Planning commissioners decline to recommend rezoning of former Studio 6 for affordable-housing conversion

Murray City Planning Commission members voted unanimously Aug. 7 to decline recommending a general-plan amendment and zoning change that would allow conversion of the former Studio 6 hotel on 6600 South into a mixed-use, deeply affordable housing development.

The applicant, represented by Keith Warburton, asked the commission to redesignate the property on 975 East 6600 South from “office” on the future land-use map to Village and Centers Mixed Use (VMU) and to approve a development agreement that would authorize conversion of the existing hotel into 102 residential units plus at least 5,000 square feet of commercial space open to the public. Staff recommended forwarding the request to City Council with a development-agreement requirement setting “guardrails” for the proposed mixed-use project.

The proposal attracted extended public comment and questions about safety, property upkeep, tenant selection and long-term oversight. Several nearby residents urged the commission to reject the rezoning and to study other options for the parcel; a commercial-property representative asked the city to consider a broader planning strategy for the corridor.

Chad Wilkinson, planning…