Sandy City Council rejects Riverside Park rezoning after neighbors raise safety, access concerns

Sandy City Council members unanimously voted 7–0 on April 29 to reject an application to rezone property along Riverside Drive from CBC (commercial) to a PUD intended for residential development.

The measure, Ordinance 205-11, was put forward by applicant Adam Nash but drew sustained concern from neighbors and several council members about driveway access, sight lines, and potential traffic impacts on Seventh West and adjacent residential lots. Planning staff had presented the rezoning request for action at the meeting.

Council member Marcy Houseman said she continued to have unanswered questions about traffic and access and stated she would vote to reject. Council member Brooke D'Souza and others also cited the parcel's unique topography, the presence of a concrete median on 90th South that limits turning movements, and the proximity of existing commercial uses (including a 7‑11) as reasons the proposed residential use raised safety and circulation concerns. Several residents attending and speaking at the meeting described heavy vehicle activity behind adjacent commercial buildings, limited sight distances, and the lack of safe pedestrian connections.

Applicant Adam Nash addressed the council, describing two-plus years of plan revisions and coordination with UDOT and staff. Nash pointed to the site's amenities, including proximity to the Jordan River Trail and nearby golf course, and said the proposal had evolved through multiple surveys and plan changes to accommodate input from staff and neighbors. He said the plan included a separating roadway between commercial and residential uses and that the project team had been working toward safer sight lines and utility access.

But council members repeatedly said the outstanding concerns were substantial. After public comment from multiple neighbors — including Jen Archuleta and Jeremiah Johnson, who said the access configuration created unsafe conditions and that recent heavy truck maneuvering demonstrated the problem — Chair Erin Nikiser moved to reject the ordinance. The motion to “reject and not adopt Ordinance 205-11” was seconded by Council member Brooke Sharkey and carried 7–0 in roll call vote.

The council encouraged the applicant to continue coordinating with staff and neighbors and to return with revised plans; several members said they were open to working with Nash but were not prepared to change zoning at this time.

Action: the council rejected the rezoning request (Ordinance 205-11).