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Council adopts ordinance allowing some corner-lot setbacks to be measured from back of sidewalk
Summary
Springville City Council approved Ordinance No. 05-2025 to let qualifying corner-lot homeowners measure certain residential side-yard setbacks from the back of the sidewalk rather than from the property line, subject to conditions intended to preserve city right-of-way for future transportation needs.
Springville City Council on an undisclosed date approved Ordinance No. 05-2025, amending Section 11-4-404 of the Springville City Code to permit measurement of residential side-yard setbacks from the back of sidewalk where the city owns the right-of-way between the sidewalk and the property line.
City planning staff told the council the change is intended to address situations where a property owner maintains and uses the area within the city's right-of-way but the official property line sits several feet behind the sidewalk, producing an effective setback substantially larger than the code's standard. Carla, a staff member presenting the item, said the revision will provide consistency by adding a code provision rather than handling such cases individually.
Carla said one recently reviewed property had a boundary line about 12 feet behind the back of the sidewalk, which effectively increased a 15-foot setback to roughly 27 to 30 feet. Under the ordinance, qualifying corner lots may measure the standard setback from the back of sidewalk provided the finished building is at least 5 feet inside the property boundary, preserving a buffer if the city later needs the right-of-way. "This allows property owners where they're already taking care of the property to measure from back of sidewalk," Carla said.
Staff described several conditions for eligibility: the rule applies only to corner lots; the adjacent street and sidewalk must be complete to the city's designated street standard; there must be no planned change to that right-of-way in the next 20 years; and property owners must already be maintaining the area. City staff said the provision was drafted by the city attorney to maintain the city's long-term transportation needs while restoring reasonable use to affected homeowners.
A council member moved to approve Ordinance No. 05-2025; another council member seconded. The council took a roll-call vote. Council members recorded on the roll call — Mike, Jake, Logan, Mindy and Craig — voted yes and the ordinance passed.
The change amends the setback language in Title 11 (residential development code) and applies only in the narrow circumstances described in the ordinance. City staff said they will apply the new rule case by case under the ordinance conditions and maintain maps and examples showing where the change applies.
