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Weber County adopts 'Traditional Neighborhood' zone and approves Bennett master plan
Summary
Weber County commissioners approved an ordinance creating a new Traditional Neighborhood (TN) zone and rezoned about 550 acres for the Bennett master-plan development, adopting a development agreement that sets transects, street connections and design oversight ahead of future subdivision approvals.
Weber County commissioners voted to create a new Traditional Neighborhood (TN) zoning district and to apply it to roughly 550 acres for the Bennett master-plan development, approving the ordinance and associated development agreement on Aug. 12.
The TN zone establishes form-based rules, transect districts and design procedures intended to guide a mix of single-family, mixed-residential and neighborhood-commercial uses across the property bounded roughly by 12th Street, 4700 West and the Weber River. Charlie Ewert, Weber County planning staff, described the TN zone as an “enabling zone” that will be applied to large master-plan properties and governed by a development agreement specific to each project.
The development agreement approved with the ordinance sets unit density, building transects, river setbacks, road and bridge expectations and a structure for design review. An applicant representative told commissioners the project aims to "create a neighborhood that serves families" and emphasized senior-friendly housing, walkability and a mix of ownership and rental options.
Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized that the ordinance and agreement do not grant final subdivision approvals. Ewert said the county will still require standard subdivision reviews, including will-serve letters for water and sewer, before any lots are recorded. The agreement includes a structure for a "town architect" to oversee design, and the county retains authority to remove that architect or require changes if design standards are not followed.
The planning staff noted the file shows more than a year of public engagement: multiple planning commission work sessions and a planning commission public hearing, and the planning commission made a unanimous recommendation for approval. Commissioners asked for and received commitments in the development agreement for green buffers along 4700 West, two pedestrian bridges in addition to two planned vehicle bridges across the Weber River, and an engineering review requirement for any building or improvement that would be closer than 300 feet to the river (with limited exceptions down to 100 feet subject to an expert study specified in the agreement).
Formal action: the commission passed the ordinance and authorized the chair to sign the development agreement. A roll-call vote was recorded in the meeting minutes as: Commissioner Ford — Aye; Commissioner Harvey — Aye; Chair Ballos — Aye.
Why it matters: the TN zone creates a new, form-based approach to master-plan development in unincorporated Weber County. Staff and several commissioners said the zone is intended to be reusable for other large properties in the future, but the county set a 400-acre threshold in the current ordinance (the planning staff said that threshold can be reconsidered in future amendments). The development agreement and design exhibits will govern the appearance, transects and required public connections for this property and will be enforceable through county approval processes.
Next steps: Even with the zone and development agreement approved, the developer must still submit and receive county approval of subdivision plats, engineering plans and will-serve letters for water and sewer before construction or lot recording can proceed.
