Planning commission backs West Creek Estates rezoning, drops solar panel requirement
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Summary
The Western Weber Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning about 30 acres at 6200 West 900 South from A‑2 to R‑1‑15, approving staff findings and most smart‑growth stipulations but excluding a requirement for solar panels and batteries.
The Western Weber Planning Commission on April 9 recommended that the County Commission approve a zoning map amendment to rezone roughly 30 acres at about 6200 West 900 South from A‑2 to R‑1‑15, with conditions including smart‑growth measures but without a mandated solar‑panel and battery requirement. The motion passed on a recorded roll call with commissioners voting in favor and the chair joining the aye votes.
Staff said the request is a legislative rezone that should be evaluated against the Western Weaver General Plan and the county's smart‑growth guidance. Bill Colby, a county planner, told the commission the property could yield up to about 86 lots at the R‑1‑15 density, though the applicant is proposing about 79 lots for practical reasons. Colby said the site aligns with the general plan's guidance for medium‑to‑large residential lots and noted jurisdictional wetlands along a small western sliver of the site.
Commission members focused discussion on timing and infrastructure availability. Several commissioners asked about sewer and water attachments; Colby and Director Grover noted that county ordinance requires an availability letter from a special service district for a rezone and that sewer attachments and other infrastructure questions will be addressed during the subdivision process. Commissioners also questioned whether rezoning before infrastructure is constructed could leave rezoned parcels undeveloped for an extended period.
During deliberations, a commissioner moved to recommend approval of file ZMA‑2024‑04 to rezone the 30‑acre property to R‑1‑15 conditioned on the staff findings and smart‑growth principles 1–5, but explicitly excluding the staff recommendation that homes over 1,800 square feet be required to have solar panels and backup batteries. The motion was seconded, the commission voted unanimously in favor, and the recommendation will go to the County Commission, which has final authority.
The staff report that accompanied the item included density calculations showing an average lot size target of about 15,000 square feet and a map of anticipated future streets. Colby told commissioners that smart‑growth principles are incentives and not absolute requirements when a proposal already meets the general plan. He also said that the applicant had provided an availability letter from the applicable special service district.
The commission's recommendation sends conditions to the County Commission and preserves subdivision‑level review for details on sewer/water attachments, street cross sections and specific park/trail dedications. The County Commission will hold a public hearing and make the final decision on the rezoning request.
