Wallsburg planning commission approves variance to allow small replica of historic Ford store

WALSBURG, Utah — The Wallsburg Town Planning Commission on April 29 unanimously granted a variance allowing property owner Rob Fawcett to place a 12-by-22-foot accessory building on the existing foundation of the former Ford store, with the condition that the new structure’s front face be designed to resemble the original store and that a rendering be approved by the Wallsburg City Council.

The decision came after a lengthy discussion about setbacks, historic preservation and whether building size would trigger county permitting. “I’m just trying to clean that area up,” Fawcett said, describing the site’s old stacked-rock foundation and a capped basement he said dated to the 1880s. He told commissioners he wanted a small outbuilding — not living quarters — and that he could reduce the size or make the structure movable if required.

Commissioners discussed multiple options to avoid county-level building-permit requirements, which the commission and applicant said can apply to buildings larger than 200…