To the editor:
On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the Logan City Council will decide whether or not to limit the statewide mandated right for homeowners to rent an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) within their home. The City of Logan successfully lobbied for a college town exemption in HB 82, securing the right to create an exclusion zone centered on USU and extending as far as the law will allow, providing the minimum required 33% area of residentially zoned land as a fringe as far from campus as possible. This discriminatory exclusion zone specifically targets homeowners based on their proximity to USU, vilifies tenant scholars, and is contrary to the expressed desire to increase density, decrease sprawl, and improve walkability.
Will Hochtedler has followed the Planning Commission and City Council public hearings, interviewed residents, considered the history of the Logan housing market, and has come to the conclusion that if the City Council declines the citywide option originally favored by the Planning Commission, then the best compromise would be a much smaller exclusion zone from 400 North to 1400 North and 400 East to 600 East. This would still allow the majority of eligible homeowners in their owner-occupied single family homes the option to provide rental space within the footprint of the home. The added income would help defray the cost of the mortgage, a benefit which could lead to increased owner-occupied single-family homes. The annual ADU permit comes with strict neighborhood protections including off-street parking and no short-term rentals.
The few squeaky wheel NIMBYs (Not In My Backyard) conflating owner-occupied rentals with absentee landlord rentals should not prevail over the YIMBYs (Yes In My Backyard, or with ADUs, Yes In My Basement). The five-person Logan City Council should honor the intent of HB 82 to increase housing availability, not least of which in the proximity of our largest employer and student center. There will be no public comment allowed Tuesday before the City Council vote, but it’s not too late to call or email to express your concerns to the Mayor and City Council:
Mayor Holly Daines (435-716-9002)Amy Anderson (Cell: 435-535-5296)
Mark Anderson (Home: 753-9099)
Tom Jensen (Cell: 770-0656)
Ernesto Lopez (Cell: 294-5433)
Jeannie Simmonds (Home: 753-2833 Cell: 512-0832)
Email addresses for the mayor and City Council are available at loganutah.org.
Hilary Shughart
Logan