Planning commission backs 70‑lot open‑space subdivision; sends rezoning and development agreement to council

The Nibley City Planning Commission on a 4‑0 vote recommended City Council rezone roughly 19.23 acres for a 70‑lot open‑space subdivision and approved a development agreement and preliminary plat that would dedicate about 6.37 acres of the site to the city for agricultural use and a stormwater basin and trail.

The commission’s recommendation does not finalize the land use changes; the rezoning and the development agreement require City Council approval. The commission’s approvals include conditions requiring updated water and sewer modeling, structural evaluations and mitigation for existing farm structures to remain, developer payment of development fees, piping of a north‑edge canal, construction of a trail, and submission of a runoff‑management plan.

The project as proposed would create about 70 single‑family lots on roughly 16 acres of net developable land, with 40% of that developable area set aside as open space. Staff said the open‑space parcel would be treated as agricultural for animal‑use rules in the development agreement so it could house horses and support Morgan Farm’s programs for 4‑H youth.

Why it matters: The property sits adjacent to built neighborhoods, including Heritage Crossing and Highway Estates, and has a history of surface and groundwater flooding that neighbors said affects basements, yards and private drains. The proposal couples higher lot counts with a sizable dedicated open space, off‑site stormwater improvements and a proposed regional pipe to carry runoff toward a slough south of Malouf.

Engineering and stormwater

Lehi, a city planner presenting the item, described the subdivision layout and said the developer proposes piping the canal along the property’s north edge and building a trail within that easement. “There’s about 70 lots here,” Lehi said in the presentation, adding that the parcel includes a stormwater basin and an agricultural pasture with farm structures.

Tom, a city engineer who reviewed drainage, said staff and the applicant worked through several iterations of stormwater and groundwater modeling and agreed to bring fill material and a regional pipe that would convey runoff west and south toward a planned slough. “The stormwater and the groundwater and the irrigation were really concerning to me,” Tom said. “We spent hours and hours and days and days working with the engineers ... we’ve agreed to bring in some fill material that will address the standing water issues.” He added: “Although we’re threading a needle, I feel…