Holiday City planning commission hears site plan amendment for South Highland Drive mixed‑use project

Holiday City planning commissioners on April 15 heard a site plan amendment for a mixed‑use project on South Highland Drive that would remove six upper‑floor residential units from a corner commercial building, add a row of townhomes, and seek vacation of a former alignment of Arbor Lane so the parcel can be reconfigured.

City staff told commissioners the property totals about 1.08 acres and that the applicant’s revised plan moves the corner commercial building closer to Highland Drive, converts the former upper‑floor residences to additional commercial space and adds townhomes to the rear. The staff report tabulates roughly 9,800 square feet of commercial space and lists a 1,300‑square‑foot footprint for each residential unit; elsewhere in the hearing staff and commissioners referenced a 10,000‑square‑foot commercial area, an inconsistency noted in the record. Staff recommended that the commission require the final commercial building be set back 10 feet from the property line (the edge of the sidewalk) so landscaping can soften what would otherwise be a long building face.

The applicant, who spoke from the podium as the property owner and developer, described the site as previously blighted and said engineering, parking and large overhead utility easements made the originally approved configuration (residential over restaurant) impractical. “It didn’t make sense to have residential above the restaurant. It was too difficult to engineer and design,” the applicant said, explaining that removing six upstairs units and adding four townhomes makes the numbers work for the development. The applicant said the project is financially time‑sensitive and urged approval, adding that he has a partner for the townhomes and that failure to approve the plan could lead to the property changing hands.

Commissioners and staff repeatedly cited the site’s overhead power lines and utility easements as constraints that limit where buildings and significant landscaping can be placed. Staff said the site generally complies with C‑2 zone standards and PUD conditions but emphasized the commission could require more detailed landscaping plans and specific conditions on final design. Commissioners asked whether the applicant could meet staff’s 10‑foot setback recommendation; the applicant said moving the building would be challenging because the utility easement limits options but that he would seek design concessions to avoid a “brick wall” adjacent to the sidewalk.

Neighbors who spoke at the public hearing were largely supportive if conditions are met. Sarah Pierce, who lives at 2004 Arbor Lane and described herself as an immediate neighbor, said the project is supported “with the conditions that you outlined,” including additional trees and tapered heights. Architect and nearby resident Chris Layton, who said he is the project architect, urged commissioners to consider the economic realities and value of adding a restaurant and office space alongside townhomes.

No formal vote was taken on the site plan amendment at the April 15 meeting. Staff noted that the application includes a recommendation to city council to vacate the former Arbor Lane alignment and that the commission may continue the item or add conditions requiring additional landscaping or final design changes before forwarding a recommendation to council. The record contains inconsistent street numbering for the site (the work session referenced 5025 South Highland Drive while staff’s public‑hearing remarks referenced 5250 South Highland Drive); commissioners and staff should correct that discrepancy in the public record before any recommendation is transmitted.

Next steps: the commission heard testimony and public comment and did not adopt a final approval or denial on April 15. The application remains pending and is expected to return with final plans or a formal recommendation to city council; the commission indicated continuing the item is an option if members want to review more detailed landscaping or building elevations.