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Provo Citizens.net is a diverse group of citizens who care about the future of our beautiful city — Provo Utah.
We are a grassroots watchdog group keeping tabs on the City Council, Planning Commission, and other groups that work with the legislative/executive branches of the local government. We are neighbors like you.
We believe that many of the laws that Provo City has passed are over-reaching, unfair and will only unwisely increase the role of government in our lives. Ironically, many of these laws will not solve the problems for which they are intended. Some examples are parts of the zoning and parking ordinances — they need to be amended!
We are a grassroots watchdog group keeping tabs on the City Council, Planning Commission, and other groups that work with the legislative/executive branches of the local government. We are neighbors like you.
We believe that many of the laws that Provo City has passed are over-reaching, unfair and will only unwisely increase the role of government in our lives. Ironically, many of these laws will not solve the problems for which they are intended. Some examples are parts of the zoning and parking ordinances — they need to be amended!
Some Zoning discriminates (the single adult occupancy limit of 3)
I am dismayed at the current zoning debate raging in Provo,
which restricts the number of singles allowed to live together. In
today’s society of supposed equality, the idea of discrimination based
on any type of status — in this case marital — flies in the face of
everything I thought America stood for.
which restricts the number of singles allowed to live together. In
today’s society of supposed equality, the idea of discrimination based
on any type of status — in this case marital — flies in the face of
everything I thought America stood for.
Making restrictions based on behavior such as noise, parking,
upkeep of a home and safety concerns is one thing, but saying “you
cannot live in my neighborhood because of who you are” is another thing
entirely. As a wife and mother, I would be horrified if the government
were to place restrictions on who could be a part of my family, or
where we could live.
upkeep of a home and safety concerns is one thing, but saying “you
cannot live in my neighborhood because of who you are” is another thing
entirely. As a wife and mother, I would be horrified if the government
were to place restrictions on who could be a part of my family, or
where we could live.
Yet that is exactly what this proposal does — and it is akin
to sanctioning segregation in an attempt to enforce the hopes and
expectations of some homeowners while ignoring the civil rights of
others. It does not guarantee playmates for my girls, the church we
would go to or the school we would attend. That is no one’s job but
mine — though the planning commission and Councilman David Knecht seem
to think differently.
to sanctioning segregation in an attempt to enforce the hopes and
expectations of some homeowners while ignoring the civil rights of
others. It does not guarantee playmates for my girls, the church we
would go to or the school we would attend. That is no one’s job but
mine — though the planning commission and Councilman David Knecht seem
to think differently.
I would be doing my girls a disservice in teaching them that
my rights can trample someone else’s, and I would be depriving them of
growth and diverse friendships if I limited who could live by us in
fear it would “change the nature of the neighborhood.” Provo needs all
residents to have equal rights and decent housing, even the unmarried
ones.
my rights can trample someone else’s, and I would be depriving them of
growth and diverse friendships if I limited who could live by us in
fear it would “change the nature of the neighborhood.” Provo needs all
residents to have equal rights and decent housing, even the unmarried
ones.
Sarah Ruff
Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Death by Zoning
Zoning laws were created as a restriction on the free use of
property in order to prevent one person’s use from destroying everybody
else’s — to keep me, for instance, from turning my corner lot into a
pig farm or a paper pulp factory.
property in order to prevent one person’s use from destroying everybody
else’s — to keep me, for instance, from turning my corner lot into a
pig farm or a paper pulp factory.
But zoning laws quickly turned into a tool of snobbery and
stupidity — keeping the “riff-raff” out of rich neighborhoods, and
separating people from everything they do. …
stupidity — keeping the “riff-raff” out of rich neighborhoods, and
separating people from everything they do. …
Orson Scott Card
Greensboro, NC
Greensboro, NC
Get out and vote!
As a single student attending BYU and living in Provo, I’ve met with
frustrations when looking for a rental house. Recently, ordinances
concerning rental property have been put in place in areas like the
tree streets that are not single student friendly.
frustrations when looking for a rental house. Recently, ordinances
concerning rental property have been put in place in areas like the
tree streets that are not single student friendly.
I think part of the problem is that some people do not see
BYU students as real members of the community. I personally have looked
for ways to contribute to the community by volunteering at a local
elementary school and with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
BYU students as real members of the community. I personally have looked
for ways to contribute to the community by volunteering at a local
elementary school and with the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Just because I don’t plan to spend 20 years living in Provo
doesn’t mean I should be treated as a second-class citizen by long-term
residents. It is too late to go register to vote today, but many
students registered to vote in last year’s presidential election. I
strongly encourage these students to get out and vote[!]
doesn’t mean I should be treated as a second-class citizen by long-term
residents. It is too late to go register to vote today, but many
students registered to vote in last year’s presidential election. I
strongly encourage these students to get out and vote[!]
[Some of the candidates are] not single students who need to look for
approved housing around BYU campus. This task is getting harder and the
prices are getting higher as a result of ordinance changes [that some of the candidates] pushed for through grassroots activism in the “tree streets”.
approved housing around BYU campus. This task is getting harder and the
prices are getting higher as a result of ordinance changes [that some of the candidates] pushed for through grassroots activism in the “tree streets”.
Leaa Forschler
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