Planning commission approves 2-space parking exception for Desert & Tropics Health Bar

The Moab City Planning Commission on Sept. 25 approved a parking special exception that allows Desert & Tropics Health Bar to add two parking spaces for its change of use at 45 East Center Street, a vote that passed 4-0 with Commissioner Shaylee Bryant recusing herself.

The applicant, Sandra Washington, applied after a change of use increased the site’s parking requirement from four spaces to six under the municipal code provision cited in the staff packet (MMC 17.09.220). City staff calculated the requirement using the business’ floor plan: 980 square feet for eating establishment use (about 4.9 spaces) plus 120 square feet of retail (about 0.4 spaces), which rounds to six required spaces; four spaces existed on site prior to the change.

Washington told the commission the site sits on a high-foot-traffic downtown block and said the city’s recent dispersed downtown parking additions reduce reliance on on-site stalls. “The amount of pedestrians is exciting to see,” she said, noting daily pedestrian activity and tourism in the immediate area.

Commission discussion compared this request to a recent approval for Bonjour on Main, a small “grab-and-go” eating establishment that also received an exception. Commissioners emphasized similarity of use and downtown pedestrian context when supporting the exception. Commissioner Miles Lockton moved to approve planning resolution 2025-13; Jill Tatton seconded. With Shaylee Bryant recused because she is the property owner, the motion passed 4-0.

The commission’s approval is a site‑level administrative land-use action under the planning code; no additional city‑council review was required. Washington thanked the commission and said she looks forward to opening the business.

Details that were presented to the commission and recorded in the packet include the applicant’s narrative and a floor plan showing the square-foot breakdown used to compute parking demand.