Planning commission recommends general-plan amendment and rezoning for Fife property at 1350 South Main

The Springville Planning Commission on Oct. 15 voted to recommend two changes requested by property owners Peter and Jillian Fife: an amendment to the General Plan land‑use map to designate Parcel 26026046 as low‑density residential and a subsequent rezoning of that same parcel to R‑1‑15 to allow a single‑family home and agricultural uses on the remainder of the lot.

Commission staff identified the parcel as a bifurcated holding now used for agriculture and partly classified industrial under the current General Plan. Planning staff advised the commission that a General Plan amendment is required before any rezoning because the plan’s land‑use designation is not the same as zoning. Staff described the parcel as the last partially industrial parcel southbound before an area that is mostly residential.

Applicant Peter Fife addressed the commission, describing the couple’s intentions: “we're gonna be building a house here, and then we'll just be keeping cows and horses in the field.” He told commissioners the property has no existing structures, is primarily accessed from Main Street and that the Army Corps of Engineers had previously identified part of the parcel in the National Wetlands Inventory but that Corps staff had been “okay with it being used for horses and cows.”

Planning staff Josh advised the commission that the city is not the regulatory authority for wetlands and that the Army Corps enforces wetland protections independent of local zoning. Josh said a formal wetlands delineation has not been performed and that, if development is proposed later, the property owner would likely need a Corps delineation and that geotechnical studies are commonly required before subdivision. “It's really only when you develop or make changes to the property that they start looking at it,” Josh said.

Commissioners asked about allowed density under low‑density residential designations and whether future subdivision would be feasible. Staff noted the R‑1‑15 zone corresponds to roughly 15,000‑square‑foot lots and that, while the 9.3‑acre parcel could technically be subdivided in the future, site constraints such as wetlands, geotechnical conditions, access requirements, and the nearby rail alignment would make subdivision challenging.

Actions and votes - Motion to recommend approval of amendment to the Springville General Plan land‑use map to designate Parcel 26026046 as low‑density residential. Motion moved and seconded by members of the commission; the motion carried (vote recorded as "all in favor; aye"). - Motion to recommend approval of the zoning amendment to designate the entirety of Parcel 26,2646 (approximately 9.3 acres at about 1350 South Main Street) as R‑1‑15. Motion moved and seconded; commissioners voted in favor (motion passed).

Why this matters Changing the General Plan designation and rezoning the parcel allow the property owners to build a single‑family home while continuing agricultural uses on the remaining land. The commission’s recommendations move the two items forward to the city council for final legislative action; the votes were recommendations, not final zoning actions.

Next steps The recommendations from the Planning Commission go to the Springville City Council for public hearings and final decisions. If the council approves the General Plan amendment and the R‑1‑15 rezoning, future development proposals will still be subject to wetlands review, building‑permit and geotechnical requirements, and any subdivision procedures if the owners later seek to divide the parcel.