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Mendon commissioners target clearer residential-commercial zoning, mixed-use along highways and housing updates
Summary
Commissioners reviewed Mendongeneral plan and zoning maps, identified gaps (no clear residential-commercial or residential-agricultural definitions in code), and asked volunteers to research model mixed-use and residential-commercial provisions for draft updates.
The commission reviewed Mendongeneral plan sections and the municipal zoning code and concluded the city code lacks clear definitions for two categories the general plan references: "residential-commercial" and "residential-agricultural." Commissioners said those missing definitions make it difficult to implement the general plan's stated objectives, particularly for mixed-use development along highway corridors.
Commissioners discussed where commercial or mixed-use should be allowed as Mendon grows. Multiple participants said it makes policy sense to concentrate commercial and residential-commercial development along existing highway corridors so businesses are on traffic routes and homes are set behind or in mixed-use parcels. Several participants suggested limiting which parcels become mixed-use by tying the designation to parcels that physically touch main highways, rather than allowing property owners to rezone random interior parcels.
The group discussed practical constraints that affect any zoning change. Members said large portions of the municipal planning area are wetland, floodplain or have high water tables, which limits buildable commercial parcels. They also discussed Bear River Health District septic requirements: multifamily or housing-over-commercial ideas are constrained by requirements for separate septic/drain fields for each unit, which reduces feasibility for denser housing without sewer infrastructure.
Commissioners agreed to draft a description for residential-commercial and residential-agricultural zones, carefully define permitted low-impact businesses (examples: small medical/dental offices with limited hours, hair salons), and prevent high-impact commercial uses from locating in mixed residential zones. Volunteers will research model provisions and PUD approaches used by nearby towns, and return with suggested language for staff to incorporate into the city plan and the zoning code.
Commissioners also discussed sewer and growth. Staff and participants said Mendon currently should be able to rely on septic systems if growth is limited and code is enforced; that said, they noted sewer might become necessary only if the city allowed much denser development without adequate septic planning. The commission cited Millvilleas a local example where unchecked density led to a required sewer upgrade.
