Willard planning commission hears concerns over single access, sewer and water for proposed Mountain View subdivision

The Willard City Planning Commission held a public hearing June 5 on a preliminary plan for the Mountain View subdivision, a 24‑lot proposal on roughly 16 acres near 8200 South Highway 89 submitted under parcel number 010450133. Planning staff said the applicant provided the materials required for review, and developer representatives answered questions from the commission and neighbors.

"We're not people that come in and try and figure out how much maximum density we can put somewhere. We just say, what's the zoning? ... Half‑acre lots seem to fit here," developer representative Kelvin Judd said, describing the project as 24 lots sized roughly a half acre after rights‑of‑way are subtracted.

Neighbors at the hearing said traffic and emergency access were their main concerns. "There's only a single access point in there for 24 homes," resident Lance Lewis said, adding that a left‑turn movement from Highway 89 into the proposed access is currently restricted and would force vehicles to use a nearby offset intersection. "This will increase the number of cars that have to make that turn, which might be unsafe." Resident Bryce Shoop said recent crashes near the same stretch of road increased his concern for added traffic.

Staff and the developer said Utah Department of Transportation spacing rules limit where a new access can be placed on Highway 89. "We've met with UDOT, and they will not allow an access where this touches. 89 is too close to the next access," Judd said, indicating that a secondary connection to the school district property south of the site would be the preferred long‑term solution but would require the school district to market or sell the property and go through its processes.

Commissioners and staff raised utility issues. Planning staff said the city petitioned Fair River Water Conservancy District for culinary water and has a wholesale allotment, and Pine View Water has improved secondary water plans for the subdivision. On sewer, staff noted the developer currently has permission to use septic systems but that a future sewer extension to South Willard is contingent on resolution of wetlands issues and legal challenges in the neighboring Old Farm development; staff estimated that a sewer extension could be “a couple years out” and said existing litigation could delay the timeline further.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on installing "dry" sewer lines now (infrastructure installed but not yet active) to avoid tearing up streets later. The applicant said they were obtaining bids and that dry‑line installation could be cost‑prohibitive but that they would provide estimates. "We'll figure out if that's a deal breaker or not for us and see," Judd said.

City staff said they will coordinate with the developer, the city engineer and the city attorney to determine what the commission may legally require about dry sewer lines, road easements and any conditions tied to UDOT and the school district. The developer said it is willing to work with the city to design an easement and align future access points with the city's master road plan.

Outcome: The commission opened and closed a public hearing on the subdivision and did not take approval action on the preliminary plan. Commissioners asked staff and the applicant to return with additional information — including cost estimates for dry sewer lines, clarification on water and sewer service timing, and potential road/easement language tied to school district property and UDOT access constraints — before the commission proceeds.

The commission asked staff to document needed plan modifications and to follow up with the developer and affected agencies; the applicant said it would provide required clarifications and updated engineering information for a subsequent meeting.

Why it matters: The subdivision would add housing in a part of the city where utility extensions and vehicle access are already constrained. The city's decisions about requiring dry‑line sewer installation, negotiating easements with the school district, and coordinating with UDOT on access placement will affect construction costs, public safety and future work to extend sewer service to South Willard.

Next steps: Commission staff indicated they will coordinate with the city engineer, city attorney and the developer to determine actionable conditions and return the item for further review at a later meeting. No approval was granted at the June 5 meeting.