THE STATE OF UTAH
COUNTY OF SEVIER
CITY OF RICHFIELD
At the City Council
In and For Said City
June 23, 2026
Minutes of the Richfield City Council meeting held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Richfield City office building located at 75 East Center, Richfield, Utah. Mayor Bryan L. Burrows presiding.
- OPENING REMARKS
- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
- ROLL CALL
- MINUTES
- EXPENDITURES
- CONFLICT OF INTEREST
- BUSINESS
a. Public hearing fire truck
b. 100 South proposal
c. Ordinance 2026-4
d. Certified tax rate
e. Tentative Budget
f. Fraud Risk Assessment
g. URS Public Safety Match - OTHER BUSINESS
- EXECUTIVE SESSION
- RECONVENE & ADJOURN
- OPENING REMARKS were offered by Deputy Clerk David Anderson.
- PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE was led by Andrew Chappell.
- ROLL CALL.
Present: Brayden Gardner, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen, Andrew Chappell, Kendrick Thomas, Mayor Bryan Burrows (not voting), Rob Jenson (not voting), Michele Jolley (not voting). Also, Liz Steel, Mike Brown, Kaye Brown, Dustin Anderson, May Anderson, Keith Mogan, Gordon Robinson, Jason Haywood, Trent Lloyd and David Anderson. - MINUTES APPROVED. The Council reviewed the minutes of the meeting held on June 9, 2026.Motion: Approve the minutes of the meeting held on June 9, 2026 , Action: Approve, Moved by Brayden Gardner, Seconded by Kevin Arrington.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5).
Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen. - EXPENDITURES APPROVED. The Council reviewed the May 2026 Warrant Register. Motion: Approve the May 2026 Warrant Register, Action: Approve, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Brayden Gardner. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
- CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS – No conflicts noted
- Business –
a. Public hearing to receive comments on an application to CIB for a $600,000 grant with a $300,000 match from the City and $300,000 match from the County for the purchase of a fire truck. Hearing opened at 7:07 p.m. Financial director Jenson explained the funding for the City’s portion will come from money the Fire Department has already set aside over the course of several years. The county agreed to match the City’s portion. In total the new truck will cost $1.2 million. The hearing closed at 7:09 p.m.
b. Mike Brown to discuss improvements along 100 South, with a request to allow angle parking from Main Street to 100 East.
Brown purchased the Apple Tree Inn several months ago. He is an urban planner. Currently he is working to remodel it and improve the hotel, with the plan to convert it into a boutique-type hotel under the Days Inn brand. He was able to salvage several pallets of brick from the demolition of the old Knight’s Inn, which he will incorporate into the new façade for the Apple Tree Inn. This project is modeled after a motel in Green River that is very similar in concept. Brown said the exterior of the hotel will have outdoor amenities, possibly including fire pits, cornhole and a giant chess board if it can be executed. Brown showed a design he developed for 100 South showing angled parking at a 30-degree angle. The parking concept would have the drainage running on the street side of the proposed parking rather than the sidewalk side, creating a buffer so that vehicles wouldn’t have to back directly into the traffic lane. His concept also includes aesthetic improvements along the sidewalk and street, such as tree boxes and bulb outs to enhance the look and walkability of the area. He has spoken with the Utah Department of Transportation, which is not opposed to the design he has created. The note they gave him was for the lanes to be limited to three at the intersection – a wider acceptance lane from Main Street, a left-hand turn and a right-hand/straight lane. He has also been coordinating with Utah Independent Bank in making the design fit their needs as the proposal for parallel parking would fall on the bank’s side of the street – north.
The idea is to increase the amount of parking in the area, and make it more walkable and inviting to people. This design would be compatible with the bank slated to be built on the south side of the street.
Mayor Burrows asked if it would work with UIB’s design. Brown said they do find the angled parking to be desirable, but their actual design is in the early phases.
Councilmember Chappell asked why Brown wants the angled parking. He said his project has enough parking for its needs. However, there is more parking on the south side, and more rooms on the north side. This makes it a bit lopsided, so he said it would be conceivable that some of his customers may want to park along the street in the parallel spots along the south side of 100 E. With the angled parking, it would avoid having to have larger sidewalks. More downtown parking is always desirable. He said he could also present a design that would have parallel parking on both sides.
Mayor Burrows expressed a concern about bottlenecking some of the access in the area. He asked if Brown would be planning on having an exit onto 100 South as well.
Brown said he is. There was a wall there, which made the access to the north half of the hotel difficult. Now it can be a one-way access and exit, which is safer and more functional than previously. In discussions with UDOT, UDOT wants the bank’s access on 100 South to be as far east as possible, and for it to consolidate its access off Main Street with the property to the north.
Councilmember Hansen thanked Brown for his willingness to invest in the downtown area. It’s a positive thing to see what’s happening at both the Apple Tree and Knight’s Inn properties, which were blighted, and are now being improved to be assets to the area. However, he is still lukewarm to the angled parking – he has been involved in efforts to eliminate angled parking elsewhere.
Brown said he is not opposed to the idea of parallel parking on both sides. He said he feels like the safety won’t be an issue with how it is laid out. He just wants to use the space.
Councilmember Hansen said Brown’s design does address the issues, but there is no way to make the street any wider than it is now.
Brown said the other question is to find a way to make the street nice. Councilmember Hansen said there is a real opportunity here to work with the property owners. He said the long term maintenance of public space improvements is something to consider.
City Administrator Jolley said there is some money set aside in the budget to do improvements along the south side of 100 South.
It would be nearly identical to an improvement of the street the City completed recently along 300 South, including piping a ditch, shoulder, curb and gutter, Mayor Burrows stated.
The north side of the street has pavement all the way to the sidewalk all the way between Main Street and 100 East.
Brown asked about landscaping within the City’s right of way. If the City would allow some type of landscaping in its right-of-way, he would be willing to maintain it. He feels the bank would also be inclined to do the same on the north side of the street, as it would enhance the area. Brown said he would like to see the trees along the street that Richfield as along north Main Street.
Councilmember Thomas said the proposed layout addresses the safety issues, and creates some other benefits. However, the number of spaces created by it would be determined by what the bank decides to have for parking access along 100 South.
Brown expressed a willingness to help with construction of enhancements on the street, but that committing to maintenance of the landscaping features would be an easier commitment to make. He would like to see the same trees on the north Main area to be put on the south end.
Chief Lloyd said he loves what is being done with the hotel, but he is not in favor of the angled parking.
Brown said he would look at the issue and come up with a pros and cons list. He said he is open to parallel, and there are still ways to help soften the look and feel of the space. He said he would come up with an alternate design.
c. Consider adopting Ordinance 2026-4 amending Title 17.30.03, Table of Development Standards for Residential Zoning District RM-11, as recommended by the Planning Commission.
Councilmember Gardner asked about flag lots and if it is time to address them in the code.
Deputy Clerk Anderson said the planning commission is currently working on an ordinance concerning flag lots. In consultation with the fire chief, the new ordinance is being designed to set specific standards that have to be met in order to not be required to have fire suppression systems. Also, the proposal will no longer allow two-story buildings on flag lots.
Councilmembers Gardner and Thomas asked about allowing the required open space to be integrated with drainage retention with grassy areas. The ordinance states the required usable open space can’t include parking areas, drive aisle, gravel, bare soil, unimproved land, stormwater detention or retention facilities where landscaping is not regularly maintained, which addresses the concern.
Mayor Burrows asked who would be required to maintain the landscaping in those instances. It would likely be the homeowners association.
Deputy Clerk Anderson said the Commission’s intent was to allow flexibility in how the usable open space is executed. For developments targeting an older residents, it may be something like a pergola with a picnic table, while those targeting young families may have a playground.
Mayor Burrows said he likes the part that requires the units to face the street. Deputy Clerk Anderson said the City has already worked with two developers who are doing that very thing and creating some innovative housing options as a result. Motion: Approve Ordinance 2026-4 amending Title 17.30.03, Table of Development Standards for Residential Zoning District RM-11, as recommended by the Planning Commission, Action: Approve, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Brayden Gardner. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
d. Consider a resolution to adopt the certified tax rate for fiscal year 2026/2027.
Financial Director Rob Jenson explained each year the City is required to adopt a certified tax rate. He had to enter the proposed increase into the certified tax rate website following the public hearing earlier this month. Upon doing that, without the proposed increase the auditor’s tax rate for this year decreased from .0018 to .0017 this year, which is an example of how the rate compresses. However, accounting for the increase, the proposed rate for this year would be .002277, which would be the proposed certified tax rate. The rate has to be adopted. However, if the tax increase isn’t adopted, it can be backed out of according to the Utah State Tax Commission. Motion: Approve a resolution adopting the certified tax rate for fiscal year 2026/2027, Action: Approve, Moved by Kevin Arrington, Seconded by Kendrick Thomas. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
e. Consider approving the Tentative Budget for fiscal year 2026/2027, including a proposed property tax increase of $500,000 to be used as set forth on the Proposed Property Tax Increase Schedule.
Financial Director Jenson said the City has proposed a tentative budget of $10,272,761, which includes the proposed property tax increase of $500,000. Jenson also discussed the updated impact schedule, which explained that $150,000 of the increase would go to the police department, $150,000 to the streets department, $150,000 to the class C roads and transportation project grant matching, and $50,000 divided among the other departments to offset the increase in health insurance benefits. Motion: Approve the Tentative Budget for fiscal year 2026/2027 of $10,272,761 including a proposed property tax increase of $500,000 to be used as set forth on the Proposed Property Tax Increase Schedule, Action: Approve, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Brayden Gardner. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
f. Consider approving the Fraud Risk Assessment report.
This report has to be presented to the council each year before the end of the fiscal year. Motion: Approve the Fraud Risk Assessment report, Action: Approve, Moved by Kendrick Thomas, Seconded by Andrew Chappell. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
g. Consider approving the match for Utah State Retirement for public safety employees.
Financial Director Jenson said URS started a few years ago asking employees to pay a percentage of their retirement contribution, where it had only been paid by the employers previously. This would make up for that.
Police Chief Lloyd explained that this affects the younger officers. He said the amount would require them to contribute five percent of their paycheck, and if they get a three percent raise, they effectively receive less take-home pay. The state had modified the percentages through the years. There is only one officer who is on the 401k system, and he can’t change it.
Mayor Burrows said this seems to creep up every year.
Motion: Approve the match for Utah State Retirement for public safety employees, Action: Approve, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kendrick Thomas. Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5). Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
- OTHER BUSINESS. Councilmember Gardner asked about the lights on the trees on Main Street. Those lights were put up as part of the fall festival, and volunteers were supposed to take them down, Administrator Jolley said. That has not happened, and the lights are not in a state of disrepair. There is a committee meeting this week, so it may be a good time to bring it up.
Mayor Burrows said while the fall festival is great, Richfield City doesn’t have the manpower to clean up after the event.
Councilmember Arrington said preparations for the Independence Day celebration are progressing. There will be a community potluck the following Sunday at 6 p.m. The committee will be providing over 500 brownies for the event.
Councilmember Hansen said he was able to speak with several people who were in town for the Father’s Day baseball tournament, and they had many positive comments to share.
Councilmember Chappell said he’d been asked about the fireworks situation. Currently, the City has advised people not to use personal fireworks. Gov. Spencer Cox has asked communities to outright ban fireworks.
Councilmember Thomas gave an update on the construction of the R project on the west hills. The project is progressing, with ground has been graded, and things appear to be on schedule.
Mayor Burrows mentioned there are some trees on Main Street that are dying. They may need to be removed. - MEETING ADJOURNED. At 8:20 p.m., the meeting adjourned. Motion: , Action: Adjourn, Moved by Kip Hansen, Seconded by Kendrick Thomas.
Vote: Motion carried by unanimous roll call vote (summary: Yes = 5).
Yes: Andrew Chappell, Brayden Gardner, Kendrick Thomas, Kevin Arrington, Kip Hansen.
PASSED and APPROVED this * day of * 2026.
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Recorder