Planning commission recommends rezoning 8.13 acres on Highway 89 to allow townhomes, asks for access verification

The Pleasant View Planning Commission voted unanimously May 5 to recommend that city council rezone roughly 8.127 acres at 3885 North Highway 89 from RE20 (very low-density residential) to RE5 (higher-density residential), with a condition asking council to verify ingress and egress and to flag additional requirements if a future site plan would exceed 50 units.

The recommendation follows a public hearing and extended discussion about the parcel’s location next to a rail corridor and Highway 89, access points and how many units the RE5 zone could allow. City staff told commissioners the recently approved zoning ordinance limits RE5 to a maximum of 8 units per acre; applied to this site that would allow up to about 64 units if a developer used the zone’s maximum density.

Commissioners and staff reviewed changes the city council made when it approved the RE5 ordinance on April 8: setbacks from Highway 89 and active railroad rights-of-way were reduced from 50 feet to 20 feet, and residential parking requirements were increased from 2.25 stalls per unit to 3.25 stalls per unit. City staff said the rezone request conforms with the updated general plan and the revised ordinance text.

Brad Brown, representing Stewart Land Company and the applicant for the rezoning, told the commission the developer intends to target first-time home buyers and to keep units relatively affordable. "This project will be a good, you know, addition and a win for the city," Brown said. He told the commission the developer expects to use an access point through the neighboring Capstone property initially and anticipates a future Skyline Drive connection when that roadway is built.

Commissioners raised several concerns during the public hearing and deliberations: the parcel’s proximity to Highway 89 and the rail line, whether residential use would fit the corridor’s existing commercial/industrial character, school-age pedestrian safety, and whether UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation) and the fire marshal would approve required access for a higher-density development. Commissioners repeatedly emphasized that site-plan level approvals — including UDOT approvals for direct access to Highway 89 and the fire marshal’s review of access and fire-safety requirements — occur after rezoning and before building permits.

The motion to recommend approval was made with a clarification that city council should verify ingress/egress arrangements and consider special regulatory thresholds that apply if a development exceeds 50 units. The commission’s recommendation passed unanimously.

Next steps: the recommendation will be forwarded to Pleasant View City Council for final action on the rezoning request. If council approves the rezone, future site-plan review will address access, fire-marshal requirements, detailed unit counts and parking, and other engineering comments staff noted during the commission review.