Planning commission backs preliminary site plan and recommends 85-foot height exception for proposed Zion Regional Medical Center campus

The Hurricane City Planning Commission on May 22 recommended approval of a preliminary site plan for the proposed Zion Regional Medical Center campus and forwarded a development agreement to the City Council that would permit buildings up to 85 feet on three parcels along State Route 9.

The preliminary site plan (PSP-25-12) covers a multi-building medical campus the applicants described as a roughly 30–35‑acre development located southeast of the Walmart on SR‑9. Carl Rasmussen, an agent for the applicant, summarized the project as a hospital campus that will include a bed tower, medical office space and supporting uses. “There’ll be a new road, Sand Hollow East Road,” Rasmussen said, describing infrastructure that will serve the site. Jared Cox, a land developer on the project, said UDOT has placed restrictions on new access from SR‑9: “UDOT passed some restriction against this corridor that prevented any additional access,” Cox said.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the campus would expand local health-care capacity and local jobs, while staff and several commissioners urged caution about vehicle access and emergency routing. The development agreement would be the mechanism to allow an 85‑foot building height—well above Hurricane’s base highway‑commercial height—so the commission forwarded a recommendation to the council rather than approving a zoning text change.

Commission discussion and votes - Commissioners discussed traffic access and emergency vehicle routing numerous times. Staff and the applicants confirmed a regional traffic study had been completed and that a site‑specific addendum would be prepared. - Commissioners asked whether the 85‑foot request applied across all three parcels; the applicants said the primary need was for the five‑story bed tower but requested flexibility for future medical office buildings on adjacent parcels. - On PSP‑25‑12 (preliminary site plan), a commissioner moved to approve the site plan as presented, subject to staff and JUC comments; the motion passed with the ayes recorded and the recommendation was forwarded to the City Council. - On the development agreement to allow 85 feet, a motion to recommend approval to the City Council, subject to staff and JUC comments, carried.

What the approvals mean (next steps) Both items are recommendations only; final authority rests with the Hurricane City Council. The commission placed emphasis in its recommendation on (1) continuing coordination with UDOT about access on SR‑9, (2) completing a site‑specific traffic study addendum and (3) addressing emergency access and fire‑department infrastructure (water looping) as the plan proceeds. Commissioners asked staff to reflect those concerns in the draft development agreement that will go to council.

Applicant and project details provided at the meeting Applicants and agents described the campus as including a five‑story bed tower (the applicant’s materials indicate a multi‑story hospital) and medical office uses. The applicants described staging of public infrastructure (Sand Hollow East Road and a planned frontage-type road) and indicated future trail and utility corridors adjacent to SR‑9. Jared Cox and Carl Rasmussen said they had discussed access with UDOT but that UDOT’s corridor restrictions currently preclude new turns from SR‑9 at the location shown.

Ending The commission’s recommendation will be considered by the Hurricane City Council at its next available meeting (the commission noted the council meeting on June 5). Staff said additional refinements to the draft development agreement and to engineering exhibits will be completed before council review.