Kaysville — Consultants for the Kaysville City Center small-area plan told the Planning Commission on Nov. 13 that community engagement to date shows a clear preference for maintaining a small-town Main Street character, with strong support for small-lot single-family and patio homes, pedestrian-oriented storefronts and more public gathering spaces.

"Kays Ville City Center, from historic Main Street to Mutton Hollow, will be a welcoming destination, not just a place to pass through," the project presenter read from the draft vision statement, which averaged a 4.02 rating among respondents, the consultant said. Survey results described in the presentation showed roughly 70% favoring small single-family or patio homes and higher support for Main Street storefronts and pedestrian malls over strip commercial.

Consultants presented four scenarios for opportunity areas that trade off housing type, green space and commercial mix. The crowd-sourced feedback was split on the historic library: some respondents urged preserving and reusing the library as community or business space, while others favored removal and conversion of the site into a public plaza to avoid high renovation costs. The Science Bank site, Main Street North and the Bishop's Field were identified as important opportunity areas; Mutton Hollow was noted as roughly 22 acres and produced a range of reactions across scenarios.

Commissioners spent substantial time on parking and circulation strategy. A transportation/design presenter outlined alternatives including protected bike lanes on lower-volume parallel streets, enhanced pedestrian crossings, and a longer-term trail along Holmes Creek. Commissioners asked whether angled on-street parking, a mid-block crosswalk and partner arrangements with private parking owners could support downtown activation. "You don't need a ton of extra right of way to get angled parking, which really increases the number of stalls you can get," a commissioner with prior village redevelopment experience said, citing the Holiday Village case study as an example of activating small plazas and managing shared parking.

Staff clarified that the small-area plan is primarily a visionary guiding document, not a regulatory override of property rights or zoning. The consultant noted the city will extend the schedule for more community input and anticipates bringing draft plan recommendations for commission review in early 2026.

Next steps include continued management-team work, refinement of scenarios and an eventual draft small-area plan for formal review.