The Planning Commission on Aug. 5 granted multiple commercial design variances for a proposed Red Barn Bakery but denied the applicant’s lighting variance, and forwarded a waiver of street improvements to City Council.

Applicant presentation: Jason Young, representing the applicant, said the site layout — including a circular drive and constrained grading — required a trash enclosure partially visible from the street and a nearby loading area to support bakery deliveries. Young told commissioners the dumpster floor would sit roughly 4.5 feet below street grade and would be screened by a six‑foot privacy fence plus a landscape strip.

Variances and votes: Commissioners approved variances for outdoor storage, trash‑collection location, loading area proximity, building‑foundation landscaping and a reduction of the minimum separation from a residential zone (vote 6–1). A separate variance request for pedestrian‑way lighting failed 4–3; commissioners said the lighting standard could not be relaxed without compromising pedestrian safety or streetscape expectations. The applicant also requested a waiver from required street improvements on East Robinson; the commission voted to forward that waiver to City Council (motion passed, 6–1) and staff will prepare a resolution for the Aug. 26 council meeting.

Staff context and conditions: Planning staff flagged that some landscaping could not be installed where utility easements or existing site constraints prevent trees; staff asked for coordination with Springdale Water Utilities for perimeter trees and noted the dumpster and loading configuration would require additional screening and operational controls. Commissioners discussed hours of operation and the bakery’s daytime‑oriented use; the applicant said the bakery would run primarily during daylight hours and that parking lot illumination should provide incidental lighting for adjacent sidewalks.

Next steps: The variances that passed will be incorporated into site review; the lighting variance denial means the applicant must meet the city’s pedestrian lighting standards or propose alternative compliant designs. The waiver resolution will be prepared for City Council review on Aug. 26; variance denials or approvals may be appealed within 15 days.