Ephraim planning commission approves Butterfield zoning change over one dissent

The Ephraim Planning Commission voted Feb. 26 to approve a general-plan amendment and a zoning-map amendment for the Butterfield property, recommending that City Council rezone four assessor parcels (S 733, S 734, S 946 and S 948), about 21.6 acres, from Residential Agricultural (RA) to R2 (two-family residential).

The votes were carried by voice vote with one recorded opposition. Commissioner Desiree Funk recorded a nay on both the general-plan amendment and the rezoning; the remainder of the commission voted to move the recommendations forward to the City Council.

The applicant, identified in the hearing as the property owner, described a development concept of approximately 8,000-square-foot single-family lots (about 0.2 acre) intended to provide more affordable "starter" homes and smaller-lot options for retirees. "I've had it for about, I think, 14 years," the applicant said, adding that he envisions smaller 1,100- to 1,500-square-foot homes and that "I'm not gonna be doing duplexes." He estimated the full project could yield roughly 70 lots across the 21.6 acres.

Planning staff noted that the city's current general plan shows the site for a higher-density commercial use and that the applicant's proposal would be a "down-step" from commercial to residential. A staff representative said the smaller-lot approach "feels like a good thing" and that single-family homes would fit beside existing single-family neighborhoods.

Commissioners' discussion centered on two policy trade-offs: whether to accept the rezoning to R2 (as noticed) or to downzone to R1 tonight to prevent the possibility of future multifamily development. One commissioner argued for downzoning to R1 to avoid unintended future changes, saying she was "100% for downzoning as much as possible and just making it R1 now." Planning staff advised that changing the noticed zoning to R1 would require re-noticing adjacent property owners within the city's 200-foot notice radius and postponing a final vote.

The commission also discussed technical constraints raised during the hearing: irrigation and pressurized water availability, a storm-drain pipeline along the east side of the property, potential high groundwater in parts of Ephraim, and the fact that duplexes in the city require a minimum 10,000-square-foot lot (a threshold the applicant said his 8,000-square-foot lots would not meet). Staff reminded commissioners that a subdivision application and final plat review will return to the commission later, giving the body an additional opportunity to review lot sizes and layout.

Tina Lafferty, speaking for the Ruby V. Black Trust, told the commission her group was "not looking for that zoning to be influenced to be changed at all" for adjacent property north of Walmart; staff clarified that the proposed change would not alter her property unless she requested a change.

Both the general-plan amendment and the rezoning received motions and seconds in the public meeting; the commission approved the general-plan amendment first and then the rezoning recommendation to R2, with Desiree Funk recorded as opposed on the motions. Planning staff said the matter will appear on the City Council agenda next Wednesday for final action.

The commission's planner also reported on upcoming items, including a townhome subdivision (Ephraim Crossing) expected to appear at a future meeting and efforts to upgrade older trailer-court housing on Main Street. The meeting adjourned following the planner's report.