[{"_1":2,"_85":-5,"_86":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6553967,"mediaKeyId","5033823-4369986bd71f05ad958e786e7641dfc5","parentId",5033823,"title","Council directs planning review for Civic Center site; debate centers on building look, zoning mix and housing density","audioSeconds",4201,"startMs",1673000,"endMs",5874000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5033823-4369986bd71f05ad958e786e7641dfc5&start=1673&end=5874","thumbnailUrl","https://d352y6ypj4mjo3.cloudfront.net/AudioPlaceholder.png","articleUrl","/articles/6553967/Utah/Council-directs-planning-review-for-Civic-Center-site-debate-centers-on-building-look-zoning-mix-and-housing-density","mediaUrl","author","Hurricane City Council","date","2025-06-19T15:30:00Z","article","Hurricane City Council members spent the largest portion of a June work meeting discussing the look, layout and zoning approach for a proposed Civic Center site of roughly 20 acres along 100 North.

City staff presented building elevations and precedent images and asked the council for design direction for a two‑story City Hall and a police building (the police design included a three‑story option). Several council members and staff expressed a preference for a modest, heritage‑inspired look — councilors repeatedly cited the Ace Hardware building and the old high school as desirable references — and stressed avoiding a “Taj Mahal” that would drive up capital and operating costs.

The meeting then turned to land‑use options for the larger site. Staff and council discussed multiple zoning strategies, including a Planned Development Overlay (PDO) and combinations of base zones such as R1‑10 (single‑family), R1‑8, R14, and RM‑3 (multifamily). Staff said one approach would be to zone roughly 5 acres as public facility for City Hall, the police building and associated park/amenities, and to make the remaining acreage a PDO tied to a lower base residential zone so the city could manage density and uses via a future site plan. Planning staff explained that an RM‑3 base applied to 15 acres could allow up to about 225 units (15 units per acre), and that under other base zones the effective residential yield would be lower. Council members repeatedly said they did not want unexpectedly high density and expressed interest in design tools such as step‑down zoning (lower densities adjacent to existing single‑family neighborhoods, increasing toward the site's interior).

Council members were divided on how actively the city should pursue residential development on the parcel. Some members said the city should hold off on committing to housing and concentrate first on public facilities and a commercial frontage to generate revenue; others argued the city has a chance to provide workforce housing for local employees (police, teachers and other staff) and should retain flexibility to allow multifamily or mixed housing. Several members suggested mixing housing types (single‑family small lots, duplexes/twin homes, and limited multifamily) to soften transitions to adjacent neighborhoods.

After extended discussion, staff summarized options and the near‑term procedural steps: the council directed staff to send the Civic Center rezoning and site‑planning options to the Planning Commission for review (next Planning Commission hearing referenced on July 10 in the meeting) and scheduled a future City Council review (August meeting referenced). Staff and council also discussed an alternate, narrower approach — rezoning the core civic parcel(s) now to public facility and deferring residential decisions — and several council members favored isolating the civic buildings and a commercial strip along 100 North as immediate actions while continuing detailed residential planning.

Why it matters: The Civic Center site includes the city’s major public uses (City Hall, police, amphitheater and park) and is one of the few large central parcels the city controls; the chosen zoning and phasing will affect tax revenue potential, future housing supply, and the design and cost of the civic buildings.

Key numbers and options discussed in the meeting: staff said the total site is roughly 20 acres, and suggested setting aside about 5 acres for public facilities and 15 acres for a PDO/residential overlay. Staff said an RM‑3 base on 15 acres could allow up to about 225 units; council discussion repeatedly referenced smaller outcomes — roughly 40–60 residential units under lower base zones and site‑design choices. City staff said the Planning Commission will review the proposal in July and the council will consider it in August.","mediaType","Audio","parentTitle","Hurricane City Council Agenda - 2025-06-19-CCR.1","oneSentenceSummary","Hurricane City Council members gave staff direction to send Civic Center zoning and design options to the Planning Commission after a work‑session focused on building look, phasing and how much residential density the city should allow on a roughly 20‑acre site.","taxTitle","Hurricane, Washington County, Utah","taxId",80031,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":-5,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6553974,"Developer and council discuss zoning, unfinished common area at The Canyons RV Resort",1561,0,1561000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5033823-4369986bd71f05ad958e786e7641dfc5&start=0&end=1561","/articles/6553974/Utah/Developer-and-council-discuss-zoning-unfinished-common-area-at-The-Canyons-RV-Resort","Developer Joby, who represents property in The Canyons subdivision, discussed the history and regulatory complications of the 17‑acre development with the Hurricane City Council during a June work meeting. He asked the council whether the site should remain an RV resort as originally platted, or be finished out as a small‑lot, single‑family subdivision with two‑story homes and new common‑area amenities.

Joby told the council the subdivision was platted in 1987 as a planned development (PDO) and that the homeowners association now holds the recorded common area after the original developer went bankrupt. He said about 2.5 acres of the 17 acres are common area and that 2.05 acres are shown on the plat as the recreation area, which has not been constructed. Joby said he is pursuing rights to clear certain debts so he can complete that common area and install amenities such as pickleball courts, a playground and a dog‑park–style retention area, but he does not plan to install a pool or clubhouse because of cost and liability concerns.

The council and Joby also discussed the character of the existing lots and what type of housing would be appropriate. Joby said many existing dwellings have been occupied long‑term in ways that technically exceed RV‑park rules, and he described three different development types that can exist in an MHRV zone: RV parks, mobile/manufactured home parks (single owner), and manufactured‑home subdivisions. He argued The Canyons does not match any of those neatly and that treating it as a PDO requires attention to the common area and plat history.

Council members raised concerns about height, parking, street widths and long‑term maintenance. Several council members said they were open to two‑story stick‑built houses on small lots as an affordable option, but others said the change could create a “hodgepodge” appearance and worried about street congestion, garages being used for storage rather than parking, and whether two‑story buildings would appear out of place next to existing single‑story units. A planning staff member explained the draft ordinance discussed at prior meetings would allow stick‑built buildings to exceed the current 15‑foot limit for pre‑2019 RV parks; planning commissioners had recommended a 35‑foot allowance, and some council members suggested 22–25 feet would be a more realistic maximum for the proposed homes.

No formal vote took place. Council members asked Joby to refine plans and asked staff to help him and council members meet to address outstanding technical issues. Councilmember Kevin said he preferred not to see the property continue as a resort and thought small two‑story homes could provide affordable housing opportunities. Councilmember Drew and others requested additional design work and suggested a replat or pad‑based design rather than individual small lots.

Council direction and next steps included informal follow‑up: a staff member was asked to arrange further meetings between Joby and council members (including Drew) to review concerns about height, parking and layout before the item returns to a formal hearing.

Why it matters: The Canyons is a long‑standing, partially built subdivision with uncompleted common facilities. How the city treats the property affects current residents, infrastructure needs (water meters and roads), enforcement of RV‑park rules, and the supply of lower‑cost, entry‑level housing.

Details extracted from the meeting: Joby said the subdivision totals about 17 acres and that the common area is roughly 2.5 acres, with a 2.05‑acre recreation parcel shown on the plat. He also said the HOA controls the common area and that internal HOA voting rules require 113 votes to act; he controls 57 of those votes. Planning staff and Joby discussed a draft ordinance change to raise the allowable height for pre‑2019 RV parks from 15 feet to a higher limit (planning commission recommended 35 feet; council discussion gravitated toward 22–25 feet as realistic for two‑story stick‑built homes). Joby said he has been working to obtain debt clearance rights and to get water meters installed so original lots could support new construction.","Developer Joby told Hurricane City Council members the 17‑acre Canyons subdivision was platted as a planned development in 1987, but its central recreation area was never built after the original developer’s bankruptcy, creating legal and practical obstacles to finishing the site.","actionData","errors"]

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Council directs planning review for Civic Center site; debate centers on building look, zoning mix and housing density

Developer and council discuss zoning, unfinished common area at The Canyons RV Resort