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Council continues Mojave Crossing site plan for 107‑room hotel and medical offices after concerns over grading, access and parking
Summary
The St. George City Council continued the Mojave Crossing PDC/site‑plan (107‑room hotel, 23,000‑sq. ft. medical office and 8,431‑sq. ft. retail) after lengthy discussion about steep slopes, retaining‑wall heights, vehicle access and shared parking; the applicant will return with clearer 3‑D models and engineering cross sections.
St. George City Council continued consideration of Ordinance 2025‑001, a planned‑development/site‑plan application called Mojave Crossing that would develop about 5.06 acres west of I‑15 with a 107‑room hotel, roughly 23,000 square feet of medical office space and an 8,431 square foot retail building.
Council members, staff and the applicant spent more than an hour on technical and operational concerns. Staff said the applicant submitted an updated site plan the day of the meeting that addressed minimum drive‑aisle widths and added retaining‑wall and grading notes; the applicant said the changes were minor (curb shifts of a foot or two) and that they would meet all city code requirements.
Several council members said late submittals prevented adequate review. Concerns centered on three areas: the steep existing topography that would require large retaining walls or deep cuts, the potential for hotel and delivery traffic to route onto or through adjacent residential streets (Sandpiper vs. Nighthawk access options), and shared‑parking calculations that left a shortfall of stalls by staff estimates. Staff described cross‑sections showing retaining‑wall scenarios and noted that 2:1 slopes are difficult to landscape and maintain; in some cross sections staff showed up to 12‑foot retaining walls with privacy walls above them.
Council members asked for clearer visual and technical materials before a final decision. Specifically they requested a coordinated packet that includes: accurate 3‑D renderings and a drive‑through visualization showing existing grades and proposed retaining walls; engineering grading cross‑sections tied to the plan; and an explicit access plan addressing whether one or two site entrances are feasible and how traffic will be routed to avoid neighborhood impacts. The applicant said they would prepare a more detailed 3‑D model and clarified they are not seeking variances to city standards.
Outcome: The council voted to continue the item so staff and the applicant can provide clearer exhibits and allow council members time to review the updated packet. Motion to continue by Michelle Tanner, seconded by Steve Kemp; vote was unanimous.
Speakers (selected)
- Colby Anderson, civil engineer, CIR Engineering (applicant’s civil engineer). - Tucker Nipco, developer (applicant representative). - Cameron (city engineering staff) and Carol (planning staff) provided technical reviews and cross sections. - Natalie Larson, Michelle Tanner, Steve Kemp, Jimmy Hughes, Daniel Clark — council members who questioned grading, access and parking.
Clarifying details raised in the meeting
- Project program: 107‑room hotel; ~23,000 sq. ft. medical office; 8,431 sq. ft. retail; site area stated as about 5.06 acres. - Applicant presented two main alternatives the council discussed: lower the site (costly and would require larger retaining walls and parking loss) or change access to Nighthawk; staff engineering and the fire marshal said two access points are preferable for a medical use but an emergency access may be acceptable as one option.
Next steps
- Applicant to provide a revised packet and 3‑D model showing existing topography, proposed retaining walls and circulation; staff to coordinate packet timing so council members receive materials with the regular meeting packet.
