Planning commission approves conditional use permit for 'Empowering You' adult day program in professional office zone

The Sandy Planning Commission voted to approve a conditional use permit for Empowering You to operate an adult day program for people with developmental disabilities at 11339 South 700 East.

Sarah Stringham, planner, introduced the application. She said the applicant, Winslow Burton, was not present but a business partner, Jane Tofa, joined remotely. Stringham told the commission the proposed use is a conditional use in the Professional Office (PO) zone and that the applicant plans to use basement space in an existing building. Staff noted the site was recently rezoned to PO and that commissioners had visited the site.

Jane Tofa, representing Empowering You, told the commission the program would start with two to three participants with the goal of expanding to roughly 15 to 20 participants if feasible. Tofa said services would be funded through Medicaid waivers, would follow a person-centered approach, and would focus on independence, skills-building and community integration. Tofa said the program would operate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., that transportation pick-up and drop-off would be provided by a van rather than by families at the facility, and that activities would be primarily indoors.

Commissioners asked about parking and accessibility. Staff said the original site plan required 74 parking spaces for office and retail use and that the site currently has just over 100 spaces, so parking was sufficient for the proposed use. A remote commenter raised concern about locating the program in basement space and whether people with disabilities would be safely evacuated in a fire if elevators are inoperable. Planning staff noted that building codes require an area of refuge (which can be located in front of an elevator) and that the fire department inspects occupancies; staff said firefighters assist with evacuation of persons who cannot use stairs.

A motion to approve the conditional use permit for Empowering You in the PO zone, with the standard findings and conditions and a wording correction changing “department” to “division” in one condition, passed on a roll-call vote. Recorded yes votes were David Hart, Steve Wrigley, Ron Mortimer, Danny Schoenfeld and Dave Bromley. The permit approval includes the conditions discussed in the staff report and the requirement to meet applicable building and fire-safety regulations.