How Provo Handles Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: A Practical Guide
Provo maintains 142 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with zoning overlays & bonuses. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Provo falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Downtown Design Guide
New buildings in Provo's DT1, DT2, GW, WG, and ITOD downtown zones must meet City Code Section 14.34.295 design standards: minimum storefront glass, pedestrian entrance spacing, prohibited siding materials, and roof pitch rules. The Planning Commission can require stricter conditions or approve an equivalent alternative arrangement.
Key details: Zones covered: DT1, DT2, GW, WG, ITOD. Commercial ground glass, primary street: 40% minimum. Commercial ground glass, secondary street: 30% minimum. Residential ground glass, any street: 20% minimum. Entrance spacing, primary street: 1 per 50 feet.
Design Review approval under Section 14.34.280 is required before a downtown building permit is issued, and the approving authority can attach reasonable conditions consistent with these standards. Because the Planning Commission's project plan approval is the enforcement checkpoint, noncompliant plans are rejected or held pending redesign rather than fined after construction; occupancy and further permits are withheld from a project built without the required glass percentages, entrance spacing, prohibited materials, or roof pitch documented in the approved plans.
Density Bonus Law
Provo's Performance Development (PD) Overlay Zone rewards residential projects with extra dwelling units for specific design features. Section 14.31.090 sets a hard ceiling: the total density bonus cannot exceed 40% above the underlying zone's base density limit, and Section 14.31.100 spells out exactly which features earn it.
Key details: Max density bonus: 40% above base density. Building Variety bonus: 10% flat, 4+ housing models. Affordable Housing bonus: % equal to affordable units, up to 40%. AMI threshold: 80% area median income. Approval body: Provo Planning Commission.
Section 14.31.130(4) makes noncompliance with any PD condition cause for terminating project approval outright: the Building Inspector cannot issue a certificate of zoning compliance until the guarantees and design conditions are met, and continuing to build without meeting them is treated as a violation of Chapter 14.31. The Municipal Council can also strip a parcel of its PD Overlay designation and deny the project plan if it no longer matches the approved concept.
The Bottom Line
Provo's zoning overlays & bonuses rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Provo is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects Provo's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.