Planning commissioners approve 55‑lot Pearson Farms subdivision with chain‑link canal fence requirement

The West Jordan Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 3, 2024 approved a preliminary major subdivision plat for Pearson Farms, a proposed 55‑lot single‑family neighborhood on roughly 15–16 acres off Gardner Lane/1950 West in an R1‑8 zone, subject to the conditions listed in the staff report and a commission modification requiring chain‑link fencing along the canal.

The preliminary approval follows a rezone earlier this year to R1‑8 for the parcel and keeps a density the applicant described as roughly 3.3–3.4 units per acre. John Gassman, representing McArthur Homes, said the project combines two parcels totaling about 16 acres and that the proposal meets the R1‑8 minimum lot size standard of 8,000 square feet.

Why it matters: the subdivision adds connectivity by extending the 1950 West stub through the site, provides a new route for emergency response and pedestrian access to schools and shopping to the south, and will place city‑owned storm detention in the northeast corner of the site. Traffic and long‑term maintenance of fencing along the canal were the central concerns raised by neighbors and commissioners.

City traffic staff and the developer presented technical findings and proposed mitigations. The traffic engineer, Nestor, said the developer submitted a traffic impact study and that, because the project size is modest, projected impacts remained within acceptable levels. "We had a neighborhood meeting, about a month ago, and we invited some of the neighbors," Nestor said, summarizing the outreach and study. He described the subdivision as generating about 550 trips (roughly 10 trips per lot) and estimated cut‑through traffic from the adjacent northern neighborhood at about 5–10 percent of trips — "about 26 cars per day." He said the city will monitor speeds on the new stretch and coordinate enforcement with police if needed.

As a mitigation strategy the developer will build several horizontal traffic calming features — curb bulb‑outs and curves in the 1950 West right‑of‑way — rather than speed bumps. Staff said the new internal streets will have a 50‑foot right‑of‑way (the older subdivision north of the site uses a 60‑foot right‑of‑way) and that bulbed crossings will reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians; one staff slide showed the narrowed travel width at the bulb outs would be about 24 feet.

Gassman said public‑safety and infrastructure checks are complete at the preliminary stage: fire‑flow, culinary water and sewer capacity analyses were performed and Rocky Mountain Power indicated service availability. He also noted the Gardner Lane/Redwood Road intersection — identified in the presentation as an existing deficient intersection — is on UDOT's docket for signalization in 2025.

Neighbors and several commissioners pressed the developer and staff on a vinyl fence proposed along the canal. Resident Steve Lohse, who owns adjacent acreage, objected to vinyl fencing abutting properties where animals are kept and urged a more substantial barrier. Lohse said the existing chain‑link fence currently keeps animals contained and that a vinyl fence could be damaged or allow animals to escape.

Commission discussion focused on durability, graffiti and maintenance responsibility. Commissioners suggested options including chain link with slats, aluminum/rod‑iron style fencing or masonry; staff and the developer noted masonry would be significantly more expensive and that some open fencing could be obscured later by homeowners installing private fencing. The commission emphasized the city's code gives the planning commission authority to approve fencing materials along waterways.

After discussion Commissioner Gonzales moved to approve the preliminary plat "with the modification of the chain link fence on the Canal Road"; Commissioner Hatch seconded. The motion passed and the commission approved the preliminary plat with the staff conditions and the chain‑link fence modification.

The developer will continue to work with staff on final plan check comments, demolition of an existing house that straddles lots 126–127, and the precise masonry streetscape wall treatment required along Gardner Lane at the location identified in staff materials. The city will own and maintain the storm detention area in the northeast corner of the site; landscaping and a chain‑link fence with slats were shown for that basin.

Public hearing on the item produced one in‑person commenter; no one spoke online. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the preliminary plat at the meeting.