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Prospective owners discuss converting Orderville gas station into pizza restaurant; town staff outlines permits, parking and signage rules
Summary
Martin Fitzrick and Josh Solfaro told the Orderville Planning and Zoning Commission on May 28 they plan to convert the former gas station at the town’s highway corner into a fast‑casual pizza restaurant and asked whether the canopy could support a rooftop seating area and how signage, parking and environmental rules would apply.
Martin Fitzrick and Josh Solfaro, prospective buyers of the former gas station building on Orderville’s main highway, told the Town Planning and Zoning Commission on May 28 that they plan to convert the property into a fast-casual pizza restaurant and asked about signage, rooftop uses, parking and environmental rules.
The commission’s building inspector and other town staff said a renovation that changes wiring or structure will require building permits and engineered plans; because the site sits adjacent to the highway, the Utah Department of Transportation’s right‑of‑way rules and existing nonconforming sign standards will also apply. The applicants said their timeline aims for a fall opening.
The applicants introduced themselves to the commissioners and described basic plans: interior remodeling, on-site prep and customer seating, and outdoor seating in the former pump lane. They asked whether the old overhead canopy could be adapted into a rooftop patio if a structural engineer approves it. The commission’s building official said structural upgrades would require engineered plans and the associated permit review.
On signage, commission members said the existing freestanding gas-station sign is likely “nonconforming” because it predates current highway setbacks; staff said reusing the structure in the same location and size would probably be acceptable but relocating the sign or substantially enlarging it could trigger compliance review and UDOT review for distance from the highway. The applicants asked about a larger sign (they proposed roughly 8 by 5 feet) and were told that that size and placement would be reviewed against the town’s signage standards and UDOT restrictions.
Town staff told the applicants that parking requirements for a restaurant depend on the type and number of seats and that preliminary calculations typically follow formulas in the zoning code (for example, parking per occupant or per square foot). Staff said the owners can limit seating to reduce required parking or provide off‑site parking arrangements; they cautioned that the corner currently offers limited spaces and that sidewalk clearance cannot be blocked.
Environmental concerns also came up. Staff said the underground fuel tanks had been removed and testing had been done before and after tank removal, and that the site was mitigated before the applicants’ interest. For future food‑service permits and inspections, the applicants were told to consult the building office upstairs and to coordinate wiring, plumbing and structural plans with the building inspector.
The applicants said they hoped to open in the fall, pending business licensing and financing. They also asked about volunteering and possible community partnerships if their business succeeds; commission members encouraged community engagement and noted other local development projects in early stages.
What’s next: staff advised the applicants to meet with the building inspector to confirm required plan sets for any structural or electrical work, review parking calculations based on their final layout, and contact UDOT before moving or resizing any highway-facing sign.
