Commission approves commercial storage facility in Wanship with added stormwater review; one commissioner votes no

The Eastern Summit County Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and final site plan for a commercial storage and warehousing development in the Red Onion Amended Subdivision (Lot 3) near Wanship, with an added condition requiring the applicant to consult the county stormwater (public works) division on best practices for protecting Silver Creek and the adjacent rail-trail corridor.

Planner Tiffany summarized the project: the owner proposes seven buildings containing 60 indoor storage units (about 18,570 square feet total) plus roughly 17,366 square feet of screened outdoor storage on a 6.21-acre parcel at 2135 South 50 West in Wanship. The development follows a rezoning approved in 2018 that rezoned Lots 3 and 4 to commercial. A portion of the site falls in the floodplain; the county engineer (floodplain manager) has reviewed that portion and required notes. The rail-trail corridor adjacent to the site normally requires a 100-foot setback from the corridor, but the commercial zone is exempt; the applicant proposed a 50-foot buffer from the trail, plus a six-foot screening fence and additional landscaping. Engineering staff reviewed stormwater and drainage plans and requested additional documentation as part of permitting.

At the hearing, neighbors and nearby business owners spoke. Clayton Vernon, a local storage operator, and others said they supported the project but cautioned about the aesthetics of outdoor storage. Wanship resident TJ Bates opposed the application as a poor long-term fit for Wanship’s commercial corridor, urging the commission to consider alternatives that bring more community services. Commissioners and members of the public raised concerns about public safety and the risk that storage facilities could be used to conceal illegal activity; the applicant said the project will be gated with code access, perimeter fencing, and motion-activated down-facing lights between units. The applicant and planner said engineering reviewed stormwater plans and indicated they were satisfied that runoff would be retained on site and that a stormwater retention facility would be required by permitting.

Commissioners asked whether open-storage users would be screened and whether hazardous materials would be allowed; staff noted conditions in the staff report prohibit on-site hazardous fuel storage and bar vehicle repairs on site; parking and impervious-surface limits were reviewed with engineering and the applicant proposes 64 parking spaces (code required 55). A commissioner suggested a berm between the open storage area and Silver Creek; the applicant said they would work with engineering and were open to mitigation; the commission added a condition that the applicant consult the public works stormwater division for best practices and that any significant change required by that consultation would return to the commission for modification of the final site plan.

At the vote the motion to approve with the added stormwater consultation condition passed with a majority; one commissioner voted no citing remaining public-safety concerns. Don Sargent recused himself from this item and did not participate in the vote. The applicant must satisfy engineering, floodplain and stormwater permitting and record required final documents before commencing construction.