Washington City Council voted 4–1 on Jan. 14 to approve a conditional‑use permit for an industrial evaporation pond proposed inside the Desert Shore/Alaya development, despite objections from council members and questions from nearby residents about smell and placement next to existing homes.

Community Development Director Eldon Gibb explained staff's review of engineering memoranda and the project's exhibit, saying the proposed pond would be located at the north end of the PCD adjacent to Washington Fields Road and would include screening, a four‑foot wrought‑iron fence, a compact walking trail and maintenance access. Applicant representatives said the basin would be reconstructed and operated as a man‑controlled evaporation feature rather than a permanent lake.

Brandy Walker, representing the applicant, told council the water "doesn't have a strong sulfur" odor and that the product "does not have a strong smell" as engineered. Operations representative Cody Larkin displayed a sample and summarized its origin, saying, "This is what comes out of the TDS system," and that engineering reports from Cloward Engineering support the proposed process and expected byproducts.

Several council members pressed the applicant on liner design, annual sediment removal and long‑term maintenance. Councilman Coates said he remained unpersuaded, arguing the location would put the pond next to existing residents who did not anticipate that use when they bought homes. "With that note, I'm against this location," he said on the record.

Councilman Ivy moved to approve the location for conditional use, and the motion was amended on the floor to require that, if approved, the applicant pursue a zone change to convert the specific open‑space parcel to an appropriate commercial zone and to replenish the open‑space acreage elsewhere within the PCD. The motion passed on roll call 4–1, with Coates voting no. The council record indicates maintenance responsibility will be shared by the commercial developer (Zion Shores) and the master HOA umbrella for the development.

What happens next: The applicant must file a zone‑change application as a follow‑up step, and staff will expect documentation showing where and how the developer will replenish the open‑space acreage identified in the development agreement. Council directed staff to ensure coordination with HOAs and to confirm engineering memos cited in the record are available as part of the permit file.

The councilADrecorded debate centered on siting, long‑term maintenance responsibility and whether potential odor or seasonal conditions could cause nuisance impacts to nearby homeowners. The council's approval was conditioned to create a clear administrative pathway to convert the parcel's zoning and to establish replenishment and maintenance obligations.