The Planning Commission met on Wednesday 8/26 and approved everything on its agenda. My recap is live on Julie's Provo Notes.

Here are the headlines:

• 50 Townhomes on the Hillside Above Alaska Ave — Neighbors Had Concerns
• 103 New West Provo Townhomes — Including Some at "Affordable Rents"
• Wymount Terrace Rebuild — With a Parking Exception
• New Sherwood Hills Home — Despite Hillside Concerns

Also: New nighttime lighting rules are in effect in Provo. 🌙

Read the full recap for the details, including what the Planning Commission debated before approving each project: https://provonotes.substack.com/p/affordable-rents-in-west-provo-new

Subscribe to get my free, neutral, easy-to-read updates on Provo City government.

There was a huge police escort (10+cars and an armored/swat-like vehicle) or something this morning near the Lakeview onramp. Blocked both intersections. Was coming from the northbound freeway and turned west on Lakeview. My first thought was it was related to the Robinson trial​, but that exit and direction of travel are far from the court house and making a very circuitous route. Any idea what was going on?

In the image, red are blocked intersections, blue is the escorts path of travel, green is my path of travel (the freeway was EMPTY).

Any idea why the parking lot south of smiths was packed the the brim on Monday? It’s usually dead but Monday I t was 100% full by 9am and empty by 5pm

We're moving out this month and we need someone to take over our lease at this cosy apartment in Orem just off of 800 N next to an LDS church building. 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom, in-unit laundry hooks, pet friendly and covered parking. Conviniently located near WinCo and other restaurants. Please DM me for more information or to schedule a showing.

This map is regularly updated using publicly available information about government contracts with ICE.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1KeW54O65sJbdwu30iXkVwyvmTU_bqIQ&hl=en-US&ll=40.45995868571259%2C-111.90804449999997&z=11

Take a look at some of the local businesses working with ICE.

Really Right Stuff LLC
Action Target Inc
Liveview technologies
LBISAT
GLOBAL MIRACLE SOLUTIONS LLC (gross)
MANAGEMENT & TRAINING CORPORATION

And my personal favorite, brought to us by the renowned liar, fraud, pervert, and MAGA grifter Tim Ballard: Our Rescue—> theoretically they provide legal representation to refugees. They have sent over 460,00 leads on minor refugees who they supposedly represent.

If you’d like to call and remind these companies that real patriots will not forget they’re complete betrayal of Americas values, please be very polite and respectful ;)

I have a 2011 Honda PCX 125cc that's having some issues. Called a couple of places like the Scooter Lounge and they only serve certain brands during these months. Lots of other places that came up on Google just flat out said "no". Been trying to figure it out myself but it's been months at this point.

i'm a byu student, and am looking to go out and do more activities in provo this year! i'm looking for ideas beyond basic recommendations like going on the Bridal Veil hike or visiting the byu Museum. Preferably things that are whimsical, and bonus if they are seasonal!

Hey all, M22 looking for things to go out and do to meet people. I've tried the swing dancing places but those aren't really my cup of tea, not a huge fan of loud, bustling, and crowded spaces. I checked we geek together since Im into board games and interested in trying DND and I heard they had a board for posting events/groups but none I fit into. I've tried the library too but their stuff is much more teen oriented.

Beyond that I've been stumped for weeks. I graduated recently and not at UVU anymore, I'm not a part of that big club a lot of people in utah are, my roommates span from antisocial or refuse to talk to me since I'm always on their case about cleaning up after themselves, and my job isn't the most social place on the planet either.

With that, anyone have any suggestions I might have missed? Anything's appreciated!

I am wondering if anyone here happens to have dash cam footage of the accident that happened on the SB ramp to I-15, on Wednesday 8/26. Or anyone on here witness it? I was on it and curious what others saw happen. Thanks!

Tons of debris flying around, damage cars and building. The AC units game down with a big bang, the power lines snapped, and there was a gas leak that caused all building to close.

Hey Provo! 👋 The Council spent nearly three hours during its 8/25 Work Meeting going through the latest Vesper Development Agreement, section by section.

There’s still no date set for a vote, but Council members made NINE requests for changes to the agreement before they ran out of time.

Read all the details in my free newsletter, “Julie’s Provo Notes.” https://provonotes.substack.com/p/nine-changes-city-council-wants-to?r=2qb7mt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Here are the headlines:

1. Make 20,000 attendees a firm cap
2. More limits on what can be built at Vesper
3. No hotel or restaurant without the amphitheater
4. Less-visible parking
5. No flashy electronic sign
6. Clear noise requirements
7. Earlier event curfews
8. Examples of design aesthetic
9. Transparency about potential public financing

Tell the City Council what you think. Email [council@provo.gov](mailto:council@provo.gov) 

And be sure to subscribe to Julie's Provo Notes. It's free. It's neutral. And it'll help you get engaged in City government without going to every meeting!

Did anyone hear those loud booms this morning? They might still be going on. Sounds like bombs are being detonated nearby, and my dog is terrified! Does anyone know what is happening?

I was eating this shawarma in my home town the other day and realized I don’t have a cheap shawarma place in Provo. Please help me out, this place was really good.

Drop your recommendations

It's gone. It was delicious. They existed for almost 20 years. What happened?

Mother in law died and we need a good estate lawyer from the area, anyone have any recommendations for somebody they've used?

Most of the City Council’s agenda is Vesper-related (see my last post), but there’s plenty of other stuff worth knowing about.

Read all the details in my free newsletter "Julie's Provo Notes" Here: https://provonotes.substack.com/p/dark-sky-rules-new-townhomes-and?r=2qb7mt&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Here are the headlines:

• New Outdoor Lighting Rules for Provo
• BYU Wants to Redevelop Wymount Terrace, Offer Fewer Parking Spots than Code Requires
• More New Homes in Lakeview Fields on Geneva Road
• New Home in Sherwood Hills
• Riverbottoms Rezone to Allow a Home Addition
• More Homes and Townhomes Near Provo High
• 50 Townhomes on Montana Ave in Southeast Provo

 And be sure to subscribe to Julie's Provo Notes! It's free. That's the best way to help me keep doing these posts. Julie's Provo Notes | Substack

Hey everyone! I’m trying to help my friends with locating the circled toys. We’ve been to the McDonalds on Freedom and the one on Sandhill by Walmart a few times and it’s mostly duplicates right now. Anyone else happen to be seeing the circled toys anywhere else?

🚨The City Council is devoting most of its Work Meeting this Tuesday, August 25th to more discussion with the Vesper team.

 They're weighing 3 BIG QUESTIONS:

1. Should the City swap 66 acres of land with Vesper?
2. Should the Council rezone the property to allow the project?
3. If they rezone, what protections should go into the Development Agreement with Vesper?

It's a lot to keep track of and the proposal has changed since it was first announced.

So I've broken it all down for you in my new post on Julie's Provo Notes.

Read it here: Will Vesper Happen? Provo’s 3 Biggest Questions, Explained.

(I'm a regular Provo citizen trying to get more informed about what the City Council is doing and bringing you along for the ride. Subscribe for free to get Julie's Provo Notes in your inbox.)

My husband (23) is such an amazing guitarist and has been wanting to play in a band since he played battle of the bands in high school. Unfortunately it hasn’t been easy to find connections or people who need a guitarist. He likes to play metal, but will also play and enjoy other genres. If you know of any places he could meet other bands or if you know a band or are in a band and want to audition him that would be awesome! We are in Provo. Pls DM me

Native English speaker (standard American accent) starting a small weekly exchange table. Format: 30 minutes English, 30 minutes Japanese, so both sides get real practice. Saturdays 10am at a coffee shop near downtown Provo. First meetup Saturday, September 5th. Gathering a small group between now and then.

About me: game developer, lived in Japan for a while, and currently restarting my Japanese studies after a long break. I’m an early beginner on the speaking side. On the English side I’m happy to help with anything from casual conversation to writing and nuance. All levels welcome, and patient people appreciated. Hoping to connect with native or fluent Japanese speakers who want consistent English practice.

Looking for people who can commit to most weeks rather than one-off drop-ins. DM me if interested and I’ll send details.

I came here from southern California over 5 years ago to seek a better life, and all I have seen is people in positions of "power" trying to get away with what ever they can. Which they are because it seems there is no oversight for any of them, and if there is those people ( who are supposed to oversee) pretend like they don't see anything, or just ignore, or just give people the run around until you have no other choice but to move on.

No offense but this is the impression I have gotten over and over again!

Hey guys! I already got a couple jobs today and tomorrow and I’m just looking to fill out my schedule a bit more. Anything you need hauled I can take, just dm me a photo of what you need taken care of for a free no obligation quote! Thanks