Sandy planning commission approves Mountain America branch and grants architectural exception

The Sandy City Planning Commission voted to approve a preliminary site plan and grant a special exception to the shopping-center architectural theme for a new Mountain America Credit Union branch at 9446 South Highland Drive, the commission said Thursday.

The approval covers demolition of the former Zaxby's restaurant on the Little Cottonwood Canyon Shopping Center parcel and construction of a single-story Mountain America branch with a remote drive-through and a “mountain modern” exterior, the applicant told the commission. Amber Lavin, a Mountain America representative, said the design will include stone, fiber-cement lap siding and dark-brown metal accent panels. “We're thrilled to have another location in the community,” Lavin said.

The planning commission’s staff report noted the shopping center was developed more than 30 years ago with a cohesive architectural theme; staff recommended the commission find the proposed building “acceptable to integrate into this old shopping center” and supported a variance from the center’s design standards. Doug Wilcox, Sandy City Planning Director, explained the request is a special exception under the SD zone and that the proposal meets the criteria outlined in the staff report.

Commissioners moved and seconded a single combined motion to find the preliminary site plan complete and to grant the requested special exception to deviate from the center’s architectural design standards, based on the findings and conditions in the staff report. The roll-call vote recorded the following yes votes: Cameron Duncan; Steve Wrigley; Dave Bromley; Jennifer George; Danny Schoenfeld; Lenise Davenport; David Hart. The motion carried.

The applicant said the new branch will shift the building footprint and add a remote drive-through placed to the side of the building to separate pedestrian and vehicle circulation. Brooke Bean, the project architect, described the building’s single-slope roof and 24-by-24-inch stone finish as part of Mountain America’s branded look; she said the design has been used at several other branches and is intended to improve pedestrian safety by separating auto circulation from pedestrian flows.

The commission opened the public comment period; no members of the public attended in person or online. Commissioners discussed past design deviations in the shopping center, noting previous storefront changes including the state liquor store and a McDonald’s renovation. One commissioner said the proposed Mountain America design is closer to the center’s theme than other recent alterations. The commission approved the request with the findings and the five conditions listed in the staff report.

Construction timing and permit details were not specified during the meeting. The commission asked the applicant to return if staff has follow-up questions during final plan review.