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South Jordan council approves ordinance to allow denser residential development east of FrontRunner with commercial-first condition
Summary
The South Jordan City Council on Feb. 4 unanimously approved Ordinance 2025-06, amending the PD floating zone to allow consideration of residential density above eight units per acre east of the FrontRunner rail line, with a council-added clarification that developments should be primarily commercial.
The South Jordan City Council on Feb. 4 unanimously approved Ordinance 2025-06, amending Section 17.130.050 of the South Jordan Municipal Code to allow the city to consider planned development (PD) requests for the area east of the FrontRunner rail line that propose residential density greater than eight dwelling units per acre.
The change expands the existing PD floating zone criteria so applicants may seek zoning that permits residential uses in that area; city staff said the move is intended to support mixed-use projects that help commercial proposals pencil financially. Joe Moss, the city’s long-range planner, told the council: "The item before you tonight is a modification to the PD floating zone. ... This ordinance would enable you to entertain a possible request for a plan development with residential components, that would be greater than 8 units per acre."
Why it matters: Council members said the area is primarily commercial and want to avoid allowing apartment-only projects that displace commercial opportunity. Council member Schafermeyer (spelling as used in the meeting) suggested adding language that residential proposals beyond the eight-unit cap should include a commercial component; council members agreed and the motion to approve included that clarification. The ordinance preserves the council’s role to evaluate each PD request case-by-case through the standard study/planning commission/city council rezone sequence.
Moss told the council the map area in question is mainly south of the FrontRunner station and north of South Jordan Parkway; the station-area plan already covers areas to the north. The amendment allows the city to consider PD rezones in territory that previously required commercial-only zoning. Moss said the change would "enable the council to consider that request on its own merits at that time."
During discussion council members stressed that the city’s general plan treats the area as commercial and that the council expects residential development to support — not replace — commercial uses. Council member Shelton asked whether residential-only projects could come forward; staff answered that any residential use would still require a zone-change via PD and that the council would retain authority to reject proposals it determined were not primarily commercial.
The ordinance was moved, seconded and then approved on a roll-call vote with Council members Zander, Harris, Johnson, Shelton and McGuire voting yes. The council directed staff and the city attorney to codify the "primarily commercial" clarification in the ordinance language so it is clear for future applicants.
The council has not yet received a specific applicant for the area; Moss said the amendment simply permits the city to accept and consider PD requests that include residential components exceeding the eight-unit-per-acre threshold.
Votes at a glance: Ordinance 2025-06 — approved (roll call: Zander — yes; Harris — yes; Johnson — yes; Shelton — yes; McGuire — yes).
The council adjourned to staff reports after the vote; staff said they will draft the codified language and return it as part of the ordinance record for final codification.
