The Springdale Planning Commission voted unanimously on June 18, 2025, to approve an erosion-hazard permit for a home renovation at 517 Watchman Drive, attaching conditions for revegetation, tree replacement and future monitoring.

The commission’s action followed a staff presentation and an engineering report from Rosenberg Engineering that concluded the riverbank in front of the property was stable and that existing armoring was in reasonable condition, although some grout had eroded and a boulder was missing.

Nile Connolly, a town staff member, said the application was submitted by Carson McKim on behalf of property owners Elizabeth and Jim Cutler and summarized the Rosenberg Engineering assessment. Rosenberg engineer Jared Bates was present, and the town engineer reviewed and concurred with the study’s conclusions.

Commissioners focused their discussion on on-site observations and the engineer’s findings. Commissioner Tom Kinston said he had visited the site and observed large boulders and established trees he believed would protect the bank; Commissioner Melissa Laborde said the assessment and staff review “look good” and supported the recommended conditions.

The commission’s approval was made under the town’s erosion-hazard provisions (referenced in the staff report as ordinance 10-13e). Conditions included replacing any vegetation disturbed during renovation with native Zion Canyon species, replacing removed trees at a ratio of two replacements for each removed tree, and a requirement that the property owners monitor the bank and obtain town approval before performing any future repairs or improvements.

The motion passed with recorded “aye” votes from Commissioners Jennifer McCullough, Terry Kruschke, Tom Kinston, Paul Zimmerman and Kash Bate.

The commission’s discussion distinguished erosion risk (the subject of the permit) from flooding, which is addressed separately through floodplain permits; the approved action imposes landscape and monitoring conditions but does not require immediate structural interventions.

The record shows the commission relied on the Rosenberg Engineering study and staff concurrence; the approval is conditioned on the specific revegetation, tree-replacement and town-approval requirements cited in the motion.