's published schedules for the next 14 days. Residents should check the city website for any newly posted agendas.

Santa Clara Council Weighs Water Rate Increase, PEG Funding Shift and Cemetery Fees

The Santa Clara City Council held hearings on a proposed water rate increase and a mid-year budget amendment at its June 24 meeting, though outcomes were not available at press time. Other recent agenda items included shifting local cable franchise fees to Utah Tech University, non-resident burial rates, and a rezoning for an art gallery at 2998 Santa Clara Drive. Minutes for all meetings covered in this roundup remained unpublished as of July 5.

Water rates and budget amendment

At the June 24 City Council meeting, two public hearings were held: one on raising water rates (Resolution 2026-14R) and one on amending the FY2025-2026 budget (Ordinance 2026-11). The council was scheduled to vote on both measures and on updates to City Code Title 17 and Chapter 17.66 (Ordinances 2026-12 and 2026-13), but no vote tallies or outcomes were available by deadline.

PEG funding shift to Utah Tech

A proposal to redirect Public, Educational and Government (PEG) channel fees to Utah Tech University appeared in two separate meetings. During a June 24 work session, council members discussed a memorandum of understanding that would send roughly $1 per cable subscriber to the university for its broadcast media operations. The discussion returned July 2 as an action item on the regular council agenda; the MOU would use a $112-per-month TDS franchise fee collected from Santa Clara residents. Again, no vote result was published.

Non-resident burial fees

The council also considered new non-resident burial fees on July 2. A public hearing preceded action on Resolution 2026-15R, which would set those fees. Details of the fee amounts were not included in the agenda.

Art gallery rezoning

On July 2, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on a request to rezone a 0.10-acre parcel at 2998 Santa Clara Drive from Historic District/R-1-10 to Historic District/Mixed Use. The applicant seeks to open an art gallery. Staff recommended approval with conditions, including three parking spaces, drought-tolerant landscaping, and shielded lighting. The Heritage Commission had approved a design review on June 18. The Planning Commission was expected to forward a recommendation to the City Council; minutes were not yet available.

Traffic study and burial ordinance discussion

A July 2 council work meeting continued talks on a traffic study for Santa Clara Drive and Vernons Street, with presentations by City Manager Brock Jacobsen and Avenue Consultants’ Jerry Amundson. Parks Director Ryan VonCannon also presented on proposed changes to the burial and cremation ordinance (Section 12.24.100). Both items were discussion only.

Work session previewed rock cut slopes

At its June 24 work meeting, the council began exploring a rock cut slopes ordinance to reduce reliance on retaining walls in hillside development, using St. George City’s ordinance as a model. That discussion was preliminary and no action was scheduled.

Coming up

No upcoming public meetings were listed in the city’s recent postings.