Pleasant Grove planning commission forwards rezoning recommendation for 675 West Garden Drive

On March 13, 2025, the Pleasant Grove Planning Commission voted to forward a recommendation to the City Council to rezone about 2.8 acres at 675 West Garden Drive from the Neighborhood Commercial zone to the Commercial Sales 2 (CS‑2) zone. The application was filed by Mike Carter on behalf of Tabitha's Way.

The zoning change would allow a broader set of commercial and service uses than currently permitted in the Neighborhood Commercial zone. Jacob Hawkins, a planner with the Pleasant Grove planning department, told commissioners that the commission's general plan designates the area as "State Street commercial," a designation that includes the CS‑2 zone and is intended for auto‑oriented commercial centers such as larger shopping centers and restaurants. Hawkins said staff recommends approval of the proposed rezone.

Hawkins described differences between the Neighborhood Commercial zone and CS‑2, saying CS‑2 permits a wider array of retail, office and service uses and allows certain residential uses as conditional uses. He also noted that, regardless of the zone, the project would remain subject to local development standards designed to protect adjacent residences. "There are no glare from any lighting, there's noise limits and specifically, there's a section that prohibits uses that involve open storage or merchandise of equipment, or off premise designs or trader industry that is noxious or offensive, by reason of the emission of odor, smoke, gas, vibration, or noise," Hawkins said, citing city code requirements that apply at the site.

Mike Carter, co‑founder of Tabitha's Way and the applicant, told the commission the organization previously secured a site plan for the property in June 2023 and had recruited prospective tenants — a scratch‑and‑dent appliance store, an apparel business and a retail printing business — but lost those prospective tenants during a multi‑month leasing process. "All 3 of our tenants found other places," Carter said. He said Tabitha's Way has five leasable spaces and that rents from those tenants would provide funding needed for Tabitha's Way's operations. "The neighborhood commercial doesn't have nearly as many uses that are permitted in it. It's substantially less compared to the CS2 and that's the reason that we're here, requesting a, a zoning change to CS2," Carter said.

Commissioners questioned whether nearby auto‑oriented uses are permitted or nonconforming and whether additional buffering would be required if the rezoning is approved. Hawkins responded that some existing auto uses in the area are nonconforming and that the properties immediately adjacent to the subject parcel already include setbacks and a required fence or buffer. "Everything that will be required, we're gonna commercial and a residential, it already exists," a planner said, adding that the transitional development standards in section 10‑15‑209 would continue to limit noxious uses adjacent to residences.

The commission opened the item for public comment; no members of the public addressed the commission. Commissioner Martineau moved to forward a recommendation of approval to the City Council for the rezone request filed by Mike Carter; Commissioner Nelson seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote; those in favor said "aye" and no commissioner voiced opposition.

Other routine business at the meeting included approval of the agenda, approval of staff reports and approval of the Feb. 27, 2025 meeting minutes, each approved by voice vote. The commission adjourned following the regular business.

The rezoning now moves to the Pleasant Grove City Council, which will consider the commission's recommendation at a future meeting. The commission record shows staff recommended approval in part because the rezoning is consistent with the general plan's State Street commercial designation and because development standards (including section 10‑15‑209) would apply to limit adverse impacts on neighboring residences.