A simple paddle bike has turned into a flashpoint for big changes in city policy.
During a discussion that occasionally circled around itself and lasted more than an hour, an exasperated Page City Council determined Lake Powell Vacations, a new business set up in “Block 17” of the downtown plaza area, would need to remove a trailer displaying a paddle bike that had been set up in a parking space of the city-owned parking lot. Council also motioned that any kind of display or signage on private property — such as the business’s storefront — was allowed as long as it met the requirements of current city code and zoning laws.
A debate about the signage and paddle bike came to a head earlier in August when council and community development staff fast tracked a public meeting regarding the display of the paddle bike in the parking lot, as well as other rental equipment like kayaks near the storefront. Staff told council it was an issue they needed direction on whether or not these kinds of displays should be allowed.
The owners, alongside several other page citizens, questioned the city as to why it was apparently singling out the business, despite other tour companies being allowed to park several of their tour vehicles in the public parking lot indefinitely. Those vehicles had the company’s name stamped on them, which served a similar advertising function as the paddle bike and trailer, they argued.
Other businesses, they said, were allowed to set up large signs in similar locations for years without any apparent complaint from the city — a claim that both Vice Mayor John Kocjan and councilor Levi Tappan acknowledged.

Page City Attorney Joshua Smith advised council that because the parking lot is city-owned property, it had “a very broad array of options” in how it wanted to set up and therefore enforce regulation, especially when viewed from the perspective of the city as a property owner, rather than a legislative body.
Smith insinuated the best options would be to require all businesses within the block to acquire a permit or lease for a specialized use of a parking space for anything other than parking a business-operated vehicle. This would encourage “voluntary compliance” from businesses as well as foster a better relationship and understanding between businesses and the city.
Questions elicited by the discussion included what exactly the city staff should allow to be displayed in the parking lot, with some concerned with the aesthetics of trailers and large signs.
Mayor Bill Diak also alluded to an upcoming beautification project for the entire block that would have to account for any decisions made regarding the debate.
Councilmembers and Johnson both said they were not trying to single out Lake Powell Vacations, but rather use the discussion as a launch pad for structuring clear and simplified rules for advertising and storage on city property.
“It is not in the interest of council to disadvantage or dictate to people how they run their business. But there are considerations that need to be taken into account,” said Diak.
The discussion further proved to be a watershed item for city staff, as community Development Director Kimberly Johnson and City Manager Crystal Dyches told council they had investigated signage from other businesses on the property. Two businesses, they claimed, had signage and displays that did not meet zoning code or were dubious enough to elicit the same kind of scrutiny as LPV’s paddle bike and trailer. One of the signs, which they were told had a permit and written lease, in fact did not, they said. The two businesses, Dyches continued, had removed the signs and were talking with city staff to come to a similar agreement as LPV.
Essentially, council and Smith determined if any business wished to utilize any portion of a select space within the parking lot for either advertisement or equipment storage, they would need to acquire a lease or permit. Any signage or equipment would also need to meet city code standards. Parking of business-related vehicles in the lot would still be allowed.
Smith said that any future requests of this nature would have to go to council for decision.