Draper's City Council will take up a property tax item, budget amendments and a development agreement when it meets Tuesday, Oct. 6, weeks after approving a 25% property tax increase.

The three items appear on the city's OpenUtah meeting tracker as anticipated topics. The formal agenda had not been posted as of Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The nature of the Oct. 6 property tax item is not yet clear. The council already approved a 25% rate hike on Aug. 18, raising Draper's tax rate from .000902 to .001128 and generating nearly $2.7 million in new annual revenue, according to city meeting minutes. All five councilmembers — Green, Johnson, T. Lowery, F. Lowry and Dahlin — voted yes.

That increase added $9.75 per month to a Salt Lake County home valued at $941,000, or about $117 per year, according to the city's Truth in Taxation notice. Businesses at the same valuation saw a $212.67 annual jump.

The new revenue funds operational and compensation costs, including three firefighter positions. Finance Director John Vuyk told the council at an Aug. 12 hearing that even with the increase, the city would draw $3.3 million from its fund balance to cover the FY2027 budget.

No one spoke in favor of the increase at that hearing. Resident Julene Walton said the hike meant the council had raised property taxes 45% over three years. Another resident, Christian Shank, argued the city had run operating surpluses in six of the past 10 fiscal years and said existing rates generated enough revenue under normal conditions.

Mayor Troy Walker said at the Aug. 12 hearing that the only way to significantly reduce the budget would be to significantly reduce public safety personnel and equipment. At the Aug. 18 meeting, Walker said Draper had implemented only one property tax rate increase during his more than 20 years as an elected official.

Before voting yes Aug. 18, Councilmember Kathryn Dahlin said she believed the city should make hard cuts when asking residents for more property tax revenue.

The Oct. 6 agenda also lists first-quarter budget amendments that would increase general fund spending by a net $39,000, covering wildfire reduction grants, park and sewer repairs, fleet vehicle carryovers and stormwater management, according to the OpenUtah issue page.

A development agreement for the Exchange at 140th office complex rounds out the anticipated agenda. The agreement would modify city code to allow a building up to 60 feet tall at approximately 14068 S. 145 East, along with alternative architectural and parking standards, according to a city public hearing notice. The 2.15-acre project was first heard by the Planning Commission on Sept. 10 and appeared on the council's Sept. 15 agenda as Ordinance #1738.

The council meets at Draper City Hall, 1020 E. Pioneer Rd. Residents can submit written comments to the City Recorder by noon Monday, Oct. 5.