Council approves America First Credit Union corporate campus phase 1 site plan amid traffic concerns

Riverdale City Council on Tuesday approved a site plan for phase 1 of the America First Credit Union corporate campus, a multi-building development on the city’s west bench that councilors and applicants said will require major road and utility upgrades before the whole campus can be built out.

The approval covers initial construction of an office building and a parking structure, plus related roads, trails and landscaping. City planner Brandon Cooper described the proposal as the start of a larger master plan that could include up to 10 buildings and substantial public infrastructure work tied to the project.

Why it matters: AFCU’s campus would add thousands of employees and large-daytime population to Riverdale, triggering transportation improvements the council and applicants said the city otherwise could not afford. Staff and the applicant said the project is the catalyst for UDOT and local upgrades the area needs, but the council pressed for safeguards so the city can track traffic impacts as the project proceeds.

The planning presentation said phase 1 includes about 11.03 acres of landscaping, approximately 17 acres of open space and a parking structure…