Regional Growth Committee recommends certification of station‑area plans, finds several small station "slivers" impracticable

South Jordan, Utah — At its Aug. 21 meeting the Wasatch Front Regional Council's Regional Growth Committee recommended that the full regional council certify two station‑area plans — Layton and South Jordan — and recommended that the council accept findings of "impracticability" for small "sliver" areas in West Haven, Harriman and for a small portion associated with the Clearfield/Fr ontrunner area.

The committee considered five station‑area items and moved in two groups: a bundled recommendation that West Haven, Harriman and a small Clearfield‑area sliver be found impracticable for a full station‑area plan, and separate recommendations to certify the Layton and South Jordan Frontrunner station‑area plans. The committee approved forwarding each recommendation to the full Wasatch Front Regional Council for final action.

What staff and city officials said

Byron Head, with WFRC's community and economic development group, explained the statutory basis for allowing a city to find a station area "impracticable" under state law when the portion of the station area within a municipality is very small, already developed or otherwise not amenable to station‑area planning. He recommended the committee forward the city resolutions finding the areas impracticable to the regional council.

Steven Nelson, who identified himself as West Haven's community development director, said West Haven's portion of the Roy Frontrunner station is about 8.2 acres spread over three separate sites and represents roughly 1.5% of the station area. Nelson said those parcels already have entitlements or are developed and the city council found a station‑area plan impracticable for that very small portion.

Mayor Lauren Palmer (Harriman) characterized her city's portion of the station area as mostly in state right‑of‑way and said the development constraints there make a full station‑area plan impracticable. For the small Clearfield area (described in the meeting as approximately one acre), staff reported existing apartments and entitlements and the city council deemed station‑area planning impracticable.

Layton and South Jordan station‑area plans

Layton staff described a yearlong planning effort that led to recommendations for increased walkability and connections across the station area. Whitney Black said the plan responds to physical constraints in the area, including I‑15 and Case Creek, and that planned projects include a new multifamily development on Main Street and a pedestrian bridge to connect east and west sides of the station area.

South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey described the South Jordan station‑area plan as covering roughly 300 acres between I‑15 and the Jordan River. Ramsey and staff said about 90% of the buildable land in the plan has already been developed and that floodplain, conservation easements and utility corridors limit redevelopment opportunities. The plan calls for preservation along the Jordan River, improved pedestrian and bike connections, additional transit links, and commercial infill. Mayor Ramsey noted recent approvals for housing projects in the area and said the city had approved about 225 new homes with a majority for sale product.

Staff noted progress and statewide context

WFRC staff noted that, with the plans certified to date and anticipated approvals, the council will have planned roughly 50,000 homes in station areas and that the agency is on track to plan as many as 100,000 homes in station areas over time. Staff also said the council and its partners are preparing additional station‑area certification requests ahead of the end of the calendar year.

Votes and motions

The committee moved to forward to the full council a recommendation that the councils of West Haven, Harriman and the small Clearfield‑area sliver be allowed to find a station area impracticable for planning; the committee also recommended certification of the Layton Frontrunner station‑area plan and, separately, the South Jordan Frontrunner station‑area plan. Each recommendation will be considered for final action by the Wasatch Front Regional Council at its next meeting.

What the committee's action means

Committee approval sends certification recommendations and impracticability findings to the full regional council for final action. A finding of "impracticability" does not prohibit a city from future station‑area planning; it acknowledges that, in the city's judgment and as reviewed by WFRC staff and UTA, the small portion of the station area in the city cannot be effectively planned at this time given development patterns and entitlements.

(Selected quotes from the meeting: Steven Nelson, West Haven Community Development Director: "the area is limited to only 1.5% of the total station, with approximately 8.2 acres, spread out through 3 different locations.")