Royce City planning panel approves Caroline townhome site plan and architectural review with conditions

The Royce City Planning Commission on Sept. 9 approved site-plan and architectural-review requests for the Caroline, a proposed 62-unit for-sale townhome project at approximately 2349 West 6000 South, with conditions that the developer must satisfy all current and future Development Review Committee (DRC) comments and the conditions listed in the staff report.

The project applicant, Taylor Anderson of Cole West, told the commission the proposal includes 62 townhomes for sale, about 31 parking spaces along the main street, and an area labeled Parcel A designated for open space. Anderson said the plan calls for a precast wall along the roadway and adjacent the railroad to reduce noise and sight lines for nearby residents; he added, “I think the limit is 6 feet,” when referring to the fence height near the tracks.

Planning staff presentation focused on technical and code items rather than major layout changes. Steve, the city planner, told commissioners that the site's building and street locations would not change with the current submittal and that many outstanding items on the staff report are the sort of DRC-level details: irrigation, landscaping, dumpster location or individual trash cans, street naming and other engineering comments. “Staff would recommend approval of both the site and the architecture with the conditions as stated in the staff report,” Steve said.

Staff also flagged open-space calculations for Parcel A. The planner said the designated open space “doesn't proportionally look like 25%” on the submitted plans and that the unit count could change — “they may lose a unit or two” — if the developer cannot demonstrate the required open-space percentage. Steve noted some architectural details need adjustment under code: long wall runs greater than 30 feet must include a vertical break or change in plane, and staff suggested more varied exterior color or materials so units are visually distinct.

Commissioners moved and seconded motions to approve first the site plan and then the architectural review, each with the condition that all current and future DRC review comments and any staff-report conditions be met. Both motions passed unanimously.

The commission chair and staff reminded the applicant that if any substantial changes to building locations or other major elements occur after DRC review, the item should return to the commission for further review. Staff reiterated that final sign-off will not occur until each department indicates no comment.