Planning commission recommends Phase 3 of Orchard At Willard subdivision to city council, 4–1

The Willard City Planning Commission voted Dec. 4 to recommend preliminary approval of Phase 3 of the Orchard At Willard subdivision, sending the recommendation to city council by a 4–1 roll‑call vote.

Greg Day, the owner’s representative for the project, asked the commission to allow preliminary approval to move engineering and design work forward on phase 3 and said the development team would continue working with neighboring property owners and engineers to resolve pond placement and road alignment. "With the approval of preliminary, you don't bring an excavator on‑site — it gives you the ability to move to the next step," Day said, urging the commission to allow at least phase 3 to proceed.

Several commissioners opposed approving all phases at once because phase 4 requires sewer and road alignment that depends on adjacent projects (including Canyon Bay and the Harding property). One commissioner said approving only phase 3 would allow the developer to "start getting bridal engineering done" while staff and developers continue coordination on phase 4. Another commissioner framed the recommendation as a step the commission could make while reserving final engineering review for later stages.

A motion to recommend phase 3 to city council was made, seconded and carried. Roll call recorded "Aye" from Chandler, Alex, Diane and Chad and a "No" from Ken, producing a 4–1 recommendation. Commissioners asked staff and the developer to resolve outstanding road, sewer and pond/land‑swap issues for phase 4 prior to further approvals.

Next steps: the recommendation will go to city council and staff will continue work to reconcile phase 4 alignment with adjacent developments prior to council action.