Council approves nonbinding MOU with Land Reserve for Creek Ridge property swap and MDA changes

Herriman City Council on April 9 approved a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Land Reserve and the Olympia Group to swap portions of Creek Ridge property, transfer the Creek Ridge park parcel to the city, and amend development agreement (MDA) terms in advance of formal MDA and rezoning actions.

Staff described the key terms: Land Reserve will convey park property plus a roughly three-quarter-acre parcel; the city will receive the blue and green parcels shown in staff materials and will take responsibility for roadway improvements tied to the right-of-way for 6400 West. The current MDA commercial acreage requirement was reduced in the proposal from about 7 acres to 3.7 acres; staff said the package includes flexibility so if the developer builds more than 3.7 acres of commercial, the approved unit counts will shrink accordingly. Area A's unit total would change from about 1,365 to 1,392 single-family units; the blue area (to be conveyed to the developer) would be entitled for 36 single-family detached units. Staff also noted the MOU removes the city's prior $2,000,000 park-spending obligation by crediting land transfers.

Councilmembers sought clarity that an MOU is nonbinding and that the MOU does not itself finalize an MDA or rezone. Councilmember Jared moved approval and Councilmember Steve seconded; the motion passed on recorded roll call.

Staff said the next steps include MDA amendments, a Creek Ridge Cove MDA to entitle the blue area, planning commission review next week, and return to council for final decisions on rezones and general plan changes. The MOU creates a framework for those negotiations but does not by itself change land-use entitlements until the formal processes are complete.