Commission approves Agora Heights site plan and architecture for 40-unit studio building in DTW zone

Roy City planning commissioners approved site-plan and architectural reviews Oct. 14, 2025, for the Agora Heights project, a proposed five-story building at 1952 West 5450 South in the Downtown West (DTW) zone featuring about 40 studio apartments above roughly 3,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.

Porter Christensen, a representative of Sumaterra Ventures, said the development is intended to provide workforce housing near Hill Air Force Base and help activate a walkable downtown corridor. "We develop high quality workforce affordable housing," Christensen said, noting the project budget is about $9.5 million and the upper floors would provide 10 units per floor, each with a balcony.

Staff told the commission the parcel is vacant and largely conforms to DTW height allowances; the project’s five stories are within the zone limit. The applicant said it is negotiating to use 11 parking stalls on a neighboring property and that an agreement to record those stalls will be part of the final submittal. Staff also noted fire-department and engineering conditions and required landscape and parking upgrades, which must be addressed during final DRC review.

The commission approved both the site-plan and architectural requests with conditions listed in the staff report and DRC comments. Commissioners asked about commercial prospects; the developer said commercial occupancy varies by project and that the 3,000-square-foot main-floor commercial area is intended to serve residents and the streetfront.

The approvals were administrative: the project meets DTW zoning height limits and will proceed to final engineering and recorded agreements required for parking and other site improvements before building permits are issued.