The Harrisville City Planning Commission on Aug. 13 granted a conditional use permit and preliminary and final site plan approval for a new Public Safety and City Hall building at approximately 686 West 1750 North, subject to conditions in staff and engineering memos. The approvals clear the project to move toward bidding, with staff saying a prequalification package for contractors will go out in the next one to two weeks and formal bidding expected in September.

The project is sited on land zoned open space. City planner Sarah Wickerin told the commission that the proposal places the municipal building and public safety functions with parking largely to the north and employee/secure parking behind a gated area to the west. "It’s expected that this area is going to be accessed mostly directly off of Highway 89," Wickerin said while showing the site plan and access points.

The commission’s nut‑graph: the building is intended to provide long‑term space for police and administrative staff and to include stormwater controls, utilities and landscaping that the city says will accommodate near‑term population and staffing growth. Commissioners were shown elevations and materials noted by the architect; staff said the building footprint includes two‑story and one‑story segments totaling roughly 20,000 square feet.

In discussion staff and the project team described site features the commission conditioned in the approval. The landscaping plan shows about 22 percent of the site in planted areas and a front lawn the city intends for small public events; Commissioner Holbrook said that green space measures about 68 by 77 feet. Wickerin and others said parking and lighting were sized for anticipated use and noted lighting will be directional and dark‑sky compliant to reduce glare on nearby properties.

Stormwater will be managed in part by a detention basin and a planned regional pond in the northeast corner of the city property. Wickerin said runoff from the new building and adjacent highway flow will route to that pond and to an on‑site detention facility and that the work must be coordinated with the city’s broader drainage project. Utilities staff confirmed culinary water mains have been installed up to the highway and service laterals for water and sewer have been stubbed to the building and adjacent future fire station; the water utility is finalizing meter sizing based on building fixture counts.

The architect and staff told the commission the design accommodates growth in staff and services: the building program was sized from a needs analysis of current staffing and projected near‑term staffing levels. Staff said the selected height is under the maximum code limit and was chosen to blend with the nearby Public Works building.

The commission approved the conditional use permit and site plans by voice vote; the approvals are subject to items listed in the city planner’s and city engineer’s memos and to receipt of a small number of outstanding agency letters. Wickerin reminded the commission that a 15‑day appeal period applies to the administrative decision.

Next steps: the city will finalize remaining agency letters, complete prequalification and bidding documents and issue the bid package in September; staff expects to select a contractor by late September. If no appeal is filed during the 15‑day window, the city will proceed to construction coordination and preconstruction meetings.