PROVO — Sen. Curt Bramble said he's been able to help bring together diverse groups ranging from Bagdad politicians to Utah's varied environmental interests.
But tonight his consensus-building skills may be tested when he and Rep. Rebecca Lockhart host a town-hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the Provo Municipal Council Chambers, 351 W. Center St., to discuss the impact of two bills passed in the 2010 Legislature.
"These bills, collectively, have had a direct impact, both positive and negative, on our constituents in Provo," Bramble wrote in an e-mail to city officials suggesting the meeting. "Basic questions that we have relate to the role the state can or should take in land use matters generally reserved for local government."
The bills — Senate Bill 45, "Utah Fit Premises Act Amendments," and House Bill 381, "Municipal Land Use Provisions" — deal with zoning issues that are usually left to city governments and, according to some critics, target zoning laws enacted by Provo several years ago to protect renters and preserve single-family neighborhoods in parts of the city.
In particular, SB45 establishes the number of unrelated individuals who can live in a single-family dwelling at three, eliminating the two-person limit Provo had established in some neighborhoods.
The legislation applies to cities that have a "state university or a private university with a student population of at least 20,000."
"Is this centered in Provo? I don't know if I can answer that," Bramble said. "But Provo is certainly affected by it."
Provo Councilwoman Sherrie Hall Everett said the question is more basic.
"There are a lot who say the state shouldn't have their nose in city issues," she said.
Provo Deputy Mayor Corey Norman said the legislation has affected about four homes to date.
"This was not something we sought after — it was driven by the state," Norman said. "We continue to say the city is best-equipped to know what it needs."
He said the mayor's office didn't intend to participate in tonight's meeting, although Hall Everett said she planned on attending, as did former City Councilwoman Cindy Richards, who promoted the more restrictive zoning during her three terms on the council.
Bramble admitted that the bill has had some consequences he didn't foresee in his home district. When he met with party delegates in the recent Utah County Republican Convention, it was clear that the two bills had touched a nerve.
"During those legislative caucuses, these bills were the hottest, most emotional and most volatile issues. People on both sides waved the banner of property rights they want to have protected," he said. "We wanted to hear the concerns from all sides to see of we couldn't find a way to bring some better understanding or cohesiveness."
That's what he hopes to see happen in tonight's meeting.
"If we made a mistake or if it's appropriate policy, either way we ought to hear from citizens. We didn't hear it previously when the bill was being debated," he said.
"We aren't trying to defend the bills nor are we trying to repeal the legislation. We really want to get down there and see if there's a way to turn down the heat, calm some water," Bramble said.
e-mail: marchaddock@desnews.com