Staff reports: Hillside Plaza LOI signed; park-naming shortlist and staffing updates announced

Jared (staff) told the Cottonwood Heights Planning Commission on Aug. 6 that the city has signed a letter of intent with development partners for the Hillside Plaza (Town Center) property and will soon enter the development agreement phase, which will generate more public outreach and design materials in the coming months.

Jared said the city sold $20 million of bonds to pay off a sales-tax bond used to purchase the property; remaining bond proceeds are reserved for tenant relocation and potential additional property acquisitions. He said demolition had been hoped for this fall but that site work is more likely to begin in spring as the city finalizes design and agreements.

Other project updates included:

- Fort Union water/road work: Jared said the Fort Union water project is running behind schedule and that the city negotiated a change order to add curb, gutter and sidewalk work while contractors were on site; that additional work may extend the construction window.

- Apartments and private development: The Dakota Pacific project north of the Town Center has not submitted a new application; staff said the developer has been in weekly contact but had not completed its resubmittal for second review.

- Gravel pit/Rockworth: Staff reported the Rockworth gravel-pit project passed an initial review but required corrections in several departments; the developer is working on a resubmittal.

- Old mill demolition/conditional-use: Staff confirmed a conditional-use application for demolition of the old mill had not yet been submitted in a complete form and therefore the statutory one-year processing clock had not started.

Parks and naming: Jared said staff received about 54 name suggestions for the new park in the northeast quadrant near Wasatch and that the shortlist is Brighton Point, Summer Hill and Dover Hill; staff will run an online public nomination/comment form and return the issue to the commission in mid-September for a final decision.

Staffing and personnel: Jared announced that the city has hired Jim Spung as community development/economic development director (he was on preplanned vacation and will appear at a future meeting) and that Maverick has been promoted to Planner III. Jared said staff is working to fill the vacated planner position and expects to be fully staffed in the coming weeks.

Administrative process and hearings: Maverick and commissioners discussed administrative hearings and conditional-use applications for home-based businesses that serve clients (for example, home therapy, massage, home baking with client visits). Historically some of those applications were handled at the director/staff level depending on business type and scale; commissioners agreed it would be appropriate to bring such conditional-use requests to the Planning Commission for review while the new director becomes familiar with local practices.

Training and conferences: Commissioners discussed participation in professional conferences (APA Utah fall conference in October) and training requirements for commissioners. Staff offered to track completed training and maintain records if commissioners forward attendance information.

Next steps and timing: Jared said the Hillside Plaza development agreement phase should yield public design materials in the fall, with demolition or major site work more likely in spring. Staff will circulate the park-name public comment form and return the name selection to the commission in mid-September; the Dakota Pacific and Rockworth projects are awaiting resubmittals from their applicants, and the old mill demolition application remains incomplete.