Developers of the Cash Valley Marketplace (the redeveloped Cache Valley Mall site) requested amendments to the project’s planned-development overlay (PDO) that would replace a proposed 156‑room hotel and roughly 21,000 sq. ft. of small-scale retail with a single-story, 62,000 sq. ft. mid-box retail building and alter apartment unit counts.

Planning staff summarized the change: the developer proposed a single 62,000‑square‑foot retail “mid-box” rather than a hotel plus smaller retail, and redesigned some multifamily buildings. Staff noted Planning Commission had reviewed design elements and recommended architectural mitigation for large blank facades facing Cache Valley Boulevard.

Public commenters and several council members raised concerns about the proposed loss of housing density (the multifamily total changed from an earlier 346 units to 312 units in the developer’s revised plan), the project’s visual character and increased parking and traffic impacts. Multiple speakers asked the council to preserve housing and small-business space and to avoid repeating a strip‑mall pattern.

After discussion, the council divided the request. It permitted the revised design of an identified multifamily building (Building F) and approved related design updates for that building, but declined to adopt the developer’s requested big‑box substitution across the broader PDO. The council directed that the remaining changes be returned to Planning Commission for further review; staff and the developer will continue design work and possible alternatives for the retail footprint.

Ending: The council approved only the portion of the PDO amendment that related to one multifamily building and sent the larger mid‑box retail change back to planning for additional alternatives and design work.