Wayne Peterson For Leeds Mayor

As a Town in Utah with a population of under 1,000, Leeds is well below the threshold of 5,000 residents, which would require an affordable housing plan.  As spelled out on community-catalysts.org, in their article, “The Power of Place: How Location Impacts the Success of Affordable Housing Projects”, factors to consider are: access to public transportation, proximity to schools, job opportunities, healthcare and services such as grocery stores and community centers.  Based on these factors, Leeds is not a location that would have a high-expectation for success with an affordable housing project.  That being said, it is important to avoid activities that would unnecessarily drive up the cost of housing for individuals and families looking to make Leeds their home.  A Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute analysis of Short-Term Rentals as a percentage of Total Housing Units in 2023 indicated that Washington County stood at 4.3%.  Despite the challenges that the State Legislature has created for municipalities to enforce against short-term rentals that violate local ordinance, the Town of Leeds has maintained its policy of only permitting short-term rentals with a conditional use permit as a home occupation, operating an owner-occupied bed and breakfast.  The Leeds Planning Commission has proposed limiting the number of conditional use permits for this purpose, with those limits preventing an overly high concentration of bed and breakfasts in any one area of Town.  I support the approach of the Leeds Planning Commission and, as Mayor, would look to have the Town Council take action on it.