A neighborhood meeting in Provo on Tuesday night addressed changes to the resubmitted Vesper Amphitheater application. The new proposal closely resembles the initial April application but includes alterations to highway access, parking, and the zoning process.
According to city staff, the new application changes the zoning requests for Vesper from an Sc3 Regional Shopping Center designation to a unique designation called the New Regional Entertainment Zone. Development Services Director Bill Peperone stated at Tuesday's meeting that the need for a unique zone became obvious as the developers worked to address issues regarding the development agreement.
Staff indicated that the new application caps total parking stalls at 6,000, though current plans show between 3,700 and 5,400 stalls. Highway access has been altered from three access points on U.S. 189 to a single access point featuring a roundabout and a bridge over U.S. 189. Additionally, the site area has been reduced from 100.7 acres to between 93 and 95 acres.
City planner Andrew Jackson stated that the plans still call for a 20,000-seat venue in the summer and an 8,000-seat enclosed winter venue. The development would also include up to 75 hotel rooms, restaurants, retail, trails, and open space. The project, first announced by members of the Osmond family on May 19, aims to transform an existing gravel pit into a venue to attract visitors to the city. If approved, developers would purchase 66.5 acres of Provo City land to build the facility.
The proposal has been controversial, with local residents citing concerns regarding noise pollution, traffic, parking, and impacts on the canyon. The Orem City Council has opposed the project, which is located near the Provo-Orem border.
The Provo Planning Commission recommended denial of the project in June. The developer chose to resubmit the project in September to restart the process. This follows questions regarding compliance with state law H.B. 535, which requires a 45-day notice before a city makes a proposed disposition of significant public property. City Attorney Brian Jones noted the city was unaware of that policy change when the Vesper proposal first went to the city and suggested the notice requirement was a reason for the resubmission.
The new application remains under review as staff works through issues including safety, access, traffic, parking, and hillside and grading, according to Jackson. Developers would like the new application to be heard at the Planning Commission meeting on Dec. 9, though Peperone noted it might not occur until January.
