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Bluffdale planners recommend raising R‑1‑43 lot coverage from 30% to 35%
Summary
After a staff presentation and applicant testimony, the Bluffdale Planning Commission unanimously recommended that City Council increase permitted lot coverage in the R‑1‑43 zone from 30% to 35%, a change staff estimates would add roughly 2,000 sq ft to the current per‑lot maximum.
The Bluffdale Planning Commission on Aug. 20 voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council increase maximum lot coverage in the city’s R‑1‑43 residential zone from 30% to 35%.
City planner Caitlin Tubbs told the commission the R‑1‑43 zone (one‑acre minimum lots) currently caps lot coverage at 30% and that increasing it to 35% would raise the per‑lot maximum from about 13,068 square feet to about 15,246 square feet — roughly a 2,000‑square‑foot change in the total footprint allowed for buildings and structures. Tubbs emphasized that the lot coverage calculation counts buildings and structures only and does not include hardscape or flatwork, so the change does not automatically change stormwater calculations in the city’s drainage or stormwater master plans.
Casey Jones, attorney for applicant Justin Anderson, said the Anderson family is seeking the change to accommodate on‑site medical and wellness space for a child with an illness. “It will allow more flexibility,” Jones said, adding the amendment keeps existing setbacks and heights in place and aligns with Bluffdale’s general plan and the city’s moderate‑income housing strategies following House Bill 462.
Commissioners asked whether accessory dwelling units would be affected; Caitlin Tubbs confirmed ADUs count as structures for lot coverage purposes and that an increase could permit larger ADUs. Commissioners also reviewed comparables in neighboring cities and noted some zones in Bluffdale already allow higher coverage. After the public hearing closed with no additional speakers or emails, Commissioner Ulysses Flynn moved and Commissioner Corey Luker seconded a positive recommendation to the City Council. The commission voted unanimous in favor; the item is scheduled for City Council consideration on Sept. 10, 2025.
What happens next: The recommendation will be forwarded to the Bluffdale City Council for a public hearing and final decision. If Council adopts the change, the maximum lot coverage in R‑1‑43 will increase as recommended.
