Planning commission backs guideline changes for sewer cleanouts, removes ladders from new manholes

On July 23, 2025, the Payson City Planning Commission voted unanimously to forward proposed amendments to the Payson City development guidelines to the City Council. The amendments add notes to standard construction details to require sewer cleanouts in park strips, require manholes to be aligned over troughs and discontinue preinstalling ladders in new manholes.

Staff said the changes respond to recurring detail questions from a developer and to safety concerns. “If the ladder is installed in the manhole, then a lot of times, they will skip all the other safety issues. They'll just pull the lid and go down. They won't test the air first. They won't use the tripod, the safety harnesses and things like that,” a staff member told commissioners, explaining the policy rationale for removing ladders in new manholes. Staff clarified that existing manholes will not be retrofitted; the change applies to new installations or replacements.

The commission opened a public hearing on the proposed guideline changes; no members of the public spoke on this item. After discussion, the commission moved and seconded a recommendation in favor of item 5.2. Roll-call votes were recorded: Commissioner Frisbie: yes; Commissioner Hamuli: yes; Commissioner Beecher: yes; Commissioner Becker: yes. The motion carries and will be sent to City Council for consideration.

Staff said the amendments will be added to the standard details in the guidelines so developers can see the requirements without parsing code text. Commissioners praised the edited copies staff provided and said the clearer details should reduce future disputes about semantics.