Common Sense. Common Ground.
A solution-oriented, consensus-building leader who will listen to you and work tirelessly to preserve Cottonwood Heights as an amazing place to live, work, and recreate.
Stay up to date on city council issues
.jpg)
Tourism and Taxes
Basics and Budget
.png)
Short-term Rentals
Town Center, Old Mill, & the Gravel Pit
Visit Salt Lake reports that 14% of county visitors come to the canyons but only 5% stay here. That means visitors are spending dollars in other cities, not in ours.
We're missing out on a huge economic opportunity to capture sales and lodging tax revenue. We can reduce the tax burden on residents by an estimated $1,700 annually if done right.
We can't stop people from coming but we can determine how it affects us. I am listening to residents to foster a visitor economy that benefits residents and visitors alike. Every amenity that appeals to visitors also appeals to residents. A well-planned visitor economy provides the opportunity for smart, balanced growth that will enhance the quality of life in our city.
City services are invisible until they are cut or compromised. Delivering quality services at the best possible price is the most basic function of city government.
-
Public safety - highly-trained, responsive fire and police
-
Getting here and there - smartly designed, well-maintained roads for varied transportation modes. Snow plowing, street sweeping, and storm drains matter too.
-
Spaces to play - parks, trails, open space, and city events that bring us together
-
City operations that keep us up and running- legal, accounting, HR, planning, licensing, code, zoning, economic development, and so much more behind the scenes
I'm working for operational and financial efficiencies to stretch tax payer dollars. Engage with us on our current budget here.
In a built-out city, we have a generational opportunity to guide redevelopment of several major sites in the city. That's best done with a solid plan.
Every city is required to have a General Plan that reflect residents' desires for the future look, function, and overall feel of the city. The City is currently revising the original 2005 General Plan. Input from all stakeholders, especially residents, is critical because the plan is a signal to developers and city staff of the types of housing, businesses, public spaces, and services that are most desirable.
There will be more information soon for public hearings and comment periods.
Keep in touch with us on social media or by subscribing to the city's email newsletters here.
We're taking back control of short term rentals. The state legislature finally gave cities a reasonable chance to enforce STR regulations (HB 256).
I've championed multiple solutions:
-
Short-term rental committee to make recommendations for stricter regulation, revise city ordinances, and increase the success rate of enforcement measures.
-
Organized town halls to hear from residents.
-
Increased daily fines for violations.
-
Tracking software coming soon with a 24/7 hotline and online form for citizens to report nuisance and violations. Tracks licensing and tax remittance, exact address where they operate, and records historical data and enforcement measures for every property.
-
Paved a way for civil enforcement because criminal enforcement hasn't been effective in shutting down STRs.
STRs are tricky. Listing sites, like AirBnB, are always one step ahead of cities in trying to put up legal hurdles. I'll keep working to prevent STRs from changing the long-term residential character of our neighborhoods.
