Provo City

What is the South Campus Area Master Plan?


What is SCAMP all about?

    The South Campus Area Master Plan is intended to provide a framework for the creation of a student-oriented community or village close to the Brigham Young University (BYU) campus.

    The goals of SCAMP are to foster redevelopment of the built environment close to campus, providing affordable, quality housing opportunities to support the university and providing neighborhood-scale commercial services within a walkable community.

    The general boundaries are from 500 North to 800 North, and from University Avenue to 900 East. There has been some discussion of the need for transition zones, particularly along the southern boundary, and possibly extending the SCAMP study to include areas west of campus where considerable redevelopment for multiple-family housing has occurred.  Some of the key elements of the SCAMP proposal are described in the following paragraphs.

What is SCAMP not about?

    SCAMP is not about isolating students from the larger Provo community or creating a "student ghetto. Students are a vital part of the Provo community, providing youthful energy, raising the bar of academic achievement, participating in the work force, contributing countless volunteer hours in community service, supporting the businesses that keep our economy strong, and often becoming (or continuing as) long-term residents of Provo.

    Whether students stay in Provo beyond graduation or move on to new locations, the Provo community benefits from the diversity of people who come here to attend BYU and from the many activities available to all Provo residents who enjoy the cultural activities, sporting events and academic opportunities the University provides, as well as employment opportunities on or related to campus.

SCAMP Report and Recommendations, July 2000

    The Draft South Campus Area Master Plan (SCAMP Report and Recommendations, July 2000) was prepared by the consulting firm of Fregonese and Calthorpe under contract to Provo City. The preparation of this report followed a period of research and study by the consultant team and professional planning staff of the Provo City Community Development Department, working in conjunction with a Municipal Council-appointed committee of area residents, BYU representatives and development professionals (initiated March 2000). This draft "master plan" document exists primarily in the form of this report, with the maps and plans being still very schematic; no formal "master plan" has been prepared in graphic form.

    Some of the key elements of the SCAMP Report and Recommendations are:

    • Increase in residential density south of the BYU campus to facilitate new student housing, whether university-owned or privately owned
    • Decrease in parking requirements, as density is focused close to campus and pedestrian-friendly design encourages lesser dependence on driving
    • Redevelopment of existing lower-density residential uses to optimize use of valuable property near campus
    • Zones of mixed-use development to include retail and service commercial at street-level, with housing on upper floors
    • New Urbanism concepts for creating street-friendly buildings, people-oriented spaces, and a sense of place

Why was the SCAMP study initiated?

    During the 1970's, high-density zoning was applied in a broad-brush manner across a large geographic area, generally south of campus to Center Street. Due to the structure of the zoning ordinance, multiple-family projects meeting the minimal design standards of City Code could be constructed, with little discretion available to the Planning Commission or staff to ensure that development proceeded in a logical manner. 

    Redevelopment pressures were not as anticipated, and many of the areas designated for high-density development retained their primarily single-family character. Although many of these homes were converted - either legally or illegally - for multiple units, they generally retained the appearance and overall character of single family homes.  Today, the occurrence of apartment buildings seems random, as there is little transition between these multi-unit complexes and the surrounding homes and no indication that appropriate timing or sequencing of development controlled the progress of higher density intrusions into the neighborhoods.

    Over the last ten years, neighborhood residents and City leaders have experienced growing concerns over the transition of owner-occupied homes to multi-unit rentals and the loss of family-oriented neighborhoods to the increasing pressures of student housing.  Public schools in these areas have lost students, even as the overall population of the city has grown. Long-term residents who wish to stay in the core neighborhoods have appealed to the City for help in stabilizing their neighborhoods and reclaiming the appeal to owners who wish to make these dwellings their primary residences. 

    SCAMP provides an opportunity to focus redevelopment opportunities for higher-density housing closer to campus, relieving some of the pressures of providing student housing that currently impact these core neighborhoods. Other benefits anticipated are a decrease in traffic, as greater numbers of students will have shorter distances to travel to reach campus, and cleaner air that comes with reduced traffic congestion.


For additional information, please contact:

Provo City Community Development Department
Gary McGinn, Director
351 W. Center Street, Second Floor
P. O. Box 1849
Provo UT 84063
Telephone: 801-852-6400
Email