The Santaquin City Planning Commission on Sept. 9 approved a plat amendment to combine two parcels owned by Craig Ellsworth into a single lot, a move the owner said will allow construction of an accessory structure. The commission voted unanimously to approve the plat amendment after staff confirmed there were no engineering objections and identified the municipal-code provision that permits partial rezoning or similar treatment.

Why it matters: the lot-combination clears a procedural step for the property owner to pursue building an accessory structure. Commissioners asked whether combining two lots that straddle different base zones (R-10 and R-12) would require a zone-change process; staff and outside reviewers noted that a lot can span two zones and that no rezoning is required for a simple plat consolidation, though future subdivision or other proposals could trigger additional review.

Details: the owner, Craig Ellsworth, owns Parcel 48196001 in Oak Ridge Estates (R-10) and Parcel 483440036 in Oakview Hills (R-12). Combined, the parcels total slightly more than one acre and are both corner lots. City engineering staff reported no problems with the plat amendment. Ellsworth told the commission his primary purpose for combining the lots was to permit construction of an accessory structure on the combined parcel; staff clarified that accessory structures typically require an associated dwelling unit on the lot under city code.

Commission discussion centered on zoning treatment for a combined parcel. Planning staff said the combined lot would be treated with the zoning applicable to the existing dwelling location (the home sits in the R-10 portion) and that the city’s code allows parcels to span zones in certain circumstances. Commissioners discussed whether it would be cleaner to pursue a zone map amendment but staff advised that it was not required in this case and that recorded development agreements and PUD conditions in the area had defined applicable standards.

Formal action: Commissioner Wood moved to approve the plat amendment citing Santaquin municipal code 10.20.06, section D (partial rezoning/partial rezoning provisions); Commissioner Romero seconded. The motion passed unanimously; Commissioners Mook, Romero, Nixon, Hoffman, Waite and Wood voted yes. The commission directed no immediate additional conditions beyond standard plat requirements. Staff and the owner agreed to work to resolve any remaining technical clarifications and to return to the commission if necessary for future subdivision requests.

Next steps: staff will finalize the recorded plat amendment and file it per standard procedures. The owner requested a short turnaround; staff indicated they would attempt to process the remaining technical items promptly. Any future request to subdivide the combined parcel would return to the planning commission for review.