Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission forwards Linden Village zoning changes to city council after 5–2 vote
Summary
The commission voted 5–2 to recommend an amendment to Linden Village zone (17.48.025) that creates a core district with restricted uses and size limits; debate centered on preserving a previously promoted ‘walkable’ vision, limits on drive‑throughs and where car washes and dealerships might be allowed.
The Lindon City Planning Commission on Nov. 25 voted 5–2 to forward an amended Linden Village zoning ordinance (17.48.025) to the city council with a recommendation to adopt.
Mike Florence, planning staff, described the change as the creation of a ‘‘core district’’ (districts 3, 5, 7 and 9) intended for more walkable, smaller‑scale uses and said the code changes include limits such as a 25,000‑square‑foot cap for building‑materials/home‑improvement stores in the core and siting rules for car washes (no closer than 500 feet to single‑family homes or schools and a 3,000‑foot spacing measure from other car washes as written in the draft).
Commissioners and staff spent significant time debating the practical implications. Supporters said the amendment clarifies permissible uses and protects a central core area; opponents warned that narrowing allowable uses risks abandoning the broader ‘‘walkable’’ vision residents have seen in earlier public presentations. Commissioner Scott Thompson said the public’s expectation of a Riverwoods‑style walkable town center ‘‘doesn’t look anything like that’’ in the current plan and urged that the council clarify the long‑term vision.
Members also discussed whether drive‑throughs should be prohibited in the core or instead handled as conditional uses with site‑plan mitigation. Staff noted a council member suggested prohibiting drive‑throughs in the core, but several commissioners observed banks and other desirable tenants sometimes include drive‑through lanes and that conditional approval could allow design controls to limit queuing and preserve walkability.
After debate a motion to recommend the ordinance as presented carried 5–2. The planning staff will include discussion items (for example, assisted‑living and new dealership uses) for council consideration in the staff report as requested by commissioners.
Next steps: the recommendation will move to the Lindon City Council for its consideration; the staff report will flag items (drive‑throughs, assisted living, new dealerships) noted by commissioners for council review.
