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Planning commission approves TSSD request to build 75-foot treatment structure
Summary
The Utah County Planning Commission approved a conditional-use permit allowing a primary treatment facility structure at the Timpanogos Special Service District site to exceed the 40-foot height limit and reach up to 75 feet, subject to staff findings and conditions; one commissioner recused.
The Utah County Planning Commission on Sept. 16 approved a conditional-use request (CU 202507) from the Timpanogos Special Service District to allow a primary treatment facility structure to reach 75 feet, exceeding the county’s 40-foot standard. The permit was approved subject to staff findings and three conditions listed in the staff report; a commissioner who sits on the TSSD board recused.
Why it matters: The request modifies building-height limits for a wastewater-treatment operation that serves much of northern Utah County and includes infrastructure intended to control odors and support renewable natural gas production.
What the commission heard: Greg, a planning staff member, summarized the application and maps, saying the request was consistent with ordinance requirements and below the heights previously approved for digesters (up to 130 feet) and silos (90 feet) in a 2023 expansion. “This request is for 75 feet in height … the request is consistent with our requirements and has met all the requirements of the ordinance for this structure,” the staff presentation stated.
Richard Mickelson, TSSD district manager, told the commission the new enclosed structure will allow the district to remove organic material from the waste stream, send concentrated organics to existing capped digesters, and capture methane for injection into the gas grid. “The board is spending a significant amount of money to cap this with the building so that odors do not escape and we can control the odors,” Mickelson said. He told commissioners the full renewable-natural-gas operation is expected to be complete in about four to five years.
Procedural notes and vote: A commissioner recused at the start of the item because they sit on the TSSD board. Staff recommended approval; a commissioner moved to approve CU 202507 for a primary treatment facility structure up to 75 feet subject to staff findings and conditions 1–3. The motion carried on a voice vote; the transcript records approval but does not list a roll-call tally.
Conditions and next steps: Staff said planning approvals required for the expansion are in place; remaining work will proceed through building permits and any necessary construction permits. The commission’s approval is conditioned on the staff findings and the three conditions referenced in the staff report.
Ending: The commission accepted the permit application and approved the conditional use for the 75-foot structure; construction and final work will follow the county’s building- and construction-permit processes.
